Brenda Blethyn
Biography
Brenda Blethyn is an English actress who moved from an office job into acting in her late twenties, training at the Guildford School of Acting before joining the Royal National Theatre. She drew notice on stage in Benefactors, which brought an Olivier nomination, and made her screen debut in Mike Leigh's television film Grown-Ups (1980). Her first cinema part came in Nicolas Roeg's The Witches (1990). Leigh's Secrets & Lies (1996) won her the Cannes best actress award, a BAFTA and a Golden Globe, plus an Academy Award nomination, and Little Voice (1998) earned her a second Oscar nod. Other films include A River Runs Through It (1992), Saving Grace (2000), Pride & Prejudice (2005) and Atonement (2007). On television she was Emmy-nominated for Anne Frank: The Whole Story and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and she played DCI Vera Stanhope in Vera from 2011 to 2025.
80years old
Turns 81 on February 20in 101 days
- Born Ramsgate
- Star sign: PiscesThe sign runs February 19 to March 20
- Also credited as Brenda Anne Blethyn
Movie Career
- Films
- 27
- Career span
- 35 years1990 to 2025
Genres
First and latest
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First role
Blethyn's first screen role came in 1980, starring in the play Grown Ups for the BBC's Playhouse strand. Mike Leigh directed, and their first collaboration began a professional relationship that later brought both of them huge acclaim.
Brenda Blethyn movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Joe Wright directed two of these films. Three actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Jim Broadbent's page
Keira Knightley's page
Peter Wight's page
Jim Cummings's page
Kath Soucie's page
Bob Hoskins's page
All films by Joe Wright
Also two films together11 more actors
- Emily MortimerThe Sleeping Dictionary (2003) and Lovely & Amazing (2002)
- Tom HollanderPride & Prejudice (2005) and Piccadilly Jim (2004)
- Caroline AaronBeyond the Sea (2004) and Pumpkin (2002)
- Peter CullenTigger & Pooh and a Musical Too (2009) and Pooh's Heffalump Movie (2005)
- Sam ClaflinCharlotte (2021) and Mary and Martha (2013)
- Jane HorrocksLittle Voice (1998) and The Witches (1990)
- Roger AllamEthel & Ernest (2016) and RKO 281 (1999)
- Ron CookOn a Clear Day (2005) and Secrets & Lies (1996)
- Pam FerrisEthel & Ernest (2016) and Piccadilly Jim (2004)
- Ken SansomTigger & Pooh and a Musical Too (2009) and Pooh's Heffalump Movie (2005)
- Tobias MenziesAtonement (2007) and Piccadilly Jim (2004)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Brenda Blethyn's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$423 million
16 of the 26 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 26 films: 16 worldwide figure; 4 us gross only; 3 never in cinemas; 3 figure not found.
- 16Worldwide figure
- 4US gross only
- 3Never in cinemas
- 3Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 98% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$131M31.0% of the total
- 2$125M29.5% of the total
- 3$53M12.5% of the total
- 4$43M10.3% of the total
- 5$26M6.2% of the total
- 6$15M3.6% of the total
- 7$13M3.2% of the total
- 8$8.4M2.0% of the total
$7.6 millionfrom the other 8 films with a worldwide figure, 2% of the total
Awards
Four awards and honors from 1991 to 2018, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAFTA | |||
| Best Actress in a Leading Role | Won | ||
| Other honors | |||
| 2018 | Malice Domestic Poirot Award | Won | |
| 1991 | Theatre World Award | Won | |
| Officer of the Order of the British Empire | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.