Jim Broadbent
Quick Facts
Biography
James Broadbent (born 24 May 1949) is an English actor.
Born in Lincolnshire to parents who were both amateur actors, he was educated at Leighton Park School, a Quaker school in Reading, and briefly attended art college before transferring to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He graduated in 1972. His early stage work included appearances as Patrick Barlow's assistant in the mock National Theatre of Brent.
He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Iris and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Moulin Rouge!, both in 2001, and the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film for his portrayal of penal reformer Lord Longford in the Channel 4 drama Longford in 2006. He portrayed Professor Horace Slughorn in the Harry Potter series. In 2017, Broadbent joined the cast of the HBO series Game of Thrones, playing the role of Archmaester Ebrose.
Early life
Broadbent was born in Holton cum Beckering, in Lincolnshire, the second son of Doreen "Dee" Broadbent (née Findlay), a sculptor, and Roy Laverick Broadbent, an artist, sculptor, interior designer and furniture maker. Broadbent's parents were both amateur actors who co-founded the Holton Players acting troupe at Holton. The two have been described by the BBC as conscientious objectors who "worked the land" rather than participate in World War II. In Wickenby, a former Methodist Chapel was purchased in 1970 by Holton Players who converted it into a 100-seat theatre, named Broadbent Theatre in memory of Roy Broadbent who designed the conversion.
Jim Broadbent had a twin sister who died at birth. Broadbent was educated at Leighton Park School, a Quaker school in Reading, and briefly attended art college before transferring to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He graduated in 1972.
Career
Broadbent's early stagework included a number of productions for The National Theatre of Brent as the downtrodden assistant Wallace to Patrick Barlow's self-important actor/manager character Desmond Olivier Dingle. Broadbent and Barlow played many male and female character roles in comically less-than-epic tellings of historical and religious stories, such as The Complete Guide to Sex, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Revolution!!, and All The World's A Globe. These were hits at the Edinburgh Fringe, in London, and on tour. Later stage work included the original productions of Kafka's Dick (1986) and Our Country's Good (1988) at the Royal Court Theatre and work for the Royal National Theatre including "The Government Inspector". Work on the stage with Mike Leigh includes Goosepimples and Ecstasy.
He had worked with Stephen Frears in The Hit (1984) and Terry Gilliam in Time Bandits (1981) and Brazil (1985) before establishing himself in Mike Leigh's Life Is Sweet (1990). He proved his ability as a character actor in films including The Crying Game (1992), Enchanted April (1992), Bullets over Broadway (1994), The Borrowers (1997), and Little Voice (1998) before taking a leading role in another Mike Leigh film, Topsy-Turvy (1999), playing dramatist Sir William S. Gilbert. He played "The Shy Doctor" in the 1999 Comic Relief parody Doctor Who sketch, Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death. In 2001, Broadbent starred in three of the year's most successful films: Bridget Jones's Diary; Moulin Rouge!, for which he won a BAFTA; and Iris, for which he won an Oscar for his portrayal of John Bayley.
Broadbent voiced Madame Gasket in the 2005 film Robots. Broadbent also appeared as DCI Roy Slater, an associate character in the enormously popular sitcom Only Fools and Horses. The character appeared in three episodes over an eight-year period. He had originally been offered the lead role of Del Boy in the series, but he turned it down due to other commitments. He has also played a role in the Inspector Morse series. Other comic roles include the lead role in the sitcom The Peter Principle and occasional guest appearances in Not The Nine O'Clock News, Only Fools and Horses, and Victoria Wood As Seen on TV. He portrayed Don Speekingleesh in "The Queen of Spain's Beard" in the first series of The Black Adder in 1983. He also played the role of Prince Albert in Blackadder's Christmas Carol, first broadcast in 1988. He joined Rowan Atkinson in his Spider-Man spoof Spider-Plant Man, as a disgruntled Batman, jealous of Spider-Plant Man's success.
