Kenneth Branagh

Sometimes I make a small game of imagining actors in roles for the vast history of Middle-Earth. To that end, if I were to make a Tolkien-esque comparison for Branagh I would venture that he is the embodiment of Feanor. His passion for Shakespeare is akin to Feanor's love of smithmaking and he has bravado on the level of Feanor as I could easily see him laughing at Mandos.



Outstanding actor and truly a giant of our time. Who else these days could be said to embody, "...the vitality of Olivier, the passion of Gielgud, the assurance of Guinness" ?



In my view there is none but Branagh.

Where to begin...Peter's Friends was my first introduction to Kenneth and his crew of co-workers. Emma Thompson, pure perfection, could play the phone book and make you want to turn the pages yourself! Imelda Staunton, such a force or nature when it comes to her craft, and so bloody underated - she should have won the Oscar for Vera Drake!



But Kenneth, the man to rival Richard Burton's own interpretation of Hamlet and get away with it. His direction is always spot on perfect, even is he fleshes out every syllable of Shakespeare, he makes it worthwhile to watch!



His films, like that of Richard Burton, have run the gambit from comedy (wild wild west) to high drama (fortunes of war - also with emma) to suspense (dead again - also with emma and derek jacobi).



Like his ex-wife Emma Thompson, he can play the phone book with such amazing grace, the numbers dial themselves!



Equally good behind the camera (a midwinter's tale and Hamlet) he can be the new Orson Wells of the 21st century as long as he wants to be.



There is but so much that The Bard has put to pen. Kenneth could interpret it all and leave a legacy of film that would rival that of Chaplin in it's masterful workmanship of storytelling, acting, and directing.