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Glenda Jackson

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Glenda Jackson 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.

Glenda Jackson Photos

Glenda Jackson 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


Glenda Jackson Movies

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

Glenda Jackson 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

Glenda Jackson Videos

Glenda Jackson News


Rachel Zegler & Kit Connor Will Star in Sam Gold-Directed ROMEO + JULIET on Broadway


Following yesterday's social media tease, BroadwayWorld can confirm Rachel Zegler (Steven Spielberg's West Side Story) and Kit Connor (Netflix's Heartstopper) will star as Juliet and Romeo respectively in a revival of William Shakespeare's most famous play on Broadway this fall.

Review: Heartbeat's Bio-Version EUGENE ONEGIN Dazzles under Director/Designer Dustin Wills


If you cross the traditional EUGENE ONEGIN by Tchaikovsky (great even when overfilled with drama and, yes, music music music, with Konstantin Shilovsky’s co-libretto) with a touch of Ken Russell’s 1971 “The Music Lovers” (the overwrought bio-pic of Tchaikovsky with Richard Chamberlin and Glenda Jackson as his patron and wife that took the composer out of the closet for anyone who didn’t know he was there), and you might have an idea of what Heartbeat Opera’s version of the opera-cum-composer’s tale is like.

Meet the Cast of UNCLE VANYA, Beginning Previews Tonight on Broadway


Uncle Vayna is back this season courtesy of Lincoln Center Theater. This version of the play features a new translation by Heidi Schreck and is directed by Lila Neugebauer.  Meet the cast of Uncle Vanya here!

Patrick Page, Reeve Carney, Santino Fontana & More to Lead Red Bull Theater's 20th Anniversary Festival


RED BULL THEATER has revealed details for the upcoming 20th Anniversary Festival, an all-star series of workshops and readings of Shakespeare, his contemporaries, & more. See who is starring, and learn how to purchase tickets.

Review Roundup: National Theatre's THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA


Read the reviews for The House of Bernarda Alba at the National Theatre.

Steve Carell Will Make His Broadway Debut in UNCLE VANYA; Additional Cast Revealed!


Steve Carell is headed to Broadway! The actor, best known for starring in the television series The Office, will make his Broadway debut in Lincoln Center Theater's upcoming production of Anton Chekhov’s classic UNCLE VANYA. Find out more information about the production here!

Michael Imperioli Will Make Broadway Debut Opposite Jeremy Strong in AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE


Emmy & SAG Award winner Michael Imperioli will make his Broadway debut opposite Jeremy Strong in AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE. We have all the details on when the play will arrive, which theatre it will play, and more!

Review: KING LEAR, Wyndham's Theatre


Alarm bells ring when a director stars in the play they are also directing. Even if that director is Sir Kenneth Branagh. Nine times out of ten the production falls flat and the audience are left wondering if ego is to blame. Branagh’s hotly anticipated stab at King Lear is, sadly, no exception.

Review: BATTERSEA BARDOT, New Wimbledon Theatre Studio


Anne Rabbitt plays the British movie star who burned out too soon in the cauldron of Hollywood's casting couch environment of the 60s.

Interview: Michael Coveney on THE FINAL CURTAIN: 'Describing Any of These Great Actors in an Obituary is Like Pinning Butterflies to Walls'


Death is not the end - at least, if there is a journalist on hand to tell the world of your deeds. Michael Coveney is best known for his work as a theatre critic at the Daily Mail, Financial Times, The Guardian and Observer alongside which he wrote a series of obituaries covering many of the most famous actors of the last century.

Kathryn Hunter and Winsome Pinnock Announced as New RADA Honorary Fellows


Kathryn Hunter and Winsome Pinnock have been made Honorary Fellows of RADA.

Eden Espinosa, Alison Pill, Asmeret Ghebremichael & More Join Williamstown Theatre Festival Programming


Williamstown Theatre Festival has revealed the lineup for the WTF Cabaret, a cabaret series curated in partnership with Tony Award nominee and Festival mainstay Christopher Fitzgerald. See who is starring and learn how to purchase tickets!

The Royal Alexandra Theatre to Dim Marquee Lights in Memory of Glenda Jackson


The lights of the Royal Alexandra Theatre will be dimmed at 8 pm on Tuesday, June 20.

West End Theatres Will Dim Lights in Memory of Glenda Jackson


SOLT/UKT has announced that West End theatres will dim their lights for the passing of Glenda Jackson.

Glenda Jackson Dies at Age 87


Oscar-winning actor and former MP Glenda Jackson has died at the age of 87, her agent has said.

Maggie Siff, Pico Alexander & More to Star in ORPHEUS DESCENDING at TFANA


Theatre for a New Audience will present Tennessee Williams’ Orpheus Descending, July 9–August 6 at Polonsky Shakespeare Center. See who is starring, and learn how to purchase tickets!

Video: Jeremy Strong Talks Theatre Roots and ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE on CBS SUNDAY MORNING


Watch Jeremy Strong revisit his theatre roots and discuss his post-SUCCESSION return to Broadway in ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE on CBS Sunday Morning.

SUCCESSION Star Jeremy Strong Will Return to Broadway in AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE


Jeremy Strong (Succession) will star in a new Broadway production of Henrik Ibsen’s AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, featuring a new adaptation by Amy Herzog, directed by Tony Award- winner Sam Gold. The production will premiere on Broadway in early 2024 at a theater to be announced.

Patrick Page & More to Star in TITUS ANDRONICUS Reading at Red Bull Theater


RED BULL THEATER announced the complete cast for the next offering of a new season of OBIE Award-winning Revelation Readings: Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare, directed by Jesse Berger.

Jason Butler Harner, Patrick Page & More to Star in TITUS ANDRONICUS Reading at Red Bull Theater


RED BULL THEATER has announced the complete cast for the next offering of a new season of OBIE Award-winning Revelation Readings: Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare, directed by Jesse Berger.

Glenda Jackson 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?

Glenda Jackson has been nominated for several awards throughout her career, including Outstanding Actress in a Play at the Outer Critics Circle Awards for "King Lear," Best Leading Actress in a Play at the BroadwayWorld Awards for "Three Tall Women," and Outstanding Actress in a Play at the Drama Desk Awards for "Three Tall Women." She has also received nominations such as Distinguished Performance Award at the Drama League Awards for "Three Tall Women," Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play at the Tony Awards for "Three Tall Women," and Best Actress at the Olivier Awards for "King Lear." Additionally, Glenda Jackson has been nominated for awards like Outstanding Actress - Play at the Drama Desk Awards for "Macbeth," Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play at the Tony Awards for "Macbeth," and Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play at the Tony Awards for "Strange Interlude." She has also received nominations for Actress of the Year in a Revival at the Olivier Awards for "Strange Interlude," Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play at the Tony Awards for "Rose," and Actress of the Year in a New Play at the Olivier Awards for "Rose." Furthermore, Glenda Jackson has been nominated for Actress of the Year in a Revival at the Olivier Awards for "Antony And Cleopatra," Actress of the Year in a New Play at the Olivier Awards for "Stevie," and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play at the Tony Awards for "Marat/Sade."

What awards has Glenda Jackson won?

Glenda Jackson has won several awards for her performance in the play Three Tall Women on Broadway. These include Best Leading Actress in a Play at the BroadwayWorld Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Play at the Drama Desk Awards, Distinguished Performance Award at the Drama League Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Play at the Outer Critics Circle Awards, and Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play at the Tony Awards.

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