Joseph Fiennes
Encyclopedia
Joseph Fiennes is an English film and stage actor. He is perhaps best known for his portrayals of William Shakespeare
in Shakespeare in Love
, Sir Robert Dudley
in Elizabeth
, Commisar Danilov in Enemy at the Gates
, Martin Luther
in Luther
, Merlin
in Camelot
, and his portrayal of Mark Benford in the 2009 TV series FlashForward.
and photographer Mark Fiennes
. The youngest of six siblings, his elder siblings are actor Ralph Fiennes
, filmmakers Sophie Fiennes
and Martha Fiennes
, composer Magnus Fiennes
, and conservationist Jacob Fiennes, his twin brother. His foster brother, Michael Emery, is an archaeologist.
, before passing his 11+ exam and continuing to Bishop Wordsworth's School
, a voluntary-aided state day grammar school
, in the Cathedral Close of the city. He then attended art school
in Suffolk for a year, before joining the Young Vic Youth Theatre. Fiennes subsequently trained for three years at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama
, graduating in 1993.
, followed by A Month in the Country
opposite Helen Mirren
. Fiennes then became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company
for two seasons.
He made his television debut as Willy in The Vacillations of Poppy Carew. His first feature film was 1996's Stealing Beauty
, co-starring Liv Tyler
. In 1998, Fiennes appeared in two films that were nominated at the Academy Awards
: he played Robert Dudley opposite Cate Blanchett
in Elizabeth
and he portrayed William Shakespeare
opposite Gwyneth Paltrow
in Shakespeare in Love
, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. He and Paltrow were reunited onscreen in Running with Scissors
(2006). In 2002 he starred in the independent film, Killing Me Softly
.
In 2003 he lent his voice as Proteus
in the DreamWorks
animated film Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas
opposite Brad Pitt
. The same year he starred in the limited-release film Luther
, playing Martin Luther
, and he also appeared in The Merchant of Venice
, in which he portrayed Bassanio. Fiennes returned to the theatre in 2006 to perform in the one-man play Unicorns, Almost about World War II poet Keith Douglas
at the Old Vic
.
In 2006, he appeared in the films The Darwin Awards
and Goodbye Bafana
. Goodbye Bafana
was filmed by director Bille August
in South Africa, and released in 2007. Fiennes portrayed James Gregory
, author of the book Goodbye Bafana: Nelson Mandela, My Prisoner, My Friend.
, as the wizard Merlin
.
in August 2009. Their first child, a daughter, was born in 2010.
, the character he played in Elizabeth
.
Relationship to the current monarchs of Europe:
This table shows Joseph Fiennes's relationship to the current monarchs of Europe. He is closest related to Elizabeth II.
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
in Shakespeare in Love
Shakespeare in Love
Shakespeare in Love is a 1998 British-American comedy film directed by John Madden and written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard....
, Sir Robert Dudley
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, KG was an English nobleman and the favourite and close friend of Elizabeth I from her first year on the throne until his death...
in Elizabeth
Elizabeth (film)
Elizabeth is a 1998 biographical film written by Michael Hirst, directed by Shekhar Kapur, and starring Cate Blanchett in the title role of Queen Elizabeth I of England, alongside Geoffrey Rush, Christopher Eccleston, Joseph Fiennes, Sir John Gielgud, Fanny Ardant and Richard Attenborough...
, Commisar Danilov in Enemy at the Gates
Enemy at the Gates
Enemy at the Gates is a 2001 war film directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, starring Joseph Fiennes, Jude Law, Rachel Weisz, Bob Hoskins and Ed Harris set during the Battle of Stalingrad in World War II....
, Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
in Luther
Luther (2003 film)
Luther is a 2003 biopic about the life of Martin Luther . It was an independent biopic and was partially funded by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, starring Joseph Fiennes....
, Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
in Camelot
Camelot (TV series)
Camelot is a historical-fantasy-drama television series which premiered on April 1, 2011. It was co-produced by the Starz cable network and GK-TV which began production during the summer of 2010...
, and his portrayal of Mark Benford in the 2009 TV series FlashForward.
