Miranda Richardson Biography

Miranda Jane Richardson (born 3 March 1958) is an English stage, film and television actress. She has been nominated for two Academy Awards, and has won two Golden Globes (with seven nominations) and a BAFTA (with seven nominations) during her career.

Early life

Richardson was born in Southport, Lancashire, to Marian Georgina (née Townsend), a housewife, and William Alan Richardson, a marketing executive. The second daughter of a middle class family, she revealed a talent for acting as a girl.

Career

Theatre

Richardson enrolled at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, where she studied alongside Daniel Day-Lewis and Jenny Seagrove, having started out with juvenile performances in Cinderella and Lord Arthur Savile's Crime at the Southport Dramatic Club.

Richardson has enjoyed a successful and extensive theatre career, first joining Manchester Library Theatre in 1979 as an assistant stage manager, followed by a number of appearances in repertory theatre. Her London stage debut was in Moving at the Queen's Theatre in 1981. She found recognition in the West End for a series of stage performances, ultimately receiving an Olivier Award nomination for her performance in A Lie of the Mind, and in 1996, one critic asserted that she is "the greatest actress of our time in any medium" after she appeared in Orlando at the Edinburgh Festival. She returned to the London stage in May 2009 to play the lead role in Wallace Shawn's new play, Grasses of a Thousand Colours at the Royal Court Theatre. Richardson has said that she prefers new work rather than the classics because of the history which goes with them.

Film and television

In 1985, Richardson made her film debut as Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in the United Kingdom, in the biographical drama, Dance With a Stranger. Around the same time, Richardson played a comedic Queen Elizabeth I, aka Queenie, in the British television comedy Blackadder II.

Following Dance with a Stranger, Richardson turned down numerous parts in which her character was unstable or disreputable, including the Glenn Close role in Fatal Attraction. In this period, she appeared in Empire of the Sun (1987). In an episode of the TV series The Storyteller ("The Three Ravens", 1988) she played a witch. Meanwhile, she had returned in guest roles in one episode each in Blackadder the Third (1987) and Blackadder Goes Forth (1989). She returned to play Queenie in the Christmas special Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988), and later a special edition for the millennium Blackadder: Back and Forth.

Her portrayal of a troubled theatre-goer in Secret Friends (BBC 2, 1990) was described as "a miniature tour de force... Miranda Richardson's finest hour, all in ten minutes" (The Sunday Times). Other television roles include Pamela Flitton in A Dance to the Music of Time (1997), Miss Gilchrist in St. Ives (1998), Bettina the obsessive-compulsive interior decorator in Absolutely Fabulous, the sadistic Queen Elspeth, Snow White's evil stepmother, in Snow White: The Fairest of Them All (2001), and the emotionally repressed Queen Mary in The Lost Prince (2003).

Richardson has appeared in a number of high-profile supporting roles in the cinema, including Vanessa Bell in The Hours, Lady Van Tassel in Sleepy Hollow and Patsy Carpenter in The Evening Star. She also won acclaim for her performances in The Crying Game and Enchanted April, for which she won a Golden Globe. She received Academy Award nominations for her performances in Damage and Tom & Viv.

Her film credits also include Kansas City (1996), The Apostle (1997) and Wah-Wah (2005). In 2002, she performed a triple-role in the thriller Spider.

Richardson also appeared as Queen Rosalind of Denmark in The Prince and Me and as the ballet mistress Madame Giry in the film version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical The Phantom Of The Opera (2004). In 2005, she appeared in the role of Rita Skeeter, the toxic Daily Prophet journalist in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. She also did the voice for Corky in The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky (2005), an Australian animated series for children. In 2006 she appeared in Gideon's Daughter. She played Mrs. Claus in the film Fred Claus (2007).

Richardson appeared in the BBC sitcom, The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle. She appeared as a guest in A Taste of My Life.

In 2008 Richardson was cast in a leading role in original AMC pilot, Rubicon. She plays Katherine Rhumor, a New York socialite who finds herself drawn into the central intrigue of a think tank, after the death of her husband.

Additionally, she played Labour politician Barbara Castle in the British film Made in Dagenham.

