Colin Firth - Biography - IMDb Colin Firth Jump to: Overview (3) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (1) | Trivia (37) | Personal Quotes (25) Overview (3) 6' 1½" (1.87 m) Mini Bio (1) Colin Andrew Firth was born into an academic family in Grayshott, Hampshire, England. His mother, Shirley Jean (Rolles), was a comparative religion lecturer at the Open University, and his father, David Norman Lewis Firth, lectured on history at Winchester University College (formerly King Alfred's College) in Winchester, and worked on education for the Nigerian government. His grandparents were missionaries. His siblings Katie Firth and Jonathan Firth are also actors. Firth's first acting experience came in infant's school when he played "Jack Frost" in a Christmas pantomime. Three of his four grandparents were Methodist missionaries and he spent his early childhood in Nigeria, returning to England at age five where he entered a comprehensive school in Winchester. He spent two years at the Drama Centre London in Chalk Farm where he was "discovered" while playing "Hamlet" during his final term.

His first professional role was as "Bennet" in the West End production of "Another Country". From this performance, he was chosen to play the character of "Judd" in the movie of the play. He went on to play a variety of character parts in both film and television. For his portrayal of "Robert Lawrence" in the 1989 TV production Tumbledown (1988), he received the Royal Television Society Best Actor award and also a BAFTA nomination. He also received a BAFTA nomination for "Mr. Darcy" in the 1995 TV version of Pride and Prejudice (1995). In 2011, he won the Oscar for Best Actor for his commanding leading role, playing British King George VI in The King's Speech (2010). - IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous Spouse (1) ( 21 June 1997 - present) (2 children) Trivia (37) Had a relationship with Jennifer Ehle , whom he met while filming Pride and Prejudice (1995) Named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World (2001).

Has twice lost his screen wife to a member of the Fiennes family - to Ralph Fiennes in The English Patient (1996) and to Joseph Fiennes in Shakespeare in Love (1998). Became a father for the first time at age 30 when his [now ex] girlfriend Meg Tilly gave birth to their son William Joseph Firth on September 20, 1990. Brother of Katie Firth (a vocal coach) and Jonathan Firth . Co-starred as the character Mark Darcy in the film adaptation of Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), while appears himself as a character in writer Helen Fielding 's sequel, which was adapted to the big screen as Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004). Contributed a short story, "The Department of Nothing", to the collection "Speaking With the Angel", edited by Nick Hornby. Colin Firth starred in the film adaptation of Hornby's semi-autobiographical novel, Fever Pitch (1997). Has played a Mr.

Darcy on four occasions: Pride and Prejudice (1995), Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004) and Bridget Jones's Baby (2016). Although he usually gets along quite well with other actors, he had a well-publicized verbal feud with Rupert Everett , although the source of this tension is not known. According to Colin Firth, when he was first offered the role of Darcy, his brother incredulously remarked, "Darcy? But isn't he supposed to be sexy?" On the DVD audio commentary for Love Actually (2003), Hugh Grant continuously mocks the looks, age, acting abilities, and alleged vanity of Firth (his sometimes on-screen rival), eventually encouraging his fellow-commentators writer/director Richard Curtis , and co-stars Bill Nighy and Thomas Brodie-Sangster to join in on the mocking. Firth appears to have taken these comments in good nature and said that he and Grant seem to have a " Bette Davis - Joan Crawford " kind of relationship. Attended King Alfred's College in Winchester, Hampshire (now the University of Winchester). Attended Barton Peveril College in Eastleigh.

His film teacher still teaches there (as of November 2008). Moved to Nigeria, when he was 2 weeks old, where his father had taken a teaching position, and lived there until age 4. Resided in the United States for a year when he was age 12. Considers former girlfriend Meg Tilly 's children Emily and David (from her first marriage to Tim Zinnemann ) to be his own. In addition to his various roles as Darcy, Firth played at least one other person sharing a name with a Jane Austen character: Henry Dashwood, his character in What a Girl Wants (2003) is the name of a character in Miss Austen's "Sense and Sensibility". Resided outside Maple Ridge, British Columbia from 1989 through 1995 with then girlfriend, actress Meg Tilly . Is the second person to win the best actor BAFTA two years in a row and the Oscar in the second year (For A Single Man (2009) and The King's Speech (2010)).

The first one was Rod Steiger in The Pawnbroker (1964) and In the Heat of the Night (1967). He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6714 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on January 13, 2011. He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to drama. Colin Firth and his wife, documentary film producer Livia Giuggioli, dined with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (aka Wills and Kate) at an ARK charity in March 2011. He named Spencer Tracy , Paul Scofield and Peter O'Toole as some of his acting idols. Both of his Oscar nominated roles came from playing a character named George. George Falconer in A Single Man (2009) and King George VI in The King's Speech (2010) for which he won the award.

