Patrons
Michael Sheen
Having worked with screen writer Peter Morgan on five films,Michael Sheen has become known for his portrayals of well-known public figures: Tony Blair in the Stephen Frears directed films The Deal and The Queen, and again in the upcoming The Special Relationship; David Frost in the stage production and film version of Frost/Nixon; and football manager Brian Clough in The Damned United. He is also known for his role as Lucian in the Underworld film series.
Michael Sheen was born in Newport, when he was five, the family moved to Liverpool, where as a winger he became a lifelong Liverpool F.C. fan by watching the side of the 1970’s. Three years later, the family returned to his parents home of Port Talbot, and Sheen was offered a trial at Arsenal FC after being spotted by the father of Tony Adams during a family holiday but chose to pursue an acting career instead. He became interested in the theatre through both school study and parents being members of the local amateur dramatic group. After leaving school Sheen accepted a place to study acting at the National Youth Theatre of Wales in Cardiff, and then trained at the internationally renowned Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
During his second year at RADA he scored his first starring role, opposite Vanessa Redgrave in When She Danced. Sheen soon established himself as one of the most promising talents on the theatrical scene, notably being cast as Mozart in Peter Shaffer‘s play Amadeus and later reprised this role on Broadway
His screen appearances include the BBC drama serial, Gallowglass, however, he remained primarily a stage actor, having starred in high-profile productions of Henry V, Caligula and Look Back in Anger, among others.
In 2003, he appeared with Kate Beckinsale in the gothic action film Underworld as the werewolf Lucian. He has become well-known for playing real-life characters. He played Tony Blair in the Channel 4 drama The Deal and later, in the film The Queen. He has also played Kenneth Williams in Fantabulosa!, H G Wells in H G Wells: War with the World and in 2006, he played Nero in the BBC‘s Ancient Rome series.
At the 2005 British Academy Television Awards, Sheen was nominated for Best Actor for his performance in the TV drama, Dirty Filthy Love, in which he played a man with obsessive-compulsive disorder. In 2007, he received two BAFTA nominations, this time for Best Supporting Actor in a Film, for his performance in The Queen, and for Best Television Actor, for his role in Fantabulosa.
In January 2009, he returned to the role of Lucian in Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, the third release in the Underworld film series and prequel to the original 2003 film.
Sheen and English actress Kate Beckinsale have a daughter, Lily Mo, he now splits his time between United Kingdom and Los Angeles co-parenting their daughter. Sheen was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours.
At Easter 2011, Sheen directed and starred in National Theatre Wales’s The Passion, a 72-hour secular passion play staged in his hometown of Port Talbot. From late 2011 until early 2012, Sheen played the title role in Hamlet at the Young Vic.
