Brenda Blethyn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brenda Blethyn OBE
Blethyn in 2014
Born	Brenda Bottle (1946-02-20) 20 February 1946 (age 79) Ramsgate, Kent, England
Alma mater	Guildford School of Acting
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1976–present
Known for	Vera
Spouse(s)	Alan Blethyn ​ ​ (m. 1964; div. 1973)​ Michael Mayhew ​ ​ (m. 2010)​
Awards	Full list

Brenda Blethyn (born 20 February 1946) is a talented English actress. She is known for playing many different types of characters. Brenda has won several important awards. These include a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, and a Cannes Film Festival Award. She was also nominated for two Academy Awards (Oscars) and two Emmys. In 2003, she was honored with the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her contributions to drama.

Before becoming an actress, Brenda worked in an office. In her late twenties, she decided to study acting at the Guildford School of Acting. After that, she joined the Royal National Theatre. She became well-known for her roles in plays like Benefactors (1984). For this role, she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award. She also performed on Broadway in the play 'Night Mother (2004).

Brenda's first movie role was a small part in Nicolas Roeg's The Witches (1990). She later starred in the film Secrets & Lies (1996). This role earned her the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival and an Oscar nomination. She received another Oscar nomination for her role in Little Voice (1998). Other notable films include A River Runs Through It (1992), Saving Grace (2000), Pride & Prejudice (2005), and Atonement (2007).

Brenda first appeared on television in the film Grown-Ups (1980). She has starred in popular TV shows like Chance in a Million (1984–1986) and Outside Edge (1994–1996). She was nominated for an Emmy for her role in Anne Frank: The Whole Story (2001). From 2011 to 2025, she played Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope in the crime drama series Vera.

Early Life and Training

Brenda Blethyn was born in Ramsgate, Kent, England. She was the youngest of nine children. Her family was working-class and Roman Catholic. Her mother, Louisa Kathleen, was a housewife. Her father, William Charles Bottle, worked as a shepherd and later as a mechanic.

The family lived in difficult conditions for a time. In 1944, her parents married and moved into a small rented house. Brenda was born in 1946. Her parents loved movies and took her to the cinema every week.

As a young adult, Brenda studied at a technical college. She worked as a stenographer (someone who takes notes quickly) and a bookkeeper for a bank. She enjoyed amateur theatre (acting as a hobby). She decided to make acting her career. After studying at the Guildford School of Acting, she began performing on the London stage in 1976. She spent several seasons at the Royal National Theatre. During this time, she appeared in many plays.

Career Highlights

Early Roles and TV Shows (1980–1995)

In 1980, Brenda won an award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the play Steaming. She then made her first screen appearance in the TV play Grown Ups. This was her first time working with director Mike Leigh. They would work together again later with great success. Brenda also appeared in Shakespearean TV adaptations. She played Cordelia in King Lear and Joan of Arc in Henry VI, Part 1.

She also starred in the sitcom Chance in a Million (1984–1986). She played Alison Little, the frustrated fiancée of Tom Chance. In 1989, she starred in The Labours of Erica. She played Erica Parsons, a single mother who decides to complete a list of goals from her teenage diary.

Brenda made her first big movie appearance in 1990. It was a small role in the fantasy film The Witches. This movie was based on the book by Roald Dahl. Critics thought Brenda was a "valuable support" in her role as Mrs. Jenkins.

In 1991, Brenda was suggested to director Robert Redford. She auditioned for his film A River Runs Through It (1992). This movie was a period drama about two brothers growing up in the Prohibition era in the United States. Brenda played their mother. To prepare, she lived in Livingston, Montana, to learn a Western American accent. The film was a success with both critics and audiences.

Brenda continued to work in theatre and British television. She performed in plays like An Ideal Husband. She also appeared in the TV series The Buddha of Suburbia and Outside Edge.

Movie Success and Recognition (1996–2003)

Blethyn acted in the Mike Leigh film Secrets and Lies (1996). This role earned her an Oscar nomination.

Brenda's big breakthrough came with Mike Leigh's 1996 drama Secrets & Lies. She played Cynthia Rose Purley, a working-class woman. After many years, she reconnects with her adult daughter whom she gave up for adoption. Brenda's performance was highly praised. She won the Best Actress Award at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe. She also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. The film was also a financial success.

In 1998, Brenda starred in Girls' Night with Julie Walters. It was a drama about two sisters-in-law who go to Las Vegas, Nevada, after winning the bingo. She also appeared in Night Train and In the Winter Dark.

Brenda's last film of 1998 was Little Voice. She played Mari Hoff, a demanding factory worker. This role was different from her usual kind characters. Both Brenda's performance and the film received excellent reviews. She was nominated for another Oscar, this time for Best Supporting Actress.