Early life and family
Fiennes was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England in 1970, the son of novelist Jennifer LashJennifer Lash
Jennifer Anne Mary Alleyne Lash was an English novelist and painter....
and photographer Mark Fiennes
Mark Fiennes
Mark Fiennes was an English photographer and illustrator.Mark Wykeham-Fiennes was born at Dalton, Northumberland, the eldest of five children of industrialist Maurice Fiennes, who was later knighted by Prime Minister Harold Wilson for his services to the export of British heavy engineering...
. The youngest of six siblings, his elder siblings are actor Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is an English actor and film director. He has appeared in such films as The English Patient, In Bruges, The Constant Gardener, Strange Days, The Duchess and Schindler's List....
, filmmakers Sophie Fiennes
Sophie Fiennes
Sophia Victoria Twisleton Wykeham-Fiennes , known as Sophie Fiennes, is an English film director and producer.-Career:Following a foundation course in painting at Chelsea School of Art, Fiennes worked with director Peter Greenaway from 1987–1992. She managed the UK based dance company, The Michael...
and Martha Fiennes
Martha Fiennes
Martha Fiennes is a British film director, writer and producer. An award-winning director, Fiennes is best-known for her films Onegin and Chromophobia .-Career:...
, composer Magnus Fiennes
Magnus Fiennes
Magnus Fiennes is an English cross-genre composer, record producer and songwriter. He has worked with artists such as Shakira, Pulp, Tom Jones and Morcheeba...
, and conservationist Jacob Fiennes, his twin brother. His foster brother, Michael Emery, is an archaeologist.
Education
Fiennes was briefly educated in the Republic of Ireland and then at Swan School For Boys (now known as Leehurst Swan School, following a merger with another school), an independent school in SalisburySalisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
, before passing his 11+ exam and continuing to Bishop Wordsworth's School
Bishop Wordsworth's School
Bishop Wordsworth's School is a Church of England boys' day grammar school located in Salisbury, England. In 2010, there were 748 pupils aged between 11 and 18. The school is regularly amongst the top-performing schools in England, and in 2011 was the top school performer for the English...
, a voluntary-aided state day grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
, in the Cathedral Close of the city. He then attended art school
Art school
Art school is a general term for any educational institution with a primary focus on the visual arts, especially illustration, painting, photography, sculpture, and graphic design. The term applies to institutions with elementary, secondary, post-secondary or undergraduate, or graduate or...
in Suffolk for a year, before joining the Young Vic Youth Theatre. Fiennes subsequently trained for three years at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama is an independent music and dramatic arts school which was founded in 1880 in London, England. Students can pursue courses in Music, Opera, Drama and Technical Theatre Arts.-History:...
, graduating in 1993.
Stage and film
His first professional stage appearance was in the West End in The Woman in BlackThe Woman in Black (play)
The Woman in Black is a 1987 stage play, adapted by Stephen Mallatratt. The play is based on the book of the same name, which was written in 1983 by Susan Hill. It is notable for only having two actors perform the whole play. It was first performed at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, in...
, followed by A Month in the Country
A Month in the Country (play)
A Month in the Country is a comedy in five acts by Ivan Turgenev. It was written in France between 1848 and 1850 and was first published in 1855...
opposite Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren
Dame Helen Mirren, DBE is an English actor. She has won an Academy Award for Best Actress, four SAG Awards, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Awards.-Early life and family:...
. Fiennes then became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
for two seasons.
He made his television debut as Willy in The Vacillations of Poppy Carew. His first feature film was 1996's Stealing Beauty
Stealing Beauty
Stealing Beauty is a 1996 drama film directed by Academy Award-winning Italian filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci and written by Bertolucci and Susan Minot. It stars Liv Tyler, D.W. Moffett, Jeremy Irons, and Rachel Weisz...
, co-starring Liv Tyler
Liv Tyler
Liv Rundgren Tyler is an American actress and model. She is the daughter of Aerosmith's lead singer, Steven Tyler, and Bebe Buell, model and singer. Tyler began a career in modeling at the age of 14, but after less than a year she decided to focus on acting. She made her film debut in the 1994...