Became a father for the second time at age 40 when his wife Livia Giuggioli gave birth to their son Luca Firth on March 29, 2001. Became a father for the third time at age 42 when his wife Livia Giuggioli gave birth to their son Matteo Firth in August 2003. Was originally cast as the voice of Paddington Bear in Paddington (2014), but was replaced by Ben Whishaw during post-production of the film. According to director Paul King he decision was done since "It slowly just became clear that Paddington does not have the voice of a very handsome older man, who has the most beautiful voice on the planet". He and Nicole Kidman circled the same five movies, within two years. In 2012, they first worked on The Railway Man (2013) and followed it by Before I Go to Sleep (2014). In November 2014, they filmed Genius (2016).

Firth was also cast in Stoker (2013), but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts, and worked on Paddington (2014) before he was replaced by Ben Whishaw . Kidman co-starred in all these five films. She considers Firth to be one of her favorite collaborators and says that "He's the best of the British actors". Has an Erdös-Bacon-Sabbath number of 10, which is among the lowest on the planet. Has English, along with some Scottish and Ulster-Scots (Northern Irish), ancestry. Speaks Italian fluently. He played a veteran of the First World War in The Secret Garden (1987), A Month in the Country (1987) and Easy Virtue (2008). In the latter two, his characters were traumatised by their experiences of the war. Personal Quotes (25) The English people, a lot of them, would not be able to understand a word of spoken Shakespeare. There are people who do and I'm not denying they exist. But it's a far more philistine country than people think. And I always thought the biggest failing of Americans was their lack of irony.

They are very serious there! Naturally, there are exceptions... the Jewish, Italian, and Irish humor of the East Coast. (Italian Vogue) [on his success in playing the two Mr. Darcy roles] I was delighted to become a popular culture reference point. I'm still delighted about it actually, and I still find it to be weird. Forget "trying" to be sexy. That's just gruesome. [on losing the girl to both Ralph and Joseph Fiennes] If I want my career to go on, I'm going to have to find some more Fiennes brothers! However, any similarity between them basically stops at their last name. I was in no way reminded of Ralph by working with Joe. I got on fantastically with both of them. I have huge admiration for them as actors but I couldn't compare them. [on his first name] Well it doesn't exactly have a ring to it, does it? It's more the sort of name you'd give to your goldfish for a joke. I have a kind of neutrality, physically, which has helped me. I have a face that can be made to look a lot better or a lot worse, depending on how I want it to look.

The first actor who really blew me away was Paul Scofield in [the movie] A Man for All Seasons (1966). I'd never seen such integrity in acting, and it struck me as a fascinating paradox because acting is artifice. It can be argued to be entirely false. I thought, how can an actor suggest such truth? I like playing strange characters. Some people might say it has something to do with a hidden part of myself, but I think it's a lot simpler than that: normal people are just not very interesting. Every single film since [ Pride and Prejudice (1995)] there's been a scene where someone goes, "Well I think you've just killed Mr Darcy". But he is a figure that won't die. He is wandering somewhere. I can't control him. I tried to play with it in Bridget Jones's Diary (2001). I've never resented it: if it wasn't for him I might be languishing, but part of me thinks I should do this postmodern thing, change my name by deed poll to Mr Darcy. Then people can come up to me and say, 'But you are not Mr Darcy' which would be different.

I dare say it will be my saving grace when the only employment available to me is opening supermarkets dressed in breeches and a wig. I feel quite strongly about anti-Americanism. I share people's grievances about the current Administration but I remember my father and I watching the Watergate hearings. Here was a country arraigning its own leaders. America has a fantastic history of dissent. (Sept. 2007) [on the appeal he has to older female fans] I find I'm increasingly lusted after by people beyond pensionable age. I was told of a woman in hospital, diagnosed with high blood pressure, who was told not to watch any more Pride and Prejudice (1995). She was 103. [on the movie version of Mamma Mia! (2008) in which he stars] If you are the kind of person who always wanted to see middle aged men in tight spandex trying to sing, then this is the film for you. [on filming Mamma Mia! (2008)] This was quite terrifying, because the guys in this film were really out of their comfort zone with the singing thing.

And you know, the first thing we did was to record our songs, because you pre-record before you shoot the film. And then you have to shoot it live, which a lot of it was, and it was the fearsome Benny and Björn of ABBA , and they were notorious hard customers, and they booked me three days in the studio to sing a three-minute song. So my mind was reeling with images of myself, you know, floods of Ambian-fueled tears, while I was being shouted out in Swedish by bearded men. But, fortunately, when I met them, they were friendly. There was something in their friendliness that had a reserve to it. I thought, "I'm going to be friendly as long as I'm not crappy". And then half an hour later, they were actually okay. Pierce Brosnan and Stellan walked in and I looked at their faces, I was staring into a vortex of fear, both of them in spirals. And nothing bonds you more than blind terror really. Within a few more minutes, the three of us were like The Andrews Sisters around the mike, you know. Actors are basically drag queens.

