Gary Oldman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gary Oldman
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Oldman in 2014
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Gary Leonard Oldman
21 March 1958 London, England
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| Education | Rose Bruford College (BA) |
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| Years active | 1979–present |
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Works
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Full list |
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| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Laila Morse (sister) |
| Awards | Full list |
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Gary Leonard Oldman (born March 21, 1958) is an English actor and filmmaker. He is known for playing many different types of characters. He has won several big awards, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and three British Academy Film Awards. His movies have earned over $11 billion worldwide. This makes him one of the highest-earning actors ever.
Oldman started acting in plays in 1979. His first movie was Remembrance (1982). He became well-known in British films for playing Sid Vicious in Sid and Nancy (1986). He also played Joe Orton in Prick Up Your Ears (1987). Later, he gained more fame as a New York gangster in State of Grace (1990). He also played Lee Harvey Oswald in JFK (1991) and Count Dracula in Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992).
He often played bad guys in movies like True Romance (1993) and Léon: The Professional (1994). He was also in The Fifth Element (1997) and Air Force One (1997). Gary Oldman has also played famous characters in big movie series. These include Sirius Black in the Harry Potter series (2004–2011). He was also James "Jim" Gordon in The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005–2012).
Oldman won an Academy Award for Best Actor for playing Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour (2017). He was also nominated for an Oscar for his roles in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) and Mank (2020). Besides acting, Oldman also wrote and directed the movie Nil by Mouth (1997). Since 2022, he has starred as Jackson Lamb in the Apple TV+ series Slow Horses.
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Early Life and School Days
Gary Leonard Oldman was born in New Cross, London, England. His birthday is March 21, 1958. His father, Leonard Bertram Oldman, was a sailor and welder. His mother was Kathleen Cheriton. Gary said his father left the family when he was seven years old. His older sister, Maureen, is also an actress. She is known as Laila Morse. She acted in Gary's movie Nil by Mouth. Later, she became famous for playing Mo Harris in the TV show EastEnders.
Gary went to West Greenwich School. He left school at 16 to work in a sports shop. He used to play the piano when he was a child. But he decided to become an actor after watching Malcolm McDowell in the movie The Raging Moon (1971). He said, "Something about Malcolm just caught my attention, and I felt a connection. I said, 'I want to do that.'"
Growing up in south London, Oldman supported his local football team, Millwall F.C.. He also liked Manchester United because he admired George Best. In 2011, he learned that his father had played for Millwall after World War II. His mother told him his dad had played a few first-team games.
In the mid-1970s, Oldman studied at the Young People's Theatre in Greenwich. He worked many jobs, like on assembly lines and selling shoes. He tried to get into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) but was not accepted. They told him to try again later. He then won a scholarship to Rose Bruford College in Sidcup, London. He graduated with a degree in Acting in 1979.
Acting Career Highlights
Starting Out in Theatre (1979–1985)
After drama school, Gary Oldman quickly found acting jobs. In 1979, he starred in a play called Thark. He also appeared in plays like Cabaret and Romeo and Juliet. He worked with the Glasgow's Citizens Theatre and toured Europe and South America.
In 1982, Oldman made his first movie appearance in Remembrance. The next year, he played a skinhead in the film Meantime. A play called Saved was a big step for him. For his role in The Pope's Wedding in 1984, he won two top British theatre awards. He also became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company from 1985 to 1986.
Becoming Famous (1986–1993)
Director Alex Cox offered Oldman the role of musician Sid Vicious in the 1986 movie Sid and Nancy. Oldman first said no twice because he wasn't very interested in punk music. But he changed his mind because of the pay and his agent's advice.
In 1987, Oldman starred as Joe Orton in Prick Up Your Ears. This role earned him a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor. Film critic Roger Ebert praised Oldman, saying he could "re-invent himself for every role." He called Oldman "the best young British actor around." Even John Lydon, Sid Vicious's bandmate, called Oldman a "bloody good actor."
In 1989, Oldman starred as football hooligan Clive "Bex" Bissel in the TV drama The Firm. This performance was called "stunning" and "fearless." Oldman and other young British actors were called the "Brit Pack." Oldman was seen as their leader.
In 1990, Oldman starred with Tim Roth in Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead. He then starred with Sean Penn in State of Grace. Roger Ebert said Oldman's acting was the best part of the movie. Oldman moved to the United States in the early 1990s.
In 1991, Oldman played Lee Harvey Oswald in Oliver Stone's movie JFK. Oldman did his own research for the role. He met with Oswald's wife and daughters. In 1992, he played Count Dracula in Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula. This movie was a big success worldwide. Oldman won the Best Actor award for his performance.
Becoming a Major Star (1994–2003)
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In the 1994 movie Léon: The Professional, Oldman played Norman Stansfield. He was a bad police officer. Many people have called this one of the best movie villains ever. Oldman also played different accents in his roles. He played German composer Ludwig van Beethoven in Immortal Beloved. He also played Russian terrorist Egor Korshunov in Air Force One (1997).
In 2000, Oldman starred with Jeff Bridges in The Contender. He played a politician named Sheldon Runyon. Oldman was also an executive producer for this film. He received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for his acting.
In 2001, he starred with Anthony Hopkins in Hannibal. This was the second time they acted together. Oldman also made two guest appearances on the TV show Friends in 2001. He played Richard Crosby, an actor who was very picky. For this role, he was nominated for an Emmy.
In 2002, Oldman starred in Interstate 60. He also played the Devil in a short film for BMW. In 2003, he played a man with dwarfism in Tiptoes. Even though the movie didn't get great reviews, Oldman's acting was praised.
