Kentish Express Ashford & District
Mark spies Oscar win after success at Baftas
Ashford-born actor in line for Hollywood glory
Ashford-born actor Mark Rylance was named best supporting actor at the annual Bafta awards held in London on Sunday night.
Mr Rylance picked up the honour for his latest film role as a Soviet agent in Steven Spielberg’s Cold War thriller, Bridge of Spies.
Starring alongside Oscarwinning actor Tom Hanks in the movie, Mr Rylance played Soviet intelligence officer Rudolf Abel, who is arrested in 1950s New York and prosecuted as a spy.
Now Mr Rylance will be aiming to repeat his success at next week’s Oscars, where he has been shortlisted for best supporting actor alongside Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Mark Ruffalo and Sylvester Stallone.
The 88th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, will honour the best films of 2015 and is scheduled to take place on February 28, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Mr Rylance began his life in Mark Rylance has been nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar for his role in the film Bridge of Spies Kent, but moved to America as a child, when his parents emigrated to work in Milwaukee.
He returned to the UK to study at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada) in London as a young adult.
Now aged 54, he has forged a stellar stage and screen career that has ranged from artistic director of Shakespeare’s Globe to TV work in Hamlet and Leonardo.
He played Thomas Cromwell, in the BBC drama Wolf Hall, also appeared in the movie The Other Boleyn Girl and is in the upcoming big screen adaptation of Roald Dahl’s BFG.
He was unable to be at Sun- day’s Bafta awards evening, held at London’s Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, because he was appearing in a play in America.
The best supporting actor award was accepted on his behalf by the film’s director Steven Spielberg, who read out a note from Mr Rylance that championed the work of supporting actors.
As well as being nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar, Bridge of Spies is also up against other blockbusters like The Revenant and The Big Noise for the best film award.