Theatre roles

• Savage Amusement (Hazel) - Derby Playhouse, Lancaster
• Stags and Hens (Linda) - Derby Playhouse, Lancaster
• All My Sons (Ann) - Derby Playhouse, Lancaster
• Sisterly Feelings (Brenda) - Derby Playhouse, Lancaster
• Ten Times Table (Phillipa) - Library Theatre, Manchester
• Whose Life Is It Anyway? (Kay Sadler) - Library Theatre, Manchester
• Play It Again, Sam (Linda Christie) - Library Theatre, Manchester
• Tom Jones (Sophie Western) - Library Theatre, Manchester
• Educating Rita (Rita) - Haymarket Theatre, Leicester
• Moving (Jane Gladwin) - Queen's Theatre (1980/1)
• The Table of the Two Horseman (Katie Wyld) - Bristol Theatre Royal (9 March 1983/2 April 1983)
• Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Honey) - Bristol Theatre Royal (6 April 1983/30 April 1983)
• The Maids (Madame) - Bristol New Vic (27 September 1983/22 October 1983)
• Insignificance (The Actress) - Bristol New Vic (25 October 1983/19 December 1983)
• Life of Einstein - Dukes Playhouse, Lancaster (1984)
• Edmond (Glenna) - Newcastle (1985)
• A Lie of the Mind (Beth) - Royal Court Theatre, West End (1987)
• The Changeling (Beatrice-Joanna) - (Lyttelton) National Theatre, West End (1988)
• Mountain Language (Young Woman) - (Lyttelton) National Theatre, West End (1988)
• Etta Jenks (Etta Jenks) - Royal Court Theatre, West End (1990)
• The Designated Mourner (Judy) - Royal National Theatre, West End (1996)
• Orlando (Orlando) - 50th Edinburgh International Festival (11/21 August 1996)
• Aunt Dan and Lemon (Aunt Dan) - Almeida Theatre, Islington, London (5 May/5 June 1999)
• The Play What I Wrote (Herself) - Wyndham's Theatre, West End (30 January 2002, 5 May 2002, 2 January 2003)
• Comic Aid 2005 - (Herself - Asia Tsunami Aid) - Carling Apollo, West End (22 February 2005)
• One Knight Only - (Herself - Asia Tsunami Aid) - Theatre Royal, Haymarket, West End (20 March 2005)
• Grasses of a thousand colours (Cerise) - Royal Court Theatre (May 2009)

