Gary Oldman Biography

(Actor, Comedian & Singer)

Birthday: March 21, 1958 (Aries)

Born In: New Cross, London, England

Gary Oldman is one of the most successful English actors, filmmakers, and musicians. Not only has he carved a niche for himself in Hollywood as one of the most versatile actors, but he has also built a cult following for his dapper good looks and his talent. Throughout his film career, he has worked together with a number of top Hollywood filmmakers such as, Christopher Nolan, Francis Ford Coppola, Ridley Scott and Quentin Tarantino, to name a few. He is best known for his roles in films like Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’, ‘Air Force One’, ‘State of Grace’, ‘Meantime’, ‘Lawless’, the ‘Harry Potter’ series and the ‘Batman’ trilogy. A trained actor, he is a ‘Royal Court Theatre’ alumnus and has also worked with the ‘Royal Shakespeare Company’. He has been lauded for his conventional acting style and multiplicity, and has been hailed by prominent film critics as one of Hollywood’s greatest actors.

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Quick Facts

British Celebrities Born In March

Also Known As: Gary Leonard Oldman

Age: 66 Years, 66 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Gisele Schmidt (m. 2017), Alexandra Edenborough (m. 2008–2015), Donya Fiorentino (m. 1997–2001), Lesley Manville (m. 1987–1990), Uma Thurman (m. 1990–1992)

father: Leonard Bertram Oldman

mother: Kathleen Oldman

siblings: Laila Morse

children: Alfred Oldman, Charlie John Oldman, Gulliver Flynn Oldman, Phelix Imogen Fincher

Born Country: England

Actors Directors

Height: 5'9" (175 cm), 5'9" Males

City: London, England

Notable Alumni: Rose Bruford College

More Facts

education: Rose Bruford College

  • 1

    What are some iconic roles played by Gary Oldman?

    Some of the iconic roles played by Gary Oldman include Sirius Black in the Harry Potter series, Commissioner Gordon in The Dark Knight trilogy, and Dracula in Bram Stoker's Dracula.

  • 2

    Has Gary Oldman ever won an Oscar?

    Yes, Gary Oldman won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Winston Churchill in the film "Darkest Hour."

  • 3

    Is Gary Oldman British?

    Yes, Gary Oldman is British. He was born in London, England.

  • 4

    What is Gary Oldman's acting style known for?

    Gary Oldman's acting style is known for his versatility and ability to completely transform into various characters, often through extensive research and method acting techniques.

  • 5

    Has Gary Oldman worked with any famous directors?

    Yes, Gary Oldman has worked with several famous directors including Christopher Nolan, Luc Besson, and Francis Ford Coppola.

Childhood & Early Life
Gary Leonard Oldman was born to Leonard Bertram Oldman and Kathleen in New Cross, London.
His father was a severe alcoholic and left the family when Gary was just seven-years-old.
He studied at the West Greenwich School in Deptford, but dropped out of high school to work in a sports shop. From a very young, he expressed his interest in music and was an accomplished singer and pianist.
After watching Malcolm McDowell’s performance in ‘The Raging Moon’ in 1970, he decided that he wanted to pursue a career in acting. This is when he decided to join ‘Young People’s Theater’ in Greenwich.
During this time, he also did a number of odd jobs to support himself financially. He then earned a scholarship to attend Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama in Kent, from where he obtained a BA in Acting, in 1979.
He made his professional stage debut in 1979 as ‘Puss’ in ‘Dick Whittington and his Cat’ at York’s Theatre Royal.
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Career
He became a hit with the audiences in Glasgow during the 1980s. He was seen in plays like ‘Massacre at Paris’, ‘Desperado Corner’, ‘A Waste of Time’ and ‘Chincilla’.
In 1982, he made his film debut in ‘Remembrance’, a film by Colin Gregg. The next year, he landed a role in ‘Meantime’. He then went on to star in ‘Saved’, which proved to be a major breakthrough for the actor.
He was cast in the lead role of ‘Scopey’ in the play ‘The Pope’s Wedding’ in 1984. He won two of British theatre's top honours: the Time Out Fringe Award for Best Newcomer, and the Drama Theatre Award for Best Actor, for his brilliant performance. From 1985 to 1986, he became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
In 1987, he received a prestigious BAFTA nomination for his role as Joe Orton in ‘Pick Up Your Ears’. The same year, he was seen in the plays, ‘Serious Money’ and ‘The Country Wife’.
In 1988, he starred in ‘We Think the World of You’ opposite Alan Bates. He also starred in ‘Chattahoochee’ the following year, opposite Dennis Hopper and ‘Frances McDormand. The same year, he starred in the British drama, ‘The Firm’, which is rated as one of his best performances till date.
In the 1990s, he moved to the United States and starred in movies like ‘State of Grace’, ‘JFK’, ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’ and ‘True Romance’. Oldman soon became a popular actor and portrayer of anti-heroes and negative characters in films.
From 1995 to 1999, he starred in ‘Murder in the First’, ‘The Fifth Element’, ‘Lost in Space’, ‘Air Force One’ and ‘Jesus’.
In the new millennium, he appeared as ‘Sheldon Runyon’, a Republican congressman in the film, ‘The Contender’, which was released in 2000.
The following year, he starred opposite his ‘Dracula’ co-star, Anthony Hopkins in ‘Hannibal’, portraying the character of the only living victim of Hannibal Lecter. The same year, he made two guest appearances on the hit American series, ‘Friends’.
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Following his appearance on ‘Friends’, his career slumped drastically between the first half of the new millennium. He appeared in a few forgettable films including ‘Tiptoes’ and ‘Sin’.
He returned to playing Sirius Black, Harry Potter’s ‘godfather in the ‘Harry Potter’ film series. Radcliffe and Oldman reportedly became very close to each other during the shooting of the film, in 2004.
In 2005, he was seen as ‘James Gordon’ in Christopher Nolan’s, ‘Batman Begins’. He reprised the role for ‘The Dark Knight’, three years later.
From 2009 to 2011, he was seen in ‘A Christmas Carol’, ‘The Unborn’, ‘The Book of Eli’ and Catherine Hardwicke’s ‘Red Riding Hood’.

