Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1946-02-20
- Born Place: Ramsgate, Kent, England, UK
Also Known As:
Brenda Anne Bottle, 布蘭達·布蕾辛, برندا بلثین
Brenda Blethyn
Brenda Blethyn is a highly celebrated English actress, born Brenda Bottle on February 20, 1946, in Ramsgate, Kent. Before embarking on her illustrious acting career in her late twenties, she pursued administrative roles. After training at the Guildford School of Acting, she joined the Royal National Theatre in 1976, quickly gaining recognition for her stage performances, including a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Benefactors (1984).Blethyn's film breakthrough came in 1996 with Mike Leigh's Secrets & Lies, for which her powerful and nuanced performance earned her a Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, and an Academy Award nomination. She received a second Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress in Little Voice (1998), further solidifying her reputation. Her diverse film credits also include A River Runs Through It (1992), Saving Grace (2000), Atonement (2007), and her memorable portrayal of the flustered and anxious Mrs. Bennet in Joe Wright's 2005 adaptation of Pride & Prejudice.On television, Blethyn is perhaps most widely known for her beloved role as Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope in the long-running ITV crime drama series Vera, which she starred in from 2011 until 2025. She also appeared in sitcoms like Chance in a Million and The Labours of Erica, and received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Anne Frank: The Whole Story (2001) and her guest role in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2008). In recognition of her significant contributions to drama, Brenda Blethyn was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003.
