emma thompson

Shakespeare at the Movies (and on Television!) Emmys 2015 Edition

The 67th Annual Primtetime Emmys happened a couple of weekends ago, and many actors were honoured with a statue for their work in television over the last year. I know it’s a bit late, but many of the nominees are seasoned Shakespearean actors, so I had to share a list of their work with all of you!

David Oyelowo (Nightingale)

Appeared in:

Antony and Cleopatra (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1999) as Decretas
Antony and Cleopatra (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1999) as Menacrates
Richard III (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2001) as Ghost of Henry VI
Henry VI Part 1 (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2000) as Henry VI
Henry VI Part 2 (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2000) as Henry VI
Henry VI Part 3 (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2000) as Henry VI
As You Like It (2006) as Orlando De Boys

Mark Rylance (Wolf Hall)

Appeared in:

The Tempest (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1982) as Ariel
The Taming of the Shrew (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1982) Lucentio, Player
Antony and Cleopatra (British National Theatre, 1987)
King Lear (British National Theatre, 1987)
Hamlet (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1988) as Hamlet
Antony and Cleopatra (British National Theatre, 1988)
Cymbeline (British National Theatre, 1988)
The Tempest (British National Theatre, 1988)
The Winter’s Tale (British National Theatre, 1988)
Romeo and Juliet (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1989) as Romeo
Macbeth (Greenwich Theatre, 1995) as Macbeth
The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, 1996) as Proteus
The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, 1998) as Bassanio
Antony and Cleopatra (Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, 1999) as Cleopatra
Hamlet (Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, 2000) as Hamlet
Romeo and Juliet (British National Theatre, 2000)
Cymbeline (Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, 2001) as Posthumus/ Cloten
Twelfth Night (Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, 2001) as Olivia
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (British National Theatre, 2001)
The Winter’s Tale (British National Theatre, 2001)
Hamlet (British National Theatre, 2001)
Richard II (Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, 2003) as Richard II
Measure for Measure (Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, 2004) as Vincentio
The Tempest (Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, 2005) as Prospero/Stephano/Sebastian/Alonso
Anonymous (2011) as Condell
Much Ado About Nothing (The Old Vic, 2013)

Jessica Lange (American Horror Story: Freak Show)

Appeared in:

Titus (1999) as Tamora

Frances McDormand (Olive Kitteridge)

Appeared in:

Twelfth Night (Alliance Theatre, 1982)

Emma Thompson (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (Live From Lincoln Center))

Appeared in:

Henry V (1989) as Princess Katherine de Valois
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (International Tour, 1990) as Helena
King Lear (International Tour, 1990) as The Fool
Much Ado About Nothing (1993) as Beatrice

Kevin Spacey (House of Cards)

Appeared in:

Richard II (Old Vic Theatre, 2005) as Richard II

Jon Hamm (Mad Men)

Appeared in:

Timon of Athens (Sacred Fools Theatre Company, 1998) as Flavius

Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan)

Appeared in:

Cymbeline (Shakespeare in the Park, 1998) as Iachimo
Macbeth (Joseph Papp Public Theater, 1998) as Banquo
Hamlet (2000) as Laertes
Henry V (Shakespeare in Central Park, 2003) as Henry V

Amy Poehler (Parks And Recreation)

Appeared in:

Hamlet 2 (2008) as Cricket Feldstein

Claire Danes (Homeland)

Appeared in:

Romeo + Juliet (1996) as Juliet

Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele)

Appeared in:

The Second City’s Romeo and Juliet Musical: The People vs. Friar Laurence, the Man Who Killed Romeo and Juliet (Second City, 2004) as Romeo

Ty Burrell (Modern Family)

Appeared in:

Macbeth (Music Box Theater, 2004) as Lennox
Richard III (The Public Theatre, 2004) as Buckingham

Jim Carter (Downton Abbey)

Appeared in:

Shakespeare: The Animated Tales- Julius Caesar (TV mini-series, 1994) as Mark Antony
Richard III (1995) as Lord William Hastings
Shakespeare in Love (1998) as Ralph Bashford

Peter Dinklage (Game Of Thrones)

Appeared in:

Richard III (Public Theatre, 2004) as Richard III

Alan Cumming (The Good Wife)

Appeared in:

Macbeth (Tron Theatre, 1985) as Malcom
As You Like It (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1989) as Courtier, Silvius
Hamlet (Royal National Theatre, 1990)
Richard III (Royal National Theatre, 1990)
Titus (1999) as Saturninus
The Tempest (2010) as Sebastian

