Ray Winstone

RAY WINSTONE was born in Hackney in the East End of London.  He started boxing at the age of twelve, was three times London Schoolboy champion and fought twice for England.  He studied acting at the Corona School before being cast by director Alan Clarke as Carlin (“the Daddy”) in SCUM.  This BBC Play production made Winstone’s name and since then he has appeared in numerous TV series and movies.  After playing a starring role in Franc Roddam’s “Quadrophenia” and being cast by Ken Loach in LADYBIRD, LADYBIRD Gary Oldman gave Winstone the lead role in his gritty biographical drama, NIL BY MOUTH, for which he won a British Independent Film Award for Best Actor and earned a BAFTA Award nomination. His mesmerising performance lead to a succession of challenging roles including Dave in the gangster movie FACE and Dad in Tim Roth’s disturbing drama, THE WAR ZONE. He also played in the comedy drama THE MAMMY and FANNY & ELVIS before delivering one of the finest performances of his career opposite Ben Kingsley in SEXY BEAST.
TV credits include OUR BOY (for which he was awarded an RST award for Best Actor) and BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS - both by writer Tony Grounds. Credits for Granada/ITV are TOUGH LOVE, it’s sequel LENNY BLUE, the title role in HENRY VIII (which went on to win Best Mini Series/TV Movie at the International Emmy Awards. In 2006 Ray won an International Emmy Award for Best Actor for his eponymous role in VINCENT (Granada/ITV). Ray’s most recent television credit is COMPULSION a co-production with ITV and the third film for television from his company, Size 9 Productions, due to transmit later this year.
Film credits include THERE’S ONLY ONE JIMMY GRIMBLE, LAST ORDERS, RIPLEY’S GAME, COLD MOUNTAIN, KING ARTHUR, THE PROPOSITION, Oscar winner THE DEPARTED directed by Martin Scorcese, Anthony Minghella’s BREAKING AND ENTERING, the title role in the Robert Zemeckis film BEOWULF, Warner Bros’ FOOL’S GOLD and Steven Spielberg’s INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL. Last year Ray shot 44 INCH CHEST for director Malcolm Venville, a Graham King/Icon production EDGE OF DARKNESS & NUMBER 13 for director Géla Babluani.
In December 2007, Ray received the Richard Harris Award for outstanding contribution at the British Independent Film Awards.