Jim Broadbent

Biography: Jim Broadbent was born on May 24, 1949, in Lincolnshire, England, as the youngest child in his family. His parents were Roy and Dee Broadbent, a furniture maker and an artist, respectively. He attended boarding school in Reading, England, then went to art school to pursue his love of acting. He graduated in 1972 and began acting on stage. Following his graduation, he began his professional career on the stage, performing with the Royal National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company and, as part of the National Theatre of Brent, a two-man troupe in which he co-founded. As well as being a prolific stage actor, Broadbent became involved in television. Jim's first film was a small part in The Shout in 1978, but his first big role was in Life is Sweet in 1990, a domestic comedy directed by Mike Leigh who cast him as a good-natured cook who dreams of running his own business. Some of the films that have gained him the most recognition are Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) in which he played the title role's father, Moulin Rouge (2001) where he played Harold Zidler, the owner of the Moulin Rouge. He won an Academy Award in 2002 for best supporting actor for his portrayal of the husband of Iris Murdoch, a famous author who suffered from Alzheimer's disease, in Iris.… Expand