Joseph Fiennes Biography

Date of Birth: May 27, 1970

Before his success in Shakespeare in Love (1998) as the bumbling yet brilliant bard, and Elizabeth (1998), as the Virgin Queen's secret lover, the name of Joseph Fiennes meant little more than the brother of the acclaimed Ralph Fiennes. But 1998 rocketed Joseph's name in bright shining lights for all to see and remember, without any help from his relations.

Born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, Joseph was brought up in West Cork, Ireland. He left art school, and began working with the Young Vic Youth Theatre, and then went on to train at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He first became interested in acting when he landed the part of Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in school. His first professional stage appearance was in the West End in The Woman in Black, followed by A Month in the Country. He was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company for two seasons.

Since then he has appeared in Hollywood films such as Enemy at the Gates (2001) and The Great Raid (2005) as well as smaller, independent films. More recently, he starred in Risen (2016).

Fiennes has a fraternal twin Jacob, who works as a gameskeeper. Their sister, Martha, is a director and their mother, Jini, was a novelist.

Filmography:

Risen (2016)
The Games Maker (2015)
Strangerland (2015)
Hercules (2014)
The Red Baron (2010)
The Color of Freedom (2009)
Goodbye Bafana (2006)
Running with Scissors (2006)
The Darwin Awards (2006)
The Great Raid (2005)
The Merchant of Venice (2005)
Luther (2004)
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (voice) (2003)
Leo (2003)
Killing Me Softly (2002)
Dust (2001)
Enemy at the Gates (2001)
Rancid Aluminium (2000)
Forever Mine (1999)
The Very Thought of You (1999)
Elizabeth (1998)
Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Stealing Beauty (1996)