"Disclaimer":- This is
NOT an Official Site nor have Kenneth Branagh or his agents endorsed it. As far as we know, Mr Branagh is not even aware of its existence! As of this time, there is no "Official" site for Mr Branagh,
however, the Branagh
Compendium is the most up-to-date source for Ken happenings and
news. This site is merely meant to give an overview of Mr Branagh's
life and work.
Kenneth Charles Branagh
(pronounced BRAN-ah)
was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland on 10 December 1960. He moved to England with
his family in his adolescence, made his stage debut at 14 in "Oh!
What a Lovely War" at the Meadway School, directed by Roger Lewis and, later, gained much-coveted admittance to the Royal
Academy of Dramatic Art, or RADA, in London, England. There he perfected his crafts of
acting and directing and expanded his love and comprehension of Shakespeare, becoming,
without a doubt, one of the finest Shakespearean actors of all time.
His first venture onto the big screen was a massive leap for a relatively
unknown actor/director -- not only did he direct, but he also starred in the
critically-acclaimed Henry V while he was still in his early 20's...a daunting
feat for one so young and untried on the big screen, and it was a critical, if not major
box-office success. Branagh was nominated for an Academy Award(®) for Best Director, as well as for
Best Actor In A Leading Role, and the film was also nominated in the category of Costume
Design, winning that Oscar(®) for Costume
Designer Phyllis Dalton. Branagh starred in the film with his wife, Emma Thompson.
It was around this time that Branagh also began work
on his first edition of memoirs, Beginning. Criticized by some as being
precocious and arrogant, the book was not originally Branagh's idea (it was nothing to do
with arrogance on his part - he needed funding!); and gives insight not only into the man,
himself, but also into the experience of growing up in general, and growing up in Ireland
and England specifically, as well as giving an honest, thorns-and-all account of the
struggles associated with the acting profession.
In Branagh's next big screen
adventure, he adopted an Americanized accent to play Mike Church, a
private detective assigned to help an amnesiac beauty (Emma
Thompson, again starring opposite her husband) find her true
identity in the psychological thriller,
Dead Again. The film also stars one of Branagh's favourite
actors, now his friend and often cast in Branagh projects, Sir Derek
Jacobi; and features a serious turn by comedian and actor Robin
Williams.
Sir Derek
Jacobi, Branagh and Thompson seek answers in Dead Again
Emma Thompson is an acclaimed actress in her own right,
and not only has she starred with Kenneth Branagh in a number of films (some directed by
him, others not), she was nominated for and won an Academy
Award(®) for her screen adaptation of Jane Austin's Sense And Sensibility.
That joined her Best Actress Oscar(®) for her
performance in Howard's End.
Thompson appears in another critically-acclaimed
film, Carrington, as the lead, portraying the painter Dora Carrington. This
time she shares the screen with actor Jonathan Pryce who plays Dora's one-time nemesis,
and lifelong friend, and (perhaps) one true love - the homosexual, controversial author,
Lytton Strachey.
Unfortunately, the Branagh/Thompson marriage did not survive much past
their appearance together in the Branagh-directed Much Ado About Nothing.
Each went on to separate, demanding, projects - Thompson's Sense And Sensibility,
and Branagh's epic adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and eventually, the
couple drifted apart.
Mary Shelley's
Frankenstein gave us a look
at the new, buffed Branagh, and a look at the new love of his life, Helena
Bonham-Carter.
While all three parties refuse to comment on whether
the Branagh/Thompson break was the result of an on-set affair between Branagh and his
lovely new co-star or a romance between Thompson and her Sense And Sensibility
co-star, Greg Wise, it is safe to assume that the marriage was already in trouble at this
time. The couple parted amicably enough, though, and both have said they look forward to
working together in future.
Brilliant
acting or.......?
Bonham-Carter
has been known for her extensive work in Merchant/Ivory films such as A Room With A
View, and for other such period dramas such as her stint as the 9-day Queen in Lady
Jane (also starring Cary Elwes).
She has recently won critical
kudos and positive box-office numbers for some more 'up-to-date' roles in movies like Wings
of The Dove and The Theory of Flight in which she stars (as a paraplegic
looking to be deflowered before she dies) opposite Kenneth Branagh.
She also did an
hilarious 'evil' turn as Morgan Le Fay in the TV mini-series Merlin.
A dream came true in 1997, not only for Ken, but also for
his devoted fans. The four-hour, un-cut version of the Bard's epic story of love,
betrayal, murder, and madness was released. Hamlet is a landmark in
Branagh's career. Not only did he direct and star, but he also adapted the
screenplay, keeping it true to Shakespeare's original, full-length play (with a few minor
aesthetic alterations). Branagh was nominated once again for an Academy Award(®), for his screen adaptation.
It was
the play Hamlet seen by Branagh at a young,
impressionable age that sparked his interest in acting, and after
many years of training, and hard work, it was his turn to play the
Prince of Denmark, in the screen's first full-length
adaptation.
Kate Winslet, who had previously portrayed Sensibility to Emma Thompson’s
Sense in Sense And Sensibility, portrayed Branagh’s Ophelia. And, in this episode of 'Ain't it a small world?', Helena
Bonham-Carter played Ophelia opposite Mel Gibson's Hamlet in the
Franco Zepherelli version a few years earlier. Previous to that,
Helena and Emma were co-stars in Howard's End.
