Shakespeare at the Movies- The Oscars 2015

On Sunday night, Hollywood will celebrate and present the 87th Academy Awards. The nominees this year have given some of the best performances of their careers, but today I want to focus on their accomplishments as Shakespearean actors! Find out which of the acting nominees have Shakespeare included in their bodies of work below!

Michael Keaton (Actor in a Leading Role, Birdman)

Appeared in:

• Much Ado About Nothing (1993) as Dogberry

Eddie Redmayne (Actor in a Leading Role, The Theory of Everything)

Appeared in:

• Twelfth Night (2002, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre) as Viola
• Richard III (2011, Donmar Warehouse) as Richard III

 Benedict Cumberbatch (Actor in a Leading Role, The Imitation Game)

Appeared in:

• A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2001, Open Air Theatre) as Demetrius
• Love’s labour’s Lost (2001, Open Air Theatre) as King of Navarre
• Romeo and Juliet (2002, Open Air Theatre) as Benvolio
• As You Like It (2002, Open Air Theatre) as Orlando
• The Hollow Crown- Richard III (2016, TV mini-series) as Richard III
• The Hollow Crown- Henry VI Park 2 (2016, TV mini-series) as Richard III

Marion Cotillard (Actress in a Leading Role, Two Days, One Night)

Appearing in:

• Macbeth (2015) as Lady Macbeth

 Felicity Jones (Actress in a Leading Role, The Theory of Everything)

Appeared in:

• The Tempest (2010) as Miranda

Ethan Hawke (Actor in a Supporting Role, Boyhood)

Appeared in:

• Hamlet (2000) as Hamlet
• Henry IV (2004, Lincoln Center Theater) as Hotspur
• The Winter’s Tale (2009 Stage Production)
• Macbeth (2013, Lincoln Center Theater) as Macbeth

Meryl Streep (Actress in a Supporting Role, Into the Woods)

Appeared in:

• The Taming of the Shrew (1978, Shakespeare in the Park) as Katherine
• Romeo and Juliet (2012, Shakespeare in the Park Staged Reading) as Juliet

*BONUS- Neil Patrick Harris (The host this year!)

Appeared in:

• Romeo and Juliet (1998, Old Globe Theatre) as Romeo

Did I miss someone? Which of these roles is your favorite? Who do you think will walk away a winner on Sunday? Leave a comment and let us know!

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Throwback Thursday- Ethan Hawke’s Hamlet

Our production of Hamlet opens next week! As a sort of Throwback Thursday, I’m posting a clip from the movie adaptation of Hamlet from 2000. What do you think of Ethan Hawke’s portrayal of Hamlet?

To celebrate Shakespeare in Action’s 25th Anniversary, we are putting on a special gala performance on December 7 for our friends and alumni! To receive an invitation to this event, you have to make a minimum donation of $25 here. We look forward to seeing everyone there!

Shakespeare Uncovered

A BBC 4 series that aired last June is finally making its way across the pond! Fittingly called Shakespeare Uncovered, the show brings together six prolific actors and directors, who explore the history and stories behind a few of Shakespeare’s plays.

There are six episodes in total, with each episode focusing on a play(s):

• Episode one is about Macbeth. And Ethan Hawke. And Ethan Hawke exploring the possibilities of playing Macbeth on stage.
• Episode two has Joely Richardson and her mother, Vanessa Redgrave, talking about the heroines in comedies, Twelfth Night and As You Like It.
• Episode three examines the politics and performance of Richard II, with Derek Jacobi leading the discussion.
• Episode four showcases the Henrys – Henry IV and Henry V. It’s presented by Jeremy Irons, who played the title role in a recent TV adaptation.
• Episode five is the Hamlet episode brought to you by David Tennant, who plays a mean Hamlet himself.
• And finally, Episode six, in which director Trevor Nunn attempts to unravel the magic and supernatural of The Tempest.

North American viewers will have a chance to watch the series in two-episode segments, premiering on January 25th (9-11pm EST) on PBS. Shakespeare on a Friday night? ‘Tis a fair sight! Visit the PBS website for complete programming info: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/shakespeare-uncovered/

(By: Vineeta Moraes)