People will tell you they act because they want to heal mankind or, you know, explore the nature of the human psyche. Yes, maybe. But basically we just want to put on a frock and dance. Your face is supposed to move if you're going to act. Why on earth would you take a violin and make the strings so that they don't vibrate? Injecting something in to your face so it's paralysed, or cutting bits of it up so that you take any signs of life out of it is catastrophic if you're going to express yourself in any way at all. [on accepting a Golden Globe Award for The King's Speech (2010)] Right now, this is all that stands between me and a Harley Davidson. Actually, you know, it is quite extraordinary because life on a film set is inherently infantile. Everything else is taken away to the point where we are helpless. You are picked up at a certain time of day. You are driven to a place not of your choice. You are then given clothes to put on. And then someone does your hair and your face, and again according to someone else's schedule. You are brought your breakfast.

Then you are taken to a place where you do your job and you are told where to stand, where to look, and here are the words you are going to say, and they're not yours. And so there is very little that you have in your control, except what happens when you close the bathroom door. It is preposterous. It makes no sense whatsoever, unless it's wonderful. You are always treading that line. Through my film work, I've tended to represent precisely the kind of Englishman that I'm not - the repressed figure of mythology. It's hard to run into those guys now. I'll give you £100 for every guy with a bowler hat and umbrella you see walking the streets of London who's not going to a fancy dress party. My generation weren't saying, I can't wait to grow up so I can put on a pin-stripe suit and go to an office. They were piercing their ears and learning to play the guitar. If you want to define a modern Englishman, you might as well look at Keith Richards , John Lydon or Ray Winstone , rather than John Major or Prince Charles .

[on looking ten years ahead] I always imagined I'd move beyond this rather infantile career choice. By this point I would have become a virtuoso on a musical instrument or written novels or become an astronaut. But I'll probably be doing some version of exactly what I'm doing now. [on often appearing as emotionally repressed characters] I think there's an immense drama in things being held back and hidden and unspoken. I'm the go- to guy when you're doing something in that convention. But also, communication is never perfect. What you're hearing isn't necessarily what I'm imagining you're hearing. That interests me more than repression. [on working again with former Mamma Mia! (2008) co-star Stellan Skarsgård in The Railway Man (2013)] It's very hard to look at Stellan and not see him in Lycra. Actually, the last time I'd seen him on a film set he was naked. So if there was a haunted look in my eyes, it wasn't because I was contemplating the war in Asia. It was because I'd seen horrors already beyond imagination.

[accepting the Best Actor Oscar for The King's Speech (2010)] I've a feeling my career's just peaked. [on The King's Speech (2010) co-star Helena Bonham Carter ] If I had to choose somebody to get stuck in a lift with, actually, she comes fairly high on the list. Because she's amusing, attractive, and very small. [Accepting his Best Actor BAFTA for A Single Man (2009)] An encounter with Tom Ford is to come away feeling resuscitated, a little more worldly, better informed, better groomed, more fragrant and more nominated than one has ever been before. See also OSCARS 2011: The King's Speech, Colin Firth and Black Swan's Natalie Portman win | Daily Mail Online The King's Speech wins Best Film and Best Director Christian Bale named Best Supporting Actor for The Fighter Melissa Leo apologises after using F-word as she accepts Best Supporting Actress for The Fighter For once Oscars night belonged to a small budget, independent movie that was a labour of love.

The King’s Speech and its star Colin Firth were the toast of Hollywood last night, winning Best Film, Best Actor, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. And while Natalie Portman wiped tears from her eyes as she celebrated her Best Actress win, and Melissa Leo and Christian Bale both won for The Fighter, there was no doubting the night belonged to the British film. The Oscar winners: Best supporting actor Christian Bale, best actress Natalie Portman, best supporting actress Melissa Leo and best actor Colin Firth celebrate backstage at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood Few in the UK wanted to back The King's Speech, but a band of producers and film-makers slashed their usual rates to get it made. With Film 4 and BBC Films both refusing funding, the UK Film Council put up a large part of the money, along with London-based Momentum Pictures and Harvey Weinstein's Weinstein film company. As Academy Awards host James Franco noted ‘The King’s Speech has now become part of Oscar history’.

'My career has peaked': Colin Firth had the audience laughing as he picked up his Oscar for best actor Kiss for the wife: Firth is congratulated by Livia, who he thanked for putting up 'with my delusions of royalty' It's all mine: Best Actor winner Colin First holds up his award after getting it engraved at the Governors Ball following the awards ceremony Firth was nominated last year for Tom Ford’s film A Single Man but lost to Jeff Bridges. But now it was Firth’s turn to triumph over his once-again nominated rival. 'I’ve a feeling my career’s just peaked,' he joked. Firth thanked, 'all the people who have been routing for me back home,' and his wife, 'Livia, for putting up with my fleeting delusions of royalty'.

The cast and crew of The King's Speech: Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, and the producers, celebrate their trophy for Best Picture The crowd of Oscar nominees and winners watch as Firth gives his thank you speech Although it was pretty much a given that Firth was going to collect an Oscar for his powerful portrait of King George VI, and that David Seidler would win for best original screenplay, the wins for best director and best film weren’t as assured as people believed. Seidler dedicated his award to 'all the stutterers around the world,' and thanked 'Her Majesty The Queen for not putting me in the Tower for using the F word.' Halfway through the ceremony when The Social Network won for best editing, one of the King’s Speech team exclaimed, ’well that’s it, we’ve lost it’. Group effort: Geoffrey Rush congratulates Tom Hooper as he accepts the Oscar for best director Great night for British film: Tom Hooper accepts his Oscar for best director as David Seidler accepts best original screenplay; both for The King's Speech That’s because the Best Editing win is often, but clearly not always, seen as a signal to which film will win Best Film.

