Personal details
- Birth Date: 1929-04-05
- Height: 5′ 11¾″ (1.82 m)
- Birth Location: Coventry, Warwickshire, England, UK
- Parents: Charles Barnard Hawthorne
- Professions: Actor, Producer
reference Nigel Hawthorne, now there’s an absolute heavyweight in the world of acting—both in the UK and way beyond. The guy started out in Coventry back in 1929, then spent his early years growing up in South Africa, which, honestly, probably gave him a bit of an edge. He landed back in Britain in the 1950s, and from there, it was like he couldn’t stop—just kept racking up roles, decade after decade. You could catch him on stage or see his face on screen, oozing that classic English charisma that somehow felt both intimidating and inviting at the same time. But let’s be real, it was his turn as Sir Humphrey Appleby in "Yes Minister" that really made people sit up and pay attention. That dry wit? The sly maneuvering? Hawthorne nailed it so well that even people who didn’t care about politics got hooked. It’s like he redefined what it meant to play the ultimate bureaucrat, and that’s saying something. Thing is, Hawthorne wasn’t just a one-trick pony. He totally owned the stage, too. In 1992, he picked up the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for his performance as George III in Alan Bennett’s "The Madness of King George III." The guy was electric, switching between kingly authority and total vulnerability like it was nothing. When Hollywood came calling with the film version in ’94, Hawthorne didn’t just show up—he stormed the place, bagging an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Not many can pull off that kind of crossover, but Hawthorne? He made it look easy.
Derek Fowlds once opened up about his time filming Yes Minister back in 1980, and honestly, you can just feel the nostalgia dripping off his words. He said he, Paul Eddington, and their co-star spent a solid seven or eight years working together, which is practically a lifetime in the TV world. These guys weren’t just colleagues—they were actual mates, hanging out and just having a blast making those shows. Fowlds didn’t hold back about how special those days were, talking about all the happy hours they racked up on set. You get the sense it wasn’t just about the work, but the pure joy of bouncing off each other, cracking jokes, and making TV magic. Those years filming Yes Minister? Pretty much golden. Not just for the audience, but for the cast too, who clearly had the time of their lives bringing that iconic British political satire to life.
There’s something totally bonkers and yet kind of electric about Cannes. I mean, seriously, where else do you get this circus of glitz, egos, and champagne-fueled drama all mashed together under the French sun? The place is crawling with movie stars and wannabes, all hustling for attention, trying to outdo each other with their outfits, their films, and their wild after-parties. It’s not just about the premieres—though, let’s be honest, the red carpet is its own kind of sport. The whole city transforms into this fever dream of cinema, money, and gossip. Deals get made in fancy hotel bars, and sometimes the best stories happen off-screen, in some smoky club at 2 a.m. Sure, it’s ridiculous, but that’s kind of the point. Cannes is a beautiful mess, a place where legends are born and careers get torched, all in the blink of an eye.
April 5, 1929
5′ 11¾″ (1.82 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Coventry, Warwickshire, England, UK
Charles Barnard Hawthorne and Surekha
96 years old