. In 1998, Fiennes appeared in two films that were nominated at the Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
: he played Robert Dudley opposite Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett
Catherine Élise "Cate" Blanchett is an Australian actress. She came to international attention for her role as Elizabeth I of England in the 1998 biopic film Elizabeth, for which she won British Academy of Film and Television Arts and Golden Globe Awards, and earned her first Academy Award...
in Elizabeth
Elizabeth (film)
Elizabeth is a 1998 biographical film written by Michael Hirst, directed by Shekhar Kapur, and starring Cate Blanchett in the title role of Queen Elizabeth I of England, alongside Geoffrey Rush, Christopher Eccleston, Joseph Fiennes, Sir John Gielgud, Fanny Ardant and Richard Attenborough...
and he portrayed William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
opposite Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Kate Paltrow is an American actress and singer. She made her acting debut on stage in 1990 and started appearing in films in 1991. After appearing in several films throughout the decade, Paltrow gained early notice for her work in films such as Se7en and Emma...
in Shakespeare in Love
Shakespeare in Love
Shakespeare in Love is a 1998 British-American comedy film directed by John Madden and written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard....
, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. He and Paltrow were reunited onscreen in Running with Scissors
Running with Scissors (film)
Running with Scissors is a 2006 American comedy-drama film based on Augusten Burroughs' 2002 memoir of the same name, written and directed by Ryan Murphy, and starring Joseph Cross, Annette Bening, Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes, Evan Rachel Wood, Alec Baldwin, Jill Clayburgh, and Gwyneth Paltrow with...
(2006). In 2002 he starred in the independent film, Killing Me Softly
Killing Me Softly (film)
Killing Me Softly is an erotic thriller 2002 film directed by Chen Kaige and starring Heather Graham and Joseph Fiennes. Based on the novel by Nicci French , it introduces several substantial changes to the story and focuses heavily on the intense sexual relationship between the two lead...
.
In 2003 he lent his voice as Proteus
Proteus
In Greek mythology, Proteus is an early sea-god, one of several deities whom Homer calls the "Old Man of the Sea", whose name suggests the "first" , as protogonos is the "primordial" or the "firstborn". He became the son of Poseidon in the Olympian theogony In Greek mythology, Proteus (Πρωτεύς)...
in the DreamWorks
DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Glendale, California that creates animated feature films, television program and online virtual worlds...
animated film Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas is a 2003 American animated swashbuckling fantasy aventure film produced by DreamWorks Animation, using traditional 2D animation with some 3D...
opposite Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt
William Bradley "Brad" Pitt is an American actor and film producer. Pitt has received two Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one...
. The same year he starred in the limited-release film Luther
Luther (2003 film)
Luther is a 2003 biopic about the life of Martin Luther . It was an independent biopic and was partially funded by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, starring Joseph Fiennes....
, playing Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
, and he also appeared in The Merchant of Venice
The Merchant of Venice (2004 film)
The Merchant of Venice is a 2004 romantic drama film based on Shakespeare's play of the same name. It is the first full-length sound film version in English of Shakespeare's play; most other versions are videotaped productions made for television...
, in which he portrayed Bassanio. Fiennes returned to the theatre in 2006 to perform in the one-man play Unicorns, Almost about World War II poet Keith Douglas
Keith Douglas
Keith Castellain Douglas , was an English poet noted for his war poetry during World War II and his wry memoir of the Western Desert Campaign, Alamein to Zem Zem. He was killed during the invasion of Normandy.-Poetry:...
at the Old Vic
Old Vic
The Old Vic is a theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. Established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, it was taken over by Emma Cons in 1880 when it was known formally as the Royal Victoria Hall. In 1898, a niece of Cons, Lilian...
.
In 2006, he appeared in the films The Darwin Awards
The Darwin Awards (film)
The Darwin Awards is a 2006 American adventure comedy film based on the website of the same name.Written and directed by Finn Taylor, the film premiered January 25, 2006, at the Sundance Film Festival...
and Goodbye Bafana
Goodbye Bafana
Goodbye Bafana, also released under the name The Color of Freedom, is a 2007 drama film, about the relationship between Nelson Mandela and James Gregory , his censor officer and prison guard, based on Gregory's book Goodbye Bafana: Nelson Mandela, My Prisoner, My Friend.Bafana means 'boys'...
