Michael Sheen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael Sheen
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Sheen in 2014
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Michael Christopher Sheen
5 February 1969 Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales
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| Education |
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| Alma mater | Royal Academy of Dramatic Art |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Partner(s) |
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| Children | 3 |
Michael Christopher Sheen (born 5 February 1969) is a Welsh actor. He is famous for playing real-life people in movies and TV shows. After studying acting in London, he worked a lot in theatre during the 1990s. He performed in plays like Romeo and Juliet and Henry V. He was nominated for several big awards, including the Laurence Olivier Award, for his stage work.
Later, Michael Sheen started acting in films and TV, often playing famous people. He played British Prime Minister Tony Blair in three films: The Deal (2003), The Queen (2006), and The Special Relationship (2010). These roles earned him nominations for a BAFTA Award and an Emmy. He also played comedian Kenneth Williams in Fantabulosa! (2006) and TV host David Frost in the play and film Frost/Nixon (2006, 2008). In 2009, he played football manager Brian Clough in The Damned United.
Since 2009, Sheen has taken on many different types of roles. He appeared in fantasy films like Underworld: Rise of the Lycans and The Twilight Saga: New Moon. He was also in the science-fiction movie Tron: Legacy and the romantic comedy Midnight in Paris. On TV, he starred in the drama series Prodigal Son (2019–2021) and the fantasy comedy Good Omens (2019–present). During the COVID-19 lockdown, he played himself in the comedy show Staged with his friend David Tennant. Michael Sheen is also very involved in social and political causes.
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Early Life and Education
Michael Christopher Sheen was born on 5 February 1969 in Newport, Wales. His mother, Irene, was a secretary, and his father, Meyrick, worked for a steel company. He has one younger sister, Joanne. The family lived in Llanmartin for 12 years. When Michael was five, they moved to Wallasey for a short time. Three years later, they settled in his parents' hometown of Port Talbot, Wales.
Michael Sheen was a talented football player. When he was 12, he was invited to join Arsenal's youth team. However, his family did not want to move to London. He later said he was glad they made that choice. He felt the chances of becoming a professional footballer were very small.
His family was very interested in theatre. Both his parents were involved in local plays and musicals. Michael joined the West Glamorgan Youth Theatre and later the National Youth Theatre of Wales. He learned a lot about acting and hard work there. He was inspired by famous actor Laurence Olivier and theatre writer Kenneth Tynan. Sheen went to Blaenbaglan Primary School, Glan Afan Comprehensive School, and Neath Port Talbot College. He studied English, Drama, and Sociology. Instead of going to university for English, he decided to go to drama school. In 1988, he moved to London to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). He worked at a fast-food restaurant to save money. He graduated from RADA in 1991.
Acting Career Highlights
Early Theatre Roles (1991–2001)
In the 1990s, Michael Sheen mostly worked in theatre. He felt most comfortable on stage. His first professional role was in When She Danced in 1991, while he was still at RADA. Critics praised his performance. In 1992, his role in Romeo and Juliet earned him an award nomination. A theatre critic called him "the most exciting young actor of his generation." He also appeared in plays like Don't Fool With Love and Harold Pinter's Moonlight. He made his TV debut in the BBC mini-series Gallowglass in 1993.
In 1994, Sheen played the main role in Peer Gynt. This play was performed in Oslo, Tokyo, and London. Critics noted his "astonishing vitality." He also appeared in Charley's Aunt. In 1995, he acted with Kate Beckinsale in The Seagull. He also directed and starred in The Dresser. That same year, he made his film debut in Othello. In 1997, he played the main role in Henry V for the Royal Shakespeare Company. This role earned him another award nomination. He also appeared in the film Wilde, playing Robbie Ross.
From 1998 to 1999, Sheen starred as Mozart in Amadeus. The play was very popular in London and later moved to Broadway. Critics loved his performance. One critic said he was "so luminous it's scary!" He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for this role. In 1999, he played Jimmy Porter in Look Back in Anger. He later said this was "the most enjoyable thing I've ever done." Critics called his performance "thrilling" and "dazzling." He was nominated for another Laurence Olivier Award.
Breakthrough in Biographical Roles (2002–2006)
Around 2002, Michael Sheen started focusing more on film roles. His first main film role was in Heartlands (2002). He also had a small role in The Four Feathers. In 2003, he appeared in Bright Young Things and played the werewolf leader Lucian in Underworld.
Sheen returned to the stage in 2003 to play the main role in Caligula. This was one of only three stage roles he took on in the 2000s. Critics called his performance "thrilling" and "riveting." He won an Evening Standard Award and a Critics' Circle Theatre Award for this role. He was also nominated for another Laurence Olivier Award.