But as the evening wore on Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech’s 38-year-old director, beat rival David Fincher for best director. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share He dedicated the prestigious gong to his mother. It was she, he revealed, who first suggested he make the movie, after watching a script read-through of the stage version. Accepting the gold statuette from last year's Best Director winner Kathryn Bigelow, he said: 'She said, "Tom, I think I've found your next film." With this tonight I honour you and the moral of the story is: Listen to your mother.' Tearful: Dancer Benjamin Millepied embraces his fiancé Natalie as her win is announced I did it! Natalie accepts her Oscar for best actress for her role in Black Swan at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles Hooper said backstage that he would be out celebrating - but wanted to take it easy because he planned to 'do' various TV shows, including the Oprah Winfrey show, in the morning. ’I don’t want to be the first one to appear on the Oprah show drunk,' he joked. His win surprised many, who had predicted that David Fincher would win for The Social Network.

Now for her next role: With her first child on the way, Natalie said she wasn't sure whether she would ever work on another movie like Black Swan This one's mine! Natalie seen later at the Governors Ball where she had her award engraved Later Gareth Unwin, one of the three producers with Iain Canning and Emile Sherman, joked that it was his good luck charm, a Union Jack pocket square, that helped them win. He admitted he ‘borrowed’ the silk square from a table centre piece at the BAFTA awards in London two weeks ago. ‘It felt lucky so I took it’, Unwin joked. The King’s Speech didn’t achieve the sweep that some had hoped, it was up for 12 Oscars, but best picture is by anyone's standards a pretty nice trophy to take home. Your honour: Melissa bows to Kirk Douglas as she joins the 94-year-old screen icon onstage Black Swan star Portman had showed off her bump in her flowing Rodarte gown as she walked to the stage to give her acceptance speech. 'I want to thank my parents,' she said. 'First and foremost for giving me my life.

And for the opportunity to work at such a young age.' The pregnant actress wiped away a tear as she also thanked her fiancé, who she met while filming Black Swan, and with whom she is now expecting her first child. No hard feelings: Amy Adams congratulates Melissa Leo after The Fighter star won the Oscar for best supporting actress Shock: Leo holds her face in horror after realising she has sworn onstage as Douglas holds her Oscar 'My beautiful love Benjamin Millepied who choreographed the film and has now given me my most important role of my life.' Portman said backstage that she was ‘still in a dream-like state’. She joked that the baby she is carrying started kicking during the show when the nominated songs were being sung. The show: Hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway speak onstage at the Kodak Theatre Cross dressers: Anne and Franco swap outfits; Franco joked that he had received a text from Charlie Sheen We're the winners: Hathaway, Franco and the winners celebrate at the end of the show Party time!

Hathaway threw a few shapes on the dance floor at the Weinstein after-party at the Chateau Marmont hotel Someone asked her if she would be naming her baby Oscar and she replied that most certainly would not be happening. Asked how her pregnancy would affect her future movie choices, she said: ’It’s one of the most exciting things of being pregnant. I’m just accepting that I have no idea, it’s accepting what people go through every day.' Helena Bonham Carter missed out on the best supporting actress Oscar as Melissa Leo won for her work on The Fighter. New haircut: A freshly shorn Scarlett Johansson and Matthew McConaughey walk on stage to present the Oscar for best sound mixing Tributes: Jennifer Hudson announced an award, while Halle Berry paid tribute to trailblazing actress Lena Horne, the first black woman to sign a contract with a studio Presenters: Oprah Winfrey presents the award for best documentary to Inside Job, while Cate Blanchett presents the Oscar for best makeup to Wolfman The actress kept her disappointment in check as she applauded Leo, alongside fellow nominee, 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld.

Leo's gong was presented to her by 94-year-old screen legend Kirk Douglas, who happily eked out his moment in the spotlight, having never won himself. 'You pinch me?' Leo asked him, not sure if she was dreaming. Fellow Australians: Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman arrive on stage to present the Oscar for best original score Silver ladies: Celine Dion performs onstage, while Hilary Swank presents the Oscar for best director Leo, nominated for a second time, had shook as she took to the stage, before accidentally blurting out a swear word, which was removed by editors. 'Oh wow, really truly wow,' she gasped. 'I know there's a lot of real lovely people who've said a lot of nice things to me for several months but I'm just shaking in my boots right now.' Good news: Reese Witherspoon holds her precious golden envelope, while Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake prepare to announce the winner of the best animated feature and best animated short film Also winning for The Fighter was Christian Bale, named best supporting actor. Bale thanked Dicky Eklund, who he played in the movie, asking the retired fighter to take a bow in the audience.