Broadbent played the lead role of the TV film Wide-Eyed and Legless. Based on a true story, the drama tells of Deric Longden's wife, Diana, and her fight against a mysterious wasting illness which turned out to be myalgic encephalomyelitis. It began as a type of flu but it grew progressively worse. She was subject to blackouts and became so debilitated that she could barely get out of her wheelchair. It led to years of pain and paralysis that ended in her death.
Broadbent portrayed the title role in the Channel 4 drama Longford in October 2006, earning a BAFTA TV Award, a Golden Globe, and a 2007 Emmy nomination for his performance as Frank Pakenham (1905–2001), Earl of Longford, which was centred on Longford's ultimately unsuccessful campaign for the parole of Myra Hindley from her life imprisonment for the Moors Murders.
Broadbent appeared as Inspector Frank Butterman in Hot Fuzz in 2007.
He appeared in the original radio production of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, playing the character Vroomfondel. He was also a regular in Stephen Fry's radio comedy show Saturday Night Fry, which aired on BBC Radio 4 in 1988.
Broadbent played Dean Charles Stanforth in the fourth film in the Indiana Jones series, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; King William IV in The Young Victoria; and Horace Slughorn in the sixth Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, as well as the final movie in the series Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. In 2008, he starred as pro-Newtonian physicist Sir Oliver Lodge in the fact-based single drama Einstein and Eddington for the BBC.
In 2009, he portrayed Sam Longson, chairman of Derby County football club in the 1960s and 1970s, in the film The Damned United; the starring character in the film was football manager Brian Clough, played by Michael Sheen.
In 2010, he provided the voice for the character Major Mouse in a series of radio advertisements and one produced for television for an energy company, E.ON, for their eonenergyfit.com website campaign. He also starred as the older Logan Mountstuart in the TV adaptation of William Boyd's novel Any Human Heart.
He had a lead role in Exile, a BBC One drama, starring John Simm and written by Danny Brocklehurst.
In 2012, he played Denis Thatcher opposite Oscar-winner Meryl Streep as the former Prime Minister in The Iron Lady.
In 2016, he was cast in the seventh season of the HBO series Game of Thrones.
Personal life
Broadbent has been married to painter and former theatre designer Anastasia Lewis since 1987.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1971 | The Go-Between | Spectator at Cricket Match | Uncredited |
1978 | The Life Story of Baal | Woodcutter | |
1978 | The Shout | Asylum Fielder | |
1979 | Long Distance Information | Mackaness | |
1979 | The Passage | German Soldier | Uncredited |
1980 | Breaking Glass | Station Porter | |
1980 | Games Without Frontiers | Stewart | |
1981 | Dogs of War, TheThe Dogs of War | Film crew | |
1981 | Time Bandits | Compere | |
1983 | Birth of a Nation | Geoff Fig | |
1983 | Dead on Time | Priest | Short film |
1984 | The Hit | Barrister | |
1985 | Brazil | Dr. Jaffe | |
1985 | Good Father, TheThe Good Father | Roger Miles | |
1987 | Superman IV: The Quest for Peace | Jean Pierre Dubois | |
1987 | Running Out of Luck | ||
1988 | Vroom | Donald | |
1989 | Erik the Viking | Ernest the Viking | |
1990 | Life Is Sweet | Andy | |
1992 | Enchanted April | Frederick Arbuthnot | |
1992 | Crying Game, TheThe Crying Game | Col | |
1993 | Wide-Eyed and Legless | Deric Longden | |
1993 | Prince Cinders | Ugly Brother (voice) | |
1994 | Bullets over Broadway | Warner Purcell | |
1994 | Princess Caraboo | Mr. Worrall | |
1994 | Widows' Peak | Con Clancy | |
1995 | Richard III | The Duke of Buckingham | |