It was during
the last bit of filming of Sir Derek Jacobi's scenes as Claudius
that something very special occurred. During a break in
filming, Sir Derek presented Branagh with a small, red, well-worn
volume of Hamlet. It had been passed down through the
generations of Hamlet's - the only rule one must adhere to, upon
receiving the volume, being that the bearer must present the volume
in turn to the greatest Hamlet of the next generation. It was
Sir Derek's performance as Hamlet all those years ago that so
inspired Branagh.
In 1997, Branagh visited Savannah, GA to film Robert
Altman's The Gingerbread Man, a movie based on a screenplay originally written by
John Grisham. He starred in the film along with fellow actors Robert Downey,
Jnr., Tom Berenger, Daryl
Hannah, Famke Janssen, and other notable folks. The movie centred around Branagh's
character, southern lawyer Rick McGruder, as he spiralled into self-destruction whilst
assisting a woman of questionable intentions in protecting herself from her
cult-ish
father, played by Robert Duvall. It was during this time, while I was still living
in Beaufort, SC and commuting to Savannah for work that I managed to meet Kenneth Branagh,
and those interested in the tale can click here. While in
Savannah, Branagh arranged for a special showing of Hamlet for the cast and crew
of The Gingerbread Man since none of the cinemas in town could be bothered to
show the film. A hurricane plays a sizable part in The Gingerbread Man, as
well, and several of the local Savannah news reporters were featured in the film.
Local actors and actress were used as extras, with some having a few speaking parts as
well. Ione Telech and Christine Seabrook of Beaufort (who played mother and daughter
in the boarding house in Forrest Gump - although their lines were cut from the
final product) portrayed office staff in the school Rick's children attend. Ione
can also be seen in Tom
Berenger's An Occasional Hell along with good friend and fellow
Beaufortonian, Dick Johnson as a couple in the grocery store, and Ione is one of the
funeral attendees in another Berenger movie, The
Big Chill.
In 1999, Branagh appeared in the big-screen
version of Wild, Wild West opposite Will Smith and Kevin Kline as the evil Arliss
Loveless, a devilish quadriplegic with an affinity for spiders and beautiful women.
While the movie did well at the box office, critics were less than enthused with the
big-screen adventure, although many credited Branagh with giving a movie-stealing
performance as Loveless.
Also in late '99, publicists for Helena Bonham Carter announced
that she and Branagh had decided to part, apparently amicably, as romantic partners.
Rumours of romantic involvement between Branagh and actress Alicia Silverstone (who appeared with Branagh in "Love's Labour's Lost") have been denied by both parties.
Branagh has always been a private person when it comes to his personal
life, although in 2003, he married the lovely Lindsey
Brunnock whom he met during the filming of Shackelton. Luckily, the press seem to be keeping their noses out
of this new relationship, which certainly can't hurt it's chances of
survival!
The new century promises more greatness from
Branagh. His musical version of Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost
was released to a tepid critical reception (although it is a truly fine
film), and although planned productions of other Shakespeare film projects,
including Macbeth seem to be on hold, Branagh has enough to keep
him busy. He continues to appear in other productions as
an actor, including the title role in the Channel 4 drama, Shackleton;
as Gilderoy Lockhart in the second instalment of the Harry
Potter franchise and onstage in Edmond amongst other projects.
The Ken-Friends, an online mailing list devoted to Branagh,
organize a yearly birthday project in his honour. For the gift projects, the group has
adopted the Ulster
Association of Youth Drama in Ireland, patroned by Branagh, as recipient of funds
raised in the birthday projects. "Ken-Friends" items are designed and sold for just a couple dollars
above cost, with all proceeds, and further donations going directly to the UAYD.
For more information on the Ken-Friends mailing list and pictures of Branagh
receiving commemorations of the birthday projects, click here.
While this page is composed of brief glimpses into the life and
work of Kenneth Branagh, more concise information, pictures, full filmographies and more
can be found at the BRANAGH COMPENDIUM! CLICK HERE to go there!
Here are a few links to other Kenneth
Branagh related sites! There will be more added in time, and we will
maintain a fuller listing on our links page. If you have
a Branagh link you'd like to suggest, please email webmistress @ kenneth-branagh . com
THE BRANAGH
COMPENDIUM:- The ultimate source for Kenneth Branagh filmographies,
biographies, pictures and more!
THE KENNETH
BRANAGH FAQ:- Frequently asked questions about Kenneth Branagh, neatly
catagorised
BRANAGHSITE.COM:-
Susan Keeping's excellent, frequently updated site with tonnes of news and
information about Kenneth Branagh
It was around this time that Branagh also began work
on his first edition of memoirs, Beginning. Criticized by some as being
precocious and arrogant, the book was not originally Branagh's idea (it was nothing to do
with arrogance on his part - he needed funding!); and gives insight not only into the man,
himself, but also into the experience of growing up in general, and growing up in Ireland
and England specifically, as well as giving an honest, thorns-and-all account of the
struggles associated with the acting profession.
Emma Thompson is an acclaimed actress in her own right,
and not only has she starred with Kenneth Branagh in a number of films (some directed by
him, others not), she was nominated for and won an 
In 1997, Branagh visited Savannah, GA to film Robert
Altman's The Gingerbread Man, a movie based on a screenplay originally written by
John Grisham. He starred in the film along with fellow actors Robert Downey,
Jnr., 
The new century promises more greatness from
Branagh. His musical version of Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost
was released to a tepid critical reception (although it is a truly fine
film), and although planned productions of other Shakespeare film projects,
including Macbeth seem to be on hold, Branagh has enough to keep
him busy. He continues to appear in other productions as
an actor, including the title role in the Channel 4 drama, Shackleton;
as Gilderoy Lockhart in the second instalment of the Harry
Potter franchise and onstage in Edmond amongst other projects.
