The Colin Firth Handbook - Everything you need to know about Colin Firth

Smith Emily

Description

Colin Andrew Firth, CBE (born 10 September 1960) is an English film, television, and theatre actor. Firth gained wide public attention in the 1990s for his portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the 1995 television adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. In 2011, Firth received an Academy Award for his portrayal of King George VI in The King's Speech, a performance that also earned him the Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor. The previous year, he received his first Academy Award nomination, for his leading role in A Single Man, a performance that won him a BAFTA Award. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011.

This book is your ultimate resource for Colin Firth. Here you will find the most up-to-date information, photos, and much more.

In easy to read chapters, with extensive references and links to get you to know all there is to know about his Early life, Career and Personal life right away. A quick look inside: Colin Firth, Another Country (film), 1919 (film), Dutch Girls, Lost Empires, A Month in the Country (film), Tumbledown, Valmont (film), Wings of Fame, Circle of Friends (1995 film), Pride and Prejudice (1995 TV series), The English Patient (film), Fever Pitch (1997 film), Shakespeare in Love, Blackadder: Back & Forth, My Life So Far, Relative Values, Bridget Jones's Diary (film), Conspiracy (2001 film), Fourplay (film), The Importance of Being Earnest (2002 film), Girl with a Pearl Earring (film), Hope Springs (film), Love Actually, What a Girl Wants (film), Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (film), Trauma (2004 film), Nanny McPhee, Where the Truth Lies, Born Equal, The Last Legion, And When Did You Last See Your Father?, Then She Found Me, In Prison My Whole Life, The Accidental Husband, Mamma Mia! (film), Easy Virtue (2008 film), A Christmas Carol (2009 film), Dorian Gray (2009 film), A Single Man, The King's Speech, Main Street (2010 film), Steve (film), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (film), Gambit (2012 film).

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Informations

• Publié par: Emereo Publishing
• Date de parution: 24 octobre 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781743389812
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 11 Mo

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Contents

Articles Colin Firth Another Country (film) 1919 (film) Dutch Girls Lost Empires A Month in the Country (film) Tumbledown Valmont (film) Wings of Fame Circle of Friends (1995 film) Pride and Prejudice (1995 TV series) The English Patient (film) Fever Pitch (1997 film) Shakespeare in Love Blackadder: Back & Forth My Life So Far Relative Values Bridget Jones's Diary (film) Conspiracy (2001 film) Fourplay (film)

The Importance of Being Earnest (2002 film) Girl with a Pearl Earring (film) Hope Springs (film) Love Actually What a Girl Wants (film) Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (film) Trauma (2004 film) Nanny McPhee Where the Truth Lies Born Equal The Last Legion And When Did You Last See Your Father? Then She Found Me In Prison My Whole Life

1 11 14 15 17 19 24 26 29 30 32 45 50 52 61 66 68 70 75 78 80 83 87 89 98 100 105 107 111 118 120 128 131 135

The Accidental Husband Mamma Mia! (film) Easy Virtue (2008 film) A Christmas Carol (2009 film) Dorian Gray (2009 film) A Single Man The King's Speech Main Street (2010 film) Steve (film) Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (film) Gambit (2012 film)

References Article Sources and Contributors Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

Article Licenses License

137 140 148 153 159 162 167 183 185 186 193

195 200

201

Born

William (1990), Luca (2001), Matteo (2003)

Colin Firth CBE

1983–present

Spouse

Occupation

Actor

Years active

Relatives

Screen Actors Guild Awards

Jonathan Firth (brother), Kate Firth (sister)

Partner

Children

Colin Andrew Firth, CBE (born 10 September 1960) is an English film, television, and theatre actor. Firth gained wide public attention in the 1990s for his portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the 1995 television adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and PrejudiceVI in. In 2011, Firth received an Academy Award for his portrayal of King George The King's Speech, a performance that also earned him the Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor. The previous year, he received his first Academy Award nomination, for his leading role inA Single Man, a

2010

Best Actor

2010

1998, 2010Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

1

Colin Firth

2009, 2010Best Actor

British Academy Film Awards

Colin Firth

Meg Tilly (1989-1994); 1 child

Livia Giuggioli (1997–present); 2 children

Colin Andrew Firth 10 September 1960 Grayshott, Hampshire, England, UK

Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama

Academy Awards

Film Awards

Golden Globe Awards

Colin Firth

performance that won him a BAFTA Award. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011.

