Simon Russell Beale
Malaysia | |
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Education | Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Guildhall School of Music and Drama |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1985–present |
Sir Simon Russell Beale
Beale started his acting career at the
Beale made his film debut in Sally Potter's period drama Orlando (1992). He gained prominence for his roles in Persuasion (1995), Hamlet (1996), My Week with Marilyn (2011), The Deep Blue Sea (2011), Mary Queen of Scots (2018), Benediction (2021), and The Outfit (2022). In 2017, he portrayed Lavrentiy Beria in Armando Iannucci's The Death of Stalin, for which he received the British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Beale has also appeared in the television projects
Early years
Beale was born on 12 January 1961, one of six children of
Beale was first drawn to performance when, at the age of eight, he became a
His first stage performance was as Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night's Dream at primary school.[3] In the sixth form at Clifton he also performed in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a play in which he would later star at the National Theatre.
After Clifton, he went to
Career
Early work
Beale first came to the attention of theatre-goers in the late 1980s with a series of lauded comic performances, which were on occasion extremely camp, in such plays as The Man of Mode by George Etherege and Restoration by Edward Bond at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). He broadened his range in the early 1990s with moving performances as Konstantin in Chekhov's The Seagull, as Oswald in Ibsen's Ghosts, Ferdinand in The Duchess of Malfi and as Edgar in King Lear. At the first annual Ian Charleson Awards in January 1991, he received a special commendation for his 1990 performances of Konstantin in The Seagull, Thersites in Troilus and Cressida and Edward II in Edward II, all at the RSC.[4]
It was at the RSC that he first worked with
Since 1995, he has been a regular at the National Theatre, where his roles have included Mosca in
]2000s
In 2000, he played Hamlet in a production directed by John Caird for the National Theatre, a role for which he was described by The Daily Telegraph as "portly [and] relatively long in the tooth".[5] In 2005, Beale was directed by Deborah Warner as Cassius in Julius Caesar alongside Ralph Fiennes as Antony. That same year, he played the title role in Macbeth at the Almeida Theatre. In 2007, he reprised his 2005 Broadway role as King Arthur in the Monty Python musical Spamalot at the Palace Theatre, London.
From December 2007 to March 2008, he played Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing directed by Nicholas Hytner at the National Theatre and from February to July 2008, he played Andrew Undershaft in Hytner's production of Shaw's Major Barbara; he then appeared in Harold Pinter's A Slight Ache and Landscape.[citation needed]
In 2008, he made his debut as a television presenter, fronting the
From 2009 to 2010, he played
2010s
In 2010–11, Beale played the Coalition Home Secretary William Towers in the two final series of BBC One's spy drama, Spooks.[9] He played the title role in Timon of Athens at the National Theatre from July to October 2012. The production was broadcast to cinemas around the world (as was Collaborators earlier) on 1 November 2012 through the National Theatre Live programme.[10] He starred in a revival of Peter Nichols' Privates on Parade as part of Michael Grandage's new West End season at the Noël Coward Theatre from December 2012 to March 2013.[citation needed]
In 2013, he won the
Beale appeared alongside
From May to July 2015, he starred in from October 2015 to January 2016.
In November 2016, Beale returned to the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon, to play Prospero in The Tempest.[17] In June 2017, it transferred to the Barbican Centre in London. In July 2018, Beale returned to the National, starring opposite Ben Miles and Adam Godley in The Lehman Trilogy, again directed by Mendes.[18] It transferred to the Piccadilly Theatre in the West End in May 2019. Beale starred in the title role of Richard II at the Almeida Theatre from December 2018 to February 2019.[19]
2020s
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Beale contributed as a guest speaker to The Show Must Go Online's performance of Timon of Athens.[20]
In the summer of 2021, Beale played
During this time he re-rehearsed for the post-COVID return in late September of the
In April 2023, it was announced that Beale had been cast as Ser Simon Strong in the second season of House of the Dragon.[23]
Personal life
Beale is a past president of the Anthony Powell Society,[24] a tribute to his portrayal of Kenneth Widmerpool.[25]
Beale is gay. In the
He was knighted by
Acting credits
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1992 | Orlando | Earl of Moray | |
1995 | Persuasion | Charles Musgrove | |
1996 | Hamlet | Second gravedigger | |
1999 | Blackadder: Back & Forth | Napoleon | Short film |
2002 | The Gathering
|
Luke Fraser | |
2011 | The Deep Blue Sea | William Collyer | |
My Week with Marilyn | Mr. Cotes-Preedy | ||
2014 | Into the Woods | Baker's Father | |
2016 | Cunk on Shakespeare | Himself | |
The Legend of Tarzan | Mr. Frum | ||
