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Tom Wilkinson
| Biography |
The Oscar nominations of 2002 were a triumph for British theatre, with Ian McKellen, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench and Helen Mirren all receiving a nod. But that list of eminent Shakespearians is actually a little longer than most imagine. For though, he's best known as a TV stalwart, like fellow nominee Jim Broadbent, and as the shamed supervisor-come-stripper in The Full Monty, Tom Wilkinson has spent much of his career treading the boards to huge critical acclaim.
Tom Wilkinson was born of the 12th of December, 1948, in Leeds. His father, a farmer, took the family to Canada when the boy was very young, and there they lived till Tom was 11 (hence his evident ease with an American accent). They then returned to Yorkshire, where Tom completed his junior education, before moving on to the University of Kent at Canterbury, where he graduated in English and American Literature. The college would, in 2001, make him an Honorary Doctor of Letters.
Earlier, Tom had considered a career in physical education, but at university had tried a little acting and the bug bit. The boy won entry to the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and, on leaving, dedicated himself wholly to a life as a wandering player. He took the "wandering" part very seriously, for the first ten years ensuring that all his property could fit in a single suitcase - anything that didn't fit "had to go".
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