Favorite British Actors / Actresses?

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I could've SWORN we had a thread like this, but despite my going-through about 10 pages on this forum, and using the "Search" function, I can't find it, so.....

Actors (whom I've seen in at least 2 different things; and, in no particular order)

Bill Nighy, Colin Firth, Martin Clunes, Brendan Coyle, John Dagleish, Richard Harris (Irish), Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Derek Jacobi, Sir Christopher Lee, Alan Rickman, Mark Williams, Jason Isaacs, Jeremy Irons, Liam Neeson (Irish), Ralph Fiennes, Sir Roger Moore, Ben Miles, Peter O'Toole, Sir Sean Connery, Sir John Gielgud.....

Actresses (whom I've seen in at least 2 different things; and, in no particular order)

Dames Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, and Helen Mirren; Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Julie Walters, Brenda Blethyn, Claudie Blakley, Hattie Morahan, Julia Sawalha, Ruby Bentall, Linda Bassett, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, Liz Smith, Frances de la Tour, Stephanie Cole, Miranda Hart, Dame Eileen Atkins.....

Oh, there's just too many to name! I just know there are people I'm forgetting!

American actors / actresses PALE, in comparison!

My top five list, both living and dead...

1. Rowan Atkinson
2. John Inman
3. Mollie Sugden
4. Benny Hill
5. John Cleese

Oh, SEE----I'm a fan of ALL of those (except Benny Hill). I GREATLY appreciate the genius of John Cleese, though I've never liked anything he's done (except, "Nealy Headless Nick" LOL).

FWIW Campin', I'm also 53 so we've obviously lived the same era, however I feel Basil Fawlty has to be one of the funniest UK television characters ever. In addition, Cleese had me rolling on the floor in tearful hysteria with his big-screen perfomance in Neil Simon's 1999 Out-of-Towners.

Also don't forget Hill's movie career outside his raunchy TV show which includes the classic musical, Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang along with the cult slapstick, Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines.


I could also throw Peter Sellers into the list, though I have somewhat mixed feelings about him outside of Clouseau.

If I could go anywhere and cast anyone, I'd make a movie in the early 70s and cast Peter Sellers, Oliver Reed & Patrick Mcgoohan. Mcgoohan can be co-writer too if he wants.

I think Fawlty Towers was excellent, and was Cleese's best work, but that his Monty Python stuff is a bit overrated. Cleese has often struck me as a bit of a bore when giving serious interviews; he seems obsessed by Middle Class hang-ups (he always pronounces it 'Middle Claaaws' ), and it really irritates me for some reason when he invariably refers to Monty Python as 'Python'.

Yeah, like I said, I totally recognize / appreciate his genius. I think the reason I have such trouble watching "Fawlty Towers", is because John is so friggin' hyper. I have ADHD and have worked extremely hard to be calm, and I don't want anything taking me "back there". (I ADORE Dr. Oz, but I can't watch HIM, for the same reason.)


Oh, that's right----I totally LOVED him, in "Chitty Chitty..."!

Oh, I forgot to say that my favorite "Fawlty Towers" was the one where Geoffrey Palmer was a doctor, and Basil served breakfast to a dead guy, and wondered why the dead guy didn't say "Thankyou"! LOL I watch it, every time it comes on----it may be the only one I've seen in its entirety. I've tried, OFTEN, to watch it, because it's such a beloved show, and I WANT to like it, but..... The other thing, too, is Basil's wife has a terribly annoying voice----like, when she's on the phone, drives me NUTS! John's REAL wife (the maid), ATT, I ADORE!

Oh, I've also seen the one where John's real wife pretended to be Basil's wife (she was in bed, with sunglasses on; Basil's wife got angry at him, and left him).

let's see favorite British actors/list..


men-
1.David Suchet
2.Hugo Weaving
3.Ian McKellen
4.Sean Bean
5.Sam Neil

women-
1.Billie Piper
2.cate blanchett
3.Lysette Anthony
4.helena bonham carter
5.Alex Kingston

Geoffrey Palmer is another genius who should be on my list if I extended it to a "top ten". I think I watched every episode of "Butterflies" because I had such a big crush on Nicholas Lyndhurst back then.

Also you're quite fortunate if you can still get "hyper" at 53. I have to perk myself up with caffenated pop nowdays.

Yeah, I must say I appreciate Helena Bonham Carter's acting. I remember how floored I was, when I saw her in a movie and she was actually quite pretty----even, beautiful----cuz, she's always been such a MESS when I've seen her on award shows, for instance.

I'm NOT a fan of Cate Blanchett, though----she just totally gives me the willies (I don't know why).

I'm a fan of Kate Winslet, though.....

Isn't Cate Blanchett Australian?

Deep Hour, I think Miss Blanchett is Australian..

Kate Beckinsale

I like Anthony Hopkins and Hugh Laurie.