British Actresses - Queens of the Cinema Quiz

Answer: Maggie Smith

Dame Margaret Smith was born in England in 1934. She appeared in her first film in 1956. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" (1969), and again for Best Supporting Actress for her role in "California Suite"(1978). My personal favorite Maggie Smith performance is in the wonderful 1984 film, "A Private Function".

Answer: Vanessa Redgrave

Vanessa Redgrave was born in London, England in 1937. Her parents: Sir Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson. Her sister is Lynn Redgrave, and her daughters are Natasha and Joely Richardson; all are actors. Redgrave won an Academy Award in 1977 for playing the title role in the film based upon Lillian Hellman's "Julia".

She first burst upon the scene in the 1966 film "Blowup". She has given many memorable performances since then: dancer Isadora Duncan in "Isadora" (1969), Clarissa Dalloway in "Mrs. Dalloway" (1997), transsexual Renee Richards in "Second Serve" (1986).

Answer: Deborah Kerr

Deborah Kerr was born in Scotland in 1921, and began her theatrical career as a ballerina. She has been Oscar-nominated for Best Actress several times for her work, including the 1949 film "Edward, My Son", 1953's "From Here to Eternity", the magnificent film "The King and I" (1956), 1957's "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison", the poignant 1958 film "Separate Tables", and 1960's "The Sundowners". Miss Kerr was awarded an Honorary Oscar in 1993 in which she was recognized for the "perfection, discipline and elegance" of her film work.

She nearly always appears in films as refined and cool. When "From Here to Eternity" was released, her passionate love scene (with Burt Lancaster) on a beach in Hawaii caused a sensation.

Answer: Judi Dench

Judi Dench spent a very small amount of time on-screen for an Oscar winner, only eight minutes (in "Shakespeare In Love"). She was born in England in 1934, studied acting in London, and began her acting career in the theater. Since then she has acted on stage, screen and on television.

In addition to the Oscar for "Shakespeare In Love", her work has earned other Oscar nominations: "Mrs. Brown" (1997), "Notes on a Scandal" (2006), "Mrs Henderson Presents" (2005), and "Chocolat" (2000).

Answer: Emma Thompson

Emma Thompson was born in London in 1959. Her father, Eric Thompson, and her mother Phyllida Law are both succesful actors. She became a star with roles in several successful films, 1992's "Howard's End" (for which she received an Oscar for Best Actress), 1993's "In the Name of the Father", 1993's "The Remains of the Day", and "Carrington" (1995).

She also won an Oscar for her adaptation of the novel "Sense and Sensibility" (1995), in which she also played a leading role. "Nanny McPhee", written by her, was first released in 2005.

She worked on that project for nine years, and starred in the film as well.

Answer: Keira Knightley

Keira Knightley was born in Middlesex, England in 1985. She began her acting career at age seven. Knightley's breakthrough role was in the soccer-themed, "Bend It Like Beckham" in 2002, followed by "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" in 2003.

She also starred in the 2005 film "Domino", a film based on the life of the late bounty hunter Domino Harvey; and followed up with the 2005 film "Pride and Prejudice", an adaptation of Jane Austen's novel.

Answer: Thandie Newton

Thandie Newton is the daughter of a Zimbabwean mother and a British father. She spent the first years of her life in Zambia, until her family was forced to move to the U.K. due to political turmoil. She studied to be a dancer till a back injury forced her to give it up.

She turned to films, her first role was in the 1991 film "Flirting". She has also received a degree in anthropology. She played the role of Makemba 'Kem' Likasu on the very popular U.S. television series "ER" during 2003-2005, and appeared in the Will Smith film "The Pursuit of Happyness" in 2006.

Answer: Glenda Jackson

Dame Glenda Jackson was born in Cheshire, England in 1936. She's a two-time Academy Award-winner, and has been elected to the British Parliament. Jackson made her professional stage debut in 1957, and her first film appearance in "This Sporting Life" in 1963.

She received a great deal of attention for her strong performance in the 1969 Ken Russell film "Women in Love", which also brought her an Oscar for Best Actress. Her second Academy Award came for her role in "A Touch of Class" in 1973. Jackson was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1978.

She gave up her acting career to run for a seat in the British House of Commons in 1992. She is an outspoken critic of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, for his position on Britain's participation in the war in Iraq, and other issues.

Answer: Helena Bonham Carter

Bonham Carter was born in London in 1966. She is from a prominent political British family; her great-grandfather was the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Herbert Henry Asquith. She decided to become an actress at an early age. Her first starring part was in "Lady Jane", released in 1986; she played the title role.

She also appeared as Lucy Honeychurch in the fine film "A Room with a View", also released in 1986. After several period films, she moved on to star in "Fight Club" in 1999, and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" in 2005.

She received her first Oscar nomination for "The Wings of the Dove" (1997).

Answer: Helen Mirren

Helen Mirren was born in 1945 in London, and she was named Ilyena Vasilievna Mironov. Her father is of Russian origin, her mother an Englishwoman. Her father, Vasily Petrovich Mironov, called himself Basil, and he changed the family name to Mirren. By the time she was twenty, Helen Mirren was a star at London's Old Vic.

She went on to star in "O Lucky Man!" in 1973, "The Long Good Friday" in 1980, "Excalibur" in 1981, and "The Queen" in 2006. During her career, she has portrayed three English queens, Elizabeth I, Elizabeth II, and Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, in "The Madness of King George" in 1994. Mirren is also acclaimed for her portrayal of detective Jane Tennison in the television series "Prime Suspect" from 1991-2006.

In December 2003, she was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II.