Imelda Staunton

Given the aggressive and expensive campaigns that influence Oscar nominations these days, it's always gratifying to see true Brit thespians get the nod. In recent years, we've seen the heavyweight likes of Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren and Miranda Richardson up for honours, but even more uplifting has been the nomination of the less glamorous likes of Jim Broadbent, Tom Wilkinson and, in 2005, Imelda Staunton. They're not, or were not household names, yet for many years they consistently added depth and humanity to their projects. Really, their day in the sun was scant reward for their hugely impressive efforts.

Staunton, in particular, has long been denied fair acclaim. Perhaps her longtime connections with Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh had her seen as a minor member of their Eighties academic crew. Perhaps her constant stream of TV cameos had her regarded as a perennial bit-player. Whatever, most are unaware of a rich theatre career stretching back over three decades, a career that included multiple Olivier awards, making Staunton undeniably one of Britain's finest stage actresses. On top of this, despite coming late to the screen, she nevertheless delivered a succession of quite brilliant performances that made her all the more deserving of her place beside young turks Hilary Swank and Kate Winslet on the Academy Awards stage.

She was born Imelda Mary Philomena Bernadette Staunton on the 9th of January, 1956, in the tough Archway area of north London (her home was later demolished and replaced by a roundabout - it's proof of Staunton's wit that she later claimed she'd often visited the place, driving round and round and weeping). As you might guess from her name, her parents were Irish Catholics, first generation immigrants to England. Her father, Joe, was a labourer hailing from Ballyvary, a small village in the deep countryside of County Mayo, in western Ireland. Her mother, Bridie McNicholas, was a hairdresser from Bohola, a tiny hamlet just a few miles from Ballyvary. There was no acting tradition in the family, but Bridie was a dab hand with a fiddle and an accordion, and Imelda, an only child, would share her mother's musical abilities. This talent would serve her well when attempting to break into the theatrical big-time. ~ tiscali.co.uk bio