Vanessa Redgrave

Birthday: 30 January 1937, Greenwich, London, England, UK

Height: 181 cm

On January 30, 1937, renowned theatre actor Michael Redgrave was performing in a production of Hamlet in London. During the curtain call, the show's lead, Laurence Olivier, announced to the audience: "tonight a great actress was born". This was in reference to his co-star's newborn daughter, Vanessa Redgrave.Vanessa was born in Greenwich, London, to Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson, both thespians. Three quarters of a century after her birth (despite numerous ups and down) this rather forward expectation has definitely been lived up to with an acclaimed actress that has won (among many others) an Academy Award, two Emmys, two Golden Globes, two Cannes Best Actress awards, a Tony, a Screen Actors Guild award, a Laurence Olivier theatre award and a BAFTA fellowship.Growing up with such celebrated theatrical parents, great expectations were put on both herself, her brother Corin Redgrave and sister Lynn Redgrave at an early age. Shooting up early and finally reaching a height just short of 6 foot, Redgrave initially had plans to dance and perform ballet as a profession. However she settled on acting and entered the Central School of Speech and Drama in 1954 and four years later made her West End debut. In the decade of the 1960s she developed and progressed to become one of the most noted young stars of the English stage and then film. Performances on the London stage included the classics: 'A Touch of Sun', 'Coriolanus', 'A Midsummer's Night Dream', 'All's Well that Ends Well', 'As You Like It', 'The Lady from the Sea', 'The Seagull' and many others. By the mid 1960s, she had booked various film roles and matured into a striking beauty with a slim, tall frame and attractive face. In 1966 she made her big screen debut as the beautiful ex-wife of a madman in an Oscar nominated performance in the oddball comedy Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment (1966), as well as the enigmatic woman in a public park in desperate need of a photographer's negatives in the iconic Blowup (1966) and briefly appeared in an unspoken part of Anne Boleyn in the Best Picture winner of the year A Man for All Seasons (1966).She managed to originate the title role in "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" the same year on the London stage (which was then adapted for the big screen a few years later, but Maggie Smith was cast instead and managed to win an Oscar for her performance). Her follow up work saw her play the lead in the box office hit adaptation Camelot (1967), a film popular with audiences but dismissed by critics, and her second Academy Award nominated performance as Isadora Duncan in the critically praised Isadora (1968).Her rise in popularity on film also coincided with her public political involvement, she was one of the lead faces in protesting against the Vietnam war and lead a famous march on the US embassy, was arrested during a Ban-the-Bomb demonstration, publicly supported Yasar Arafat's Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and fought for various other human rights and particularly left wing causes. Despite her admirably independent qualities, most of her political beliefs weren't largely supported by the public. In 1971 after 3 films back to back, Redgrave suffered a miscarriage (it would have been her fourth, after Natasha Richardson, Joely Richardson and Carlo Gabriel Nero) and a break up with her then partner and father of her son, Franco Nero. This was around the same time her equally political brother Corin introduced her to the Workers Revolutionary Party, a group who aimed to destroy capitalism and abolish the monarchy. Her film career began to suffer and take the back seat as she became more involved with the party, twice unsuccessfully attempting to run as a party member for parliament, only obtaining a very small percentage of votes.In terms of her film career at the time, she was given probably the smallest part in the huge ensemble who-dunnit hit, Murder on the Orient Express (1974) and given another thankless small