Joss Ackland is a popular English actor who has been active in the film industry for over six decades. Mainly acting in bit parts, he has appeared in more than 130 films and TV series.
Biography
Sydney Edmond Jocelyn Ackland, better known as Joss Ackland, was born on February 29, 1928 in North Kensington, London, England.
London, England Photo: Arpingstone / Wikimedia Commons
Ruth Isod and Sydney Norman, the actor's parents, had a difficult relationship. They could not communicate with each other for a long time. However, it seems that family issues did not affect Joss.
He was a creative child and did well in school. It was during his school years, when the European scene of the 1930s was flourishing, that Ackland fell in love with the acting profession. Over the years, his dream of becoming an actor only intensified.
After graduating from the Central School of Speech and Drama, he joined a local theater company to pursue acting studies. But Ackland was never sure of his abilities. After spending several years perfecting his game and playing a couple of supporting roles, Joss Ackland began to lose interest in the profession.
He married and moved to Kenya with his young wife. The couple planned to start their own tea production and export business. But very soon it became clear that Kenya is not the safest place for a young family. Soon they headed to the South African city of Cape Town, which at that time was a British colony. During this period, inspired by his wife, he experimented with various looks.
Cape Town Hall, Cape Town, South Africa Photo: Martinvl / Wikimedia Commons
Towards the end of the 50s, Ackland returned to England. Despite the fact that he will have to start all over again, Joss decides to return to acting.
Career
Joss Ackland soon joined the non-profit theater group Old Vic. There he collaborated with famous actors such as Judy Dench and Maggie Smith. After several years of appearances with Old Vic, he was finally invited to television.
Old Vic Theater Photo: Fin Fahey / Wikimedia Commons
The actor got his first notable role in 1959 in the TV series A Midsummer Night's Dream, which was followed by work in In Search of the Shipwrecked. In 1966, Ackland showed his acting skills as Mr. Peggotty in the TV series David Copperfield.
Gradually, Joss Ackland achieved recognition and took his niche in the cinematic world. Now, in most cases, he didn't need to audition. He was immediately approved for the role.
1979 marked a turning point in Ackland's career. He got the chance to perform in a creative alliance with British actor Alec Guinness in the TV series Spy Get Out! Joss played a sports journalist, for which he received high praise from film critics. This led to the fact that he increasingly began to receive longer and significant roles in films.
With the onset of the 80s, the best period in his acting career began. The actor has been involved in most of the most notable film jobs of this decade. Ackland was especially good in the crime genre. He starred in films such as The Sicilian (1987), Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) and The Hunt for Red October (1990). In addition, he received widespread critical acclaim for his work in White Evil (1987) and was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1988.
In 2000, Ackland starred in Two Lives, which tells the story of a woman stuck between her dream world and reality. Demi Moore played the main role in the film.
Actress Demi Moore Photo: David Shankbone / Wikimedia Commons
Later, the actor took part in the filming of such films as "Not a single good deed" (2002), "I'll be there" (2003), "Different fidelity" (2004), "These stupid things" (2006), "Kingdom" (2007) and many others.
In addition to working in film and television, Joss Ackland's acting skills have won respect in the theater. Some of his famous pieces include Evita, Tim Rice, A Little Night Music.
In 2007, he took part in the voiceover of the documentary In Search of the Great Beast 666: Aleister Crowley. In the same year, he starred in the film What About You ?, where he played the role of an alcoholic. The image he created received unanimous critical acclaim.
In September 2013, he made his first directorial appearance. Ackland presented the famous Shakespearean play "King Lear" at the Old Vic. Joss Ackland himself played the role of King Lear. More recently, he was spotted playing the role of Rufus in the 2014 historical epic Catherine of Alexandria. At that time, the actor was 85 years old.
Despite years of work in film and television, Joss Ackland has never received any major awards in this area. He is often accused of being "promiscuous" in roles. Indeed, the actor took on any job, including participating in low-paying films. To such accusations, Ackland replies that he loves his job and is not used to sitting around.
Personal life
Joss Ackland met his wife Rosemary Kirkseldi in the late 40s while working together on stage and immediately fell in love with her. The couple got married in August 1951. In the marriage, the couple had five daughters and two sons.
In 2002, Rosemary died of motor neuron disease. Joss Ackland was very upset about the loss of his beloved woman. According to him, she was a pillar of strength and constancy in his chaotic life.