In 2012, Gary Oldman was seen once again in ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ as ‘James Gordon and also appeared as a mobster in the film, ‘Lawless’.

In 2014, he starred in the remake of ‘RoboCop’ and in ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’.

In 2020, Gary Oldman portrayed�Herman J. Mankiewicz in Mank.�The role fetched him several nominations, including the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

Major Works
His performance in ‘Sid and Nancy’, which released in 1986, was critically acclaimed. He played the role of the infamous ‘Sid Vicious’ from the ‘Sex Pistols’. His performance in the film is largely credited for carving a permanent place for him in Hollywood. This is largely considered one of his major works because his performance is ranked as no. 62 in Premiere’s list of ‘100 Greatest Performances of All Time’. His name is also included in Uncut’s list of ’10 Best Actors in rockin’ roles’.
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His role in the 1991 film, ‘JFK’ was lauded by critics and he widely became known for his villainous roles soon after. The film is by-far, one of the highest-grossing films of his career, earning $205,405,498 at the box-office and being nominated for 8 Academy Awards.
Awards & Achievements

Gary Oldman�won the ‘Evening Standard British Film Award’ for ‘Most Promising Newcomer’ for ‘Sid and Nancy’, in 1987.

He won the Saturn Award for ‘Best Actor’ for ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’ in 1992.
He won the People’s Choice Award for ‘Best Cast’ for ‘Dark Knight’, in 2009.
He won the San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for ‘Best Actor’ for ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’, in 2011.
He won the Richard Attenborough Regional Film Award for ‘Best British Film Star’ for ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’, in 2012.
Personal Life & Legacy

Gary Oldman married Lesley Manville in 1987 and fathered a son with her. However, he divorced her in 1989

He married actress Uma Thurman in 1990 but ended the marriage with her two years later. The couple was childless.
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He was in a relationship with model/actress Isabella Rossellini, but called off his engagement with her. He was then briefly married to Donya Florentino from 1997 to 2001. He fathered two sons with her.
In 2008, he married Alexandra Edenborough and currently lives with his family in Los Angeles.

Gary Oldman is an avid supporter of the football team�Millwall.

Facts About Gary Oldman

Gary Oldman is known for his incredible versatility as an actor, having played a wide range of characters from Sirius Black in the Harry Potter series to Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour.

Despite his intense and often dark on-screen persona, Gary Oldman is actually a talented musician who plays the piano and violin.

Gary Oldman is a self-professed bookworm and has a passion for literature, often reading extensively to prepare for his roles.

In addition to his film work, Gary Oldman has also lent his voice to several video games, including the popular Call of Duty series.

Gary Oldman is a committed environmentalist and has supported various conservation efforts throughout his career, including speaking out against climate change.

Gary Oldman Movies

1. The Dark Knight (2008)

  (Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller)

2. Léon (1994)

  (Thriller, Drama, Crime)

3. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

  (Action, Thriller)

4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

  (Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery, Drama)

5. Batman Begins (2005)

  (Action, Adventure)

6. Darkest Hour (2017)

  (History, Biography, Drama, War)

7. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

  (Mystery, Fantasy, Family, Adventure)

8. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

  (Mystery, Family, Adventure, Fantasy)

9. True Romance (1993)

  (Thriller, Romance, Drama, Crime)

10. JFK (1991)

  (Thriller, Drama, History)

Awards

Academy Awards(Oscars)
2018 Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Darkest Hour (2017)
Golden Globe Awards
2018 Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama Darkest Hour (2017)
BAFTA Awards
2018 Best Leading Actor Darkest Hour (2017)
1998 Best Screenplay - Original Nil by Mouth (1997)
People's Choice Awards
2009 Favorite Cast The Dark Knight (2008)

See the events in life of Gary Oldman in Chronological Order

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- Gary Oldman Biography
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