He also referred to his co-star's slip up, saying: 'I'm not going to drop the F-bomb like she did. I've done that plenty before.' No Machine: British singer Florence Welch performs If I Rise from the motion picture 127 Hours, a nominee for best original song Nominees: Mandy Moore and Gwyneth Paltrow perform tracks nominated for best original song The Social Network took its first Oscar for best adapted screenplay - handed to Aaron Sorkin for his adaptation of the book The Accidental Billionaire by Ben Mezrich. The film also picked up an award for best original score, presented to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross by Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. Inception's Gary A Rizzo & Ed Novick won an Oscar for best sound mixing and the film also won for best sound editing for the work of Richard King. The film took a third for best cinematography, going to Wally Pfister. The Oscar for best foreign film went to the movie In a Better World, from Denmark, while the Oscar for makeup went to The Wolfman.

Winner for best foreign language Film, Susan Bier accepts her award for her Danish movie In A Better World The first award, for art direction, was presented by Tom Hanks to Robert Stromberg (production design) and Karen O'Hara (set decoration) for their work on the 3D movie Alice in Wonderland. Hanks, a double winner himself, also presented the Oscar for costume design to Colleen Atwood, for her work on the Tim Burton directed movie. The winner for best animated short film was The Lost Thing, while the animated film Oscar was awarded to the considerably bigger budget Toy Story 3. 'I'm a married man': Presenters Russell Brand and Helen Mirren joke around onstage, with Brand implying that Mirren has a crush on him Presenter Josh Brolin dances with fellow presenter Javier Bardem as they make their way onto stage Toy Story also won original song for We Belong Together, Music and Lyric by Randy Newman. Missing out an an award was British graffiti artist Banksy, for his film Exit Through The Gift Shop. Instead the Oscar for best documentary feature went to Inside Job.

The show opened with co-hosts Anne Hathaway and James Franco inserted into a montage scenes from best-picture nominees, built as a series of dream sequences a la Oscar contender Inception. Hathaway and Franco joked about the criticism over their appointment as hosts. 'You look so lovely and so hip,' Anne told James. 'You look very appealing to a younger demographic as well, ' he replied. We've got Oscars! Lora Hirschberg, Ed Novick, Gary A Rizzo and presenters Matthew McConaughey and Scarlett Johansson pose backstage after Hirschberg, Novick and Rizzo win the Oscar for achievement in sound mixing for Inception Oscar Winners Oscars 2011: triumphant Colin Firth says he is happy to be remembered as Mr Darcy - Telegraph Oscars Oscars 2011: triumphant Colin Firth says he is happy to be remembered as Mr Darcy Colin Firth was named best actor on a triumphant night for The King's Speech at the 2011 Oscars - but said he always hopes to be remembered as Mr Darcy.

< > By Nick Allen , and Anita Singh 11:36AM GMT 28 Feb 2011 Comments The British actor may have received the ultimate Hollywood honour for his performance as King George VI, but he still has fond memories of his role as the aloof heart-throb in the 1995 television adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Asked if his Oscar win would shake off the Mr Darcy tag at long last, Firth said: "No, I think Mr Darcy will be alive and well for the rest of my life. Mr Darcy will be put to rest when he is buried at a crossroads at midnight with a stake through his heart. "I don't see that happening any time soon, and actually I'd be rather sad to see him go. "There's a bit of a misperception that I'm disgruntled about the Darcy thing and I'm not remotely bothered by it. I would hate to see that tag leave me so I'm very happy for it to follow me around as long as people want it to do so." Last night was a stunning triumph for the British film charting how King George VI overcame his stammer.

Related Articles Oscars 2011: Kirk Douglas hams it up 28 Feb 2011 The movie claimed a total of four Oscars with Tom Hooper taking best director and David Seidler, a boyhood stutterer himself, winning for best original screenplay. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Firth said he was relieved "to be able to actually say the word 'Oscar'" because superstitious friends had spent the past few months referring to it as "the big O" or "the little golden man". "To be able to call it what it is, which is a statue called the Oscar, is strangely refreshing," he said. Firth also said his next film would be a comedy. "I think gravitas is hugely over-rated and I just would like to do something that amuses me now. I think it's time to continue my long tradition of making a fool of myself." The King's Speech had led the nominations with 12 and eclipsed its biggest rival for the major awards The Social Network, the Hollywood blockbuster about the founding of Facebook.

Accepting his award, Firth thanked “all the people who have been rooting for me back home” and said: “I have a feeling my career’s just peaked.” He said: “I have to warn you I am experiencing stirrings somewhere in the upper abdominal region threatening to form themselves into dance moves. “Joyous as they may be they would be extremely problematic if they get to my legs before I make it off stage.” He also thanked his wife Livia for putting up with his “fleeting delusions of royalty.” Tom Hooper told the audience at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, and up to one billion viewers around the world, how his mother Meredith had found the script for the film after she was invited to see what was then an unpublished play. He said: “The moral of the story is listen to your mother.” He added: “Thank you to my wonderful actors, the triangle of man-love which is Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and me.” Perhaps the most emotional speech of the night was made by David Seidler, 73. The London-born writer's Oscar win was a crowning achievement for a man who overcame a debilitating stutter as a child.