. Goodbye Bafana
Goodbye Bafana
Goodbye Bafana, also released under the name The Color of Freedom, is a 2007 drama film, about the relationship between Nelson Mandela and James Gregory , his censor officer and prison guard, based on Gregory's book Goodbye Bafana: Nelson Mandela, My Prisoner, My Friend.Bafana means 'boys'...
was filmed by director Bille August
Bille August
Bille August is a Danish Academy Award winning film and television director. His film Pelle the Conqueror from 1987 won the Palme D'or, Academy Award and Golden Globe. He is one of the very few directors to win the Palme D'or twice, winning the prestigious award again in 1991 for The Best...
in South Africa, and released in 2007. Fiennes portrayed James Gregory
James Gregory (writer)
James Gregory was the censor officer and prison guard of Nelson Mandela for many years of his captivity.Gregory wrote the book Goodbye Bafana: Nelson Mandela, My Prisoner, My Friend, on which the 2007 film Goodbye Bafana was based.In his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, Mandela mentions...
, author of the book Goodbye Bafana: Nelson Mandela, My Prisoner, My Friend.
Television
Fiennes starred in the ABC science fiction series FlashForward, which debuted on 24 September 2009 and ran through 27 May 2010, as Mark Benford. Fiennes stars in Starz's 10-part series, CamelotCamelot (TV series)
Camelot is a historical-fantasy-drama television series which premiered on April 1, 2011. It was co-produced by the Starz cable network and GK-TV which began production during the summer of 2010...
, as the wizard Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
.
Personal life
Fiennes married María Dolores Diéguez, a Swiss model of Spanish (Galician) heritage born in 1982, in a Roman Catholic religious ceremony in TuscanyTuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
in August 2009. Their first child, a daughter, was born in 2010.
Films
- Stealing BeautyStealing BeautyStealing Beauty is a 1996 drama film directed by Academy Award-winning Italian filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci and written by Bertolucci and Susan Minot. It stars Liv Tyler, D.W. Moffett, Jeremy Irons, and Rachel Weisz...
(1996) – Christopher - Shakespeare in LoveShakespeare in LoveShakespeare in Love is a 1998 British-American comedy film directed by John Madden and written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard....
(1998) – William Shakespeare - ElizabethElizabeth (film)Elizabeth is a 1998 biographical film written by Michael Hirst, directed by Shekhar Kapur, and starring Cate Blanchett in the title role of Queen Elizabeth I of England, alongside Geoffrey Rush, Christopher Eccleston, Joseph Fiennes, Sir John Gielgud, Fanny Ardant and Richard Attenborough...
(1998) – Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester - Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and LaurenceMartha, Meet Frank, Daniel and LaurenceMartha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence is a 1998 British romantic comedy directed by Nick Hamm...
(1998) – Laurence - Forever MineForever MineForever Mine is a 1999 film written and directed by Paul Schrader. It stars Joseph Fiennes, Gretchen Mol and Ray Liotta.-Plot:Alan Riply , a young cabana boy working at an opulent beach hotel, falls in love with Ellen Brice , the wife of business mogul Mark Brice . Ellen returns his love, but when...
(1999) – Manuel Esquema/Alan Riply - Rancid AluminiumRancid AluminiumRancid Aluminium is a novel by James Hawes, first published in 1998. It is also the name of a 2000 film, based on the novel, that was released on 21 January 2000.-Cast:*Rhys Ifans*Joseph Fiennes*Tara FitzGerald*Sadie Frost*Steven Berkoff...
(2000) – Sean Deeny - Enemy at the GatesEnemy at the GatesEnemy at the Gates is a 2001 war film directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, starring Joseph Fiennes, Jude Law, Rachel Weisz, Bob Hoskins and Ed Harris set during the Battle of Stalingrad in World War II....
(2001) – Commisar Danilov - Dust (2001) – Elijah
- LeoLeo (film)Leo is a 2000 Spanish film, written and directed by José Luis Borau and starring Icíar Bollaín and Javier Batanero. It was nominated for six Goya Awards in 2001, and won the award for Best Director....
(2002) – Stephen - Killing Me SoftlyKilling Me Softly (film)Killing Me Softly is an erotic thriller 2002 film directed by Chen Kaige and starring Heather Graham and Joseph Fiennes. Based on the novel by Nicci French , it introduces several substantial changes to the story and focuses heavily on the intense sexual relationship between the two lead...
(2003) – Adam - Sinbad: Legend of the Seven SeasSinbad: Legend of the Seven SeasSinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas is a 2003 American animated swashbuckling fantasy aventure film produced by DreamWorks Animation, using traditional 2D animation with some 3D...
