Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

196

Gender

Male

Birthday

1960-12-10 (65 years old)

Place of Birth

Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

Also Known As

ケネス・ブラナー

케네스 브래너

肯尼思·布拉纳

קנת' בראנה

کنت برانا

Kenneth Branagh

Biography

Sir Kenneth Charles Branagh (born 10 December 1960) is a British actor and filmmaker. Born in Belfast and raised primarily in Reading, Berkshire, Branagh trained at RADA in London and served as its president from 2015 to 2024. His accolades include an Academy Award, four BAFTAs, two Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and an Olivier Award. He was appointed a Knight Bachelor in 2012 and was given Freedom of the City in his native Belfast in 2018. In 2020, he was ranked in 20th place on The Irish Times's list of Ireland's greatest film actors. Branagh has directed and starred in several film adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays, including Henry V (1989), Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Othello (1995), Hamlet (1996), and As You Like It (2006). He was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor and Best Director for Henry V and Best Adapted Screenplay for Hamlet. He directed Swan Song (1992), which earned a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. He also directed Peter's Friends (1992), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994), Thor (2011), and Cinderella (2015). For his semi-autobiographical film Belfast (2021), he was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Director and won Best Original Screenplay. Branagh directed and starred as Hercule Poirot in the Hercule Poirot film series (2017–present). He has also acted in Celebrity (1998), Wild Wild West (1999), The Road to El Dorado (2000), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), and Valkyrie (2008). His portrayal of Laurence Olivier in My Week with Marilyn (2011) earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He played supporting roles in Christopher Nolan's films Dunkirk (2017), Tenet (2020), and Oppenheimer (2023). Branagh has starred in the BBC1 series Fortunes of War (1987), the Channel 4 series Shackleton (2002), the television film Warm Springs (2005), and the BBC One series Wallander (2008–2016). He received a Primetime Emmy Award and an International Emmy Award for Best Actor for portraying SS leader Reinhard Heydrich in the HBO film Conspiracy (2001).

Known For

Acting

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

2002

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

as

Gilderoy Lockhart

The Road to El Dorado

2000

The Road to El Dorado

as

Miguel (voice)

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

1994

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

as

Victor Frankenstein

Valkyrie

2008

Valkyrie

as

Henning von Tresckow

Hamlet

1996

Hamlet

as

Prince Hamlet

It's Alive: The True Story of Frankenstein

1994

It's Alive: The True Story of Frankenstein

as

Self

Henry V

1989

Henry V

as

Henry V

Sleuth

2007

Sleuth

as

Other Man on T.V.

Peter's Friends

1992

Peter's Friends

as

Andrew Benson

Dead Again

1991

Dead Again

as

Roman Strauss / Mike Church

Much Ado About Nothing

1993

Much Ado About Nothing

as

Benedick

Wild Wild West

1999

Wild Wild West

as

Dr. Arliss Loveless

Celebrity

1998

Celebrity

as

Lee Simon

Chariots of Fire

1981

Chariots of Fire

as

Cambridge Student at Society Day (uncredited)

Rabbit-Proof Fence

2002

Rabbit-Proof Fence

as

A. O. Neville

Conspiracy

2001

Conspiracy

as

Reinhard Heydrich

The Gingerbread Man

1998

The Gingerbread Man

as

Rick Magruder

Walking with Monsters

2005

Walking with Monsters

as

Narrator (voice)

How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog

2002

How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog

as

Peter McGowan

A Month in the Country

1987

A Month in the Country

as

James Moon

Othello

1995

Othello

as

Iago

Five Children and It

2004

Five Children and It

as

Uncle Albert

Warm Springs

2005

Warm Springs

as

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

IMAX: Galapagos 3D

1999

IMAX: Galapagos 3D

as

Narrator

The Periwig-Maker

1999

The Periwig-Maker

as

Periwig-maker (voice)

The Boat That Rocked

2009

The Boat That Rocked

as

Dormandy

Love's Labour's Lost

2000

Love's Labour's Lost

as

Berowne

My Week with Marilyn

2011

My Week with Marilyn

as

Sir Laurence Olivier

The Theory of Flight

1999

The Theory of Flight

as

Richard

Mayday

Mayday

as

Strange Interlude

1988

Strange Interlude

as

Gordon Evans

With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story

2010

With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story

as

Self

A Haunting in Venice

2023

A Haunting in Venice

as

Hercule Poirot

High Season

1987

High Season

as

Rick

London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony: Isles of Wonder

2012

London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony: Isles of Wonder

as

Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Ghosts

1987

Ghosts

as

Oswald Alving

Universal Horror

1998

Universal Horror

as

Narrator

Stars In Shorts

2012

Stars In Shorts

as

Mark Snow

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

2014

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

as

Viktor Cherevin

Following the Rabbit-Proof Fence

2003

Following the Rabbit-Proof Fence

as

Himself / Narrator

Peter O'Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba

2022

Peter O'Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba

as

Self

The Magic Touch of Harry Potter

2004

The Magic Touch of Harry Potter

as

Self

Discovering Hamlet

2011

Discovering Hamlet

as

Hamlet (archive footage)

