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Want the news as soon as it comes in? Join Ken-Friends, the Kenneth Branagh Mailing List, which has spies in every corner of the globe... ;-) And if you have a bit of news or info yourself, let me know. This includes any "chance" encounters you might have with our Ken (on the street, in a restaurant, outside his home as you're being dragged away by security), but if you're stalking him, I don't wanna know...
Greetings Kenians! Abject apologies for always being behind, it is not laziness, and I will eventually get all the info up here. Thankfully these days the news can reach you quickly in many ways, and the Compendium probably serves more than ever as a sort of archive. So, for re-runs and to find all the photos again, this is the place.
First things first: new project! Kenneth will be directing the film version of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. The film will be shot in Guernsey and you can read the first announcements here and here. You can read about the first actor hired (a nice reuniting) for the film here. They are also scouting locations and looking for a child actor, which you can read about here. This last article comes with a nice photo
Awards Season: KB has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in My Week With Marilyn. HitFix quotes his reaction:
“It was a rare honor to play Sir Laurence Olivier. To be recognized by the Academy for doing so is overwhelming. I'm absolutely thrilled.”There was also a short article about KB's Oscar experiences.- Kenneth Branagh
Best Supporting Actor, "My Week With Marilyn"Kenneth is also shortlisted in the Best Actor category at the Evening Standard British Film Awards for 2011. The awards will be presented on 6 February.
Meanwhile, although the Critics Choice Award and the Golden Globe did not go to him, Ken did win the Supporting Actor of the Year award at the 32nd London Critics' Circle Film Awards. Congratulations!
And while we are on the awards, here are tons of photos from the various events: At the 17th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards, Los Angeles, 12 January 2012, At the BAFTA Los Angeles 18th Annual Awards Season Tea Party, 14 January 2012, Arriving at the at the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards, 15 January 2012, Arriving at the London Film Critics' Circle Awards, London, 19 January 2012, and With his award at the London Film Critics' Circle Awards, London, 19 January 2012.
And for today's "extra photo finish", a great photo from the recording of Life and Fate, a wonderful portrait from Entertainment Weekly, and another from USA Today.
More soon I hope!
(29 January, thanks Jules, Myriam, Annette, Jude)
Kenneth was named 2011 Hollywood International Star of the Year by Hollywood News. Here is the blurb, you can see some photos on the site:
Kenneth Branagh PHOTOS: 2011 Hollywood International Star of the YearHollywoodnews.com: A lot is being made this awards season of George Clooney’s versatility in front of and behind the camera, as the “Ides of March” director finds himself in the Oscar race for his performance as a bewildered father in Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants.”
And it’s true that Clooney is enjoying a productive 2011. But Kenneth Branagh has performed a similar feat this year.
Consider this. Earlier this year, Branagh kicked off the Summer 2011 season with his Shakespeare-by-way-of-Marvel-comics blockbuster, “Thor.” The smash hit earned a whopping $449 million at the worldwide box office, establishing Chris Hemsworth as a bankable star while also setting the stage for “Captain America” and, later, Joss Whedon’s “The Avengers.” It was a coup for Branagh, but he wasn’t finished yet.
It’s Branagh’s masterful turn as Sir Laurence Olivier in Simon Curtis’ charming “My Week With Marilyn” that has the respected actor in the Oscar race for a Best Supporting Actor trophy. By playing his hero, Branagh lends stability and professionalism to a unique behind-the-scenes drama. For these triumphs, we’re please to recognize Kenneth Branagh as our 2011 Hollywood International Star of the Year.
Various things about My Week With Marilyn... the film has garnered 16 inclusions in the "longlists" for the 2012 British Academy Film Awards (Baftas): Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Leading Actor (Eddie Redmayne), Leading Actress (Michelle Williams), Supporting Actor (Kenneth Branagh), Supporting Actress (Judi Dench, Zoe Wanamaker). Of course, this list will be whittled down, but you-know-who might make the cut. :-)If you live in Los Angeles you have the chance to see My Week With Marilyn at the Egyptian Theatre on Wednesday 11 January. It says there will be a "Discussion following with Michelle Williams and Kenneth Branagh". Click here for details and to buy tickets.
There seem to be a million online interviews for My Week With Marilyn. At the risk of repetion here is another one, with a cute beginning. And there are a other new articles: here; here; here and here.
In June there was a small article about Kenneth's sponsorship involvement with the Windsor Fringe Festival. You can now see details on the Windsor Fringe website.