(2003) (voice) – Proteus - LutherLuther (2003 film)Luther is a 2003 biopic about the life of Martin Luther . It was an independent biopic and was partially funded by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, starring Joseph Fiennes....
(2003) – Martin Luther - The Merchant of VeniceThe Merchant of Venice (2004 film)The Merchant of Venice is a 2004 romantic drama film based on Shakespeare's play of the same name. It is the first full-length sound film version in English of Shakespeare's play; most other versions are videotaped productions made for television...
(2004) – Bassanio - The Great RaidThe Great RaidThe Great Raid is a 2005 war film about the Raid at Cabanatuan, adapted from William Breuer's book of the same name. It tells the story of the January 1945 liberation of the Cabanatuan Prison Camp on the Philippine island of Luzon during World War II. It is directed by John Dahl and stars Benjamin...
(2005) – Major Gibson - Man to ManMan to Man (2005 film)Man to Man is a 2005 historical drama film directed by Régis Wargnier and starring Joseph Fiennes, Kristin Scott Thomas and Iain Glen. One man in a team of Victorian scientists conducting research in Africa begins to have doubts about the human cost of their mission. It was scripted by William Boyd....
(2005) – Jamie Dodd - Running with ScissorsRunning with Scissors (film)Running with Scissors is a 2006 American comedy-drama film based on Augusten Burroughs' 2002 memoir of the same name, written and directed by Ryan Murphy, and starring Joseph Cross, Annette Bening, Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes, Evan Rachel Wood, Alec Baldwin, Jill Clayburgh, and Gwyneth Paltrow with...
(2006) – Neil Bookman - The Darwin AwardsThe Darwin Awards (film)The Darwin Awards is a 2006 American adventure comedy film based on the website of the same name.Written and directed by Finn Taylor, the film premiered January 25, 2006, at the Sundance Film Festival...
(2006) – Michael Burrows - Goodbye Bafana/The Color Of FreedomGoodbye BafanaGoodbye Bafana, also released under the name The Color of Freedom, is a 2007 drama film, about the relationship between Nelson Mandela and James Gregory , his censor officer and prison guard, based on Gregory's book Goodbye Bafana: Nelson Mandela, My Prisoner, My Friend.Bafana means 'boys'...
(2007) – James Gregory - The EscapistThe Escapist (2008 film)The Escapist is a 2008 drama thriller starring Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes, Liam Cunningham, Seu Jorge, Dominic Cooper, Steven Mackintosh, Stephen Farrelly and Damian Lewis. It is directed and co-written by Rupert Wyatt, and premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival to considerable acclaim...
(2008) – Lenny Drake - The Red BaronThe Red Baron (film)The Red Baron is a German biopic by Nikolai Müllerschön from 2008, about the legendary World War I fighter pilot Manfred von Richthofen. It was filmed in the Czech Republic, France and Germany, entirely in English to improve its international commercial viability.-Plot:In 1906, a young Baron...
(2008) – Captain Arthur Roy Brown - You Me and Captain LongbridgeYou Me and Captain LongbridgeYou Me and Captain Longbridge is a 15 min short film directed by Kenny Doughty and written & produced by Caroline Carver. The film stars Callum Williams as the 11 year old Luke, Chris Larkin as Captain Longbridge and Joseph Fiennes as the voice of Luke as an adult...
(2008) – Narrator - Spring 1941 (2008) – Artur Planck
- Against the Current (2009) – Paul Thompson
TV
- FlashForwardFlashforwardA flashforward is an interjected scene that takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. Flashforwards are often used to represent events expected, projected, or imagined to occur in the future...
(2009–2010) – Mark Benford - CamelotCamelot (TV series)Camelot is a historical-fantasy-drama television series which premiered on April 1, 2011. It was co-produced by the Starz cable network and GK-TV which began production during the summer of 2010...
(2011) – MerlinMerlinMerlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures... - Pretty/HandsomePretty/HandsomePretty/Handsome is a 2008 television production by Nip/Tuck director–writer Ryan Murphy that was not picked up by FX, the television network which broadcasts Nip/Tuck.- Cast :* Joseph Fiennes as Bob Fitzpayne...
