Early Life and Education

Gary Leonard Oldman was born on 21 March 1958 in the New Cross district of London. His father, Leonard Bertram Oldman, was a toolmaker who had served in the sea forces. Throughout his childhood he showed an interest in the arts, particularly in music and theater. After leaving school at a young age, he worked in period factories. He later received acting training at the Greenwich School of Speech and Drama, and completed his theater education by winning a scholarship at the prestigious Rose Bruford College scholarship.

Career

Oldman began his career on the theater stage, performing with institutions such as the Royal Court Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company like important. In the 1980s he transitioned to film and gained recognition for his portrayal of Sid Vicious in Sid and Nancy (1986). He subsequently attracted international attention for his performances in films such as Prick Up Your Ears (1987), State of Grace (1990), JFK (1991), and Dracula (1992). Throughout the 1990s and 2000s he worked both as a supporting actor and as a lead, appearing in productions such as Léon (1994), The Fifth Element (1997), and Air Force One (1997) place.

In the 2010s he received BAFTA and Oscar nominations for his role as George Smiley in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011). He gained widespread acclaim for portraying Sirius Black in the Harry Potter series and Commissioner James Gordon in the The Dark Knight trilogy. One of his most notable performances was his portrayal of Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour (2017), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Filmography (Selected Films)

• Sid and Nancy (1986) – Sid Vicious
• Dracula (1992) – Count Dracula
• Léon: The Professional (1994) – Norman Stansfield
• The Fifth Element (1997) – Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg
• Harry Potter Series (2004–2011) – Sirius Black
• Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), The Dark Knight Rises (2012) – James Gordon
• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) – George Smiley
• Darkest Hour (2017) – Winston Churchill
• Mank (2020) – Herman J. Mankiewicz
• Slow Horses (2022–) – Jackson Lamb (TV series)

Awards

Oldman won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour (2017). He has also received and been nominated for numerous other awards including BAFTA, SAG, and Golden Sphere. In total, he has won 68 awards and received 119 nominations.

Academy Award (Oscar)

• Best Actor – Darkest Hour (2017)

BAFTA Awards

• Best British Film – Nil by Mouth (1997, director)
• Best Actor – Darkest Hour (2017)

Golden Globe Award

• Best Actor – Darkest Hour (2017)

Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award

• Best Actor – Darkest Hour (2017)

Directing and Producing

In 1997 he wrote and directed the film Nil by Mouth film, which won awards at both the Cannes Film Festival and BAFTA. The film explores life in the outer neighborhoods of London. Active as a producer as well, Oldman has served as both producer and director on projects such as Flying Horse (2024).

Personal Life

Oldman has been married multiple times. His first marriage was to Lesley Manville, with whom he has one child. He later had a brief marriage to Uma Thurman. In 2017 he married Gisele Schmidt, a consultant from author and art. He grew up in a Artist family, and his sister Laila Morse is also an actress.