Waaay back catch-up, a video interview with KB about directing Thor.
Wallander, series two, is showing in Australia about now and two articles have appeared (though only one related to the Oz showing): here and here.
Troop rally! You can vote for Kenneth as Best Actor and/or Best Director at the Empire Awards.
And photo finish... Kenneth presented Michelle Williams with the Desert Palm Achievement Actress Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala and you can see the photos here.
More soon!
(8 January, thanks Emma, Lara, Kate, Jude)
Kind of in chronological order, the video and audio stuff: On-set footage from 'My Week With Marilyn'; Kenneth Branagh LIVE Q&A; on the Leonard Lopate radio show; ArcLight video interview; on The Today Show; video interview on iamRogue.com; interview with Movie City News; on Canada AM; on American Morning. And with a slightly broader scope, a treat from Thompson On Hollywood: Kenneth Branagh, Part One and Kenneth Branagh, Part Two.
Believe or not, there are also a couple of carpel-tunnel-stained wretches who wrote articles (substantial interviews): Kenneth Branagh Talks Michelle Williams, Olivier, and “My Week With Marilyn” and Kenneth Branagh "My Week With Marilyn" Interview. There is also an amusing what if snip: 'My Week With Marilyn' Musical: Guess Who Wants to Costar With Katy Perry.Kenneth was on the Piers Morgan show and there is a transcript here. (You may want to check the original link since the first draft, captured here, is a bit funky and there may have been corrections.)
And speaking of Piers Morgan, here's an excerpt from The 100 British celebrities who really matter by Piers Morgan (100 to 79), from 10 March 2010:
88 KENNETH BRANAGHYou can find the whole lot from above listed neatly in the Reading Room. :-)The last time I saw Branagh, he was emerging from a workout with the same 6ft 7in Austrian torturer I use in LA. Once he'd got his breath back, we exchanged banter about the importance of a good physical state if you work in American TV or films. 'It's such bloody hard work out here,' he moaned, accurately.
'And the only way to cope with the long hours is to put yourself through this hell three times a week!' Yet he does it, because he wants to stay right where he is - as one of Britain's most successful entertainment exports.
He's not as big a celebrity as when he was married to Emma Thompson and acting's golden couple dominated the tabloids. But he won't be shedding tears about that. What he remains is an outstanding talent who on his day can blow the socks off any other living British actor.
I have updated the Photo Gallery a teensy bit (if I ever catch up with that I will open a bottle of champagne!). Links to photos from the more recent events are here. You can find a quicklist here.
There is lots more, and I hope to be back soon!
(28 December, thanks Renie, Paula, Annette, Jonathan, Emma, Susan, Jude, Kristyna)
Nominations! One: nominated for Best Supporting Actor, Critics Choice Awards 2011. Two: nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role, Screen Actors Guild Awards 2011. Three: nominated for Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, Golden Globe Awards 2011. Let's hope someone is three times lucky! (There is no question about being deserving!)
The Hollywood Reporter reported nominee reactions to the Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations:
Kenneth Branagh, 'My Week With Marilyn' -- Qutstanding Supporting Actor In a Film: "I am so grateful to the Screen Actors Guild for recognising my work, and that of the extraordinary cast and especially the remarkable performance of Michelle Williams. Laurence Olivier set a standard for artists. To play him was a great honour, and for the performance to be acknowledged by my fellow actors is especially meaningful to me. I feel very lucky and very proud to be an actor."You can listen to Kenneth talk to Chelsea Handler about his reaction to the nominations here. And you can read about his reaction here.Casting back to early December, Kenneth talked to HeyUGuys at the British Independent Film Awards.
You can watch a Good Day LA interview with Kenneth to promote My Week With Marilyn here. And you can read a review of the film here.
In other promo news, Kenneth was on the Late, Late show With Craig Ferguson and will be on The View on Thursday 22 December (if you read this in time).
That's it for now but there will be more anon (the hols from the salt mine start soon!).
(20 December, thanks Jude, Annette, Auriette, Paula, Miriam)
And you can read about Ken receiving the Variety Award at the British Independent Film Awards here, and see a few photos here.
Three new videos have been added to the My Week With Marilyn page: My Week with Marilyn - Official "Kenneth Branagh" Interview, My Week With Marilyn Premiere, and Kenneth Branagh on My Week With Marilyn.
More to come...