Early life Firth was born in England. His mother, Shirley Firth (nae Rolles), was a comparative religion lecturer at King Alfred's College Winchester (now the University of Winchester), and his father, David Norman Lewis Firth, was a [1][2][3] history lecturer (also at King Alfred's) and education officer for the Nigerian Government. Firth has a sister, [4] Kate, and a younger brother, Jonathan, who is also an actor. Firth's parents were raised in India, because his maternal grandparents, Congregationalist ministers, and his paternal grandfather, an Anglican priest, performed [5][6][7][8] [9] missionary work abroad. Firth spent part of his childhood in Nigeria, where his father was teaching. He lived in St. Louis, Missouri when he was 11. He later attended the Montgomery of Alamein Secondary School (now Kings' School), a state comprehensive school in Winchester, Hampshire, and then Barton Peveril College in Eastleigh, Hampshire. While in Kings' School, he wanted to play the guitar, but the school banned the guitar and [10] saxophone, as they were "not serious instruments", and he was told to play the euphonium instead.

Career

Film career In 1983, Firth starred as Guy Bennett in the award-winning London stage production ofAnother Country. That same year, Firth played the role of the apple in several 'Fruit of the Loom' TV advertisements. In 1984, he made his film debut in the screen adaptation of the play, taking the role of Tommy Judd (opposite Rupert Everett as Bennett). In 1986, he starred with Sir Laurence Olivier inLost Empires, a TV adaptation of J. B. Priestley's novel, then in 1987 he appeared alongside Kenneth Branagh in the film version of J. L. Carr'sA Month in the Country. In 1989, he played the title role in the filmValmont, and was co-lead in the filmApartment Zero. Firth and other young British actors who were becoming established film actors such as Tim Roth, Gary Oldman, Bruce Payne and Paul McGann [11] were dubbed the 'Brit Pack'. It was through the 1995 BBC television adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudicethat Firth gained wider renown. The serial was a major international success, and Firth gained heartthrob status because of his role as Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, in which he emerged in a wet shirt after a swim. This performance also made him the object of affection for fictional journalist Bridget Jones (created by Helen Fielding), an interest which carried on into the two novels featuring the Jones character. In the second novel,Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, the character even meets Firth in Rome. As something of an in-joke, when the novels were adapted for the cinema, Firth was cast as Jones's love interest, Mark Darcy. Continuing this in-joke, there was a dog called Mr Darcy in the filmSt. Trinian's, which Firth's character accidentally kills.

Firth had a supporting role inThe English Patient(1996) and since Firth at theNanny McPheeLondon premiere in October 2005 then, has starred in films such asFever Pitch(1997),Shakespeare in Love(1998),Relative Values(2000),Bridget Jones's Diary(2001), The Importance of Being Earnest(2002),Love Actually(2003),What a Girl Wants(2003),Hope Springs(2003), Girl with a Pearl Earring(2003),Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason(2004),Nanny McPhee(2005),Where the

Truth Lies(2005),Then She Found Me(2007) with Helen Hunt,The Last Legion(2007) with Aishwarya Rai,And When Did You Last See Your Father?(2008), the film adaptation ofMamma Mia!(2008), andEasy Virtue, which