1995 | The Last Englishman | Col. Alfred D. Wintle | |
1995 | Rough Magic | Doc Ansell | |
1996 | The Secret Agent | Chief Inspector Heat | |
1997 | Borrowers, TheThe Borrowers | Pod Clock | |
1997 | Smilla's Sense of Snow | Dr. Lagermann | |
1998 | Avengers, TheThe Avengers | Mother | |
1998 | Little Voice | Mr. Boo | |
1999 | Topsy-Turvy | W. S. Gilbert | |
2001 | Bridget Jones's Diary | Colin Jones | |
2001 | Moulin Rouge! | Harold Zidler | |
2001 | Iris | John Bayley | |
2002 | Gangs of New York | Boss Tweed | |
2002 | Nicholas Nickleby | Mr. Wackford Squeers | |
2003 | Bright Young Things | Drunk Major | |
2003 | Anna Spud | Dad | Short film |
2004 | Around the World in 80 Days | Lord Kelvin | |
2004 | Vanity Fair | Mr. Osborne | |
2004 | Tooth | The Rabbit (voice) | |
2004 | Vera Drake | Judge | |
2004 | Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason | Colin Jones | |
2005 | Robots | Madame Gasket (voice) | |
2005 | Valiant | Sergeant (voice) | |
2005 | Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, TheThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | Professor Kirke | |
2005 | The Magic Roundabout | Brian (voice) | English dub |
2006 | Art School Confidential | Jimmy | |
2007 | Hot Fuzz | Inspector Frank Butterman | |
2007 | And When Did You Last See Your Father? | Arthur Morrison | |
2008 | Free Jimmy | Igor Stromowskij (voice) | English dub |
2008 | Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull | Dean Charles Stanforth | |
2008 | Inkheart | Fenoglio | |
2008 | Tales of the Riverbank | G.P. (voice) | |
2009 | Young Victoria, TheThe Young Victoria | King William IV | |
2009 | Damned United, TheThe Damned United | Sam Longson | |
2009 | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | Horace Slughorn | |
2009 | Perrier's Bounty | Jim McCrea | |
2010 | Another Year | Tom | |
2010 | Animals United | Winston (voice) | English dub |
2011 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 | Horace Slughorn | |
2011 | Arthur Christmas | Malcolm "Santa" Claus | Voice role |
2011 | The Iron Lady | Denis Thatcher | |
2012 | Cloud Atlas | Captain Molyneux, Vyvyan Ayrs, Timothy Cavendish, Korean Musician, Prescient 2 | |
2013 | Closed Circuit | Attorney General | |
2013 | Filth | Dr. Rossi | |
2013 | Le Week-End | Nick Burrows | |
2013 | The Harry Hill Movie | Bill the Cleaner | |
2013 | The Phone Call | Stanley | Short film |
2014 | Postman Pat: The Movie | Mr. Brown (voice) | |
2014 | Paddington | Samuel Gruber | |
2014 | Get Santa | Santa Claus | |
2014 | Big Game | Herbert | |
2015 | Brooklyn | Father Flood | |
2015 | The Lady in the Van | Underwood | |
2015 | The Weather Inside | Britischer Botschafter | |
2016 | Eddie the Eagle | BBC Commentator | |
2016 | The Legend of Tarzan | British Prime Minister | |
2016 | Asterix: The Mansions of the Gods | Julius Caesar (voice) | English dub |
2016 | Bridget Jones's Baby | Colin Jones | |
2016 | Ethel and Ernest | Ernest Briggs (voice) | |
2017 | The Sense of an Ending | Tony Webster | |
2017 | Magik | Lewis Clark (voice) | Post-production |
2017 | Paddington 2 | Samuel Gruber | Post-production |
2017 | Black 47 | Lord Kilmichael | Post-production |
2017 | Mary and the Witch's Flower | Doctor Dee (voice) | Filming |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1979 | Not the Nine O'Clock News | Union negotiator | Sketch: "Final Demands" |
1982 | Objects of Affection | Cemetery Attendant | Episode: "Our Winnie" |
1982 | Bird of Prey | DI Stanley Richardson | Episode: "Input Classified" |
1982 | Walter | Joseph (Orderly) | Television film |
1983 | Black Adder, TheThe Black Adder | Don Speekingleesh | Episode: "The Queen of Spain's Beard" |
1983 | Walter and June | Joseph (Orderly) | Television film |
1983, 1985 1991 | Only Fools and Horses | Det. Chief Insp. Roy Slater | 3 episodes |
