What is Kenneth Branagh's Net Worth?
Sir Kenneth Branagh is a British/Northern Irish actor and filmmaker, director, producer and screenwriter who has a net worth of $60 million. Kenneth Branagh's interest in acting emerged early, and he honed his craft at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. His talent was evident from his early days in theater, where he gained acclaim for his performances in Shakespearean plays. In 1987, he founded the Renaissance Theatre Company, where he not only acted but also directed various productions, showcasing his multifaceted abilities.
Branagh's film career began to flourish with his adaptation of Shakespeare's "Henry V" (1989), which he directed and starred in. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning him Academy Award nominations for Best Actor and Best Director. This success established him as a prominent figure in adapting Shakespearean works for the screen. He continued this trend with films like "Much Ado About Nothing" (1993), "Hamlet" (1996), and "As You Like It" (2006), each of which demonstrated his skillful interpretation of Shakespeare's works.
Beyond Shakespeare, Branagh has shown remarkable versatility, directing and acting in a variety of genres. His directorial work includes the thriller "Dead Again" (1991), the horror film "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" (1994), and the blockbuster superhero film "Thor" (2011). His ability to move seamlessly between genres highlights his broad range as a director.
As an actor, Branagh has delivered compelling performances in films like "My Week with Marilyn" (2011), where he portrayed Laurence Olivier, earning him an Academy Award nomination. His role in "Dunkirk" (2017) and his portrayal of Hercule Poirot in "Murder on the Orient Express" (2017), which he also directed, further showcase his talent.
Branagh's contributions to film and theater have been recognized with several awards and honors, including a knighthood in 2012 for his services to drama and the community in Northern Ireland.
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Early Life and Education
Kenneth Branagh was born on December 10, 1960 in Belfast, Northern Ireland as the middle of three children of working-class Protestant parents William and Frances. As a youth, he went to Grove Primary School. Burdened by the Troubles, the family moved to Reading, Berkshire, England when Branagh was nine. There, he attended Whiteknights Primary School and Meadway School; at the latter, he performed in school productions of "Toad of Toad Hall" and "Oh, What a Lovely War!" Branagh went on to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
Career Beginnings
Branagh rose to fame in his native Northern Ireland in 1982, when he began appearing on the television anthology series "Play for Today." The year after this, he was in the television film "To the Lighthouse," and had a guest role on "Maybury." On stage, Branagh earned acclaim for his performances in productions of "Another Country" and "Henry V." In 1987, he co-founded the Renaissance Theatre Company with David Parfitt.
Film Directing
Branagh made his feature film directorial debut in 1989 with the Shakespeare adaptation "Henry V"; he also starred as the titular king. For his work, he received Academy Award nominations for both Best Director and Best Actor. Next, Branagh directed the 1991 romantic thriller "Dead Again," in which he starred opposite Emma Thompson. The following year, he directed the comedy "Peter's Friends." Branagh returned to the well of Shakespeare in 1993 with an adaptation of "Much Ado About Nothing." He subsequently directed "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein," "In the Bleak Midwinter," and the acclaimed 1996 adaptation of Shakespeare's "Hamlet," for which he also earned an Academy Award nomination for his screenplay.
In 2000, Branagh adapted "Love's Labour's Lost," the first feature film to be made of that particular Shakespeare play. After a six-year hiatus, Branagh returned with another Shakespeare adaptation, "As You Like It." The same year saw the release of his adaptation of Mozart's opera "The Magic Flute." In 2007, Branagh directed a remake of the 1972 thriller "Sleuth." Four years later, he directed the Marvel superhero film "Thor." Branagh went on to direct a number of big-budget Hollywood films following this, including the action thriller sequel "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit"; Disney's live-action remake of "Cinderella"; and Disney's adaptation of the fantasy young adult novel "Artemis Fowl." He also directed and starred in the fictionalized Shakespeare biopic "All is True," as well as two new adaptations of Agatha Christie novels, "Murder on the Orient Express" and "Death on the Nile." In 2021, Branagh earned some of the best reviews of his career for writing and directing the coming-of-age drama "Belfast," based on his own childhood growing up in the titular city.
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Film Acting
As an actor, Branagh made his film debut in 1987's "A Month in the Country." The same year, he appeared in the romantic comedy "High Season." Branagh next starred in his own "Henry V"; he would go on to star in numerous of his later films, including "Dead Again," "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein," "Hamlet," "Sleuth," and "Murder on the Orient Express." Branagh also portrayed William Shakespeare in his historical fiction film "All is True," and played Iago in Oliver Parker's film adaptation of "Othello."
In the late 90s, Branagh appeared in a number of films he didn't direct, including "The Gingerbread Man," "The Theory of Flight," "Celebrity," "The Proposition," and "Wild Wild West." In the early 2000s, he had notable roles in "Rabbit Proof Fence" and "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets." His other credits during the decade were "Five Children & It," "Valkyrie," and "The Boat That Rocked." In 2011, Branagh portrayed famous thespian Laurence Olivier in the biographical drama "My Week with Marilyn"; for his performance, he earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. His later credits have included the Christopher Nolan films "Dunkirk" and "Tenet."
Television Career
On the small screen, Branagh won acclaim for his work in many television films and series. In 2001, he won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of SS leader Reinhard Heydrich in the television film "Conspiracy." The following year, he was nominated for his performance as the titular explorer in the television film "Shackleton." More acclaim, and another Emmy nomination, came Branagh's way in 2005, when he portrayed US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the television film "Warm Springs." Later, from 2008 to 2016, he won a number of plaudits for playing the titular character on the British series "Wallander."
Branagh's other credits on the small screen include the television films "Coming Through," "The Lady's Not for Burning," "Lorna," and "Look Back in Anger." He also starred in the 1987 BBC adaptation of "Fortunes of War," and voiced the character of Eco on the 2006 animated series "Lunar Jim." Additionally, Branagh has provided narration for a number of documentary series, including "Cold War," "Walking with Dinosaurs," "Walking with Beasts," and "World War 1 in Colour."
Personal Life
In 1989, Branagh married actress Emma Thompson, with whom he appeared in many films. While still together, he began an affair with actress Helena Bonham Carter. Thompson eventually divorced him in 1995. Following his relationship with Bonham Carter, Branagh married art director Lindsay Brunnock in 2003.
