Ian Holm is a well-known actor, famous for his enormous career in the theater and his recent appearances in major film productions.
He is the second child of a couple who in their time could have been called relatively old. His mother, Jean holm, she was a nurse and her father, the Dr. James Harvey Cuthbert, was a psychiatrist who worked as a superintendent at the West Ham Corporation Mental Hospital. An important aspect to highlight about him is that he was a pioneer in electroshock therapy.
His older brother, Eric, and he attended the Chigwell School, a primary and secondary school of a ward character. Shortly after graduating from high school, he decided he wanted to be an actor.
To achieve this purpose, I enter the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. From that moment on, he began to work hard on countless plays.
In one of these he met his first wife, Lynn mary shaw. The two were married in 1955 and divorced in 1965, after the relationship became too boring for both of them.
That same year, Holm, began his career within the screens having already forged a remarkable career as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Appeared first on the television series “Richard III”, which was produced by the BBC in London. Later and progressively, it would gain its place in productions such as “Oh whata a lovely war“(1969) from the director Richard Attenborough, “Nicholas and Alexandra “ (1971), and “Mary Queen of Scots“(1971) with Vanessa redgrave.
In 1967, he won an award Tony for his interpretation of Lenny, on “The Honerconring “by Harold Pinter. In 1977, he appeared in the miniseries “Jesus Of Nazareth “, As the Sadducee Zerah, and the following year, he had the role of Barrie, in the BBC series, “THe Lost BOys“.
A short time later, a series of productions of greater caliber were projecting his name among the most recognized among British actors. Still, its peak would not come until the 1980s.
In 1979 he played the robot Ash in the movie “Alien “ from Ridley scott, which led his face to appear among the billboards of the United States.
Very shortly after, one of his most memorable feature films arrived “Fire cars”.
This film earned him an award for best supporting actor in the Cannes Film Festival 1981 and special recognition at the BAFTA Awards in England. Upon returning to his native country, he married Sophie Baker, to later divorce in 1986.
After these productions, he continued to appear in some very good budget feature films, but decided to put this aside to return to work in the theater.
However, his performance in films such as “The heroes of time“(1981) with Sean Connery, “Greystoke, The Legend of Tarzan, King of the Apes“(1984) with Andie macdowell Y Christopher Lambert, Y “Brazil“(1985) with Robert De Niro Y Jonathan Pryce.
In 1989, he was nominated for an award BAFTA, for his role in the television series “Game, Set and Match “, based on the novel by Len Dieghton.
That year he continued playing different characters created by Shakespeare, like in “Henry V“, with Kenneth branagh, Y Polonius, on “Hamlet“, from Mel Gibson (1990).
In 1994, he would meet with Branagh, for the film “Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley “, with Helena Bonham Y Robert De Niro, and playing Viktor Frankenstein.
He would reach one of his culminating points in 1997, when he played the gentle priest Vito Cornelius, on “The fifth element“, starring Bruce Willis Y Jovovich mile, and also that year would be part of “A different story“, leadered by Ewan McGregor, Cameron Diaz Y Holly hunter.
For most of the 1990s he was married to Penelope Wilton. The two were married in 1991 and separated in 2001.
In 1999, he was nominated for Emmy for his work in the production “King Lear “ and for her role as a guest star on, “The last of the Bombshells“, next to Judi Dench, in 2001.
A few years later, he made an impressive leap into his career by embodying the bloodthirsty and ruthless Sir William Withey Gull in the feature film “From hell”(2001), starring Johnny depp Y Robbie Coltrane.
That same year he stood at the feet of the tender and always smiling Bilbo Baggins, in the film of Peter jackson “The Lord of the Rings, the Fellowship of the Ring”, which includes an extensive cast made up of Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen, Cate blanchett, Liv tyler, Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom, among others.
Later it appeared in the third installment of the saga, “The return of the King”(2003).
In 2003 he remarried, this time with Sophie from Stempel. Together with her, he had to undergo a treatment to eradicate his prostate cancer.
In 2004, he participated in “The Aviator“, with Leonardo Dicaprio , Cate blanchett,Y Kate beckinsale, in which he had the role of Professor Fitz.
The following year he appeared in “High society“, starring Penelope Cruz Y Ralph fiennes, and it was seen in “The Lord of the war“, leadered by Nicolas Cage Y Jared Leto.
His latest works include “Renaissance “ (2006) for which he lent his voice as in “Ratatouille“(2007), and it is expected for 2010, in the film”The side of the looking glass “, with Donald sutherland Y Brendan fraser.
In his personal life, he was married four times. His third wife was Penelope Wilton, with whom he was between 1991 and 2001.
He is currently in a relationship with the artist Sophie from Stempel.
Ian He has five children, of three different women, two of them having been his wives.
He was awarded the title Commander of the Order of the British Empire, in 1990, and was named Knight in 1998, due to his services to Drama.