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Vanessa Redgrave Biography

Birth Name:Vanessa Redgrave

Birth Place:Greenwich, London, England, United Kingdom

Profession Actress, Soundtrack, Director, Producer

Fast Facts

  • Awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her contributions in acting
  • Firm supporter of several political issues and human rights cases which eventually led to her attempt to run for parliament several time in the 1970s
  • Received an Ibsen Centennial Award in 2006
  • Performed at the benefit play of "Blue Nights" to raise money for Broadway Cares, Equity fights AIDS and Cathedral Community Cares in 2014
  • One of few actresses to have claimed an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony, commonly referred to as EGOT
  • Received a BAFTA Fellowship in 2010
  • Born to actors Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson, sister of the late actress Lynn and actress Corin Redgrave, and aunt of actress Jemma Redgrave
  • Born to the famed Redgrave acting family, she began acting alongside her siblings at a young age, as well as well-known actors and actresses such as Laurence Olivier and Charles Laughton
  • Made her West End debut in 1958
  • Initially planned to pursue a career in ballet due to her height, but was persuaded by family members to give stage work a try
  • Quote: "Of course I am misrepresented very often, but so is everybody who has got something to say․"
  • Quote: "I choose all my roles very carefully so that when my career is finished, I will have covered all our recent history of oppression․"
  • Used her growing fame to support various causes as well as voice opposition of several decisions made by Britain's monarchy beginning in the 1970s
  • One of the first celebrities allowed to visit communist Cuba in the early 1960s
  • Chosen by Disney to be the live model for their adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, but was not allowed to travel to the shoot by her parents who were worried about her sleepwalking habits

Awards

  • 1966Best Actress-: winner
  • 1967Oscar-Best Actress in a Leading Role: nominated
  • 1967BAFTA Film Award-Best British Actress: nominated
  • 1967Golden Globe-Best Actress - Comedy or Musical: nominated
  • 1967KCFCC Award-Best Actress: winner
  • 1967NSFC Award-Best Actress: nominated
  • 1968Golden Globe-Best Actress - Comedy or Musical: nominated
  • 1968Gold Medal-Favorite Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1969Oscar-Best Actress in a Leading Role: nominated
  • 1969Best Actress-: winner
  • 1969Golden Globe-Best Actress - Drama: nominated
  • 1969NYFCC Award-Best Actress: nominated
  • 1970NSFC Award-Best Actress: winner
  • 1972Oscar-Best Actress in a Leading Role: nominated
  • 1972Special David-: winner
  • 1972Golden Globe-Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama: nominated
  • 1977KCFCC Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
  • 1977LAFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
  • 1977NYFCC Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
  • 1978Oscar-Best Actress in a Supporting Role: winner
  • 1978Golden Globe-Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture: winner
  • 1978Gold Medal-Favorite Movie: nominated
  • 1981Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special: winner
  • 1984LAFCA Award-Best Actress: nominated
  • 1984NYFCC Award-Best Actress: nominated
  • 1985Oscar-Best Actress in a Leading Role: nominated
  • 1985Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama: nominated
  • 1985NSFC Award-Best Actress: winner
  • 1986NSFC Award-Best Actress: winner
  • 1986Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Special: nominated
  • 1986Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special: nominated
  • 1987Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television: nominated
  • 1987LAFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
  • 1987NYFCC Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
  • 1988BAFTA Film Award-Best Actress in a Supporting Role: nominated
  • 1988Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1988NSFC Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
  • 1989Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television: nominated
  • 1990ACE-Actress in a Movie or Miniseries: nominated
  • 1990ACE-Actress in a Movie or Miniseries: winner
  • 1991Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Special: nominated
  • 1992ACCA-Best Actress in a Supporting Role: nominated
  • 1992CableACE-Actress in a Movie or Miniseries: nominated
  • 1992CableACE-Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries: winner
  • 1993Oscar-Best Actress in a Supporting Role: nominated
  • 1993Golden Camera-Best International Actress: winner
  • 1993NSFC Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
  • 1994Silver Condor-Best Actress (Mejor Actriz): nominated
  • 1994Volpi Cup-Best Supporting Actress: winner
  • 1995CableACE-Actress in a Movie or Miniseries: nominated
  • 1996Independent Spirit Award-Best Supporting Female: nominated
  • 1996Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical: nominated
  • 1998Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television: nominated
  • 1998OFTA Television Award-Best Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries: nominated
  • 1999Blockbuster Entertainment Award-Favorite Supporting Actress - Action/Adventure: nominated
  • 1999OFTA Film Award-Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror Actress: nominated
  • 2000OFTA Television Award-Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries: nominated
  • 2000Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie: winner
  • 2001Actor-Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries: winner
  • 2001Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television: winner
  • 2001Screen Idol Award-Female: winner
  • 2001Golden Satellite Award-Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television: nominated
  • 2002OFTA Television Award-Best Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries: winner
  • 2002Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie: nominated
  • 2003Movies for Grownups Award-Best Grownup Love Story: winner
  • 2003Actor-Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries: nominated
  • 2003BAFTA TV Award-Best Actress: nominated
  • 2003Broadcasting Press Guild Award-Best Actress: winner
  • 2003Camie-: winner
  • 2003Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television: nominated
  • 2003Golden Satellite Award-Best Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television: nominated
  • 2006British Independent Film Award-Best Supporting Actor/Actress: nominated
  • 2007EDA Female Focus Award-Actress Defying Age and Ageism: nominated
  • 2007Magnolia Award-Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Film: winner
  • 2008Movies for Grownups Award-Best Actress: nominated
  • 2008Movies for Grownups Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
  • 2008Actor-Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries: nominated
  • 2008Critics Choice Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
  • 2008Gold Derby Film Award-Ensemble Cast: nominated
  • 2008ALFS Award-British Supporting Actress of the Year: winner
  • 2010Gold Derby TV Award-TV Movie/Mini Supporting Actress of the Decade: nominated
  • 2010Satellite Award-Best Actress in a Supporting Role: nominated
  • 2011Movies for Grownups Award-Best Actress: nominated
  • 2011Saturn Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
  • 2011British Independent Film Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
  • 2011DFCS Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
  • 2011Irina Palm-Worst British Supporting Actress: nominated
  • 2011NYFCC Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
  • 2011SFFCC Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
  • 2011Satellite Award-Best Actress in a Supporting Role: nominated
  • 2011UFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
  • 2011VVFP Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
  • 2012Movies for Grownups Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
  • 2012EDA Female Focus Award-Actress Defying Age and Ageism: nominated
  • 2012British Independent Film Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
  • 2012Evening Standard British Film Award-Best Actress: nominated
  • 2012ALFS Award-British Actress of the Year: nominated
  • 2012ALFS Award-Supporting Actress of the Year: nominated
  • 2012OFTA Film Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
  • 2013Felix-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
  • 2014Movies for Grownups Award-Best Grownup Love Story: nominated
  • 2014Hollywood Award-Best Ensemble Cast: nominated
  • 2014Actor-Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2015COFCA Award-Best Ensemble: nominated
  • 2017Golden Camera-: nominated
  • 2017Golden Eye-: nominated
  • 2018CinEuphoria-Best Documentary - International Competition: nominated
  • 2020National Film Award-Best Actress: nominated
  • 2020National Film Award-Outstanding Performance: nominated