part as Lola Deveraux in the Sherlock Holmes adventure The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976).After a celebrated Broadway debut, she created further controversy in 1977 with her involvement in two films, firstly in Julia (1977) where she acted opposite Jane Fonda as a woman fighting Nazi oppression and narrated and featured in the documentary The Palestinian (1977) where she famously danced holding a Kalashnikov rifle. She publicly stated her condemnation of what she termed "Zionist hudlums", which outraged Jewish groups and as a result a screening of her documentary was bombed and Redgrave was personally threatened by the Jewish Defense League (JDL). Julia (1977) happened to be a huge critical success and Redgrave herself was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar, but Jewish support groups demanded her nomination to be dropped and at the event of the Academy Awards burned effigies of Redgrave and protested and picketed. Redgrave was forced to enter the event via a rear entrance to avoid harm and when she won the award she famously remarked on the frenzy causes as "Zionist hoodlums" which caused the audience to audibly gasp and boo. The speech reached newspapers the next morning and her reputation was further damaged.It came as a surprise when CBS hired her for the part of real life Nazi camp survivor Fania Fenelon in Playing for Time (1980), despite more controversy and protesting (Fenelon herself didn't even want Redgrave to portray her) she won an Emmy for the part and the film was one of the highest rating programs of the year. Her follow up film work to her Oscar had been mostly low key but successful, performances in films such as Yanks (1979), Agatha (1979), The Bostonians (1984), Wetherby (1985) and Prick Up Your Ears (1987) further cemented her reputation as a fine actress and she received various accolades and nominations.However mainly in the 1980s, she focused on TV films and high budget mini-series as well as theatre in both London and New York. She made headlines in 1984 when she sued the Boston Symphony Orchestra for $5 million for wrongful cancellation of her contract because of her politics (she also stated her salary was significantly reduced in Agatha (1979) for the same reason). She became more mainstream in the 1990s where she appeared in a string of high profile films but the parts often underused Redgrave's abilities or they were small cameos/5-minute parts. Highlights included Howards End (1992), Little Odessa (1994), Mission: Impossible (1996) and Cradle Will Rock (1999), as well as her leading lady parts in A Month by the Lake (1995) and Mrs Dalloway (1997).In 2003 she finally won the coveted Tony award for her performance in 'The Long Day's Journey Into Night' and followed up with another two Tony nominated performances on Broadway, her one woman show 'The Year of Magical Thinking' in 2007 and 'Driving Miss Daisy' in 2010 which not only was extended due to high demand, but was also transferred to the West End for an additional three months in 2011.Vanessa continues to lend her name to causes and has been notable for donating huge amounts of her own money for her various beliefs. She has publicly opposed the war in Iraq, campaigned for the closure of Guantanamo Bay, supported the rights of gays and lesbians as well as AIDs research and many other issues. She released her autobiography in 1993 and a few years later she was elected to serve as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. She also famously declined the invitation to be made a Dame for her services as an actress. Many have wondered the possible heights her career could have reached if it wasn't for her outspoken views, but being a celebrity and the artificial lifestyle usually attached doesn't seem to interest Redgrave in the slightest.Vanessa has worked with all three of her children professionally on numerous occasions (her eldest daughter, Natasha Richardson tragically died at the age of 45 due to a skiing accident) and in her mid 70s she still works regularly on television, film and theatre, delivering time and time again great performances. Hide