He was born in 1936, seven months before King George VI took the British throne and as a young boy he listened as the King took to the airwaves to rally the empire to face Nazi Germany. In 1982 he wrote to the then Queen Mother asking her permission to tell the story but she asked him to wait until her death. After accepting his Oscar he said: “I accept this on behalf of all the stutterers in the world. We have a voice. We have been heard.” In the best actress category Natalie Portman won for her performance as a delusional ballerina in Black Swan. Portman won out over a field that included Annette Bening for The Kids Are All Right. Bening has now lost on all four of her Oscar nominations. The best supporting actor, and best supporting actress, awards were won by Christian Bale and Melissa Leo, both for boxing drama The Fighter. Leo swore on stage as she accepted her award, later saying: “There are many words in the English language in my vernacular. I apologise.” She was favoured over Helena Bonham Carter who had been nominated for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth, the future Queen Mother in The King’s Speech.

Bale, who played a crack-addicted former boxer, was favoured over Geoffrey Rush, who had been nominated for playing speech therapist Lionel Logue in The King’s Speech. It was a disappointing night for The Social Network which lost out in the major categories, but won three Oscars for Aaron Sorkin’s adapted screenplay, original score and film editing. Inception, the science fiction film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, also took home four Oscars, for cinematography sound mixing, sound editing and visual effects. Start your free 30 day Amazon Prime trial» Oscars 2011: The King's Speech reigns - BBC News BBC News Oscars 2011: The King's Speech reigns 28 February 2011 Read more about sharing. Close share panel Image caption The global box office success of The King's Speech has seen it take more than $230m (£142m) British film The King's Speech has been crowned best picture at the Oscars, with star Colin Firth named best actor. Tom Hooper was named best director for the film, which also won for best original screenplay at the ceremony. Its best picture rival, The Social Network, won for adapted screenplay, film editing and score.

Natalie Portman won best actress for Black Swan. Briton Christian Bale and Melissa Leo won supporting acting awards for boxing drama The Fighter. Firth, who had been firm favourite to win for his portrayal of King George VI battling a stammer, joked: "I have a feeling my career's just peaked." The success of The King's Speech was at the expense of director David Fincher and his film The Social Network - about the founding of Facebook - at the ceremony in Los Angeles' Kodak Theatre. Paying tribute to his film's stars, Hooper said: "Thank you to my wonderful actors, the triangle of man-love which is Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and me. I'm only here because of you guys." Screenwriter David Seidler thanked the Queen for "not putting me in the Tower of London" for the swearing that featured in his Oscar-winning script. 'Truly wow' The King's Speech had led the nominations, competing in 12 categories, ahead of the 10 nominations for True Grit - from which the Coen brothers' Western won nothing.

This is insane, and I truly, sincerely wish that the prize tonight was to get to work with my fellow nominees Natalie Portman Send your comments There had been eight nominations each for Inception and The Social Network, the adapted screenplay for the latter winning an Oscar for The West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin. Portman had been the favourite for the best actress prize for her performance as a disturbed ballet dancer in Black Swan. "This is insane, and I truly, sincerely wish that the prize tonight was to get to work with my fellow nominees - I'm so in awe of you," said the pregnant actress. Among the women she beat to the Oscar was The Kids Are All Right actress Annette Bening, who has now been nominated four times without success. After being named best actress in a supporting role, Leo said: "Really, really, really truly wow. I know there have been a lot of people saying some real, real nice things to me for several months now, but I am just shaking in my boots here." Youthful feel Her triumph denied Briton Helena Bonham Carter, nominated for her role as the future Queen Mother in The King's Speech, as well as The Fighter cast-mate Amy Adams.

Leo had to be bleeped by broadcasters when she swore during her acceptance speech and later apologised, saying it had been "very inappropriate". Oscar winners Alice In Wonderland - 2 Toy Story 3 - 2 During his acceptance speech, also for The Fighter, Bale joked: "I'm not going to drop the F-bomb like she did." The Welsh-born actor said: "What a room full of talented, inspirational people - and what am I doing in the midst of you?" He also paid tribute to his wife, whom he described as "my mast through the storms of life". Sci-fi spectacular Inception won four awards, for cinematography, visual effects, sound mixing and sound editing, while there were two for Alice in Wonderland, for art direction and costume design. The best make-up prize went to The Wolfman. Danish film In a Better World collected the best foreign language film prize. The best animated feature award went to Toy Story 3, which also picked up the best original song Oscar for We Belong Together. The Lost Thing was named best animated short film.

Image caption The Fighter star Melissa Leo swore during her acceptance speech for best supporting actress The best documentary feature Academy Award went to Inside Job, an examination of the recent global financial crisis. After collecting his award, director Charles Ferguson said: "Forgive me, I must start by pointing out that three years after our horrific financial crisis caused by financial fraud, not a single financial executive has gone to jail - and that's wrong." The documentary short film prize went to Strangers No More, and the live action short honour to God of Love. James Franco and Anne Hathaway hosted the 83rd Academy Awards and joked about the organisers' plans for a more youthful feel to this year's ceremony. "You look very appealing to a younger demographic," Hathaway told her co-host.