National Theatre Live: Macbeth

2013

National Theatre Live: Macbeth

as

Macbeth, Thane of Glamis and Cawdor, general in the King's army

Shadow of a Gunman

1995

Shadow of a Gunman

as

Donal Davoren

The Making of Walking with Dinosaurs

2000

The Making of Walking with Dinosaurs

as

Narrator

Look Back in Anger

1989

Look Back in Anger

as

Jimmy Porter

Discovering Hamlet

1990

Discovering Hamlet

as

Himself / Hamlet

Looking for Richard

1996

Looking for Richard

as

Self - Interviewee

1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year

2009

1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year

as

Narrator (voice)

Easter 2016

1982

Easter 2016

as

Student

Lon Chaney: A Thousand Faces

2000

Lon Chaney: A Thousand Faces

as

Self / Narrator

Alien Love Triangle

2008

Alien Love Triangle

as

Steven Chesterman

Oppenheimer

2023

Oppenheimer

as

Niels Bohr

The Proposition

1998

The Proposition

as

Father Michael McKinnon

Schneider's 2nd Stage

2001

Schneider's 2nd Stage

as

Joseph Barnett

Stephen Fry: 50 Not Out

2007

Stephen Fry: 50 Not Out

as

Self

Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe

2014

Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe

as

Self

Denzel Washington: A Model American

2022

Denzel Washington: A Model American

as

Self

As You Like It

2006

As You Like It

as

Self (voice)

The Dance of Shiva

1998

The Dance of Shiva

as

Colonel Evans

Branagh Theatre Live: The Winter's Tale

2015

Branagh Theatre Live: The Winter's Tale

as

Leontes

The King of Kings

2025

The King of Kings

as

Charles Dickens (voice)

Dunkirk

2017

Dunkirk

as

Commander Bolton

Cecil B. DeMille: American Epic

2004

Cecil B. DeMille: American Epic

as

Narrator (voice)

Murder on the Orient Express

2017

Murder on the Orient Express

as

Hercule Poirot

Coming Through

1985

Coming Through

as

D.H. Lawrence

Anne Frank Remembered

1995

Anne Frank Remembered

as

Narration (voice)

The Tramp and the Dictator

2002

The Tramp and the Dictator

as

Narrator (voice)

A Coming to Terms for Billy

1984

A Coming to Terms for Billy

as

Billy Martin

A Matter of Choice for Billy

1983

A Matter of Choice for Billy

as

Billy Martin

Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope

2011

Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope

as

Self

The Book That Wrote Itself

2000

The Book That Wrote Itself

as

Kenneth Branagh

Prodigal

2011

Prodigal

as

Mark Snow

Branagh Theatre Live: The Entertainer

2016

Branagh Theatre Live: The Entertainer

as

Archie Rice

To the Lighthouse

1983

To the Lighthouse

as

Charles Tansley

The Lady's Not For Burning

1987

The Lady's Not For Burning

as

Thomas Mendip

Swing Kids

1993

Swing Kids

as

Herr Knopp, Gestapo (uncredited)

Mindhorn

2016

Mindhorn

as

Himself

Death on the Nile

2022

Death on the Nile

as

Hercule Poirot

The Beasts Within

2001

The Beasts Within

as

Narrator (voice)

Triumph of the Beasts

2001

Triumph of the Beasts

as

Narrator (voice)

Avengers: Infinity War

2018

Avengers: Infinity War

as

Asgardian Distress Call (voice) (uncredited)

All Is True

2018

All Is True

as

William Shakespeare

A Night at the Movies: The Suspenseful World of Thrillers

2009

A Night at the Movies: The Suspenseful World of Thrillers

as

Self

A Night at the Movies: The Gigantic World of Epics

2009

A Night at the Movies: The Gigantic World of Epics

as

Self

Too Late to Talk to Billy

1982

Too Late to Talk to Billy

as

Billy Martin

Lorna

1987

Lorna

as

Billy Martin

James Ellis: An Actor's Life

2007

James Ellis: An Actor's Life

as

Himself

Tenet

2020

Tenet

as

Sator

Lost Lives

2019

Lost Lives

as

Thor: From Asgard to Earth

2011

Thor: From Asgard to Earth

as

Self

It's a Whole New West: The Making of 'Wild, Wild West'

1999

It's a Whole New West: The Making of 'Wild, Wild West'

as

Self

Wild Wild West: Evil Devices

1999

Wild Wild West: Evil Devices

as

Himself

Wild Wild West: Loveless's Ladies

1999

Wild Wild West: Loveless's Ladies

as

Himself

Fireheart

2022

Fireheart

as

Shawn Nolan (voice)

