Jim Broadbent

Highest Rated: 100% Longford (2006)

Lowest Rated: 5% The Avengers (1998)

Birthday: May 24, 1949

Birthplace: Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England, UK

Revered British character actor Jim Broadbent became one of the most prolific and diverse talents in film and television with award-winning performances on both sides of the Atlantic. Early work on the stages of London with director Mike Leigh and film directors like Stephen Frears and Terry Gilliam in "The Hit" (1985) and "Brazil" (1985), respectively, paved the way for more prominent feature work in Leigh's "Life Is Sweet" (1991). Following a slew of notable supporting roles, the actor truly came into his own in a pair of musical spectaculars: Leigh's ode to Gilbert & Sullivan, "Topsy-Turvy" (1999) and Baz Luhrmann's psychedelic pastiche "Moulin Rouge!" (2001). After lending his uniquely eccentric charm to the proceedings of "Bridget Jones' Diary" (2001), Broadbent delivered an Oscar-winning performance as the loving but frustrated husband of a novelist (Judi Dench) suffering from Alzheimer's in the biopic "Iris" (2001). More accolades came for his work on television in such highly regarded projects as "The Gathering Storm" (HBO, 2002) and "Longford" (HBO, 2006). Although known for intimate character dramas, Broadbent was also a constant presence in such blockbuster fare as "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (2008) and "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" (2009). Recognized for his quirky character interpretations, it was the intrinsic humanity that Broadbent brought to each of his roles that earned him a reputation as one of most accomplished actors of his generation.