Trivia

He has been a fan of "Thor" since childhood. When Marvel Studios selected Branagh as the director of the film adaptation, they sent him the complete collection of the Marvel Thor comics series as reference material for the character.

Grew up in poverty in the shadow of a tobacco factory in Belfast. Kenneth was just nine years old when he and his family left Belfast and moved to England.

Despite having lived in England for the majority of his life and being associated closely with it, he considers himself more Irish than English.

Was originally considered for the part of the younger Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999).

In 2022, he became the first person to be nominated for an Oscar in seven different categories over the course of his career:

• Best Picture
• Best Director
• Best Actor in a Lead Role
• Best Actor in a Supporting Role
• Best Original Screenplay
• Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
• Best Live Action Short Film.

Claims that Derek Jacobi is the reason he got into acting, and thus Jacobi became a frequent collaborator with him in most of his movies.

At age 23, he became the youngest actor in the Royal Shakespeare Company to ever play the lead in Shakespeare's "Henry V".

He and his ex-wife, Emma Thompson, have appeared in separate films in the Harry Potter series. Branagh played Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), and Thompson played Sybil Trelawney in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). Depending on what has been cut from the script for the fifth film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) could be the first time both have appeared together in the same film since their divorce. Also appearing in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) is his ex-girlfriend, Helena Bonham Carter.

He can play guitar, piano and tap.

Was one of the directors considered for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). He had appeared in the previous film, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002).

He can speak Italian.

Originally cast as the lead in Amadeus (1984) before the production company decided on casting American actors in the leading roles.

Often circles the camera around his actors when they are performing a monologue or having a conversation in one of his Shakespearean films.

His extramarital affair with co-star Helena Bonham Carter during the Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) shoot, ultimately precipitated his divorce from then wife Emma Thompson in 1995.

He was awarded the Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire at the Nov. 9, 212 Queen's Birthday Honours List at Buckingham Palace for his services to Drama and to the community in Northern Ireland.

The last film he made with Emma Thompson was Much Ado About Nothing (1993). Their roles had previously been played in an earlier film by Robert Stephens and Maggie Smith, who were also a couple at the time. Branagh and Thompson appeared together in Fortunes of War (1987) and Henry V (1989), which also featured Stephens, and in the Harry Potter films with Smith.

Along with Orson Welles, Laurence Olivier, Woody Allen, Warren Beatty, Clint Eastwood and Roberto Benigni, he is one of only seven men to receive Academy Award nominations for both Best Actor and Best Director for the same film: Welles for Citizen Kane (1941), Olivier for Hamlet (1948), Allen for Annie Hall (1977), Beatty for both Heaven Can Wait (1978) and Reds (1981), Branagh for Henry V (1989), Eastwood for both Unforgiven (1992) and Million Dollar Baby (2004), and Benigni for Life Is Beautiful (1997).

Youngest actor to receive the Golden Quill (Gielgud Award), 2000.

He has directed Derek Jacobi in five films: Henry V (1989), Dead Again (1991), Hamlet (1996), Cinderella (2015) and Murder on the Orient Express (2017).

Educated at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), London.

Has directed many other Harry Potter cast members in his own movies. Ex-wife Emma Thompson appeared with him in Henry V (1989), Dead Again (1991), and Much Ado About Nothing (1993). Robbie Coltrane appeared in Henry V (1989). Julie Christie and Timothy Spall appeared in Hamlet (1996). Imelda Staunton appeared in Much Ado About Nothing (1993). John Cleese, Robert Hardy, and Helena Bonham Carter appeared in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994).

He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Laurence Olivier in My Week with Marilyn (2011). Olivier himself was nominated for the award for his role as Dr. Christian Szell in Marathon Man (1976).

He was one of the guests at King Charles III's and Queen Camilla' wedding on 9 April 2005.

One of only three actors to have their names mentioned by a character in the Blackadder series, alongside Charles Chaplin (Blackadder Goes Forth (1989), and Delia Smith (Blackadder: Back & Forth (1999)). Blackadder mentioned his name in Blackadder: Back & Forth (1999) whilst talking to William Shakespeare on the topic of 'Hamlet'.

Until 2022, he was the last actor to have received an Academy Award nomination for his role in a Shakespearean film. He was nominated for Best Actor for playing the title character in Henry V (1989), which he also directed. In 2022 Denzel Washington was nominated for Best Actor for playing the title character in Macbeth.

He allegedly declined the C.B.E. (Commander of the order of the British Empire) in 1994.

