Fiona Shaw
(1958 - )One of my recent “discoveries” is Fiona Shaw, a real gem of a character actress. Although on stage she is a lead, in films she is a wonderful supporting actor. Her versatility is evidenced in one look at her film and stage credits. She is a tall, slim woman with a narrow, classic face, brownish to sandy colored hair, eyes that pierce through you, and fine diction that suits her Irish-English accent. By classic face, I mean one that transcends time; that fits into any century. This is perfect for period pieces and epic films. Some actors are not so blessed and are confined to contemporary 20th to 21st century roles. She is also blessed with intelligence as well as talent and has incited controversy with some of her roles. She was born Fiona Mary Wilson on July 10, 1958 in Cork, Ireland of a half-English father and an Irish mother. Very little is known of her early years but even though her native Cork, Ireland was not a theatre stronghold, she enjoyed performing be it singing songs, poetry or piano playing. She earned a degree in Philosophy at Cork University. As a young woman she attended RADA and trained for the theatre. She joined the National Theatre in 1982. Before long she was not only acting on stage but receiving acclaim for her work in the U.K. and America. She was also a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company (1985) for a time. Her most controversial role was as “Richard the II.” This stirred up quite a storm among critics, the theatre world and fans alike. Even with the success she has had on stage she finds theatre sometimes tedious, repetitious and boring. Thus she is anxious, to our advantage, to try films and television and other media. Her films are an eclectic lot and include: “Sacred Hearts” (1985) as Sister Felicity, her film debut; “My Left Foot” (1989) as Dr. Eileen Cole, her first high profile role; “Mountains of the Moon” (1990) with Patrick Bergin, as Isabel Adams; “3 Men and a Little Lady” (1990) with Tom Selleck and Ted Danson, as Miss Elspeth Lomax; “London Kills Me” (1991) as Headley; “Super Mario Bros.” (1993) as Lena; “Undercover Blues” (1993) as Paulina Novacek; “Maria’s Child” (1993) as Pauline; “Persuasion” (1995) as Mrs. Croft; Jane Eyre” (1996) with William Hurt and Joan Plowright, as Mrs. Reed; “Anna Karenina” (1997) a Lydia; “The Butcher Boy” (1997) as Mrs. Nugent; “The Avengers” (1998) as Father; “The Last September” (1999) as Marda Norton; “Mind Games” (2000) as Frances O’Neil; “The Triumph of Love” (2001) as Leontine; “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (2002) as Aunt Petunia Dursley and “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” (2003). On TV she was a regular in the series: “The Last Machine” (1995) Various roles and “Gormenghast” (2000) a mini-series, as Irma Prunesquallor. She also appeared in TV movies including: “Love Song” (1985); “For The Greater Good” (1991); “Seascape” (1994); “Wagner’s Women” (1995); “Richard II” (1997); the excellent “RKO 281” (1999) and “The Seventh Stream” (2001). She also guested on “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” in 1984. She was awarded a C.B.E. (Companion of the British Empire) in 2001. She is an actor to watch.
From Great Character Actors, Page 9.
|