(2008) – Bob Fitzpayne
Plays
- The Woman in BlackThe Woman in BlackThe Woman in Black is a 1983 thriller fiction novel by Susan Hill about a menacing spectre that haunts a small English town.It was adapted into a stage play by Stephen Mallatratt...
, Fortune Theatre London (1993) - A Month in the CountryA Month in the Country (play)A Month in the Country is a comedy in five acts by Ivan Turgenev. It was written in France between 1848 and 1850 and was first published in 1855...
, Belyaev, Guildford, Richmond and the Albery Theatre London (1994) - A View from the BridgeA View from the BridgeA View from the Bridge is a play by American playwright Arthur Miller that was first staged on September 29, 1955 as a one-act verse drama with A Memory of Two Mondays at the Coronet Theatre on Broadway. The play was unsuccessful and Miller subsequently revised the play to contain two acts; this...
, Rodolpho, Guildford, Bristol Old Vic, Strand Theatre London (1995) - Son Of ManSon of manThe phrase son of man is a primarily Semitic idiom that originated in Ancient Mesopotamia, used to denote humanity or self. The phrase is also used in Judaism and Christianity. The phrase used in the Greek, translated as Son of man is ὁ υἱὸς τοὺ ἀνθρώπου...
, Jesus Christ, Royal Shakespeare Company, London (1996)||(1997) - Les Enfants du Paradis, Lacenaire, Royal Shakespeare Company, London (1996)
- Troilus and CressidaTroilus and CressidaTroilus and Cressida is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1602. It was also described by Frederick S. Boas as one of Shakespeare's problem plays. The play ends on a very bleak note with the death of the noble Trojan Hector and destruction of the love between Troilus...
, Troilus, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford Upon Avon and London (1996)||(1997) - The Herbal BedThe Herbal BedThe Herbal Bed is a play by Peter Whelan, written specifically for the Royal Shakespeare Company.During 1997 the play had a successful run at the Duchess Theatre in London's West End. The leading role of John Hall was played by Lorcan Cranitch...
, Rafe Smith, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford Upon Avon and London (1996)||(1997) - As You Like ItAs You Like ItAs You Like It is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 or early 1600 and first published in the folio of 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has been suggested as a possibility...
, Silvius, Royal Shakespeare Company, London (1997) - Real Classy Affair, Billy, Royal Court Theatre Company, London (1998)
- Christopher Marlowe's Edward IIEdward II (play)Edward II is a Renaissance or Early Modern period play written by Christopher Marlowe. It is one of the earliest English history plays. The full title of the first publication is The Troublesome Reign and Lamentable Death of Edward the Second, King of England, with the Tragical Fall of Proud...
, Edward II, Crucible Theatre, Sheffield (2001) - War Poet's Reading, Apollo Theatre (2001)
- OthelloOthelloThe Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
, Iago, West End, London (2002) - Love's Labour's LostLove's Labour's LostLove's Labour's Lost is one of William Shakespeare's early comedies, believed to have been written in the mid-1590s, and first published in 1598.-Title:...
, Berowne, Royal National Theatre, London (2003) - Epitaph for George DillonEpitaph for George DillonEpitaph for George Dillon is an early John Osborne play, one of two he wrote in collaboration with Anthony Creighton . It was written before Look Back in Anger, the play which made Osborne’s career, but opened a year after in Oxford in 1957 and moved to London’s Royal Court theatre, where Look...
, George Dillon, Royal National Theatre, London (2005)||(2006) - 2,000 Feet Away2,000 Feet Away2,000 Feet Away is a play by the young British playwright Anthony Weigh. The play is a portrait of small-town life in the Midwest, with fear and intolerance a key theme. It is set primarily in Eldon, Iowa, which provided the setting for Grant Wood's famous painting American Gothic...
, Deputy, Bush Theatre, London (2008) - Cyrano de BergeracCyrano de BergeracHercule-Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac was a French dramatist and duelist. He is now best remembered for the works of fiction which have been woven, often very loosely, around his life story, most notably the 1897 play by Edmond Rostand...
, Cyrano, Chichester Festival Theatre (2009)
Other projects and contributions
- 2002 – contributed to the compilation album, When Love SpeaksWhen Love SpeaksWhen Love Speaks is a compilation album that features interpretations of William Shakespeare's sonnets and excerpts from his plays by famous actors and musicians, released under EMI Classics in April 2002.-Track listing:...