Allison Janney (Mom)

Appeared in:

10 Things I Hate About You (1999) as Ms. Perky

Anna Chlumsky (Veep)

Appeared in:

Measure for Measure (Astoria Performing Arts Center, 2004) as Isabella

Christine Baranski (The Good Wife)

Appeared in:

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (TV movie, 1982) as Helena

Paul Giamatti (Inside Amy Schumer)

Appeared in:

Hamlet (Yale University Theater, 2013) as Hamlet
Romeo and Juliet (2013) as Friar Laurence

F. Murray Abraham (Homeland)

Appeared in:

Macbeth (Belasco Theatre, 1986) as Macbeth
The Merchant of Venice (Theatre for a New Audience, 2007) as Shylock

Reg E. Cathey (House of Cards)

Appeared in:

Macbeth (Theatre for a New Audience, 1999) as Banquo

Pablo Schreiber (Orange Is The New Black)

Appeared in:

Julius Caesar (New York Shakespeare Festival in Central Park, 2000)

Joan Cusack (Shameless)

Appread in:

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Goodman Theatre, 1991)

Diana Rigg (Game Of Thrones)

Appeared in:

Coriolanus (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1959) as Roman Citizen
The Taming of the Shrew (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1960) as Wench
Troilus and Cressida (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1960) as Andromache
The Taming of the Shrew (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1961) as Bianca
The Comedy of Errors (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1962) as Adriana
Macbeth (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1962) as Lady Macduff
King Lear ((Royal Shakespeare Company, 1962) as Cordelia
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1962) as Helena
Twelfth Night (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1966) as Viola
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1968) as Helena
Julius Caesar (1970) as Portia
Macbeth (National Theatre, 1972) as Lady Macbeth
Richard II (National Theatre, 1972)
Measure for Measure (National Theatre, 1973)
Hamlet (National Theatre, 1974)
Julius Caesar (National Theatre, 1977)
King Lear (TV movie, 1983) as Regan
Richard II (National Theatre, 1995)
The Merry Wives of Windsor (National Theatre, 1995)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (National Theatre, 2001)
The WInter’s Tale (National Theatre, 2001)
Hamlet (National Theatre, 2001)

Bill Murray (Olive Kitteridge)

Appeared in:

Hamlet (2000) as Polonius

19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards - Arrivals

Damian Lewis (Wolf Hall)

Appeared in:

Much Ado About Nothing (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1996) as Don John
Cymbeline (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1997) as Posthumus Leonatus
ShakespeaRE-Told- Much Ado About Nothing (TV mini-series, 2005) as Benedick
Romeo and Juliet (2013) as Lord Capulet

Angela Bassett (American Horror Story: Freak Show)

Appeared in:

Macbeth (Joseph Papp Public Theater, 1998) as Lady Macbeth

Did I miss someone? Which of these roles is your favourite? Leave a comment and let us know!

Shakespeare at the Movies- The Harry Potter Series! Part 3

Today, our celebration of Harry Potter continues with a focus on the Shakespeare-related work that the cast introduced in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire have been a part of! To read Part 1 of the series, click here. To read Part 2, click here.

Lee Ingleby (Stan Shunpike)

Appeared in:

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Albery Theatre, 2001) as Puck

Lenny Henry (Shrunken Head)

Appeared in:

The Comedy of Errors (National Theatre, 2012) as Antipholus of Syracuse

Jimmy Gardner (Ernie)

Appeared in:

Antony and Cleopatra (1981) as Clown
Romeo and Juliet (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1981) as Apothecary/ Peter
Richard II (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1981) as Gardener’s Man/ Groom
Hamlet (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1981) as Gravedigger #1
The Merchant of Venice (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1981) as Old Gobbo
Much Ado About Nothing (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1982-84) as Verges
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1989) as Snug

Gary Oldman (Sirius Black)

Appeared in:

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1990) as Rosencrantz

David Thewlis (Remus Lupin)

Appeared in:

Anonymous (2011) as William Cecil

Michael Gambon (Albus Dumbledore)

Appeared in:

