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Kenneth Branagh

Kenneth Charles Branagh was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and, at age 23, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he took on starring roles in “Henry V” and “Romeo and Juliet.” He soon found the R.S.C. too large and impersonal and formed his own theatre company, the Renaissance Theatre Company, which now counts Prince Charles as one of its royal patrons. Then, at age 29, Branagh directed and starred in the 1989 film “Henry V,” which costarred his then-wife, Emma Thompson. The film brought him Best Actor and Best Director Oscar nominations. In 1993, he brought Shakespeare to mainstream audiences again with his hit adaptation of “Much Ado About Nothing,” which featured an all-star cast, including Denzel Washington and Keanu Reeves. In 1996, Branagh wrote, directed and starred in a lavish adaptation of “Hamlet.” In recent years, he has starred in a series of non-Bard-related roles, including 1998’s “Celebrity,” 1999’s “Wild Wild West” and as a voice in Disney’s 2000 film, “The Road to El Dorado.”

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