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Wickenby's
most famous son received an Oscar for his portrayal of John Bayley
in the film Iris. The Oscar for Best Supporting Actor was given
out at the 74th annual star-studded awards ceremony.
Jim was also successful at the 2002 BAFTA ceremony where he beat
off strong competition from fellow Brits Colin Firth (Bridget Jones'
Diary) and Robbie Coltrane (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone).
The awards followed a successful Golden Globe nomination earlier
in the year and is a world away from his humble beginnings in Lincolnshire.
Jim was born on 24th May, 1949 to Roy and Dee. The couple were part
of a small community of conscientious objectors working the land
rather than going to war.
Jim's
father was a local artist and furniture maker and his mother was
a keen amateur actress. They were also both founder members of the
Lindsey Rural Players. It seems that acting was quite literally
in Jim's blood.
Jim
was raised in Lincolnshire before going to school in Reading and
then on to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts from where
he graduated in 1972. Since then he has gone from strength to strength.
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| Jim
in The Peter Principle |
He
has an enviable list of theatre, TV and film credits to his name.
Jim began his career working in small-scale, regional theatre productions.
His big break came in 1976 when he played more than a dozen different
characters in Ken Campbell's Illuminatus, a 12 hour science-fiction
play.
His
television appearances have included Wide Eyed and Legless, Blackadder,
Only Fools and Horses and the lead role in The Peter Principle.
Unlike
many actors, Jim did not have to wait too long before getting involved
in films. Small roles started coming as early as 1978 and gradually
increased in size and quantity. He made particularly noteworthy
appearances in The Crying Game and Little Voice. More recently he
has been seen in Bridget Jones's Diary (playing Bridget's father)
Moulin Rouge (as Harold Zidler) and as John Bayley in Iris.
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The world would be a duller place without Moulin Rouge.
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| Jim
Broadbent after winning a BAFTA |
His
mantelpiece must be groaning under the weight of all the awards
that he has won. Alongside
his Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe his wins include Volpi Cup for
Best Actor and the Evening Standard Film Award for Best Actor, both
of which he received for his role in Mike Leigh's film Topsy Turvy.
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