Feb 16, 1946

Warrington, Cheshire, England,

An odd-looking but quite fascinating bloke with prominent, bony cheeks and a rawboned figure, distinguished character actor Pete Postlethwaite was born in 1946 and grew up in Cheshire, England amid middle-class surroundings. He went to college and while completing his studies developed an interest in theatre, to the chagrin of his family. His father, a laborer, wanted him to find a more secure position in life.

A drama teacher initially, he decided to follow his acting instincts full-time and... ... (read more...) gradually built up an impressive array of classical stage credits via repertory, including the Bristol Old Vic Drama School and stints with Liverpool Everyman, Machester Royal Exchange and Royal Shakespeare Company. By the 80s he was ready to branch out into film and TV, giving a startling performance as a wife abuser in the British film Distant Voices, Still Lives (1988). His highly distinctive features were subsequently put to good use in a number of versatile roles, usually menacing but sometimes humble, and most frequently as working-class types.

By 1993 he had crossed over into Hollywood parts and earned his first Oscar nomination for his superb role as Daniel Day-Lewis' father in In the Name of the Father (1993). Other quality roles came his way with The Usual Suspects (1995), Brassed Off (1996), and Amistad (1997). Television has been a creative and positive venue as well with such fine work in "Sharpe's Company" (1994), Lost for Words (1999) and The Sins (2000). Working equally both here and abroad these days, Postlethwaite avoids the public limelight for the most part and lives quietly in England.