Renowned British actor and filmmaker Kenneth Branagh has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. Hailing from Belfast but primarily raised in Reading, Berkshire, Branagh honed his craft at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
Moreover, he later assumed the role of president in 2015 at the same place. With a distinguished career, he boasts impressive achievements and awards, including an Academy Award, four BAFTAs, two Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and an Olivier Award.
Recognized for his contributions, he was knighted in the 2012 Birthday Honours and granted Freedom of the City in Belfast in 2018. Ranked 20th on The Irish Times’ list of Ireland’s greatest film actors in 2020, Branagh’s artistic repertoire extends beyond acting, with notable directorial successes, particularly in bringing William Shakespeare’s plays to the silver screen.
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With such a huge contribution to the world of screenplay, theatre, and film, introducing Sir Kenneth Charles Branagh with minimum words is a tough job. His career is a success, and his net worth is a testament to it. Here is what his net worth looks like!
How much is Kenneth Branagh’s net worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, the renowned actor has an estimated net worth of around $60 million. Branagh’s financial success, amounting to a substantial net worth of $60 million, stands as a testament to his steadfast commitment and relentless endeavors in his career.
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Sources also mention that the actor earns an approximate monthly income of $300,000. Likewise, Screen Rant reports that his earnings from Death on the Nile and A Haunting in Venice amounted to a substantial $2.5 million each, totaling an impressive $5 million for both films.
While the specifics of his salary for Murder on the Orient Express remain undisclosed, it is speculated that his compensation for that project may have been in the range of $2.5 million. He has also endorsed brands, which have ultimately increased his earnings.
Kenneth Branagh has adapted many works of William Shakespeare for the stage
Known for his remarkable film adaptations of Shakespeare’s works, Branagh’s journey began with Henry V (1989) and continued with Much Ado About Nothing (1993). Premiering at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival, the latter showcased a star-studded cast including Branagh, Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, and more.
The New York Times praised Branagh’s direction, describing the film as “triumphantly romantic, comic, and emotionally alive.”
However, Branagh faced a setback with the horror film Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994), which received negative reviews. Janet Maslin of The New York Times criticized Branagh’s lack of technical finesse and insight, labeling it a “bland, no-fault Frankenstein for the ’90s.”
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In 1995, he portrayed Iago in Oliver Parker’s Othello, earning positive reviews, especially for his performance, which garnered a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. The New York Times commended Branagh’s “superb performance” in guiding the story of Othello’s downfall.
Returning to directing, Branagh achieved acclaim with the epic adaptation of Hamlet (1996). The film, noted for its grand scale and cast, ran four hours and was shot entirely in 70 mm film.
Critics, including Roger Ebert, lauded Branagh’s direction and acting, with Ebert declaring it a moving and entertaining version of the Shakespearean classic. The film received four Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Adapted Screenplay.
In 2018, the British actor took on a dual role as director and lead actor in the film All Is True, where he portrayed William Shakespeare. Additionally, he directed the fantasy adventure film Artemis Fowl, which premiered on Disney+ in June 2020.
In a significant move, Branagh joined the cast of Christopher Nolan’s Tenet (2020), playing the role of the villain Andrei Sator. His performance in the film received praise, and he shared the screen with notable actors such as Robert Pattinson, John David Washington, and Elizabeth Debicki.
The beginning of a fabulous journey of Kenneth Branagh
Branagh’s film debut was an uncredited role as a Cambridge student in Chariots of Fire (1981). After winning the 1982 SWET Award for Best Newcomer, he gained recognition for his stage performances, particularly in Julian Mitchell’s Another Country.
Branagh emerged alongside actors like Jonathan Pryce and Juliet Stevenson from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). In 1984, he starred in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Henry V, later adapting it into a film in 1989.
Branagh and David Parfitt founded the Renaissance Theatre Company in 1987, debuting with Twelfth Night in 1987, later adapted for TV. His first leading film role came in the 1987 British adaptation of A Month in The Country.
Young Kenneth Branagh with Emma Thompson (Source: Instagram)
The actor gained media prominence in 1988 with Renaissance Shakespeare on the Road, a touring season with Birmingham Rep. It featured directorial debuts by Judi Dench, Geraldine McEwan, and Derek Jacobi, with Branagh in the title role in Hamlet.
Critic Milton Shulman praised Branagh’s vitality but noted some shortcomings compared to acting legends like Olivier and Gielgud.
Kenneth Branagh says, “I feel Irish”
Kenneth, born on December 10, 1960, in Belfast, hails from a working-class Protestant family. His parents, Frances and William Branagh were involved in the trade of fitting partitions and suspended ceilings.
Growing up in the Tigers Bay area of Belfast, he is the middle child, with an older brother and a younger sister. In 1970, at the age of nine, the family moved to England to escape the Troubles, settling in Berkshire, where he attended Whiteknights Primary School and Meadway School in Tilehurst.
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Despite initial struggles, Kenneth developed a passion for acting and participated in school productions like Toad of Toad Hall and Oh, What a Lovely War! To cope with potential bullying, Branagh learned to speak with a Received Pronunciation (RP) accent.
Reflecting on his identity, he expressed a strong connection to his Irish roots, stating, “I feel Irish. I don’t think you can take Belfast out of the boy.” He credits his Irish heritage for his “love of words.”
Kenneth pursued his passion for acting, training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. In a notable moment, RADA’s principal Hugh Cruttwell invited him to perform a soliloquy from Hamlet for Queen Elizabeth II during one of her visits to the academy in 1980.
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