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One of the most treasured character actors working in the UK today, Broadbent won sizeable acclaim for roles in films like Topsy Turvy, Moulin Rouge, Little Voice and then Iris (for which he won a BAFTA and an Oscar). Born in 1949, he studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. He worked for the RSC then established his own theatre troupe, The National Theatre of Brent, which reduced pivotal moments in history like the charge of the Light Brigade into rip-roaring plays. On screen, Broadbent appeared in Time Bandits (1985) and, five years later, took his first major part in Mike Leigh's Life Is Sweet. He took centre stage again in Topsy Turvy, and won rave reviews for his comically poignant portrayal of operatic writer WS Gilbert. Iris and Gangs of New York followed, making him as much of a Hollywood fixture as a British one.
