RALPH FIENNES
Ralph Fiennes
- © 1993 Universal City Studios and Amblin Entertainment
- (Ralph Fiennes in Schindler's List, 1993)
Biography
BIO
Ralph Fiennes was born Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, in 1962. His first name is pronounced “Rafe”.
His father was the farmer/photographer/illustrator Mark Fiennes (1933-2004) and his mother the novelist/painter Jennifer Lash (1938-1993). He is the eldest of six children. His siblings include the writer/director Martha Fiennes (b. 1964), the composer Magnus Fiennes (b. 1965), the film director Sophie Fiennes (b. 1967) and the actor Joseph Fiennes (b. 1970).
He was raised in both England and Ireland and initially pursued a passion for painting at the Chelsea College of Arts before training as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. A respected Shakespearean actor, Fiennes made his professional debut on the British stage in 1986 and continues to appear frequently.
He made his Broadway debut playing Hamlet (1995) and won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. In 2006, Fiennes starred in a revival of Faith Healer (2006) and was again nominated for a Tony Award.
He began his screen career in a British television miniseries in 1991, at the age of 29, and made his feature film debut in a starring role in 1992.
Fiennes came to international attention the following year with his portrayal of a Nazi concentration camp commander in Schindler’s List (1993), receiving an Academy Award nomination for Actor in a Supporting Role. He received his second Academy Award nomination for his starring role in The English Patient (1996).
Fiennes has appeared in more than 45 feature films.
He met the actress Alex Kingston (b. 1963) while training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and the couple married in 1993. They divorced in 1997.
Additional English stage history is available at: 
Additional Broadway stage history is available at: 
Additional biographical information is available at: 