Oscars 2011: The King's Speech resonates as The Social Network blips | Film | The Guardian The King's Speech Oscars 2011: The King's Speech resonates as The Social Network blips Royal drama picks up four Oscars, including best picture, best actor for Colin Firth, and surprise best director prize for Tom Hooper, while other fancied contenders falter Monday 28 February 2011 01.43 EST First published on Monday 28 February 2011 01.43 EST Close This article is 5 years old From the moment it became clear that the climactic radio address from The King's Speech would play over clips from all the best picture nominees, there could be little doubt which way the Oscar had swung. Not only did the drama about King George VI's struggles to overcome a stutter on the eve of the second world war proceed to take the award for best picture and the awards for which it was a shoo-in – best actor for Colin Firth and best original screenplay for David Seidler – it also, in the evening's sole upset, won the best director prize for Tom Hooper.

Despite Hooper's triumph at the Directors Guild of America awards a month ago , which are generally considered an accurate barometer of the Academy's intentions (only six times in their 63-year history have they not correlated), momentum had seemed to be falling back into the hands of David Fincher, who took both the Golden Globe and the Bafta two weeks ago. For the early part of the evening, it looked like the voters might have smiled more benignly on The Social Network: it took prizes for best adapted screenplay (for Aaron Sorkin), plus best editing and best original score for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Indeed The Social Network fared far better than True Grit, which ended up trophy-free, despite 10 nominations (The Social Network had eight to The King's Speech's dozen). The Coens' reinvented western is now second only to The Color Purple in the dubious league table of biggest disappointments on Oscars night. Another big loser was rated underdog Winter's Bone, a victim, in part, of the success of David O Russell's The Fighter, which took both best supporting actor, for Christian Bale, and best supporting actress, for Melissa Leo.

Those two awards, early on in the ceremony, also both led to two of the most memorable speeches: Leo's involving a seemingly inadvertent slip of the F-word, and Bale's a promise he wouldn't repeat the trick, having already done so in public . Other big prizes went to Natalie Portman, who, as predicted, won the best actress award for her role as a troubled ballerina in Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan, and Christopher Nolan's Inception, which quietly scooped up as many awards as The King's Speech, albeit in less flashy categories. Charles Ferguson's banker expose Inside Job took the top prize in the documentary category, disappointing all those who'd hope to see Exit Through the Gift Shop win, and, even more so perhaps, its director, Banksy, unveil himself on stage to collect the award. Pixar favourite Toy Story 3 was the predictable victor in the best animation category, while Randy Newman's song from the film, We Belong Together, also romped home in its category. Fittingly, all oratories for The King's Speech were well received.

Seidler, 74, thanked the Queen for "not putting me in the Tower of London" for the film's use of swearing and dedicated the win to "all the stutterers throughout the world, we have a voice, we have been been heard, thanks to you the Academy". Hooper made reference to the bromantic nature of his film, by paying tribute to the "triangle of man-love" (with himself, Firth and Geoffrey Rush as the three points), and to his mother, who had tipped him off about a play on the same subject (although this did trigger a flurry of tweets questioning just how original David Seidler's screenplay must then have been). Firth thanked his wife, Livia, and all those people rooting for him back in the UK, before excusing himself from the stage, in case the "stirrings in my upper abdominals" manifested themselves as dance moves. But there was a mixed reception for new hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway who, despite their early admission that they were in place in order to lure a younger demographic, failed either to sufficiently amuse or charm with their combination of big-toothed enthusiasm (Hathaway) and lo-fi smirking (Franco).

Appearances from former hosts Billy Crystal and, in one memorable sequence, the late Bob Hope, only served to highlight difficulties. Musical interludes, courtesy of Gwyneth Paltrow, Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson and, in over the end credits, an enormous children's choir belting out Over the Rainbow were only marginally better received. • This article was amended on 3 March 2011. The original version called the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow. This has been corrected Will the success of The King's Speech help our film industry? Well, if it manages to get older people out to the cinema, that's a start . . . Published: 1 Mar 2011 Anne Hathaway's endless woops of excitement; Gwyneth Paltrow's 'singing'; those inept pauses. Surely it could have been done better? Hadley Freeman suggests how Published: 28 Feb 2011 My short film Wish 143 was nominated for an Oscar.

This is a diary of my trip to the ceremony: Danny Boyle, paparazzi, ceramic frogs and all Published: 28 Feb 2011 Hadley Freeman spends a surreal week in LA, bumping into her teenage heroines, sampling the gifting suites, and getting to hold Colin Firth's Oscar Published: 1 Mar 2011 Colin Firth - IMDb IMDb Actor | Producer | Soundtrack Colin Andrew Firth was born into an academic family in Grayshott, Hampshire, England. His mother, Shirley Jean (Rolles), was a comparative religion lecturer at the Open University, and his father, David Norman Lewis Firth, lectured on history at Winchester University College (formerly King Alfred's College) in Winchester, and worked on education ... See full bio » Born: a list of 23 people created 05 Dec 2010 a list of 27 people created 07 Feb 2013 a list of 21 people created 06 Dec 2013 a list of 35 people created 24 Sep 2014 a list of 24 people created 11 months ago Do you have a demo reel?