, which consists of ShakespeareanWilliam ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
sonnetSonnetA sonnet is one of several forms of poetry that originate in Europe, mainly Provence and Italy. A sonnet commonly has 14 lines. The term "sonnet" derives from the Occitan word sonet and the Italian word sonetto, both meaning "little song" or "little sound"...
s and play excerpts – "Be not afeard, the isle is full of noises" and "Our revels are now ended" (both from The TempestThe TempestThe Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1610–11, and thought by many critics to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote alone. It is set on a remote island, where Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda to her rightful place,...
) - 2010 – starred in a series of readings of literary love scenes for The Carte Noire ReadersThe Carte Noire ReadersReleased in July 2009, The Carte Noire Readers is a series of online Jackanory style films for French coffee brand, Carte Noire. It stars British actors Dominic West, Greg Wise and Dan Stevens reading love scenes from a variety of classic and modern Penguin novels.In March 2010 a new series was...
. - Joseph Fiennes reads Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow
- Joseph Fiennes reads The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes
Nominations
- 1998 – Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Most Promising Actor – Shakespeare in LoveShakespeare in LoveShakespeare in Love is a 1998 British-American comedy film directed by John Madden and written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard....
- 1999 – Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Male Newcomer – Shakespeare in LoveShakespeare in LoveShakespeare in Love is a 1998 British-American comedy film directed by John Madden and written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard....
- 1999 – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Breakthrough Artist – ElizabethElizabeth (film)Elizabeth is a 1998 biographical film written by Michael Hirst, directed by Shekhar Kapur, and starring Cate Blanchett in the title role of Queen Elizabeth I of England, alongside Geoffrey Rush, Christopher Eccleston, Joseph Fiennes, Sir John Gielgud, Fanny Ardant and Richard Attenborough...
- 1999 – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Actor – Shakespeare in LoveShakespeare in LoveShakespeare in Love is a 1998 British-American comedy film directed by John Madden and written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard....
- 1999 – MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss (with Gwyneth PaltrowGwyneth PaltrowGwyneth Kate Paltrow is an American actress and singer. She made her acting debut on stage in 1990 and started appearing in films in 1991. After appearing in several films throughout the decade, Paltrow gained early notice for her work in films such as Se7en and Emma...
) – Shakespeare in LoveShakespeare in LoveShakespeare in Love is a 1998 British-American comedy film directed by John Madden and written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard.... - 1999 – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast – Shakespeare in LoveShakespeare in LoveShakespeare in Love is a 1998 British-American comedy film directed by John Madden and written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard....
- 1999 – BAFTA Film AwardBAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading RoleBest Actor in a Leading Role is a British Academy Film award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding leading performance in a film.-Superlatives:...
for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role – Shakespeare in LoveShakespeare in LoveShakespeare in Love is a 1998 British-American comedy film directed by John Madden and written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard.... - 1999 – MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Male Performance – Shakespeare in LoveShakespeare in LoveShakespeare in Love is a 1998 British-American comedy film directed by John Madden and written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard....
- 1999 – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role – Shakespeare in LoveShakespeare in LoveShakespeare in Love is a 1998 British-American comedy film directed by John Madden and written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard....
- 1999 – Teen Choice Award for Sexiest Love Scene – Shakespeare in LoveShakespeare in LoveShakespeare in Love is a 1998 British-American comedy film directed by John Madden and written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard....
- 2005 – Golden Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Comedy or Musical – The Merchant of VeniceThe Merchant of Venice (2004 film)The Merchant of Venice is a 2004 romantic drama film based on Shakespeare's play of the same name. It is the first full-length sound film version in English of Shakespeare's play; most other versions are videotaped productions made for television...
Ancestry
As one can see in the first table below, Joseph Fiennes is descended from British and French royalty. He is also distantly related to Robert DudleyRobert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, KG was an English nobleman and the favourite and close friend of Elizabeth I from her first year on the throne until his death...
, the character he played in Elizabeth
Elizabeth (film)
Elizabeth is a 1998 biographical film written by Michael Hirst, directed by Shekhar Kapur, and starring Cate Blanchett in the title role of Queen Elizabeth I of England, alongside Geoffrey Rush, Christopher Eccleston, Joseph Fiennes, Sir John Gielgud, Fanny Ardant and Richard Attenborough...