Big Movie Series and Awards (2004–2012)
In 2004, Oldman became even more famous. He got a major role in the Harry Potter film series. He played Harry Potter's godfather, Sirius Black. He first appeared in The Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). Critics liked his performance. He continued to play Sirius Black in other Harry Potter movies until 2011.
The next year, he played James "Jim" Gordon in Christopher Nolan's successful movie Batman Begins (2005). He played this role again in The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Film critic Mark Kermode said Oldman's performance in The Dark Knight was the best in the movie.
In 2009, Oldman co-starred with Jim Carrey in A Christmas Carol. He played three different characters in this movie. In 2010, Oldman was in The Book of Eli with Denzel Washington. He also voiced the bad guy, Lord Shen, in Kung Fu Panda 2. For this, he was nominated for an Annie Award.
Oldman received great reviews and his first Academy Award nomination. This was for playing British spy George Smiley in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011). To get ready for the role, Oldman gained weight and visited the book's author, John le Carré. In 2012, Oldman played a mobster named Floyd Banner in Lawless.
Recent Success and Awards (2013–Present)
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In 2014, Oldman starred in the movie RoboCop. He played Norton, the scientist who creates RoboCop. That same year, Oldman also starred in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. He played one of the main characters.
In 2017, Oldman played three movie roles. He was a rich businessman in The Space Between Us. He was also a strict President in The Hitman's Bodyguard. His most praised role was playing former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour. Oldman's change into Churchill took 200 hours in the makeup chair. He also used a lot of special makeup.
In 2018, he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Darkest Hour. He also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama, Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actor, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor. He also won a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
In 2019, Oldman starred in the horror movie Mary. He also appeared in The Laundromat with Meryl Streep. In 2020, Oldman starred as Herman J. Mankiewicz in David Fincher's movie Mank. This movie was about the writer of Citizen Kane. It received good reviews.
In 2022, Oldman began starring in the Apple TV+ spy drama series Slow Horses. He plays Jackson Lamb, a manager of spy agents. This was Oldman's first main role in a TV series. In November 2022, he said that this series might be his last acting job before he retires.
In 2023, he was in the HBO Max special Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts. He also had a small role as President Harry Truman in Christopher Nolan's movie Oppenheimer. This film was a big success. In 2023, it was confirmed that Oldman would star in a new film called Parthenope.
Other Projects
Filmmaking Work
In 1997, Gary Oldman directed, produced, and wrote the movie Nil by Mouth. This film was partly based on his memories from childhood. Nil by Mouth won the BAFTA Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film. It also won the BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay. In 1999, it was named one of the best British films of the 20th century.
Oldman and his producing partner, Douglas Urbanski, created a company called SE8 GROUP. They produced Nil by Mouth and The Contender. In 2011, Oldman directed a music video for his then-wife Alex Eden.
Music Interests
Oldman has always loved music. He plays the piano very well. He even said he would rather be a musician than an actor. He sang songs on the Sid and Nancy movie soundtrack. He also sang and played live piano in the 1988 movie Track 29. He helped Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe learn to play bass guitar. In 2016, Oldman honored David Bowie at the 2016 Brit Awards.
Voice Acting Roles
Oldman has lent his voice to many video games. He voiced Ignitus, the Fire Guardian, in The Legend of Spyro games. He also voices Sergeant Viktor Reznov in the Call of Duty games. In 2015, he voiced Lord Vortech in the Lego Dimensions video game. He will also play Admiral Ernst Bishop in the upcoming video game Squadron 42.
Acting Style
Gary Oldman learned acting methods from famous teachers. But he also found his own way of acting. He often played characters who were not very friendly early in his career. He learned to use his voice and body a lot in his acting. He wanted to be different from other British actors.
Oldman has said that sometimes his acting might seem a bit "over-the-top." But he believes it comes from a real place. He also enjoys playing quiet characters, like George Smiley in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
Oldman is known for doing a lot of research for his roles. He also puts a lot of effort into them. He once lost a lot of weight for Sid and Nancy and had to go to the hospital. He has also used many different accents for his characters.
Awards and Recognitions
Gary Oldman has won many awards during his career. These include an Academy Award, three British Academy Film Awards, and a Golden Globe Award. He has also been nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has recognized him for these roles:
- 84th Academy Awards: Nominated for Best Actor for playing George Smiley in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011).
- 90th Academy Awards: Won Best Actor for playing Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour (2017).
- 93rd Academy Awards: Nominated for Best Actor for playing Herman J. Mankiewicz in Mank (2020).
Personal Life
Views and Family Life
Gary Oldman moved to Los Angeles in the early 1990s. Even though he is famous, he likes to keep his private life to himself. He has said that being famous is "a whole other career" that he doesn't have energy for. In 2014, he said he was a libertarian. This means he believes in a lot of personal freedom.
Oldman has been married five times. He first married English actress Lesley Manville in 1987. Their son, Alfie, was born in 1988. They divorced in 1990. Lesley Manville said in 2018 that she and Oldman are still friends. They have two grandchildren through Alfie.
Oldman married American actress Uma Thurman in 1990. They divorced in 1992. From 1994 to 1996, he was engaged to actress Isabella Rossellini.
In 1997, Oldman married American model Donya Fiorentino. They had two sons: Gulliver (born 1997) and Charlie (born 1999). They divorced in 2001.
On December 31, 2008, Oldman married English singer and actress Alexandra Edenborough. They divorced in 2015. In August 2017, Oldman married writer and art curator Gisele Schmidt. They live in Palm Springs, California.
Images for kids
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Gary Oldman's signature
See also
In Spanish: Gary Oldman para niños
- List of British Academy Award nominees and winners
- List of actors with Academy Award nominations
- List of actors with two or more Academy Award nominations in acting categories