2017 | My Cousin Rachel | Couch | |
The Death of Stalin | Lavrentiy Beria | British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actor | |
2018 | Museum | Frank Graves | |
Operation Finale | David Ben-Gurion | ||
Mary Queen of Scots | Robert Beale | ||
2019 | Radioactive | Gabriel Lippmann | |
2020 | A Christmas Carol | Ebenezer Scrooge | Voice |
2021 | Benediction | Robbie Ross | |
Operation Mincemeat | Winston Churchill | ||
2022 | The Outfit | Roy Boyle | |
Thor: Love and Thunder | Dionysus
|
||
2023 | Firebrand | Stephen Gardiner |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1988 | A Very Peculiar Practice | Mark Stibbs | Episode: "Art and Illusion" |
1992 | Downtown Lagos | Heron | 3 episodes |
1993 | The Mushroom Picker | Anthony | 3 episodes |
1997 | A Dance to the Music of Time | Kenneth Widmerpool | 4 episodes |
The Temptation of Franz Schubert | Franz Schubert | Television film | |
1999 | Alice in Wonderland | King of Hearts | Television film |
2003 | The Young Visiters | Prince of Wales | Television film |
2004 | Dunkirk | Winston Churchill | BBC Movie |
2006 | American Experience | John Adams | Episode: "America's First Power Couple" |
2010–11 | Spooks | Home Secretary | 13 episodes |
2012 | The Hollow Crown | Falstaff
|
Episode: " Henry IV, Parts I & II "
|
2014–16 | Penny Dreadful | Ferdinand Lyle | 14 episodes |
2018 | Vanity Fair | John Sedley | 6 episodes |
2023 | Mary & George | Sir George Villiers | Upcoming miniseries |
2024 | House of the Dragon | Ser Simon Strong | Season 2 |
Theatre
Selected credits:
Year | Title | Role | Venue |
---|---|---|---|
1991 | The Seagull | Konstantin | Royal Shakespeare Company Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon |
1994 | The Tempest | Ariel | Stratford, England |
1995 | The Duchess of Malfi | Performer | Greenwich and West End |
1995 | Volpone | Mosca | National Theatre, London |
1996 | Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead | Performer | National Theatre, London |
1997–98 | Othello | Iago | National Theatre, London |
1999 | Money | Alfred Evelyn | National Theatre, London |
1999–2000 | Battle Royal | Performer | National Theatre, London |
2001 | Hamlet | Hamlet | Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York City |
2001 | Humble Boy | Performer | National Theatre, London |
2002 | Uncle Vanya | Uncle Vanya | Donmar Warehouse, London Brooklyn Academy of Music |
2002 | Twelfth Night | Malvolio | Donmar Warehouse |
2004 | Jumpers | George | Brooks Atkinson Theatre , Broadway debut
|
2004 | Macbeth | Macbeth | Almeida Theatre |
2005 | The Philanthropist | Philip | Donmar Warehouse |
2005-07 | Spamalot | King Arthur (replacement) | Shubert Theatre, Broadway
Palace Theatre, London |
2008 | Major Barbara | Andrew Undershaft | Royal National Theatre |
2009 | The Cherry Orchard The Winter's Tale |
Lopakhin Leontes |
Brooklyn Academy of Music |
2010 | London Assurance | Sir Harcourt Courtly | National Theatre, London |
2011 | Bluebeard | Jimmy MacNeill | Atlantic Theater Company |
2011 | Collaborators | Joseph Stalin | Royal National Theatre, London[28] |
2012 | Timon of Athens | Timon of Athens | National Theatre, London |
2012–13 | Privates on Parade | Captain Terri Dennis | Noël Coward Theatre |
2014 | King Lear | King Lear | National Theatre, London |
2015 | Temple | Dean | Donmar Warehouse |
2015 | Mr. Foote's Other Leg | Samuel Foote | Hampstead Theatre |
2016-17 | The Tempest | Prospero | Royal Shakespeare Company Barbican Theatre |
2018 | The Lehman Trilogy | Henry Lehman & Philip Lehman | National Theatre, London |
2019 | The Tragedy of King Richard the Second | King Richard II | Almeida Theatre |
2019-20 | The Lehman Trilogy | Henry Lehman & Philip Lehman | Park Avenue Armory, Off-Broadway Piccadilly Theatre, London |
2020-21 | A Christmas Carol | Ebenezer Scrooge | Bridge Theatre |
2021 | Bach & Sons | Johann Sebastian Bach | Bridge Theatre |
2021-22 | The Lehman Trilogy | Henry Lehman & Philip Lehman | Nederlander Theatre, Broadway Ahmanson Theatre |
2022 | John Gabriel Borkman | John Gabriel Borkman | Bridge Theatre |
- Also appeared as Sir Politic Wouldbe, Volpone; title role, A Winter's Tale; Everyman in His Humour; The Art of Success; The Fair Maid of the West; Speculators; The Storm; The Constant Couple; Restoration; Some Americans Abroad; Mary and Lizzie; Playing with Trains; Edward II; Love's Labour's Lost; King Lear; Ghosts; Candide; Summerfolk.
Patronage
Beale is a patron of the following organisations:
- English Touring Theatre[29]
- South London Theatre
- London Symphony Chorus[30]
- For Short Theatre Company[31]
- Diamond Fund for Choristers [32]
Awards and honours
- 2003 – Appointed a CBE in the 2003 Birthday Honours[33]
- 2005 – Hon DLitt (Warwick)[34]
- 2010 – Honorary Bencher of Middle Temple[35]
- 2010 – Hon DUniv (Open University)[36]
- 2011 – Honorary Freedom of the City of London for services to drama[37]
- 2015 – Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre, St. Catherine's College, Oxford[38]
- 2018 – Premio Shakespeare Award[39]
- 2019 – Made a Knight Bachelor in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services to drama[40][41]
Further reading
- Trowbridge, Simon, The Company: A Biographical Dictionary of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Oxford: Editions Albert Creed, 2010. ISBN 978-0-9559830-2-3.
