James Broadbent was born on May 24, 1949 in Lincoln, UK. He is an Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA-winning English theatre, film and television actor.

A versatile British character actor, Broadbent began his career on the London stage, performing with the Royal National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has frequently collaborated with writer and director Mike Leigh. They first worked together in Leigh's play Ecstasy (1979), following with Goosepimples (1981). Life Is Sweet (1991) marked their first film project. Broadbent won wide praise for his role as opera composer W.S. Gilbert in Leigh's acclaimed Topsy-Turvy (1999).
He made his film debut in 1978's The Shout and appeared in Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits (1981) and Brazil (1984).

Broadbent's plate was full in 2001, appearing in Bridget Jones's Diary, Iris, and Moulin Rouge. He won a Golden Globe and a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance as Iris Murdoch's husband in Iris. His other films include The Crying Game (1992), Enchanted April (1992), and Little Voice (1998).

He also starred in Iris (2001) , The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) and Hot Fuzz (2007).
Broadbent is married to painter and former theatre designer, Anastasia Lewis.

Filmography

• Dirty Tricks (2008)
• The Other Side (2007)
• Fourth Installment of the Indiana Jones Adventures (2008)
• Inkheart (2008)
• And When Did You Last See Your Father? (2007)
• Hot Fuzz (2007)
• Longford (2006)
• "The Street" (3 episodes, 2006)
• Free Jimmy (2006)
• Art School Confidential (2006)
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
• Valiant (2005)
• Spider-Plant Man (2005)
• Robots (2005)
• The Magic Roundabout (2005)
• Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)
• Vera Drake (2004)
• Vanity Fair (2004)
• Pride (2004)
• Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
• Tooth (2004)
• The Young Visiters (2003)
• And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself (2003)
• Bright Young Things (2003)
• Anna Spud (2003)
• Nicholas Nickleby (2002)
• Gangs of New York (2002)
• The King's Beard (2002)
• The Gathering Storm (2002)
• Iris (2001)
• Moulin Rouge! (2001)
• Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
• Big Day (1999)
• Topsy-Turvy (1999)
• Comic Relief: Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death (1999)
• Little Voice (1998)
• The Avengers (1998)
• The Borrowers (1997)
• Smilla's Sense of Snow (1997)
• The Secret Agent (1996)
• Rough Magic (1995)
• "The Peter Principle" (1995)
• Richard III (1995)
• The Last Englishman (1995)
• Bullets Over Broadway (1994)
• Princess Caraboo (1994)
• Widows' Peak (1994)
• Prince Cinders (1993)
• Wide-Eyed and Legless (1993)
• "The Comic Strip Presents..." (1 episode, 1993)
• A Sense of History (1992)
• The Crying Game (1992)
• "Inspector Morse" (1 episode, 1992)
• Enchanted April (1992)
• "Gone to Seed" (1992)
• "Murder Most Horrid" (1 episode, 1991
• Nona (1991)
• Work! (1991)
• "Only Fools and Horses" (1991)
• "Gone to the Dogs" (1991)
• Life Is Sweet (1990)
• "Victoria Wood" (1 episode, 1989)
• "The Staggering Stories of Ferdinand De Bargos" (1989)
• Erik the Viking (1989)
• Revolution!! (1989)
• "Dramarama" (1 episode, 1988)
• "Theater Night" (1 episode, 1988)
• "Tales of the Unexpected" (1 episode, 1988)
• Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988)
• Vroom (1988)
• Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
• Running Out of Luck (1987)
• The Insurance Man (1986)
• Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe (1985)
• The Good Father (1985)
• "Happy Families" (3 episodes, 1985)
• Brazil (1985)
• "Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV" (3 episodes, 1985
• The Hit (1984)
• Messiah (1984)
• The Man Who Shot Christmas (1984)
• "The Black Adder" (1 episode, 1983)
• Dead on Time (1983)
• Walter and June (1983)
• "Objects of Affection" (1 episode, 1982)
• "Play for Today" (3 episodes, 1979-1982)
• Walter (1982)
• Uliisses (1982)
• Bird of Prey (1982)
• Birth of a Nation (1982)
• Time Bandits (1981)
• The Dogs of War (1981)
• Breaking Glass (1980)
• "BBC2 Playhouse" (1 episode, 1980)
• Phoelix (1980)
• The Passage (1979)
• The Shout (1978)
• The Life Story of Baal (1978)

Awards

• BAFTA Award Best Supporting Actor "Moulin Rouge!" 2002
• Golden Globe Award Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture "Iris" 2001
• Golden Satellite Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) "Moulin Rouge!" 2001
• London Film Critics Circle Award Best British Supporting Actor "Iris" 2001
• Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award Best Supporting Actor "Iris" and "Moulin Rouge!" 2001
• National Board of Review Award Best Supporting Actor "Iris" and "Moulin Rouge!" 2001
• Oscar Best Supporting Actor "Iris" 2001
• Evening Standard British Film Award Best Actor "Topsy-Turvy" 2000
• London Film Critics' Circle Award Best British Actor "Topsy-Turvy" 2000
• Venice Film Festival Coppa Volpi Award for Best Actor "Topsy-Turvy" 1999