2

Colin Firth

[12] screened at the Rome Film Festival to excellent reviews. In 2009, he starred inA Christmas Carol, an adaptation of Charles Dickens's novel, using the performance capture procedure, playing Scrooge's optimistic nephew Fred. He has also appeared in several television productions, includingDonovan Quick(an updated version ofDon [13] Quixote) (1999) andConspiracy. Colin Firth's most recent(2001), for which he received an Emmy nomination [14] role is in the Toronto International Film Festival debuted film,Genova. At the 66th Venice International Film Festival in 2009, Colin Firth was awarded the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his role in Tom Ford'sA Single Manas a college professor grappling with solitude after his longtime partner dies. Fashion designer Tom Ford made his director's debut with this movie. This role has earned Firth career best reviews and Academy Award, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA, and BFCA nominations; he won the BAFTA [15] Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in February 2010. Firth starred in the 2010 filmThe King's Speechas Prince Albert, Duke of York/King George VI. The film details him working to overcome his speech impediment while becoming monarch of the United Kingdom at the outbreak of World War II. At the Toronto International [16] Film Festival (TIFF), the film was met with a standing ovation. The TIFF release ofThe King's Speechfell on Colin's 50th birthday and [17] was called the "best 50th birthday gift". On 16 January 2011, he won a Golden Globe for his performance inThe King's Speechin the category of Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture– Drama. The Screen Actors Guild recognized Firth with the award for [18] Best Male Actor forThe King's Speechon 30 January 2011. In February 2011, he won the best actor award at the 2011 BAFTA [19] awards. He received an Academy Award for Best Actor in a motion [20] picture forThe King's Speechon 27 February 2011.

Firth appeared in the 2011 adaptation of the John le Carra novelTinker Tailor Soldier Spy, directed by Tomas Alfredson, also starring Gary [21] Oldman and Tom Hardy. In May 2011, Firth began filming Firth at the 2009 Venice Film Festival Gambit–a remake of a previous film–written by Joel and Ethan Coen and directed by Michael Hoffman, co-starring Cameron Diaz and Alan Rickman

Other work Firth played William Shakespeare in a comedy special entitledBlackadder: Back & Forth. Edmund Blackadder runs into Firth's character while he is working onMacbeth, asks him to sign the script for him, and then punches him, saying "That is for every schoolboy and schoolgirl for the next 400 years!". He was a guest host ofSaturday Night Livein 2004, alongside musical guest Norah Jones. Firth performed in theatre frequently between 1983 and 2000. He starred inThree Days of Rainas lead character Ned/Walker, as well asThe Caretaker,Desire Under the Elms, andChatsky. He served as executive producer for the 2007 documentary produced by his wife, Livia Giuggioli,In Prison My Whole Life. The film questions the trial proceedings and evidence used against political activist and former Black Panther member, Mumia Abu-Jamal, who is on death row for the 1981 killing of a Philadelphia police officer, Daniel Faulkner. Firth is also a Jury Member for the digital studio Filmaka, a platform for undiscovered filmmakers to show their [22] work to industry professionals. [23] On 13 January 2011, he was presented with the 2,429th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

3

Colin Firth

In 2011, Firth collaborated with colleagues at the University College London to conduct a study probing differences [24][25] in the volume of various brain regions in conservatives and liberals, with the results suggesting that conservatives have greater amygdala volume and liberals have greater volume in their anterior cingulate cortex.

Writer [26] Firth's first published work, "The Department of Nothing", appeared inSpeaking with the Angel(2000). This [27] [28] collection of short stories was edited by Nick Hornby and was published to benefit the TreeHouse Trust, in aid [29][30] of autistic children. Firth had previously met Hornby during the filming of the originalFever Pitch. Colin [31] Firth contributed with his writing for the book,We Are One: A Celebration of Tribal Peoples, released in 2009. The book explores the culture of peoples around the world, portraying both its diversity and facing threats. It counts with the contributions of many western writers, such as Laurens van der Post, Noam Chomsky, Claude Lavi-Strauss; and also indigenous peoples, such as Davi Kopenawa Yanomami and Roy Sesana. The royalties from the sale of this book go to the indigenous rights organisation, Survival International.