Thames Wallah

1988

Thames Wallah

as

Narrator

Looking at the World in a New Way: The Making of ‘Tenet’

2020

Looking at the World in a New Way: The Making of ‘Tenet’

as

Self

Altman on His Own Terms

2000

Altman on His Own Terms

as

Self

Atonement

Atonement

as

Michael Reid

The Devil Wears Prada 2

2026

The Devil Wears Prada 2

as

The Thomas Crown Affair

2027

The Thomas Crown Affair

as

Marvel Studios: Building a Cinematic Universe

2012

Marvel Studios: Building a Cinematic Universe

as

Self

Walking with Beasts

Walking with Beasts

as

Narrator

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

as

Self

The View

The View

as

Self

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

as

Self - Guest

Big Al

Big Al

as

Narrator

Play for Today

Play for Today

as

Cold War

Cold War

as

Shackleton

Shackleton

as

Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton

Fortunes of War

Fortunes of War

as

Guy Pringle

The Oscars

The Oscars

as

Self

Thompson

Thompson

as

Self

Cinema Europe: The Other Hollywood

Cinema Europe: The Other Hollywood

as

BLUE EYE SAMURAI

BLUE EYE SAMURAI

as

Abijah Fowler (voice)

Performance

Performance

as

Donal Davoren

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

as

Self

El hormiguero

El hormiguero

as

Self

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

as

Self

The Boy in the Bush

The Boy in the Bush

as

Jack Grant

This England

This England

as

Boris Johnson

Tony Awards

Tony Awards

as

Self

Real Time with Bill Maher

Real Time with Bill Maher

as

Self

Late Night with Seth Meyers

Late Night with Seth Meyers

as

Self

American Experience

American Experience

as

Narrator (voice)

World War 1 in Colour

World War 1 in Colour

as

Narrator

Walking with Dinosaurs

Walking with Dinosaurs

as

Narrator (voice)

Wogan

Wogan

as

Self

The Graham Norton Show

The Graham Norton Show

as

Self

The Kelly Clarkson Show

The Kelly Clarkson Show

as

Self

Leute heute

Leute heute

as

Self

10 Days to War

10 Days to War

as

Colonel Tim Collins

The Graham Norton Show

The Graham Norton Show

as

Self - Guest

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

as

Self

Walking with Monsters

Walking with Monsters

as

Narrator (voice)

Parkinson

Parkinson

as

Self

Theatre Night

Theatre Night

as

Oswald Alving

Golden Globe Awards

Golden Globe Awards

as

Self - Nominee

Wallander

Wallander

as

Kurt Wallander

Production

Sleuth

2007

Sleuth

as

Much Ado About Nothing

1993

Much Ado About Nothing

as

Peter's Friends

1992

Peter's Friends

as

Belfast

2021

Belfast

as

Love's Labour's Lost

2000

Love's Labour's Lost

as

Murder on the Orient Express

2017

Murder on the Orient Express

as

Thor: The Dark World

2013

Thor: The Dark World

as

A Haunting in Venice

2023

A Haunting in Venice

as

As You Like It

2006

As You Like It

as

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

1994

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

as

All Is True

2018

All Is True

as

Artemis Fowl

2020

Artemis Fowl

as

The Magic Flute

2006

The Magic Flute

as

Death on the Nile

2022

Death on the Nile

as

Wallander

Wallander

as

Crew

Walking with Monsters

Walking with Monsters

as

Directing

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

1994

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

as

Hamlet

1996

Hamlet

as

Sleuth

2007

Sleuth

as

Thor

2011

Thor

as

Henry V

1989

Henry V

as

Dead Again

1991

Dead Again

as

A Haunting in Venice

2023

A Haunting in Venice

as

Much Ado About Nothing

1993

Much Ado About Nothing

as

Peter's Friends

1992

Peter's Friends

as

In the Bleak Midwinter

1995

In the Bleak Midwinter

as

The Magic Flute

2006

The Magic Flute

as

As You Like It

2006

As You Like It

as

Love's Labour's Lost

2000

Love's Labour's Lost

as

Twelfth Night, or What You Will

1988

Twelfth Night, or What You Will

as

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

2014

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

as

Cinderella

2015

Cinderella

as

Swan Song

1992

Swan Song

as

National Theatre Live: Macbeth

2013

National Theatre Live: Macbeth

as

Murder on the Orient Express

2017

Murder on the Orient Express

as

Branagh Theatre Live: Romeo and Juliet

2016

Branagh Theatre Live: Romeo and Juliet

as

Branagh Theatre Live: The Winter's Tale

2015

Branagh Theatre Live: The Winter's Tale

as

Artemis Fowl

2020

Artemis Fowl

as

The Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde

The Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde

as

Twelfth Night, or What You Will

1988

Twelfth Night, or What You Will

as

Death on the Nile

2022

Death on the Nile

as

All Is True

2018

All Is True

as

Listening

2003

Listening

as

Belfast

2021

Belfast

as