Lindsay Duncan: Biography, Movies, Private Life

Lindsay Duncan is a famous Scottish film and theater actress. She has been an actress for more than 40 years and is known to the audience on the series "Poirot", "Wallander", "Merlin", "Sherlock" and many others.

early years

The future actress was born on 07.11.1950 in the city of Edinburgh in Scotland. Her parents were simple workers. His father served in the army for twenty-one years, and later became an official. The family moved to the city of Leeds, and then to Birmingham. Here, Lindsay studied at the Edward VI girls' school . The girl was good at English. She spoke it without a Scottish accent. This helped her a lot in her acting career.

Father Duncan died when she was only fifteen years old. Her mother suffered from Alzheimer's disease for many years.

Back at school, Lindsay was carried away by the theater. She willingly took part in school productions.

Career in the theater

At 21, the girl entered the London School of Speech and Dramatic Art. Having finished her, she began to work in the summer theater in Southwold.

In 1976, Lindsay Duncan took to the stage with a small role in the production of Don Juan by Moliere. When the opportunity presented itself, Duncan moved to Manchester and took a job in the local troupe of the Royal Theater. In 1978, the actress finally managed to return to London and get a job at the National Theater.

At the same time, Lindsay first appears on television. She starred in the television series "New Avengers", "The End of Pompeii!" And in the advertisement of the famous shampoo Head & Shoulders.

An important milestone in the career of Lindsay was the role in the production of "High-ranking girls" Keryl Churchill. Duncan got the role of Japanese lady Niyo, who lived in the 13th century. This role brought her the American Obie Award. The play was shown in New York. After that, the actress was actively invited to act in films.

Movies

Lindsay's first major role in the movie is Sally in the melodramatic comedy Richard Ayr "Careless Connection" in 1985. At the heart of the story is the visit of non-smoking vegetarian Sally to the congress of the feminist society to Germany. She is looking for a woman who shares her views in order to travel there together. Fate sends her as a fellow traveler a man who adheres to completely different views - he smokes, eats meat and does not know a word of German.

Lindsey Duncan, films and serials in the filmography of which at the moment eighty-eight, did not devote her further career to just a movie, she joined the Royal Theater Company and simultaneously starred in films and played in the theater. Since the theater took quite a lot of time from the actress, she preferred small and episodic roles in the cinema. One such - Lady Templin in the famous television series "Poirot" with David Suchet.

In 1989, Lindsay played one of the main roles in the miniseries "Traffic" directed by Alastair Reid.

In 1991, the movie "The Dissected Body" was released, in which Duncan performed the role of Dr. Agatha Webb.

In 1993, Lindsay starred in the dramatic mini-series "A Year in Provence" directed by David Tucker.

The actress prefers to play in dramatic films and theatrical productions. In them, her talent is revealed most fully. This does not add to her popularity with the mass audience, but brings the respect of film critics and serious dramatic filmmakers. Nevertheless, in high-budget films, you can sometimes see Duncan. For example, in George Lucas's film Star Wars: Episode I, Lindsey voiced the TS-14 robot, and Adelaide Brooke played in the television series Doctor Who.

The actress performs well in historical films and productions. In the TV series "Merlin" Lindsay acted as Queen Anne, in the film "The Pearl of the Queen of Sheba" - Audrey Pritti.

Painting "Birdman"

In 2014, Duncan appeared on the television screen in the film Alejandro González Iñárritu "Birdman". The black comedy about actor Riggana Thomson participated in the competitive programs of many prestigious awards and was awarded with the Oscar, Golden Eagle, Critics' Choice, Sputnik, Golden Globe and many others awards.

Lindsay in the film played the role of Tabitha Dickinson. In addition to her, Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Andrea Risboro and other actors starred in the film.

The picture received the most enthusiastic reviews of film critics and raised $ 103 million at the box office.

One of the last known roles Duncan - in the adventure fantasy "Alice in the Looking Glass" in 2016.

The film "Alice in the Looking Glass"

Lindsay Duncan in this fantastic story based on the works of Lewis Carroll got the role of Helen Kingsley - Alice's mother. The director of the picture was James Bobin, and the producer - Tim Barton. The script of the film differs significantly from the work of Carroll. In addition to Duncan, roles in "Alice in the Looking Glass" were performed by Johnny Depp, Anne Hattway, Helena Bonham Carter, Matt Lucas and others.

Despite the negative reviews of film critics, the picture gathered at the box office almost three hundred million dollars.

Personal life

Lindsey is married to her longtime friend in the Shakespeare Royal Company, Scottish actor Hilton McRae. In 1991, the couple had a baby - a son named Cal.