As of 2024, he has appeared in two films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Dunkirk (2017) and Oppenheimer (2023). However, early in his career he did appear as an uncredited extra in the Best Picture Winning Chariots of Fire (1981).

He has no children from either of his marriages.

Of his fifteen directorial efforts, only four - Dead Again (1991), Peter's Friends (1992), A Midwinter's Tale (1995) and Belfast (2021) - were not based on preexisting material: (1) Henry V (1989), Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Hamlet (1996), Love's Labour's Lost (2000) and As You Like It (2006) were all adaptations of plays by William Shakespeare, (2) Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) was an adaptation of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel "Frankenstein; or the Modern Prometheus", (3) The Magic Flute (2006) was based on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's 1791 opera "Die Zauberflöte", (4) Sleuth (2007) was an adaptation of the 1970 play of the same name by Anthony Shaffer, (4) Thor (2011) was based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, (5) Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014) was based on the "Jack Ryan" novel series by Tom Clancy, (6) Cinderella (2015) was based on Charles Perrault's fairy tale of the same name and, more directly, Cinderella (1950) and (7) Murder on the Orient Express (2017) was based on the 1934 novel of the same name by Agatha Christie.

Was considered for the role of Jack Crawford in The Silence of the Lambs (1991).

In 1990, he received an honorary doctorate in Literature from Queen's University (located in Belfast, Northern Ireland).

Shares two film roles with Laurence Olivier: Henry V and Hamlet. He and Olivier also both directed their own performances in both films. He also directed Sleuth (2007), a remake of the 1972 film, in which Olivier starred. This time, Michael Caine played Olivier's part, while Jude Law played the second of two roles he shared with Caine - having previously appeared in Alfie (2004). Kenneth Branagh has also played the title role in a Naxos Audiobook CD of "Richard III', by William Shakespeare, another role that Olivier also played. Branagh portrayed Laurence Olivier in My Week with Marilyn (2011) and was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance.

Is a vice-president of Chichester Cinema at New Park. Maggie Smith and Anita Roddick are also vice-presidents.

Co-founded the Renaissance Theatre Company with David Parfitt, with King Charles III as a royal patron.

He has two roles in common with Laurence Olivier, whom he played in My Week with Marilyn (2011): (1) Olivier played King Henry V in Henry V (1944) while Branagh played him in Henry V (1989) and (2) Olivier played the title character in Hamlet (1948) while Branagh played him in Hamlet (1996). In each case, Olivier and Branagh directed the relevant film.

He directed his then wife Emma Thompson in four films: Henry V (1989), Dead Again (1991), Peter's Friends (1992) and Much Ado About Nothing (1993).

His top ten films of all time are: Napoleon (1927), Citizen Kane (1941), Brief Encounter (1945), Black Narcissus (1947), The Third Man (1949), The Searchers (1956), Manhattan (1979), Raging Bull (1980), Tootsie (1982) and Au Revoir Les Enfants (1987).

Has directed two people who have played Batman: Christian Bale in Henry V (1989), and Michael Keaton in Much Ado About Nothing (1993).

He has directed Brian Blessed in four films: Henry V (1989), Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Hamlet (1996) and As You Like It (2006).

Was age 15 when he first saw "Hamlet" performed.

A Member of the RADA Council.

Was considered for the role of Paul Smecker in The Boondock Saints (1999). The role ultimately went to Willem Dafoe.

In 1994 a biography was released, "Ken & Em: A Biography of Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson" by Ian Shuttleworth.

Won the 2004 Evening Standard Theatre Award as Best Actor for playing the title role in "Edmond" at the Royal National Theatre, and nominated in 2009 for playing the title role in "Ivanov" at Wyndham's Theater in London.

He directed Richard Briers in nine films: Henry V (1989), Peter's Friends (1992), Swan Song (1992), Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994), A Midwinter's Tale (1995), Hamlet (1996), Love's Labour's Lost (2000) and As You Like It (2006).

His 4 hour version of Hamlet is the only time the whole play was filmed and featured many actors who would not normally be in a Shakespeare play or movie such as Jack Lemmon and Charlton Heston.

To date (2008), he has appeared as the title character in five films: Henry V (1989), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994), Hamlet (1996), Shackleton (2002), Wallander (2008).

He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1983 (1982 season) for Most Promising Newcomer for "Another Country", and nominated in 2004 for "Edmond".

He was awarded the 1988 London Critics Circle Theatre Award (Drama Theatre Award) for Special Award.

Although he played Cherie Lunghi's son in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994), he is only eight years her junior in real life.