Kenneth Branagh

From being listed as one of Ireland’s greatest film actors in The Irish Times to being knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2012, Sir Kenneth Charles Branagh has become a prominent actor and filmmaker. Branagh is best known for his exceptional adaptations of Shakespearean plays and directing blockbusters such as Marvel’s Thor and Hamlet which had earned several award nominations. Branagh found early success when he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, engaging audiences with his captivating performances.

His breakthrough came along when he directed ‘Henry V’ in 1989 and played the lead character. It received worldwide praise and three Oscar nominations. Branagh had also won the British Academy Film Award for best direction for the film and the movie was rated number 1 on the list of Greatest Shakespeare movies on Rotten Tomatoes. Ambitious and precise in his work, Branagh brought Shakespeare’s Hamlet to the big screen and it has been regarded as one of the best film adaptions of the play.

Making an immense impression on the industry with his work, Branagh has received prestigious awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award at the RomaFictionFest, and created a milestone for becoming the first man to be nominated for five different categories for the Academy Awards. Outside of his work on screen, Branagh has written books about the making of his films. His autobiography titled ‘Beginning’ was published in 1989. Branagh is currently the president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London where he trained and is a supporter of the UK government Centenary cultural program called 21 Artists for the 21st Century, to support young talent from Northern Ireland to further their creative skills.