Alex Jennings
Alex Jennings | |
|---|---|
| Born | 10 May 1957 |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Partner | Lesley Moors (1990s-present) |
| Awards | Best Comedy Performance 1988 Too Clever By Half Best Actor 1995 Peer Gynt Best Actor in a Musical 2002 My Fair Lady |
Alex Jennings (born 10 May 1957) is an English actor whose roles have included Charles, Prince of Wales in The Queen (2006).
Early years
Jennings was born to Michael Thomas and Peggy Patricia Mahoney in Essex.[1] He attended Abbs Cross Technical High School in Hornchurch and then studied English and Theatre studies at the University of Warwick, graduating in 1978. He trained as an actor for two years at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Career
Jennings began his career in regional repertory theatre, playing a range of roles including Robespierre in The Scarlet Pimpernel. For his performance as Gloumov in Too Clever by Half at the Old Vic, he won the Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance in 1988. He was nominated in the same category the following year for portraying Dorante in The Liar. He has performed for the Royal National Theatre in a number of plays, including Leontes in The Winter's Tale and the title role in Albert Speer.
His Royal Shakespeare Company roles include the title role in Peer Gynt (for which he won an Olivier Award 1995/6 for Best Actor), the title role in Richard II (opposite Anton Lesser as Henry Bolingbroke), Theseus/Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream (UK, American tour and Broadway), Angelo in Measure for Measure, and the title role in Hamlet.
In 2002 he appeared in the Cameron Mackintosh/Trevor Nunn revival of My Fair Lady at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and won an Olivier Award as Best Actor in a Musical.
His film appearances include The Queen, War Requiem, the RSC's film version of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Lord Mark in the Oscar-nominated movie The Wings of the Dove, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and The Four Feathers. His television appearances includeThe State Within, Smiley's People, The Franchise Affair, Inspector Morse, Alfonso Bonzo, the title role in Ashenden, Dead Poets Society, Inspector Alleyn, Hard Times, Bad Blood, and Peter Ackroyd's London. His many radio credits include Casino Royale, The Way of the World, Strange Meeting, Vorbis in Small Gods, and The Old Curiosity Shop. He has also recorded the audio versions of the books The Horse and His Boy, Out of the Silent Planet, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea by Jules Verne, Perelandra by C. S. Lewis and Attention All Shipping by Charlie Connelly which was selected in June 2008 as one of the top forty audiobooks of all time.
In 2007 he played Gary in Present Laughter at the NT, and the Rev Hutton in the BBC series Cranford.
He also played John Le Mesurier in the one-off BBC drama Hancock and Joan.
In June 2008 he made his operatic debut at the ENO in Robert Carsen's production of Bernstein's Candide, in which he played Voltaire and Doctor Pangloss. In 2009 he appeared in The Habit of Art as Benjamin Britten.
Personal life
Jennings has two children with his long-term partner, Lesley Moors.[1]
References
- ^ a b "Alex Jennings Biography". filmreference. 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
External links
- 1957 births
- Living people
- Alumni of Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
- Alumni of the University of Warwick
- Audio book narrators
- English film actors
- English musical theatre actors
- English radio actors
- English stage actors
- English television actors
- Olivier Award winners
- People from Essex
- Royal National Theatre Company members
- Royal Shakespeare Company members
- Shakespearean actors