In 2000, Brenda starred in the comedy Saving Grace. She played Grace Trevethyn, a woman who finds an unusual way to save her home after facing financial problems. Critics loved her performance. Rolling Stone magazine said her "solid-gold charm" made the film special. She received her third Golden Globe nomination for this role.

In 2001, Brenda played Auguste van Pels in the mini-series Anne Frank: The Whole Story. This role earned her an Emmy Award nomination. She also appeared in the films Lovely & Amazing and On the Nose. In Lovely & Amazing, she played a busy mother of three daughters.

In 2002, Brenda appeared in Pumpkin and Sonny. She later received praise for her lead role in the comedy Plots with a View. She starred alongside Alfred Molina, and critics noted their "genuine chemistry." In 2003, she co-starred in The Sleeping Dictionary and Blizzard. She also starred in the mini-series Between the Sheets.

Becoming an Established Actress (2004–2010)

Blethyn at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2008

In 2004, Brenda played Polly Cassotto, Bobby Darin's mother, in the film Beyond the Sea. She also starred in A Way of Life and the TV film Belonging. For Belonging, she received a BAFTA nomination. That same year, she made her Broadway debut in the play 'Night Mother.

In 2005, Brenda appeared in the drama On a Clear Day. She played Joan, a housewife who secretly learns to drive a bus. Critics praised her performance, saying she "wraps the movie in a cosy, comfortable, maternal hug."

A very successful film for Brenda was Joe Wright's Pride & Prejudice. This 2005 movie was based on the famous novel by Jane Austen. Brenda played Mrs. Bennet, a mother trying to marry off her five daughters. She explained that she saw Mrs. Bennet as a woman with a real problem, not just a funny character. The film was a huge success worldwide and earned Brenda another BAFTA nomination.

In 2007, she starred in the Australian comedy Clubland. She played a comedian whose career is slowing down. Critics said the movie "belongs to Blethyn" and praised her performance. This role earned her nominations for the Australian Film Institute Award. Also in 2007, Brenda worked again with Joe Wright in Atonement. She had a small role as a housekeeper. The film was a big success. She also appeared in the miniseries War and Peace.

In 2008, Brenda made her American TV debut in the sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine. She played the mother of Julia Louis-Dreyfus' character. The same year, she appeared in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Her performance earned her another Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress – Drama Series nomination. Brenda also provided the voice of Mama Heffalump in the animated Disney movies Pooh's Heffalump Movie (2005) and Tigger & Pooh and a Musical Too (2009).

In 2009, Brenda starred in London River. She played a mother searching for her missing child after the London bombings of July 2005. She had to learn French for the role. Critics praised her "dynamite acting." She also played a nun in the film The Calling. Her last film of 2009 was the crime film Dead Man Running.

Vera and Recent Roles (2011–Present)

In May 2011, Brenda began playing the main character in the ITV crime drama series, Vera. She plays Vera Stanhope, a detective chief inspector who is very dedicated to her work. The series is based on the novels by Ann Cleeves. Vera has become one of the most watched British dramas. Brenda received an award for her performance in 2017. She has continued to play Vera in 14 series of the show, which are available in 20 countries.

Brenda's only film in 2011 was the Christmas drama My Angel. It won several awards at the Monaco International Film Festival. In 2012, she starred with Tom Jones in the short film King of the Teds.

Blethyn with the cast and crew of Two Men in Town (2014) at the 2014 Berlin Film Festival.

In March 2013, Brenda co-starred with Hilary Swank in the BBC movie Mary and Martha. It tells the story of two women who both lose their sons to malaria. Also in 2013, Brenda began voicing Ernestine Enormomonster in the children's animated TV series Henry Hugglemonster.

In 2014, Brenda worked again with filmmaker Rachid Bouchareb in the drama film Two Men in Town. She played a parole officer. In January 2015, Brenda received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Capri Hollywood International Film Festival.

In 2016, Brenda lent her voice to the animated film Ethel & Ernest. This film is based on a graphic novel about the lives of Raymond Briggs' parents. The film received good reviews. Brenda was nominated for an award for her voice performance. From 2020 to 2022, she played Kate Abbott in Kate & Koji. Kate was a cafe-owner who became friends with two doctors seeking asylum.

Personal Life

Brenda Blethyn married Alan James Blethyn in 1964. He was a graphic designer. Their marriage ended in 1973. Brenda kept his last name as her professional name. Since 1975, her partner has been British art director Michael Mayhew. They married in June 2010.

In 2003, Brenda was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to drama.

Acting Credits

Film

Television

Theatre

Awards and Nominations

Brenda Blethyn won a BAFTA Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Cannes Film Festival Award for her role in Secrets & Lies (1996). Throughout her career, she has been nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Television Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. In 2017, the Royal Television Society named her Performer of the Year for her role in Vera. She was honored as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003 for her contributions to drama.

See also

In Spanish: Brenda Blethyn para niños