Othello (Dublin’s Gaity Theatre, 1962)
Hamlet (National Theatre, 1963)
Othello (1965) as Senators, Soldiers, and Cypriots
Romeo and Juliet (BBC Play of the Month, 1967) as Gregory
Much Ado About Nothing (TV movie, 1967) as Watchman #4
Macbeth (Forum Theatre, 1968) as Macbeth
Coriolanus (Liverpool Playhouse, 1969) as Coriolanus
Henry VIII (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1970) as Surrey
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (BBC Play of the Month, 1971) as Theseus
Macbeth (National Theatre, 1978)
Richard III (National Theatre, 1979) as Buckingham
Macbeth (National Theatre, 1979)
As You Like It (National Theatre, 1979)
Richard III (National Theatre, 1979)
Othello (National Theatre, 1980) as Roderigo
As You Like It (National Theatre, 1980)
Othello (National Theatre, 1980)
Richard III (National Theatre, 1980)
Much Ado About Nothing (National Theatre, 1981) as Benedick
Othello (National Theatre, 1981)
Measure for Measure (National Theatre, 1981)
Antony and Cleopatra (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1982) as Antony
King Lear (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1982) as King Lear
King Lear (Barbican Theatre, 1982)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (National Theatre, 1983)
Hamlet (National Theatre, 1985)
King Lear (National Theatre, 1986)
Antony and Cleopatra (National Theatre, 1987)
King Lear (National Theatre, 1987)
Macbeth (National Theatre, 1987)
Antony and Cleopatra (National Theatre, 1988)
Cymbeline (National Theatre, 1988)
The Tempest (National Theatre, 1988)
The Winter’s Tale (National Theatre, 1988)
Othello (Stephen Joseph Theatre, 1990) as Othello
Henry IV Part 1, Part 2 (National Theatre, 2005) as Falstaff
Romeo and Juliet (Birmingham Rep) as Escalus
Othello (Birmingham Rep) as Othello

Dawn French (The Fat Lady)

Appeared in:

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Albery Theatre, 2001) as Bottom

Emma Thompson (Sybil Trelawney)

Appeared in:

Henry V (1989) as Princess Katherine de Valois
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (International Tour, 1990) as Helena
King Lear (International Tour, 1990) as The Fool
Much Ado About Nothing (1993) as Beatrice

Julie Christie (Madame Rosmerta)

Appeared in:

Hamlet (1996) as Gertrude

Timothy Spall (Peter Pettigrew)

Appeared in:

Cymbeline (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1979) as Captain, First Lord, and Senator
The Merry Wives of Windsor (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1980) as Peter Simple
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Royal National Theatre, 1992)
Hamlet (1996) as Rosencrantz
Much Ado About Nothing (1993) as Beatrice

Eric Sykes (Frank Bryce)

Appeared in:

As You Like It (Peter Hall Company, 2003)

David Tennant (Barty Crouch Jr)

Appeared in:

Richard II (Royal National Theatre, 1995)
The Merry Wives of Windsor (Royal National Theatre, 1995)
As You Like It (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1996) as Touchstone
King Lear (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1998) as Edgar
The Comedy of Errors (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2000) as Antipholus of Syracuse
Romeo and Juliet (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2000) as Romeo
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2001) as Flute/ Lysander
Hamlet (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2008) as Hamlet
Love’s Labour’s Lost (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2008) as Berowne
Richard II (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2013) as Richard II

Jeff Rawle (Amos Diggory)

Appeared in:

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Royal National Theatre, 2001)
The Winter’s Tale (Royal National Theatre, 2001)
Hamlet (Royal National Theatre, 2001)

Roger Lloyd Pack (Barty Crouch)

Appeared in:

Hamlet (1969) as Reynaldo
Will Shakespeare (TV mini-series, 1978) as Jack Heminge

Frances de la Tour (Madame Maxime)

Appeared in:

Henry V (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1966) as Alice
As You Like It (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1967) as Audrey
The Taming of the Shrew (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1967) as Nicholas/ Widow
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1970) as Helena
Hamlet (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1970) as Player Queen
Antony and Cleopatra (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1999) as Cleopatra

The Hollow Crown- Richard II (TV mini-series, 2012) as Queen Isabella

King Lear (Royal Shakespeare Company)
Richard II (Royal Shakespeare Company)

Antony and Cleopatra (British National Theatre, 1988)
Cymbeline (British National Theatre, 1988)
The Tempest (British National Theatre, 1988)
The WInter’s Tale (British National Theatre, 1988)
Richard II (Royal National Theatre, 1996)
Midsummer Dream (2005) as Titania

