Tom Wilkinson

Thomas Geoffrey Wilkinson OBE (5 February 1948 – 30 December 2023) was an accomplished English actor. Known for both his stage and screen roles, Wilkinson was the recipient of a multitude of awards, including a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, and a Primetime Emmy Award. He also received recognition in the form of two Academy Award nominations and two Laurence Olivier Awards. Career-wise, Wilkinson trained at the esteemed Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, making his West End debut in Hamlet for which he received a nomination for Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. He returned to the West End playing Dr. Stockmann in the Henrik Ibsen play An Enemy of the People, receiving a Laurence Olivier Award for Actor of the Year in a Revival nomination. Wilkinson made his mark in films like In the Bedroom and Michael Clayton, both of which earned him Academy Award nominations. Wilkinson was proficient in character roles, with films such as In the Name of the Father, Sense and Sensibility, and The Grand Budapest Hotel to his name. In 2009, he won a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award for his portrayal of Benjamin Franklin in the HBO limited series John Adams. His Emmy-nominated roles also included characters in the HBO film Normal, Recount, and the limited series The Kennedys. Wilkinson left an indelible mark on the world of cinema and his contributions were nothing short of exceptional.

Born on 5 February 1948 in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, early life for Wilkinson was spent moving between countries. At the age of 11, he relocated with his family to Kitimat, British Columbia in Canada, where they spent five years before returning to the UK where they ran a pub in Cornwall. Post completing his degree in English and American literature from the University of Kent at Canterbury, Wilkinson's acting career took off. The actor made his debut on stage at the Nottingham Playhouse and got his first film role in Smuga cienia, directed by Andrzej Wajda. He went on to play key roles in the British thriller Parker, the biographical film Sylvia, and the mystery Wetherby. Wilkinson acted in a stint of movies that garnered acclaim and recognition leading up to his breakthrough in the industry. Wilkinson lived in North London with his wife, actress Diana Hardcastle, and their two daughters. He passed away in London on 30 December 2023.