.
| Individual | Relationship | Most recent common ancestor |
|---|---|---|
| Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Bt. Ranulph Fiennes Sir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 3rd Baronet, OBE , better known as Ranulph Fiennes, is a British adventurer and holder of several endurance records. He is also a prolific writer. Fiennes served in the British Army for eight years including a period on counter-insurgency service while... |
3rd cousin once removed | Reverend Frederick Benjamin Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 10th Baron Saye and Sele |
| Prince William, Duke of Cambridge | 8th cousin twice removed | James Hamilton, 6th Earl of Abercorn |
| Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, KG was an English nobleman and the favourite and close friend of Elizabeth I from her first year on the throne until his death... |
3rd cousin 14 times removed | Sir Edward Grey, 1st Lord Ferrers (of Groby) |
| Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty... |
½ 2nd cousin 14 times removed | Elizabeth Woodville |
| James IV of Scotland James IV of Scotland James IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all... |
14th great-grandfather | |
| John II of France John II of France John II , called John the Good , was the King of France from 1350 until his death. He was the second sovereign of the House of Valois and is perhaps best remembered as the king who was vanquished at the Battle of Poitiers and taken as a captive to England.The son of Philip VI and Joan the Lame,... |
20th great-grandfather | |
| William the Conqueror | 25th great-grandfather | |
| Brian Boru Brian Boru Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig, , , was an Irish king who ended the domination of the High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill. Building on the achievements of his father, Cennétig mac Lorcain, and especially his elder brother, Mathgamain, Brian first made himself King of Munster, then subjugated... |
27th great-grandfather | |
| Harold Godwinson Harold Godwinson Harold Godwinson was the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.It could be argued that Edgar the Atheling, who was proclaimed as king by the witan but never crowned, was really the last Anglo-Saxon king... |
28th great-grandfather | |
| Hugh Capet | 28th great-grandfather | |
| Charlemagne Charlemagne Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800... |
32nd great-grandfather |
Relationship to the current monarchs of Europe:
This table shows Joseph Fiennes's relationship to the current monarchs of Europe. He is closest related to Elizabeth II.
| Monarch | Relationship | Most recent common ancestor |
|---|---|---|
| Albert II, King of the Belgians Albert II of Belgium Albert II is the current reigning King of the Belgians, a constitutional monarch. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha... |
12th cousin once removed | Thomas Cecil, 1st Earl of Exeter |
| Margrethe II of Denmark Margrethe II of Denmark Margrethe II is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1972 she became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margaret I, ruler of the Scandinavian countries in 1375-1412 during the Kalmar Union.-Early life:... |
½ 14th cousin once removed | James IV Stewart, King of Scotland |
| Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg OIH is the head of state of Luxembourg. He is the eldest son of Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium. His maternal grandparents were King Leopold III of Belgium and Astrid of Sweden... |
13th cousin | Thomas Cecil, 1st Earl of Exeter |
| Beatrix of the Netherlands Beatrix of the Netherlands Beatrix is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands comprising the Netherlands, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba. She is the first daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. She studied law at Leiden University... |
½ 14th cousin once removed | James IV Stewart, King of Scotland |
| Harald V of Norway Harald V of Norway Harald V is the king of Norway. He succeeded to the throne of Norway upon the death of his father Olav V on 17 January 1991... |
½ 14th cousin once removed | James IV Stewart, King of Scotland |
| Juan Carlos I of Spain Juan Carlos I of Spain Juan Carlos I |Italy]]) is the reigning King of Spain.On 22 November 1975, two days after the death of General Francisco Franco, Juan Carlos was designated king according to the law of succession promulgated by Franco. Spain had no monarch for 38 years in 1969 when Franco named Juan Carlos as the... |
½ 14th cousin once removed | James IV Stewart, King of Scotland |
| Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him... |
½ 14th cousin once removed | James IV Stewart, King of Scotland |
| Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom | 7th cousin twice removed | Henry Colley |
External links
- Joseph Fiennes in Angola BBC News
- Goodbye Bafana – Official movie site
- The Peerage Site
- The Carte Noire Readers