His big breakthrough came in 2003 when he played British politician Tony Blair in The Deal. This was his first time working with screenwriter Peter Morgan. Critics praised his "earnest, yet steely, portrayal." In 2004, Sheen starred in Dirty Filthy Love and was nominated for a BAFTA TV Award. He also played a rock star in Laws of Attraction. In 2005, he starred in The UN Inspector on stage.
Sheen gained international fame in 2006 for playing Tony Blair again in The Queen. This film showed the reactions of the Royal Family and Tony Blair after the death of Princess Diana. It was his third time working with director Stephen Frears and second with Peter Morgan. Critics called his performance "sensational" and "uncanny." He was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. In 2006, Sheen also played the comedian Kenneth Williams in Fantabulosa! He lost weight and studied Williams' diaries for the role. Critics found his performance "mesmerising." He won an RTS Award for Best Actor and another BAFTA TV Award nomination.
Frost/Nixon and The Damned United (2007–2009)
From 2006 to 2007, Sheen played TV host David Frost in the play Frost/Nixon in London and on Broadway. The play was very successful. Critics said he perfectly captured Frost's voice and actions. He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for this role. In 2007, he appeared in the film Music Within as a political activist with cerebral palsy. Critics called his performance "remarkable" and "outstanding."
Sheen played David Frost again in the 2008 film Frost/Nixon. This film was based on the famous interviews between Frost and former US President Richard Nixon. Critics praised Sheen's "compelling, intense" performance. Frost himself said it was "a wonderful performance."
In 2009, Sheen played another real-life person: the outspoken football manager Brian Clough in The Damned United. This film focused on Clough's short time as manager of Leeds United. This was his fifth time working with writer Peter Morgan. Sheen said Clough was his favorite real-life character to play. Critics called it the "best performance of his big-screen career" and "magnificent." Also in 2009, Sheen returned as the werewolf Lucian in Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. He also had a supporting role in The Twilight Saga: New Moon, playing the ancient vampire Aro.
Diverse Roles and The Passion (2010–2018)
In 2010, Sheen had a supporting role in the science fiction film Tron: Legacy. He also voiced the White Rabbit in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. On TV, his performance as Tony Blair in The Special Relationship was nominated for an Emmy Award. He also made a guest appearance in four episodes of the comedy show 30 Rock. In November 2010, Sheen received the BAFTA Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year.
In 2011, Sheen starred in and helped create The Passion, a huge 72-hour play staged in his hometown of Port Talbot, Wales. Over a thousand local people took part in the performance. Sheen called it "the most meaningful experience" of his career. Critics praised it as "one of the outstanding theatrical events" of the decade. Sheen won a Theatre Award UK for Best Director for this project. In 2013, he won a Welsh BAFTA for the film about the production, The Gospel of Us.
Sheen's notable film role in 2011 was in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris. Allen said Sheen "nailed it from the start." The film was very successful. Sheen also voiced the villain House in the Doctor Who episode "The Doctor's Wife". In 2012, he starred in the comedy Jesus Henry Christ and played Aro again in the final Twilight Saga film.
From late 2011 to early 2012, Sheen played the main role in Hamlet at the Young Vic theatre. The play was set in a psychiatric hospital. Critics called his performance "an audacious achievement" and "recklessly brilliant."
In 2013, Sheen appeared in the comedy Admission. In 2014, he starred in the children's fantasy film Mariah Mundi and the Midas Box. He also had a small role in the thriller Kill the Messenger. On TV, he starred in the parody miniseries The Spoils of Babylon.
In 2015, Sheen starred in the romantic drama Far from the Madding Crowd. His performance as William Boldwood was well-received. Critics noted his "fine-grained" and "heartrending" portrayal. He also had popular comedic TV appearances in Comedy Bang! Bang! and 7 Days in Hell. In February 2015, he won "Star Baker" on The Great Comic Relief Bake Off.
In 2016, Sheen had roles in Nocturnal Animals, Norman, and Passengers. He also voiced the White Rabbit again in Alice Through the Looking Glass. He won a Welsh BAFTA Award for a documentary called Michael Sheen: The Fight For My Steel Town. In 2017, he was in Brad's Status and Home Again. In 2018, Sheen joined the TV series The Good Fight as lawyer Roland Blum.
Recent Work (2019–Present)
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In May 2019, Sheen starred with David Tennant in Good Omens, based on the book by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. He also played Chris Tarrant in the TV show Quiz. From 2019 to 2021, Sheen played Martin Whitly in the American TV series Prodigal Son. In April 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown, Sheen and David Tennant starred in a comedy show called Staged, filmed using video calls. A second and third series followed.