(6 December, thanks Ina, Kristyna, Eva, Patricia)
The photos from the London premiere of My Week With Marilyn are here. I promised pictures from the Bafta event and they will be here next time.
Gong time: read about Ken's upcoming British Independent Film award here.
That's it for today. A reminder that you can get nice clean lists of articles in the Reading Room, and all the pertinent articles and photos are gathered on the My Week With Marilyn page. More soon! (27 November, thanks Alexandra, Jude, Ralphe, Yvonne, Jules, Myriam, Patricia)
There are photos from yesterday's Bafta event and they will be up soon. Apparently the Bafta Q & A will be availble online at some point - great news.
That's all for today. Back soon, I hope!
(20 November, thanks Pierpaolo, Emma, Jane, Myriam)
Something new: Kenneth is in the cast of The Prodigal, a short film by Benjamin Grayson. You can explore the website here. Check out Behind the scenes for you-know-who. We'll keep you posted on future showings.
There are photos from the New York premiere of My Week With Marilyn - see them here.
As mentioned in the last news, Ken was on the Today show on Monday. You can see two clips on the Today website: here and here.
That's it for today. More soon...
(15 November, thanks Emma, Jude, Myriam, Paula)
I will be back soon - just getting this up in case anyone in NYC sees it and can get tix to My Week With Marilyn.
(12 November, thanks Jude)
More soon!
(8 November, thanks Hester, Jude)
The Painkiller and Belfast were wonderful! The Ken-Friends who managed to be there for the last weekend of the play had a fabulous time (waving to you all) and KB was charming, very stylishly dressed (even out of the Zegna suit he wore the play :-)) and generous with the photo ops (and chatty admirers).
I only have one thing today (still getting my bearings): a nice article from early October, part Painkiller review, part career review, but with a few nice nuggets. Enjoy.
If you came in through the front door you'll have noticed a new image from My Week With Marilyn. There are a few more on the film's website.
More in the coming week, I hope.
(30 October, thanks Jules)
Back in a week or so!
(7 October, thanks Annette)
You can see lovely photos here. Mr. B is looking like a million dollars!
ON Wednesday 5 October you can listen to Mark Lawson meets Kenneth Branagh, as he returns to the stage in his native Belfast at 7:15 pm on BBC Radio 4.
And don't forget that you can download the episodes of Life and Fate from the BBC website (even if you are not in the UK). Well worth it!
This is just a brief update but I will be back after my own trip to Belfast to fill in the holes. (1 October, thanks Jude, Ina, Annette, Paula)
You can also read an article about the project here.
Aaaannnnddddd... we are approaching the first performance of The Painkiller (previews begin next Friday, 23 September), so we have a lovely new photo (from the Lyric Theatre Facebook page). Aaaannnnddddd... you can watch a lovely video interview with Kenneth and Rob Brydon.
And since the cup runneth over, drink deep - but in a hurry, there are only 5 days left to catch this - and enjoy an in-depth interview with Kenneth on Philip Dodd's Night Waves.
I am sure there will be more soon!
(14 September, thanks Emma, Ina, Jude)
More soon!
(5 September, thanks Emma)
Kenneth Branagh has become the Patron of the Progress Theatre in Reading. You can read the press release here, and an article here. And you can refresh your memory with a photo of KB as Cassio in a Progress Theatre production of Othello. The second article comes with a lovely young pup photo.
There are a couple of Thor articles: one and two
My Week With Marilyn is set to open the New York Film Festival. You can read an article here. There is also a short article which touches on Thor and My Week With Marilyn. A poster for the film has been released, you can see it here. A few photos have also been released, the latest of Michelle Williams as Marilyn, but they are building up the suspense for Branagh as Olivier visuals. Stay tuned!
Someone has captured a bit of the filming of "The Dogs of Riga", part of Wallander, series three - you can see it here.
Finally, speculation on a future project: Branagh Joining The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society?. We'll see... plus there was that rowing film somewhere in the mix. Wish these were not all director gigs...
Finally, ...on the actor gig front, a few more cast members have been added to The Painkiller. You can see the list on the Lyric Theatre site here.
More to come!
(24 August, thanks Aidan, Jude, Auriette)
So we move on to The Painkiller (yay!!), My Week With Marilyn, and Wallander 3. Stay tuned...
I have some Thor articles still to put up, they will appear at some point, and there should be a couple of new things soon.
(24 July, thanks Pierpaolo, Annette)
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