1984 | Crown Court | Robert MacBride | Episode: "Whisper Who Dares: Part 1" |
1985 | Happy Families | Dalcroix | 3 episodes |
1985 | Silas Marner | Jem Rodney | Television film |
1986 | Screen Two | Gutling | Episode: "The Insurance Man" |
1987 | Victoria Wood as Seen on TV | the Doctor | Television special |
1988 | Tales of the Unexpected | Mr. Lovejoy | Episode: "The Facts of Life" |
1988 | Theatre Night | Maitre Jacques | Episode: "The Miser" |
1988 | Dramarama | Uncle Keith | Episode: "Making Waves" |
1988 | Blackadder's Christmas Carol | Prince Albert | Television special |
1989 | Revolution!! | Wallace | Television film; also writer |
1989 | Victoria Wood | Alan Hammond | Episode: "Staying In" |
1990 | Omnibus | Postman Roulin | Episode: "Van Gogh" |
1991 | Gone to the Dogs | Jim Morley | 6 episodes |
1991 | Murder Most Horrid | Selwyn Proops | Episode: "A Determined Woman" |
1991 | Performance | Carmello | Episode: "Nona" |
1991, 1993 | Screen One | Deric Longden / Grocer | 2 episodes |
1992 | A Sense of History | The 23rd Earl of Leete | Television film; also writer |
1992 | Inspector Morse | Charlie Bennett | Episode: "Absolute Conviction" |
1993 | The Comic Strip Presents | George | Episode: "Detectives on the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown" |
1995–2000 | The Peter Principle | Peter Duffley | 13 episodes |
1996–2000 | Percy the Park Keeper | Percy (voice) | 18 episodes |
1997–1998 | Brambly Hedge | Basil (voice) | 2 episodes |
1999 | Doctor Who: Curse of Fatal Death | Credited as The Shy Doctor | Television special |
2002 | Gathering Storm, TheThe Gathering Storm | Desmond Morton | Television film |
2003 | Young Visiters, TheThe Young Visiters | Alfred Salteena | Television film |
2003 | And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself | Harry Aitken | Television film |
2004 | Pride | Eddie (voice) | Television film |
2005 | Spider-Plant Man | Batman | Television short |
2006 | Street, TheThe Street | Stan McDermott | 3 episodes |
2006 | Longford | Lord Longford | Television film |
2008 | Einstein and Eddington | Sir Oliver Lodge | Television film |
2008 | Lost and Found | Narrator (voice) | Television film |
2010 | Any Human Heart | Logan Mountstuart (older) | 4 episodes |
2011 | Exile | Sam Ronstadt | 3 episodes |
2013 | The Great Train Robbery | Tommy Butler | Television film |
2015 | London Spy | Scottie | 5 episodes |
2015 | The Go-Between | Old Leo Colston | Television film |
2015–present | Teletubbies | The Voice Trumpets (voice) | |
2016 | War & Peace | Prince Nikolai Bolkonsky | 5 episodes |
2017 | Game of Thrones | Archmaester Ebrose | 4 episodes |
Awards and nominations
Year | Title | Award |
---|---|---|
1998 | Little Voice | Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |
1999 | Topsy-Turvy |
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2001 | Moulin Rouge! |
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Iris |
| |
2002 | Nicholas Nickleby | National Board of Review Award for Best Cast |
Gathering Storm, TheThe Gathering Storm |
| |
2003 | Young Visiters, TheThe Young Visiters |
|
2006 | Street, TheThe Street |
|
Longford |
| |
2007 | Nicholas Nickleby |
|
2009 | Damned United, TheThe Damned United | Nominated—British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actor |
2010 | Any Human Heart |
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Another Year |
| |
2011 | The Iron Lady |
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Other awards and honours
- 2004: Nominated Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children for Winnie-the-Pooh.
- 2007: British Independent Film Awards—Richard Harris Award
Broadbent was offered an OBE in 2002, but he declined it, stating that there were more deserving recipients than actors and that the British Empire was not something he wanted to “celebrate”.