Ruthie Henshall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ruthie Henshall
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Henshall in 2019
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| Born |
Valentine Ruth Henshall
7 March 1967 Orpington, London, England
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| Years active | 1986–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Tim Howar
(m. 2004; div. 2010) |
| Children | 2 |
Valentine Ruth Henshall (born 7 March 1967), known as Ruthie Henshall, is a famous English actress, singer, and dancer. She is best known for her amazing work in musical theatre.
Ruthie started her career on stage in 1986. She quickly became a star on London's West End, which is like New York's Broadway. In 1995, she won the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. This is one of the highest honors in British theatre. She won for her role in the musical She Loves Me.
She has been nominated for the Olivier Award five times. Some of her famous roles include Polly Baker in Crazy for You and Roxie Hart in Chicago. She has also performed on Broadway in New York City. More recently, she appeared on the BBC TV show Doctors.
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Personal Life
Ruthie Henshall was born in Orpington, London, on March 7, 1967. Her father, David, was a journalist and newspaper editor.
In her early life, she was friends with Prince Edward. Later, she was engaged to actor John Gordon Sinclair. She met actor and singer Tim Howar when they starred in a musical together. They were married from 2004 to 2010 and have two daughters.
A Star on the Stage
Ruthie trained at a special school for performing arts called Laine Theatre Arts. She made her first professional appearance at age 19. Soon after, she joined the cast of the famous musical Cats in London's West End.
Major Roles and Awards
Throughout her career, Ruthie has played many iconic characters in some of the world's biggest musicals.
- Early Success: In 1988, she was in the original London cast of Miss Saigon. In 1992, she played the emotional role of Fantine in Les Misérables.
- Winning an Olivier Award: Her first starring role was in Crazy for You in 1993. This earned her her first Olivier Award nomination. In 1995, she won the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in She Loves Me.
- Playing Roxie Hart: In 1997, Ruthie played Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago. This role earned her another Olivier nomination. She later played Roxie on Broadway and returned to the role in London in 2010.
- More Famous Musicals: She also starred in musicals like Peggy Sue Got Married and Billy Elliot the Musical. In Billy Elliot, she played the dance teacher Mrs. Wilkinson for two years.
Broadway and Beyond
Ruthie also found success on Broadway in New York City. She appeared in Chicago as both Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly. She also starred in a musical review by Stephen Sondheim called Putting It Together.
She has performed in many concerts, including a special 10th-anniversary concert for Les Misérables at the famous Royal Albert Hall.
Television and Film Career
Besides theatre, Ruthie Henshall has appeared on television and in movies. In 2004, she was in a musical movie version of A Christmas Carol with actor Kelsey Grammer.
She was a judge on the popular TV show Dancing on Ice for two years. In 2020, she was a contestant on the reality show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. In 2021, she joined the cast of the BBC soap opera Doctors.
Selected Stage Roles
Ruthie has performed in dozens of shows. Here are some of her most famous roles:
- Cats (1987–1989) as Grizabella and other characters
- Miss Saigon (1989–1990) as Ellen
- Les Misérables (1992) as Fantine
- Crazy for You (1993–1994) as Polly Baker
- She Loves Me (1994) as Amalia Balash
- Oliver! (1996) as Nancy
- Chicago (1997–1999, 2010) as Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly
- Billy Elliot (2014–2016) as Mrs. Wilkinson
- 42nd Street (2023–2024) as Dorothy Brock
Olivier Award Nominations
The Laurence Olivier Award is the most famous theatre award in the United Kingdom. Ruthie has been nominated five times and won once.
- 1993: Nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for Crazy for You
- 1995: Won Best Actress in a Musical for She Loves Me
- 1998: Nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for Chicago
- 2002: Nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for Peggy Sue Got Married
- 2009: Nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for Marguerite
See also
In Spanish: Ruthie Henshall para niños