Personal life

Firth resides in Chiswick, London. In 1989, he entered into a romantic relationship with actress Meg Tilly, his co-star inValmont. In 1990, she gave birth to a son, William "Will" Joseph Firth, and they made their home near the Lower Mainland of B.C., Canada. Firth remains in contact with Will and with Tilly's two other children. In 1994, after he and Tilly had separated, Firth became involved with actress Jennifer Ehle, his co-star inPride and Prejudice; however, the two broke up and in 1997 Firth married Italian film producer/director Livia [32] Giuggioli, and now lives in both London and Italy. They have two sons, Luca (born March 2001) and Matteo (born August 2003). Firth started to learn Italian when he and Giuggioli began to date and he now is fluent in the language. Firth is a supporter of Arsenal F.C.

Firth with wife Livia Giuggioli in January 2011

[33] In April 2011,Timemagazine included Firth in its list of the world's 100 Most Influential People.

Activism Firth has been a long-standing supporter of Survival International, a non-governmental organisation that defends the [34] rights of tribal peoples. Speaking in 2001, he said, "My interest in tribal peoples goes back many years... and I [35] have supported [Survival] ever since." In 2003, during the promotion of the movieLove Actually, he spoke in defense of the tribal people of Botswana, condemning the Botswana government's eviction of the Gana and Gwi Bushmen from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. He says of the Bushmen, "These people are not the remnants of a past era who need to be brought up to date. Those who are able to continue to live on the land that is rightfully theirs are facing the 21st century with a confidence that many of us in the so-called developed world can only [34] envy." Firth has been involved in a campaign to stop the deportation of a group of asylum seekers, because he believed that [36] they might be murdered on their return to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Firth argued that "To me it's just basic civilisation to help people. I find this incredibly painful to see how we dismiss the most desperate people in our society. It's easily done. It plays to the tabloids, to the Middle-England xenophobes. It just makes me furious. And all [37] from a government we once had such high hopes for". As a result of the campaign, a Congolese nurse was given a [38] last-minute reprieve from deportation.

4

Colin Firth

[39] [40] Firth has also been involved in the Oxfam global campaign Make Trade Fair, in which several other celebrities [41] participated as well in order to bring more attention to the issues involved. The campaign has focused on several trade practices seen as unfair to third world producers especially, including dumping, high import tariffs, and labour rights such as fair wages. Firth remains deeply committed to this cause, making efforts such as supporting fair trade coffee in his daily life, as he believes "[i]f you're going to sustain commitment to any of this, ... [y]ou've got to get [42] involved on an ordinary every day basis." He has further contributed to this cause by opening (with a few [43] collaborators) an eco-friendly shop in West London, Eco. The shop offers fair trade and eco-friendly goods, as well as expert advice on making spaces more energy efficient. [44] In a 2006 interview with French magazineMadame Figarowas asked "Quelles sont les femmes de votre, Firth vie?" (Who are the women of your life?). Firth replied: "Ma mbre, ma femme et Jane Austen" (My mother, my wife and Jane Austen). He was awarded an honorary degree on 19 October 2007 from the University of Winchester. In October 2009 at the London Film Festival, Firth launched a film and political activism website, Brightwide, along [45][46] with his wife Livia. During to the 2010 General Election Firth announced his support for the Liberal Democrats, having previously been [47] a Labour supporter, citing asylum and refugees' rights as a key reason for his change in affiliation. In December 2010, Firth publicly dropped his support of the Liberal Democrats, citing their U-turn on tuition fees as one of the key reasons for his disillusionment. He also said that while he no longer supports the Liberal Democrats, he is [48] currently without an affiliation. Firth appeared in literature to support changing the British electoral system from first-past-the-post to alternative vote for electing Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the [49] unsuccessful Alternative Vote referendum in 2011. Colin is also committed to protecting the environment; in 2009 he joined the 10:10 project to support the movement calling for people to reduce their carbon footprint . He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours for services [50][51] to drama. Firth is a vocal republican (i.e. doesn't support monarchy).