Filmography

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1984	A Woman of Substance	Paula McGill Amory	TV
1985	Dance with a Stranger	Ruth Ellis	Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actress Variety Club Award
	Underworld	Oriel
	The Innocent	Mary Turner
	After Pilkington	Penny	Nominated "? BAFTA Television Award for Best Actress
1986	Blackadder II	Queen Elizabeth I ("Queenie")	TV
	The Death of the Heart	Daphne Heccomb
1987	Blackadder the Third	Amy Hardwood	TV Episode: "Amy and Amiability"
	Eat the Rich	DHSS Blonde
	Empire of the Sun	Mrs. Victor
	Sweet as You Are	Julia Perry	TV Royal Television Society Award for Best Performance - Female
1988	Blackadder's Christmas Carol	Queen Elizabeth I/ Queen Asphyxia XIX	TV
1989	Ball Trap on the Cote Sauvage	Early Bird
	Blackadder Goes Forth	Nurse Mary Fletcher-Brown	TV Episode: "General Hospital"
	The Mad Monkey	Marilyn
1990	Secret Friends	Olivia	TV
	The Bachelor	Frederica
	The Fool	Columbine / Rosalind / Ophelia
	Twisted Obsession	Marilyn
	Old Times	Anna
	Die Kinder	Sidonie Reiger	TV
1992	The Crying Game	Jude O'Hara	New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress also for Damage and Enchanted April Nominated "? BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
	Damage	Ingrid Fleming	BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role London Critics Circle Film Award for Best British Actress New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress also for The Crying Game and Enchanted April Nominated "? Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated "? Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress " Motion Picture
	Enchanted April	Rose Arbuthnot	Golden Globe Award for Best Actress " Motion Picture Musical or Comedy New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress also for The Crying Game and Damage
1993	Century	Clara
	The Line, the Cross and the Curve	Mysterious woman
1994	Absolutely Fabulous	Bettina	TV
	Tom & Viv	Vivienne Haigh-Wood	National Board of Review Award for Best Actress Nominated "? Academy Award for Best Actress Nominated "? BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role Nominated "? Golden Globe Award for Best Actress " Motion Picture Drama
	Fatherland	Charlie Maguire	Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress " Series, Miniseries or Television Film
	The Night and the Moment	Julie
1996	The Evening Star	Patsy Carpenter	Society of Texas Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress also for Kansas City Nominated "? Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress " Motion Picture
	Kansas City	Carolyn Stilton	Society of Texas Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress also for The Evening Star
1997	The Designated Mourner	Judy
	Saint-Ex	Consuelo
	The Apostle	Toosie	Nominated "? Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female
	A Dance to the Music of Time	Pamela Flitton	TV Nominated "? BAFTA Television Award for Best Actress Nominated "? Royal Television Society Award for Best Performance - Female
1998	St. Ives	Miss Gilchrist
	The Scold's Bridle	Dr Sarah Blakeney
	Merlin	Queen Mab / The Lady of the Lake	Nominated "? Golden Globe Award for Best Actress " Miniseries or Television Film
1999	Alice in Wonderland	Queen of Hearts / Society Woman
	The Big Brass Ring	Dinah Pellarin	Nominated "? Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress " Series, Miniseries or Television Film
	Sleepy Hollow	Lady Mary Van Tassel / Crone	Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress - Horror Nominated "? Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress
	Blackadder: Back & Forth	Queen Elizabeth I / Queenie
	The King and I	Anna Leonowens	Voice Only Nominated "? London Critics Circle Film Award for Best British Actress
2000	Get Carter	Gloria Carter
	Chicken Run	Mrs. Tweedy	Voice Only
	The Miracle Maker	Mary Magdalene	Voice Only
2001	Snow White	Queen Elspeth
2002	The Hours	Vanessa Bell	Nominated "? Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast Nominated "? Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
	Spider	Yvonne / Mrs. Cleg	San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress Sant Jordi Award for Best Foreign Actress Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated "? Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated "? Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated "? London Critics Circle Film Award for Best British Actress Nominated "? Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress " Motion Picture
2003	The Lost Prince	Queen Mary	TV Nominated "? BAFTA Television Award for Best Actress Nominated "? Golden Globe Award for Best Actress " Miniseries or Television Film
	The Rage in Placid Lake	Sylvia Lake	Nominated "? Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Nominated "? Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Supporting Actor - Female
	Falling Angels	Mary Field
2004	The Prince and Me	Queen Rosalind
	Churchill: The Hollywood Years	Eva Braun
	The Phantom of the Opera	Madame Giry
	Absolutely Fabulous	Bettina	TV "White Box"
2005	Midsummer Dream	Queen Titania	Voice Only
	Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire	Rita Skeeter
	The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky	Corky	Voice Only, TV
2006	Gideon's Daughter	Stella	TV Nominated "? Satellite Award for Best Actress " Miniseries or Television Film
	Merlin's Apprentice	Lady of the Lake	TV
	Wah-Wah	Lauren Compton
	Provoked	Veronica Scott
	Paris, je t'aime	The Wife	Segment: "Bastille"
2007	Puffball	Mabs Tucker
	Fred Claus	Mrs. Annette Claus
	Southland Tales	Nana Mae Van Adler-Frost
	Spinning Into Butter	Catherine Kenney
	The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle	Helena	TV
2009	The Young Victoria	Duchess of Kent
2010	Made in Dagenham	Barbara Castle	Nominated "? BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1	Rita Skeeter
	Rubicon	Katherine Rhumor	TV
2012	Parade's End	Mrs. Wannop	TV
	World Without End	Mother Cecilia	TV
	Dead Boss	Jo	TV
2013	Belle	Lady Ashford
2014	Maleficent	Queen Ulla

Awards and nominations

Academy Award

• Nominated (1993): Best Supporting Actress, Damage
• Nominated (1995): Best Actress, Tom & Viv

BAFTA Award

• Nominated (1988): Best Actress, After Pilkington (TV)
• Nominated (1993): Best Supporting Actress, The Crying Game
• Won (1993): Best Supporting Actress, Damage
• Nominated (1994): Best Actress, Tom & Viv
• Nominated (1998): Best Actress, A Dance to the Music of Time (TV)
• Nominated (2004): Best Actress, The Lost Prince (TV)
• Nominated (2011): Best Supporting Actress, Made in Dagenham

Golden Globe Award

• Won (1993): Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical/Comedy, Enchanted April
• Nominated (1993): Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture, Damage
• Nominated (1995): Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama, Tom & Viv
• Won (1995): Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV, Fatherland
• Nominated (1999): Best Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV, Merlin
• Nominated (2000): Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV, The Big Brass Ring
• Nominated (2005): Best Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television, The Lost Prince

Laurence Olivier Award

• Nominated (1988): Best Actress, A Lie of the Mind