Michael Sheen (born 5 February 1969) is a BAFTA and Laurence Olivier Award- nominated Welsh actor perhaps best known for his portrayal of Tony Blair in the Stephen Frears-directed films The Deal and The Queen.
Biography
Early life
Sheen was born in Newport, Monmouthshire to Irene and Meyrick Sheen, both of whom worked in personnel management. His father is also a very successful part-time professional Jack Nicholson look-alike.12 Michael has one sibling, a younger sister named Joanne. The young Sheen was brought up in Port Talbot where he attended Glan Afan comprehensive school and joined the National Youth Theatre of Wales at sixteen, eventually training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
Career
Sheen soon established himself as one of the most promising talents on the theatrical scene, notably being cast as Mozart in Peter Shaffer's play Amadeus, which was staged at the Old Vic theatre and directed by Sir Peter Hall.
His screen appearances include the BBC drama serial, Gallowglass (based on the novel by Ruth Rendell), and the films Wilde (1997) (in which he played Robert Ross) and Mary Reilly. However, he remains primarily a stage actor, having starred in high-profile productions of Henry V, Peer Gynt, The Dresser, Caligula and Look Back in Anger, among others.
In 2003, he appeared with Kate Beckinsale in the gothic horror-action film Underworld. Salon review Andrew O'Hehir commented that while the "... entire movie is full of campy overacting... Brolly and Sheen seem to have been selected for their talents in this regard. Sheen prances around giving one of those line readings where one word is ridiculously overstressed ("You're acting like a pack of wild DOGS!"), and he looks distressingly like the female-to-male backup singer in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch."3 Sheen has also appeared with Beckinsale in the season seven premiere of Punk'd.
He played Tony Blair in the Channel 4 drama The Deal and the film The Queen, as well as Kenneth Williams in Fantabulosa! on BBC Four and H G Wells in H G Wells: War with the World on BBC Two.
At the 2005 British Academy Television Awards, Sheen was nominated for Best Actor for his performance in the TV drama, Dirty Filthy Love, in which he played a man with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
In 2007, he received two BAFTA nominations, this time for Best Supporting Actor in a Film, for his performance in The Queen, and for Best Television Actor, for his role in Fantabulosa; once again, he was unsuccessful in both cases. In 2006, he played the role of Emperor Nero in the BBC's Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire. Later that year, he played David Frost in the much-acclaimed Donmar Warehouse production of Peter Morgan's Frost/Nixon, which later transferred to the Gielgud Theatre before heading to Broadway. He reprised the role in the Broadway production in 2007.
In 2007, he read Paul Torday's novel Salmon Fishing in the Yemen on BBC Radio 4's Book at Bedtime. Also in 2007, Sheen was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.4
Sheen is expected to play Brian Clough in Peter Morgan's forthcoming adaptation of David Peace's novel The Damned Utd, based on Clough's 44-day spell in charge of Leeds United.
On 2 October 2007, it was announced that Peter Morgan was working on a sequel to "The Queen", and that Michael Sheen will be reprising his role as Tony Blair. He will also be reprising his role as Lucian in the third Underworld, a prequel to the original film.
Personal life
Sheen and former longtime girlfriend, English actress Kate Beckinsale, have a daughter together; Lily Mo Sheen was born 31 January 1999. Their long standing relationship ended when, during the filming of Underworld, in which they both starred, Beckinsale left him for the film's director, Len Wiseman, to whom she is now married. Although, he did not appear in the 2006 sequel, other than in flashbacks to the first film, Sheen will feature prominently in the upcoming Underworld prequel, Underworld 3: The Rise Of The Lycans. Wiseman will produce the film but will not write or direct, it is still being debated whether or not Kate Beckinsale will reprise her lead role of Selene.56
After living for a time in the United States with Beckinsale, he returned to the United Kingdom when their relationship ended. Sheen and Beckinsale are co-parenting their daughter. He is a long time fan of Swansea City football club.
On the 15th July 2008, Michael was awarded the freedom of the borough of Neath Port Talbot, making him one of the youngest people to receive the honour and putting him amongst a very elite group of people, including Sir Anthony Hopkins.
Filmography
References
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Underworld (2003) · Underworld: Blood Enemy (2004) · Underworld: Evolution (2006)
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