Filmography

Year

1984

1984

1985

1985

1986

1987

1987

1987

1988

1989

1989

Title

Another Country

Camille

1919

Dutch Girls

Lost Empires

A Month in the Country

Pat Hobby: Teamed with Genius

The Secret Garden

Tumbledown

Apartment Zero

Valmont

List of film and television credits

Role

Tommy Judd

Armand Duval

(young) Alexander Scherbatov

Neil Truelove

Richard Herncastle

Tom Birkin

Rene Wilcox

adult Colin Craven

Robert Lawrence

Adrian LeDuc

Valmont

Television film

Television film

Notes

TV mini-series, with Sir Laurence Olivier

PBS Shorts Special

Hallmark Hall of Fame

Television film Royal Television Society Award for Best Actor Nominated—British Academy Television Award for Best Actor

5

Pride and Prejudice

Johannes Vermeer

Jamie Bennett

Colin Ware

Alan

Brian Smith

Paul Ashworth

Lord Wessex

Charles Gould

Wilhelm Stuckart

Jess Clark

Geoffrey Clifton

Nominated—European Film Awards Audience Award for Best Actor

Relative Values

Conspiracy

Richard Courtois

Stephen Whalby

Michael Condron/Ross Talbert

Play for television–UK

Play for television

Television–HBO

Love Actually

Simon Westward

Fitzwilliam Darcy

2001

Girl with a Pearl Earring

Allen Portland

Jack Worthing

The Importance of Being Earnest

2002

2003

2001

2003

2003

Television film–HBO, also known asLondinium

Television film–HBO Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor– Miniseries or a Movie Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor–Series, Miniseries or Television Film

Benefit for Amnesty International

2001

Fourplay

2001

Hope Springs

Himself

We Know Where You Live

Mark Darcy

Nominated—Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast

Bridget Jones's Diary

Play for television–UK

John McCarthy

Also known asThe Advocate

Television film - UK

Freddie Page

Joseph Prince

6

The Deep Blue Sea

1994

Charles Holroyd

The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd

Television mini-series

Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

Television mini-series Broadcasting Press Guild Award for Best Actor Nominated—British Academy Television Award for Best Actor Nominated—National Television Award for Most Popular Male

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

1995

Fever Pitch

1997

A Thousand Acres

Shakespeare in Love

1998

1996

Nostromo

1995

The English Patient

Television film–UK

Short film

1997

1995

1997

Circle of Friends

Donovan Quick/Daniel Quinn

Edward Pettigrew

William Shakespeare

Peter Ingleton

European Film Awards Audience Award for Best Actor Nominated—BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actor–Motion Picture Musical or Comedy

Masterpiece Theater

Matthew Field

Femme Fatale

1990

Wings of Fame

1990

1994

1993

Playmaker

Hostages

The Hour of the Pig

The Master

1993

Colin Firth

1994

Master of the Moor

Donovan Quick

1999

My Life So Far

1999

2000

Blackadder: Back & Forth

1999

1999

The Turn of the Screw

Out of the Blue

1991

1999

The Secret Laughter of Women

2006

2007

Mark Darcy

2008

2009

2005

2005

The Last Legion

2009

Where the Truth Lies

2008

2003

Colin Firth

Born Equal

Geoffrey Thwaites

2004

Jim Whittaker

Lord Henry Wotton

Himself

Frank

Vince Collins

Ambrosius Aurelianus

Cedric Brown

Mark Armitage

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason

What a Girl Wants

St Trinian's

The Accidental Husband

In Prison My Whole Life

2007

Then She Found Me

2007

2007

2008

7

Austin Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Chlotrudis Award for Best Actor Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor London Film Critics Circle Award for British Actor of the Year San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Santa Barbara International Film Festival–Outstanding Performance of the Year Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Volpi Cup Nominated—Academy Award for Best Actor Nominated—Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated—Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor–Motion Picture Drama Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Male Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actor–Motion Picture Drama Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Nominated—Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated—Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association for Best Actor

Easy Virtue

Dorian Gray

Joe

Genova

Fred

Nominated—National Movie Award for Best Performance Male

St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold

Mamma Mia!

A Single Man

2009

George Falconer

A Christmas Carol

2007

2008

And When Did You Last See Your Father?

Richard Bratton

Blake Morrison

2004

Nanny McPhee

Trauma

Ben Slater

Henry Dashwood

Harry Bright

Television film–UK

Nominated—British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actor

2009

Geoffrey Thwaites