Period Movie Star - Hugh Bonneville

Hugh Bonneville

Hugh Bonneville as
Captain Oldknow in
From Time to Time

Hugh Richard Bonneville Williams, more commonly know as Hugh Bonneville, is quite a famous name in the British cinema and on TV. Hugh Bonneville was born on 10th November, 1963, in London. After hi schooling in London, he joined the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, in London in order to fulfill his dream of becoming an actor. He is also an alumnus of the National Youth Theater.



Hugh Bonneville has acted in a number of period dramas, both on TV and the big screen. Some of his works are -

Hugh Bonneville as
Mr. Rushworth in
Mansfield Park

1. Henleigh Grandcourt in Daniel Deronda (2002) (TV mini series)
2. Jeremy Ogivly in The Vicar of Dibley (2007) (TV mini series)
3. Prince Regent in Beau: This Charming Man (2006) (TV mini series)
4. Rev. Brook Bridges in Miss Austen Regrets (TV Movie) (2008)
5. Sir Hugh Carlton Greene in Filth:The Mary Whitehouse Story (TV Movie) (2008)
6. Mr. Bennet in Lost in Austen (TV mini series) (2008)
7. Gilbert in Glorious 39 (2009)
8. Pilate in Ben Hur(TV) (2010)
9. Edward Masterman in Agatha Christie's Poirot - Murder on the Orient Express (TV series) (2010)

Some of his major roles are -

Hugh Bonneville as
Robert Crawley in
Downton Abbey

1. Mr. Rushworth in Mansfield Park (1999) - very rich but dim witted fiance of Maria.
2. Captain Oldknow in From Time to Time (2009)
3. Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham in Downton Abbey (2010)

His most noted and famous role to date is that of Robert Crawley in Downton Abbey, which also earned him a Golden Globe nomination for the best actor in a television series. 

Hugh Bonneville is one of those actors who are meant for the period dramas, through and through!

Golden Globe 2011 dominated by Period Dramas

The winners for Golden Globe Awards have been announced and its quite evident that period dramas dominated the evening this time!

Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady

1. Best Motion Picture Comedy/Musical - The Artist
2. Best Performance by an Actress in Motion Picture - Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady
3. Best Performance by an Actor in Motion Picture Comedy/Musical - Jean Dujardin for The Artist
4. Best Performance by an Actress in Motion Pictures Comedy/Musical - Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn
5. Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini Series/Motion Picture made for Television - Kate Winslet for Mildred Pierce
6. Best Mini Series/ Motion Picture made for Television - Downton Abbey
7. Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture - Octavia Spencer for The Help

Michelle Williams for
My Week with Marilyn

Almost all the major categories were won by period dramas and their actors. Apart from the winners, there were numerous nominations from period dramas, to name a few :

• Best Motion Picture - The Help, Hugo, War Horse
• Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Glenn Close for Albert Nobbs, Viola Davis for The Help
• Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Leonardo Di Caprio for J. Edgar
• Best Motion Picture Comedy/Musical - My Week with Marilyn
• Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture - Berenice Bejo for The Artist, Jessica Castain for The Help, Janet McTeer for Albert Nobbs
• Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture - Viggo Mortenson for A Dangerous Method, Kenneth Branagh for My Week with Marilyn

And many many more nominations from Period Movies! 

Proud to be a Period Cinema Lover!

Finding Neverland (2004) - Reviewed

My Overall Rating - 7.5/10

Finding Neverland (2004)

If you're one of those people who haven't seen Johnny Depp in any movie apart from The Pirates of the Caribbean then I think this movie would be a very nice change. Finding Neverland is a movie about the play write J.M. Barrie (Depp) and how he got the inspiration to create Peter Pan.

Llewelyn Davies Family - Finding Neverland

The movie is directed by Marc Foster and the screenplay is by David Magee. It also boasts of an excellent starcast, Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie, Dustin Hoffman, Freddie Highmore, Radha Mitchell among the rest.

The story begins with J.M. Barrie not being happy with the lukewarm response to his play on the opening night. On a sunny day, in a park J.M. Barrie comes across the Llewelyn Davies family with four young boys and their widowed mother Sylvia (Winslet). With each passing day Barrie's affection for the Llewelyn Davies family grows and this paves a way for a fairy tale. The story then proceeds showing the people and the events that led to the creation of one of the best children's books ever, PETER PAN.

Johnny Depp as J.M. Barrie in
Finding Neverland

This period drama is definitely one of those which preserves the innocence and at the same time reflects the difficulties of life. The complete cast has done a great job and this is exactly what was expected from them.

Johnny Depp as J.M. Barrie is a delight to watch, though I think some of his scenes alongside Kate Winslet show signs of weakness but that's fine because Winslet can make anyone look inferior. His accent is not exactly what is was supposed to be but its impressive all the same.

Kate Winslet as Sylvia Llewelyn Davies in
Finding Neverland

Kate Winslet, as expected from her, gives a powerful and emotional performance, she'll make you cry that's one thing for sure. It takes hardly one or two scenes to connect to her character Sylvia, a widowed mother of four boys with no money at all.

Freddie Highmore as Peter Llewelyn Davies in
Finding Neverland

Freddie Highmore, this young kid (well I shouldn't be calling him kid) is superb. Somehow I find him so cute and innocent and highly sensible, all at the same time. When a twelve year old kid gets a chance to act in front of biggies like Kate Winslet and Johnny Depp, well I can't imagine if anyone could do better than this.

Overall the movie is great to watch, with or without kids. The acting, the background music and the costumes, all are impeccable. You need to free one of your evenings and watch this period drama.

IMDb Link - Finding Neverland
Wikipedia Link - Finding Neverland