Anonymous (2011) as Bear Baiter

Antony and Cleopatra (British National Theatre, 1987)
King Lear (British National Theatre, 1987)
Hamlet (British National Theatre, 1987)
Macbeth (British National Theatre, 1987)
Much Ado About Nothing (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1988) as Claudio
Henry VI (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1988) as Henry VI
Richard II (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1988) as Henry VI
King John (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1988) as Lewis the Dauphin
Cymbeline (British National Theatre, 1988)
The Tempest (British National Theatre, 1988)
The Winter’s Tale (British National Theatre, 1988)
Love’s Labour’s Lost (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1990) as Berowne
King Lear (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1990) as Edmond
Troilus and Cressida (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1990) as Troilus
Hamlet (Almeida Theatre, 1995) as Hamlet
Richard II (Almeida Theatre, 2000) as Richard II
Coriolanus (Almeida Theatre, 2000) as Coriolanus
Measure for Measure (British National Theatre, 2002)
Julius Caesar (International Tour, 2005) as Marc Anthony
Coriolanus (2011) as Coriolanus

Check back tomorrow for our post that focuses on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince!

Shakespeare Was a Muggle

J.K. Rowling is one of the bestselling British authors of all time. Her books are internationally beloved. However, there is another author from England who is equally renowned. That writer is none other than William Shakespeare himself. There may be few apparent connections between the magical world that Harry Potter and his friends live in and Hamlet’s Denmark, Shylock’s Venice, or any of the other characters and settings in Shakespeare’s works. Yet, there is something about the two author’s works that inspire crossovers, if not with plots then with people. The Harry Potter franchise has had some of the world’s best Shakespearian actors and actresses take on the roles of muggles and wizards alike.

Here is a list of some Shakespearian Actors and their connections to Harry Potter:

Kenneth Branagh – Professor Gilderoy Lockhart

Professor Lockhart may not be the most memorable character from the Harry Potter franchise, but when portrayed by Shakespearian heavyweight Kenneth Branagh on screen, it is difficult not to pay attention. Away from Harry Potter, Branagh is known for his abilities to bring the Bard to the big screen. His film adaptations include Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, Hamlet, and Love’s Labour’s Lost. He has also appeared onscreen as Iago in Oliver Parker’s Othello. Aside from his films, Branagh has been connected to countless stage productions.

Emma Thompson – Professor Sybill Trelawney

The former wife of Branagh, Thomson has acted in Shakespeare adaptations on and off the screen. She appeared alongside Branagh in Henry V before taking on a lead role in his Much Ado About Nothing. She has also been involved in several stage productions of Shakespeare’s works throughout her acting career. Though her portrayal of sharp-tongued Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing may make her unrecognizable as the helter-skelter Professor Trelawney, Thompson’s acting can be enjoyed in whatever project she’s involved with.

Alan Rickman – Professor Severus Snape

Though often difficult to love in his role as Professor Snape, Alan Rickman is capable of much more than the monotone portions master. He is a former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and his formal training has involved him in many Shakespearian productions. Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, and Antony and Cleopatra are only a few of the many projects that Rickman has participated in throughout his acting career.

Maggie Smith – Professor Minerva McGonagall

Maggie Smith has had a long acting career spanning across the globe from the London stage to Stratford, Ontario. Her work with the Stratford Festival landed her roles as Lady Macbeth and Cleopatra. She has also starred as Desdemona in the 1965 film adaptation of Othello. At eighty years old, Dame Maggie Smith is still acting and will probably appear on stage again.

Ralph Fiennes – Lord Voldemort

Another Royal Shakespeare Company alum, Fiennes has taken on roles from Hamlet to the one “who must not be named” himself, Lord Voldemort. Since the mid-eighties, he has played many of the great Shakespearian roles from lovesick Romeo, to aging Prospero. He received a Tony Award for his portrayal of Prince Hamlet on Broadway, and made his debut as a director with his adaptation of Coriolanus. Though his role as Voldemort is finished, Fiennes continues to be heavily involved in Shakespeare productions.

Fiona Shaw – Mrs. Petunia Dursley

It may not be easy to picture tight-lipped Mrs. Dursley as Richard II, but Fiona Shaw has successfully tackled both roles. She has worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Her most memorable appearance in a Shakespearian production was in her role as Richard the II in 1997 gender bending rendition of the play. She remains one of the top classical actresses working today.