Ask the right questions if you're to find the right answers. Ask the right questions if you're to find the right answers.

I choose all my roles very carefully so that when my career is finished I will have covered all our Show more I choose all my roles very carefully so that when my career is finished I will have covered all our recent history of oppression. Hide

I'm happy to tell you about it, though I'm irritated to be shown to be so stupid. But there you are, Show more I'm happy to tell you about it, though I'm irritated to be shown to be so stupid. But there you are, it's the smoking that did it. My lungs are shattered, about 30 per cent capacity if I don't smoke. Which of course I don't anymore, though I was horrified to learn from my doctor that there are people with this diagnosis who still do. Hide

Of course, I am misrepresented very often, but so is everybody who has got something to say. Of course, I am misrepresented very often, but so is everybody who has got something to say.

America is gangsterism for the private profit of the few. America is gangsterism for the private profit of the few.

How can we help the people in the audience--and ourselves--remove the cobwebs that prevents us all f Show more How can we help the people in the audience--and ourselves--remove the cobwebs that prevents us all from being able to reach and touch things? Hide

We all come to the theatre with baggage. The baggage of our daily lives, the baggage of our problems Show more We all come to the theatre with baggage. The baggage of our daily lives, the baggage of our problems, the baggage of our tragedies, the baggage of being tired. It doesn't matter what age you are. But if our hearts get opened and released - well that is what theatre can do, and does sometimes, and everyone is thankful when that happens. Hide

I always loved singing because we used to sing around the piano. My father [Michael Redgrave] was a Show more I always loved singing because we used to sing around the piano. My father [Michael Redgrave] was a brilliant pianist. He loved American musicals. He would bring back loads of song sheets when he went to America to work. And we'd group round the piano on Sunday and sing our hearts out. Hide

I would have liked to have more children. I had always wanted five children when I was younger. That Show more I would have liked to have more children. I had always wanted five children when I was younger. That was my dream, I wanted five and I don't think I would have been bothered if it had turned out to be six. In the end, I had four, but I lost one of them, the fourth one. I had a miscarriage. Hide

One must never comment as an actor, never show that a character is shallow or vindictive, but let th Show more One must never comment as an actor, never show that a character is shallow or vindictive, but let that be conveyed. I mean, none of us thinks of ourselves as being vindictive or shallow - perhaps we should. Hide

[Speaking of her parents (Michael & Rachel), sister Lynn, and brother Corin] We are the sprigs of a Show more [Speaking of her parents (Michael & Rachel), sister Lynn, and brother Corin] We are the sprigs of a great and beautiful tree. Hide

[accepting her Oscar for Julia (1977)] My dear colleagues, I thank you very, very much for this trib Show more [accepting her Oscar for Julia (1977)] My dear colleagues, I thank you very, very much for this tribute to my work. I think that Jane Fonda and I have done the best work of our lives, and I salute you and I pay tribute to you, and I think you should be very proud that in the last few weeks you have stood firm and you have refused to be intimidated by the threats of a small bunch of Zionist hoodlums [interrupted by boos] whose behavior is an insult to the stature of Jews all over the world and to their great and heroic record of struggle against fascism and oppression. And I pledge to you that I will continue to fight against anti-Semitism and fascism. Thank you. Hide

I've opened my mouth on a lot of subjects. And I thought the more prestige you get, I'd have the pow Show more I've opened my mouth on a lot of subjects. And I thought the more prestige you get, I'd have the power to do what I like. It's not true. Hide

Anybody can lose their job and have nothing. And people mind having nothing. Anybody can lose their job and have nothing. And people mind having nothing.

A theater is being given over to market forces, which means that a whole generation that should be a Show more A theater is being given over to market forces, which means that a whole generation that should be able to do theater as well as see it is being completely deprived. Hide

It's a kinky part of my nature -- to meddle. It's a kinky part of my nature -- to meddle.

I don't consider myself beautiful at all, I'm usually running around like a scruff. I don't consider myself beautiful at all, I'm usually running around like a scruff.

Analyzing the problem is vital. It's the only way you're going to arrive at the right thing to do. Analyzing the problem is vital. It's the only way you're going to arrive at the right thing to do.

I give myself to my parts as to a lover. I give myself to my parts as to a lover.

I discovered a long time ago that the camera does lie, and thank God it does. I discovered a long time ago that the camera does lie, and thank God it does.

I don't think I ever felt beautiful until I was pregnant and when I gave birth to my children. I had Show more I don't think I ever felt beautiful until I was pregnant and when I gave birth to my children. I had terrible acne when I was a teenager and I was very tall, so tall I couldn't see myself in my mother's long mirror. Hide

I have a tremendous use for passionate statement. I have a tremendous use for passionate statement.

Vanessa Redgrave's FILMOGRAPHY

as Actor (121)

The Shell Seekers - Season 1

Letters to Juliet

The Wind in the Willows (1995)

The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh

The White Countess

The Ballad of the Sad Cafe

The Day of the Triffids - Season 1

Nip Tuck - Season 5

Nip Tuck - Season 6