The British Isles have always spawned numerous talents to grace film and television, with certain actors and actresses dominating decade after decade in worldwide screen popularity.
Ian McShane - © Scott Alan / Photorazzi
Most recently several key films and television series has introduced veteran actors of the U.K. to American audiences that are demanding to see more of their performances.
In HBO’s Rome , Ray Stevenson plays Titus Pullo, a Roman soldier with a kind heart and lust for life who has captured the attention of the industry and a bigger fan base across the pond. Brought up in Newcastle, Ray’s actual roots are Gaelic. He was born in the north of Ireland. He returns in the new season of Rome, the second and final season of HBO's pricey period drama, debuting in January of 2007.
Ray’s partner in Rome , Scottish actor Kevin McKidd, plays the sober and loyal Lucius Vorenus. McKidd was brought up in Elgin, Scotland. He initially studied engineering at the University of Edinburgh, but soon lost interest and became involved in theater. In 1994 he landed the leading role in Robert Carlyle's Rain Dog Theatre Company stage play The Silver Darlings , In 1996 McKidd made his screen debut as the vicious gangleader Malky Johnson in Gillies Mackinnon's Small Faces, he also played the gentle giant Tommy in Trainspotting .
Cheshire, England native Daniel Craig is soon to hit the screens as the next 007, his selection as the new Bond the cause of many discussions among film fanatics, yet the producers are so confident in his portrayal of Bond they have inked him to the next Bond movie.
Craig has drawn many comparisons by industry insiders to the late American actor, Steve McQueen, in his icy coolness that he has shown in the recent film Munich , and in the critically acclaimed Layer Cake . Craig trained at the National Youth Theatre and graduated from the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama in the early 1990s. In 1992, he made his film debut with The Power of One as Sergeant Botha.
Dubliner Colin Farrell has had his share of profile films, and is no stranger to US audiences. He recently won his role in the latest Woody Allen movie after subconsciously mimicking the director during a brief meeting.
According to Farrell, he was so nervous when he met Allen that he felt he may have appeared neurotic. "I went along and I met him. They said, 'It's not going to be a very long meeting,' and the meeting lasted about 47 seconds. I was like, 'What just happened?' and my agent called and said the meeting went very well but he said that I did a great impersonation of him, and I couldn't figure it out.” Said Farrell to a WENN reporter.
Along with Farrell, the new Allen film already in production in London features Perthshire, Scotland native Ewan McGregor and veteran actor and Leedsman, Tom Wilkinson. The working title is Untitled Woody Allen Summer Project .
Lancashire native Ian McShane, the son of a Manchester United soccer player and a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, has turned in outstanding performances as Al Swearengen, the profane saloon owner and boss of Deadwood, the same named popular HBO series.
McShane is in the newest release of Allen’s Scoop with Scarlett Johansson. Recently director Woody Allen admitted that he was oblivious to who Ian McShane was when he walked in to audition for his latest film. Unbelievably, Allen revealed to a WENN reporter: "I was completely unaware of Ian. It was one of those situations where my casting director sends in an actor I've never heard of and I thought he was perfect the minute he walked in."
Belfast native Ciarán Hinds has discovered enormous popularity for his recent roles in the HBO series Rome , playing the fated Gaius Julius Caesar. Hinds initially went to Law school at The Queens' University of Belfast, but like McKidd, he abandoned University for studies in acting. He has starred in a number of productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company, including a world tour in the title role of Richard III . Hinds starred alongside Daniel Craig in the film Munich as Carl, one of the Mossad agents dispatched for retaliation to the '72 Munich assassinations. The 1981 movie Excalibur directed by John Boorman, introduced Hinds to a worldwide audience. The film included a rich cast including Ballymena, Antrim native Liam Neeson, Dubliner Gabriel Byrne, and Yorkshireman Patrick Stewart.
HBO Series The Wire has endeared another Yorkshireman to worldwide audiences. Dominic West shines as the detective Jimmy McNulty in the critically acclaimed long running show. West graduated Dublin's Trinity College in 1993 with a B.A. in English literature. He has a role in the upcoming movie 300 directed by Zack Snyder scheduled for release in Spring of 2007.
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