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Poll: Best Shakespearean-Trained British Movie & TV Actress
Every year on April 23rd, Shakespeare Day is celebrated worldwide on the date of his birth. In 2024, William Shakespeare's legacy remains undeniably enduring as we mark the 460th anniversary of his birth.
According to Wikipedia, "William Shakespeare (c. 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist .... His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted."
Today, his body of work is so well-regarded that performing it well is considered one of the best ways to learn the craft of acting. Worldwide, many actresses-in-training choose to hone their skills at performing arts schools and theater companies that utilize works of Shakespeare as their primary course of study. Many extol the virtue of such an approach; which both fine-tunes their existing talents and elevates them by developing new skill sets. In celebration of this milestone anniversary, Shakespeare's continuing legacy and the impact that Shakepearean-trained talent has on the quality of modern entertainment:
Which of these select British movie or television actresses who are Shakespearean-trained do you think is the best one?
Vote in the companion poll here: Shakespearean-Trained British Movie & TV Actors
Make Your Choice
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Tilda Swinton
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Vivien Leigh
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Rosamund Pike
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Helen Mirren
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Gemma Arterton
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Maggie Smith
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Emily Watson
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Emma Thompson
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Rebecca Hall
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Brenda Blethyn
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Shirley Henderson
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Lesley Manville
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Andrea Riseborough
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Vanessa Redgrave
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Marianne Jean-Baptiste
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Imelda Staunton
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Laura Donnelly
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Julie Walters
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Polly Walker
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Diana Rigg
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Gugu Mbatha-Raw
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Harriet Walter
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Indira Varma
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Janet Suzman
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Natasha Richardson
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Juliet Stevenson
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Natascha McElhone
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Peggy Ashcroft
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Janet McTeer
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Wendy Hiller
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Olivia Williams
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Glenda Jackson
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Alex Kingston
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Samantha Bond
Another British Shakespearean-trained Actress Not ListedSamantha Bond (as pictured example)
