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Glenda Jackson

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BIO

Glenda May Jackson was born on 9 May 1936 in Birkenhead, in Wirral, the daughter of a bricklayer. She joined a YMCA drama group and two years later, she won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).



She joined the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in 1964. A year later, her big breakthrough came in Peter Brook's stage production of Marat/Sade. Jackson transferred with the production to Broadway.


In 1976 she returned to the RSC in the title role of Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, directed by Trevor Nunn. She was Oscar-nominated for the subsequent film version, which Nunn also directed.

Glenda Jackson has won the Academy Award for Best Actress twice, receiving the first for her role as Gudrun Brangwen in the romantic drama film Women in Love (1970) and the second for her role as Vickie Allessio in the romantic comedy film A Touch of Class (1973). She also garnered praise for her performances as Alex Greville in the drama film Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971) and Elizabeth I in the BBC television serial Elizabeth R (1971), winning two Primetime Emmy Awards for the latter. In 2018, she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her role in a revival of Edward Albee's Three Tall Women, thus becoming one of the few performers to have achieved the "Triple Crown of Acting" in the US.

Jackson took a hiatus from acting to take on a career in politics from 1992 to 2015, and was elected as the Labour Party MP for Hampstead and Highgate in the 1992 general election. She served as a junior transport minister from 1997 to 1999 during the government of Tony Blair, later becoming critical of Blair. After constituency-boundary changes, she represented Hampstead and Kilburn from 2010. In the 2010 general election, her majority of 42 votes was one of the closest results of the entire election. She stood down at the 2015 general election.

She later returned to the screen, In 2016 - a full quarter of a century after last treading the boards - took on the role of King Lear at the Old Vic. Two years later, she won a Tony Award on Broadway in a revival of Edward Albee's Three Tall Women.

She went on to win a Bafta for her role in the TV drama Elizabeth Is Missing in 2020. She recently completed filming The Great Escaper in which she co-starred with Michael Caine.

Jackson died at age 87 in June 2023.

Photos

STAGE CREDITS

[Broadway]
Broadway Revival, 2019
King Lear

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 2018
A

[West End]
Old Vic Revival Production, 2016
King Lear [Replacement]

[Broadway]
Broadway Revival, 1988
Lady Macbeth

[Broadway]
1985
Nina Leeds

[Broadway]
1981
Rose

[West End]
Original London Production, 1966
Performer


Movies

Marat/Sade
[ 1967 ] Charlotte Corday
Negatives
[ 1968 ] Vivien
Women in Love
[ 1969 ] Gudrun Brangwen
Sunday Bloody Sunday
[ 1971 ] Alex Greville
The Music Lovers
[ 1971 ] Nina Antonina Milyukova
Mary, Queen of Scots
[ 1971 ] Queen Elizabeth
The Triple Echo
[ 1972 ] Alice
The Nelson Affair
[ 1973 ] Lady Hamilton
A Touch of Class
[ 1973 ] Vickie Allessio
The Devil Is a Woman
[ 1974 ] Sister Geraldine
The Romantic Englishwoman
[ 1975 ] Elizabeth
Hedda
[ 1975 ] Hedda
The Maids
[ 1975 ] Solange
The Incredible Sarah
[ 1976 ] Sarah Bernhardt
Nasty Habits
[ 1977 ] Alexandra
House Calls
[ 1978 ] Ann Atkinson
The Class of Miss MacMichael
[ 1978 ] Conor MacMichael
Stevie
[ 1978 ] Stevie
Lost and Found
[ 1979 ] Tricia
HealtH
[ 1980 ] Isabella Garnell
Hopscotch
[ 1980 ] Isobel von Schönenberg
The Return of the Soldier
[ 1982 ] Margaret Grey
Giro City
[ 1982 ] Sophie
Turtle Diary
[ 1985 ] Neaera Duncan
Beyond Therapy
[ 1987 ] Charlotte
Business as Usual
[ 1988 ] Babs Flynn
Salome's Last Dance
[ 1988 ] Herodi, Lady Alice
The Rainbow
[ 1989 ] Anna Brangwen
Doombeach
[ 1989 ] Miss
King of the Wind
[ 1990 ] Queen Caroline
Mothering Sunday
[ 2021 ] Jane Older

Awards and Nominations

Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2019 - Outstanding Actress in a Play

Glenda Jackson, King Lear


winner
BroadwayWorld Awards - 2018 - Best Leading Actress in a Play

Glenda Jackson, Three Tall Women


winner
Drama Desk Awards - 2018 - Outstanding Actress in a Play

Glenda Jackson, Three Tall Women


winner
Drama League Awards - 2018 - Distinguished Performance Award

Glenda Jackson, Three Tall Women


winner
Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2018 - Outstanding Actress in a Play

Glenda Jackson, Three Tall Women


winner
Tony Awards - 2018 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Glenda Jackson, Three Tall Women

Olivier Awards - 2017 - Best Actress

Glenda Jackson, King Lear

Drama Desk Awards - 1988 - Outstanding Actress - Play

Glenda Jackson, Macbeth

Tony Awards - 1988 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Glenda Jackson , Macbeth

Tony Awards - 1985 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Glenda Jackson, Strange Interlude

Olivier Awards - 1984 - Actress of the Year in a Revival

Glenda JacksonStrange Interlude

Tony Awards - 1981 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Glenda Jackson, Rose

Olivier Awards - 1980 - Actress of the Year in a New Play

Glenda JacksonRose

Olivier Awards - 1979 - Actress of the Year in a Revival

Glenda JacksonAntony And Cleopatra

Olivier Awards - 1977 - Actress of the Year in a New Play

Glenda JacksonStevie

Tony Awards - 1966 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Glenda Jackson, Marat/Sade

Videos

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many Broadway shows has Glenda Jackson been in?

Glenda Jackson has appeared on Broadway in 7 shows.

How many West End shows has Glenda Jackson been in?

Glenda Jackson has appeared on London's West End in 2 shows.

What was Glenda Jackson's first West End show?

Glenda Jackson's first West End show was Us which opened in

What awards has Glenda Jackson been nominated for?

Outstanding Actress in a Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for King Lear, Best Leading Actress in a Play (BroadwayWorld Awards) for Three Tall Women, Outstanding Actress in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Three Tall Women, Distinguished Performance Award (Drama League Awards) for Three Tall Women, Outstanding Actress in a Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Three Tall Women, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Three Tall Women, Best Actress (Olivier Awards) for King Lear, Outstanding Actress - Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Macbeth, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Macbeth, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Strange Interlude, Actress of the Year in a Revival (Olivier Awards) for Strange Interlude, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Rose, Actress of the Year in a New Play (Olivier Awards) for Rose, Actress of the Year in a Revival (Olivier Awards) for Antony And Cleopatra, Actress of the Year in a New Play (Olivier Awards) for Stevie and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Marat/Sade.

What awards has Glenda Jackson won?

Glenda Jackson has won the following awards: Best Leading Actress in a Play (BroadwayWorld Awards) for Three Tall Women, Outstanding Actress in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Three Tall Women, Distinguished Performance Award (Drama League Awards) for Three Tall Women, Outstanding Actress in a Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Three Tall Women, and Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Three Tall Women.

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