BRANAGH, KENNETH

born Dec. 10, 1960, Belfast, N.Ire., U.K. in full Kenneth Charles Branagh Irish-born English stage and motion-picture actor, director, and writer who is best known for his film adaptations of Shakespearean plays. At the age of nine, Branagh moved with his family from Northern Ireland to London. He began acting in school plays and graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1981. Six weeks later he made his professional stage debut. In 1984 he joined the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), where he received acclaim for his performances in Hamlet and Henry V. Often compared to Laurence Olivier, Branagh was noted for his magnetic and often whimsical performances. In 1987 he left the RSC to cofound the Renaissance Theatre Company, for which he served as actor, writer, and director. In 1989 Branagh brought Henry V to the screen. The movie received critical acclaim and Branagh was nominated for Academy Awards as best director and best actor. His costar in the movie, Emma Thompson, was an actress he had met while filming a television series. They were married in 1989 and appeared together in many film and stage productions. Credited with making Shakespeare accessible to the masses, Branagh also acted in and directed film versions of Much Ado About Nothing (1993) and Hamlet (1996) and in 1995 appeared as Iago in Othello. He also directed and acted in the motion pictures Dead Again (1991) and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994). His autobiography Beginnings was published in 1989.