Born on January 30, 1937 in London, United Kingdom, Vanessa Redgrave is an award-winning actress and member of the Redgrave family, one of the enduring theatrical dynasties. Coming from a distinguished acting family, she first appeared at West End in 1958. She attended the Alice Ottley School in Worcester and entered the School of Speech and Drama in 1954. In 1967, she was made Commander of the British Empire, as well as being a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 1995.
Vanessa Redgrave had her first starring role on stage in Robert Bolt’s The Tiger in the Horse. She starred with her father, Sir Michael Redgrave, in that 1960 production. Her next stage role was as Imogen in Cymbelline for the Royal Shakespeare Company. She next created the role of Jean Brodie in the Donald Albery production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, adapted for the stage by Jay Presson Allen. Redgrave also portrayed the character Prospero in the Shakespeare Globe production of The Tempest in London. Redgrave also won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in the Broadway revival of Long Day’s Journey Into Night. She has also received an Ibsen Centennial Award in 2006 for her work in interpreting Henrik Ibsen’s works. In 2007, The Year of Magical Thinking, Redgrave’s book was adapted on Broadway. She played Joan Didion, and was awarded another Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Play.
Redgrave’s career has also branched out into film. In 1966, she became noted for her performance in Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment. That year, she also appeared in Blowup, which was followed by a lead role in Isadora. For this, she received a Golden Globe nomination in 1969, as well as other numerous awards. Redgrave has also been known to playing historical figures like Andromache in The Trojan Women in 1971, and the title role in Mary, Queen of Scots. In 1977, she starred in the film Julia, where she played alongside Jane Fonda. For her performance, she received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
In 1984, Redgrave was cast in The Bostonians, which garnered her a fourth Academy Award nomination. She was also given the role of transsexual Ren?e Richards in 1986’s Second Serve. Her next projects include Howard’s End in 1992, Mission: Impossible in 1986, Wilde and Mrs. Dalloway in 1997, and Girl, Interrupted in 1999. She earned great recognition for her performances and continued her excellent portrayals in the following years.
On television, she played a lesbian, Edith Tree, in the HBO series If These Walls Could Talk 2 in 2000. For this, she was awarded with a Golden Globe Award for Best TV Series Supporting Actress and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a TV Movie or Miniseries. In 2005, she joined the cast of the series Nip/Tuck, playing Dr. Erica Noughton. She also starred in films like Venus opposite Peter O’Toole, and was in Evening and the acclaimed adaptation of the Ian McEwan novel Atonement.