In June 2021, Sheen returned to the London stage in Under Milk Wood. In 2022, he starred as Salieri in a new production of Amadeus in Sydney, Australia, winning an award for his performance. In June 2023, Sheen starred in the BBC One drama Best Interests, which won him Best Actor at the Series Mania festival. In November 2023, he was cast as Prince Andrew, Duke of York in a limited series called A Very Royal Scandal.
Charity and Activism
Michael Sheen is very active in charity work and social causes. He is the honorary president of the Wales Council for Voluntary Action, which supports volunteer groups in Wales. He is also an ambassador for several charities, including TREAT Trust Wales and Into Film, which helps improve reading skills through after-school film clubs. He supports the environmental charity Keep Wales Tidy.
Sheen is a patron of British charities like Scene & Heard and the NSPCC's Child's Voice Appeal. He has played in charity football matches, including captaining the winning Soccer Aid 2010 team. In 2014, he designed a Paddington Bear statue for a charity auction that raised money for the NSPCC. In 2017, Sheen started the End High Cost Credit Alliance to help people find more affordable ways to borrow money. He also became a Patron of Social Enterprise UK, which supports social projects.
In 2019, Sheen sold his own houses to help fund the Homeless World Cup in Cardiff when it faced a funding problem. In 2020, he raised over £33,000 to help people in Wales affected by flooding. In December 2021, Sheen announced that he would give all his future earnings to charities, calling himself a "not-for-profit actor." He also co-founded A Writing Chance to help new writers from working-class backgrounds. In 2024, it was reported that Sheen used his own money to pay off debts for hundreds of people in South Wales.
Sheen is known for his political and social activism. He has spoken about Welsh independence and the "Prince of Wales" title. He also supports giving control of the Crown Estate to Wales and wants a Fair Banking Act to help with credit problems in the UK.
Return of OBE
Michael Sheen was given the title of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2009 for his work in drama. In 2020, he shared that he had returned the medal. He explained that after researching the relationship between Wales and the British state, he felt he would be a hypocrite to keep it while speaking about those issues.
Personal Life
Michael Sheen was in a relationship with English actress Kate Beckinsale from 1995 to 2003. They met while working on a play. Their daughter, Lily Mo, was born in 1999. He later had relationships with ballet dancer Lorraine Stewart, Canadian actress Rachel McAdams, and American comedian Sarah Silverman.
Sheen now lives in Port Talbot, Wales, with his partner, actress Anna Lundberg. They have two daughters, born in 2019 and 2022. He is a supporter of Swansea City A.F.C., a football team.
Awards and Recognition
Theatre Awards
- Evening Standard Award for Best Actor (2003)—won for Caligula
- Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Actor (2003)—won for Caligula
- Theatre Award UK for Best Director (2011)—won for The Passion
- BroadwayWorld Australia – Sydney Awards for Best Performer in a Play (2023)—won for Amadeus
Screen Awards
- Royal Television Society Award for Best Actor (2006)—won for Fantabulosa!
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor (2006)—won for The Queen
- New York Film Critics Online (2006)—won for The Queen
- Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor (2006)—won for The Queen
- Welsh BAFTA Tlws Siân Phillips Award (2007)—won
- Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actor (2008)—won for Frost/Nixon
- Variety Award at the British Independent Film Awards 2008—won
- GQ Magazine's Actor of the Year (2009)—won
- Digital Spy Movie Award for Actor Of The Year (2009)—won
- BAFTA Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year (2010)—won
- Empire Cinemas Alternative Movie Awards for Best Film Villain (2013)—won for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2
- Welsh BAFTA Award for Best Actor (2013)—won for The Gospel of Us
- Welsh BAFTA Award for News and Current Affairs (2017)—won for Michael Sheen: The Fight For My Steel Town
- Series Mania for Best Actor in International Competition (2023)—won for Best Interests
- Tell-Tale TV Award for Favorite Performer in a Sci-fi / Fantasy / Horror Series (2024)—won for Good Omens
Philanthropy Awards
- St David Awards for International Award (2015)
- Royal Society for Public Health Award for Outstanding Contribution to Championing the Public's Health (2017)
- Welsh Housing Award for Outstanding Contribution to Housing (2019)
- Community Foundation Wales Philanthropy Award (2024)
Other Honours
In 2008, Michael Sheen was given the freedom of the borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales. He has also received honorary degrees from several universities in Wales.
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See also
In Spanish: Michael Sheen para niños