References
- ^ David Lister (22 February 2008). "Inside the World of Theatre's Most Reluctant Hero". The Independent. London. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
- ^ "Biography". filmreference. 2008. Retrieved 22 January 2009.
- ^ Le Moignan, Mick (2015). "Generations in Harmony". Once a Caian... 15: 12–13.
- Sunday Times, 13 January 1991.
- ^ Cavendish, Dominic (18 May 2016). "Telegraph – Hamlet". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022.
- ^ Bradley, Ben (23 February 2009). "Alas, Poor Leontes (That Good King Has Not Been Himself of Late)". New York Times. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
- ^ Spencer, Charles (10 June 2009). "The Winter's Tale, The Cherry Orchard at the Old Vic, review". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 22 July 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
Simon Russell Beale, for my money this country's greatest stage actor, stars in both shows
- ^ "The Complete Smiley". BBC Radio 4. BBC. 19 May 2009. Retrieved 21 May 2010.
- ^ "BBC One – Spooks – Full Credits". BBC.
- ^ "www.nationaltheatre.org.uk". Retrieved 29 December 2020.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "TV Baftas 2013: all the winners". The Guardian. London. 12 May 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
- ^ Bannister, Rosie (15 March 2013). "Simon Russell Beale & John Simm star in Lloyd's Hothouse". "Whats On Stage. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
- ^ Bannister, Rosie (26 July 2013). "Kate Fleetwood, Anna Maxwell Martin and Olivia Vinall join Russell Beale in Mendes' Lear". Whats On Stage. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
- ^ "The Cameron Mackintosh Professor of Contemporary Theatre". University of Oxford. Archived from the original on 6 January 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
- ^ "Temple". donmarwarehouse.com. Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ Bosanquet, Theo (15 May 2015). "Simon Russell Beale and David Hare in new Hampstead season". Whats On Stage. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
- ^ Bowie-Sell, Daisy (11 January 2016). "Simon Russell Beale to feature in new RSC season". Whats On Stage. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
- ^ Wood, Alex (18 January 2018). "Simon Russell Beale to star in National Theatre's The Lehman Trilogy alongside Ben Miles and Adam Godley". Whats On Stage. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
- ^ Bowie-Sell, Daisy (20 September 2018). "Simon Russell Beale, Patsy Ferran and Anne Washburn return in Almeida's new season". Whats On Stage. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
- ^ "THE SHOW MUST GO ONLINE ANNOUNCE FULL CAST FOR LIVESTREAMED READING OF TIMON OF ATHENS" At The Theatre Retrieved 2 October 2020
- ^ "Bach and Sons" Bridge Theatre Retrieved 25 July 2021
- ^ "Adrian Lester to Replace Ben Miles in The Lehman Trilogy; New Broadway Dates Announced". Broadway. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ^ Moreau, Jordan (24 April 2023). "'House of the Dragon' Casts Alys Rivers and Three More Characters". Variety.
- ^ "www.anthonypowell.org". Archived from the original on 22 January 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
- ^ Curtis, Nick (10 August 2010). "Simon Russell Beale: Some people say that I'm a national treasure. I'd rather be a Bond villain". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
- ^ "Gay Power: The pink list". The Independent. 2 July 2006. (subscription required)
- ^ "Sir Simon Russell Beale 'a bit giggly' as he collects knighthood". Irish News. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ^ Spencer, Charles (2 November 2001). "Collaborators, National Theatre, review". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
- ^ "ETT website". Archived from the original on 8 May 2010. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
- ^ "New Patron for LSC" (Press release). London Symphony Chorus. 14 December 2010. Archived from the original on 25 December 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
- ^ "For Short Theatre Company". Orpington Community. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
- ^ "DFC Patrons". Friends of Cathedral Music. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
- ^ "No. 56963". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 June 2003. p. 7.
- ^ "List of all Honorary Graduates and Chancellor's Medallists". www.warwick.ac.uk. University of Warwick. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
- ^ "Diary of Events". Middle Temple. Archived from the original on 10 December 2008. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Conferment of Honorary Degrees and Presentation of Graduates" (PDF). Open University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 October 2010. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
- ^ "Granted the Freedom of the City of London". City of London. Archived from the original on 29 January 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
- ^ "St. Catherine's College Homepage". St. Catherine's College. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
- ^ "La Royal Shakespeare Company anuncia el premio que le entregamos a Simon Russell Beale. | Fundación Romeo para las Artes Escenicas". www.fundacionromeo.org (in European Spanish). 20 February 2018.
- ^ "No. 62666". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 2019. p. B2.
- ^ "Birthday Honours 2019: Olivia Colman and Bear Grylls on list". BBC News. 8 June 2019. Retrieved 8 June 2019.