Add it to your IMDbPage How much of Colin Firth's work have you seen? User Polls Won 1 Oscar. Another 65 wins & 54 nominations. See more awards » Known For The King's Speech King George VI (2010) 2010 Arena (TV Series documentary) Various characters 2004 Saturday Night Live (TV Series) Host 2000 Donovan Quick (TV Movie) Donovan Quick 1985 Dutch Girls (TV Movie) Truelove 2007 In Prison My Whole Life (Documentary) (executive producer) Hide 2010 The King's Speech (performer: "Camptown Races" - uncredited) 2008 Mamma Mia! (performer: "Our Last Summer", "Take A Chance On Me", "Waterloo") 2007 St.

Trinian's (performer: "Love Is In The Air") 2002 The Importance of Being Earnest (performer: "Lady Come Down") Hide 2007 The Department of Nothing (Short) (short story) Hide 1999 Shakespeare in Love and on Film (TV Movie documentary) (thanks) Hide 2016 Circus Halligalli (TV Series) Himself 2016 Mardi cinéma (TV Series) Himself 2016 Clevver Now (TV Mini-Series) Himself 2001-2016 Live!

with Kelly (TV Series) Himself / Himself - Guest 2016 The Insider (TV Series) Himself 2008-2016 Entertainment Tonight (TV Series) Himself 2009-2015 Días de cine (TV Series) Himself 2015 World Premiere (TV Series) Himself 2002-2015 The Daily Show (TV Series) Himself 2012-2015 Rencontres de cinéma (TV Series) Himself 2009-2015 Made in Hollywood (TV Series) Himself 2015 In Character With...

(TV Series) Himself 2005-2015 Film 2016 (TV Series) Himself / Himself - Interviewee 2014 Good Morning America (TV Series) Himself - Guest / Himself 2010-2014 Charlie Rose (TV Series) Himself - Guest / Himself 2010-2012 Le grand journal de Canal+ (TV Series documentary) Himself 2011 The Big Picture (TV Series) Himself 2011 60 Minutes (TV Series documentary) Himself - Actor (segment "The King's Speech") 2011 Piers Morgan Tonight (TV Series) Himself 2010 The 7PM Project (TV Series) Himself 2008-2010 Cinema 3 (TV Series) Himself - Episode dated 19 February 2010 (2010) ...

Himself - A Single Man 2008-2010 Xposé (TV Series) 2010 ITV Lunchtime News (TV Series) Himself 2009 2009 Britannia Awards (TV Special) Himself 2008 Mama Mia!: Becoming a Singer (Video documentary short) Himself 2003-2008 The View (TV Series) Himself / Himself - Guest 2008 E! True Hollywood Story (TV Series documentary) Himself 2008 VTV Interviews (TV Series) Himself 2007 The Money Programme (TV Series documentary) Himself 2006 Corazón de...

(TV Series) Himself 2005 This Morning (TV Series) Himself 2005 Same Bridget, Brand New Diary (Video documentary short) Himself 2004 Mioch versus Goderie (TV Series) Himself 2004 The Big Fight (Video documentary short) Himself / Mark Darcy 2004 The Mini Break to Austria (Video documentary short) Himself / Mark Darcy 2003 Tinseltown TV (TV Series) Himself 2003 The Storytellers (Video documentary short) Himself / Jamie 2002 Forever Ealing (TV Movie documentary) Himself - Interviewee 2002 At the IFC Center (TV Series documentary) Himself 2002 The Early Show (TV Series) Himself 2002 Weekend Today (TV Series) Himself 2002 VH1 Cast Party (TV Series) Himself 2002 Judi Dench: A BAFTA Tribute (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1985 Arena (TV Series documentary) Himself - Narrator 2016 The Insider (TV Series) Himself 2016 Entertainment Tonight (TV Series) Himself 201

1 60 Minutes (TV Series documentary) Himself - Actor (segment "The King's Speech") - Designing Life/The N-Word/The King's Speech (2011) ...

Himself - Actor (segment "The King's Speech") 2010-2011 Breakfast (TV Series) Personal Details Other Works: Played "Guy Bennett" - 1930s public school boy turned notorious Russian spy - in Julian Mitchell 's award-winning play, "Another Country", at the Queen's Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, UK (1982). See more » Publicity Listings: 9 Interviews | 9 Articles | 4 Pictorials | 23 Magazine Cover Photos | See more » Official Sites: Did You Know? Personal Quote: The English people, a lot of them, would not be able to understand a word of spoken Shakespeare. There are people who do and I'm not denying they exist. But it's a far more philistine country than people think. See more » Trivia: Resided in the United States for a year when he was age 12. See more » Star Sign:

Question: Whom did Colin Firth play when he won the Best Actor Oscar in 2011?
Answer: King GEORGE VI