Colin Firth

Colin Firth is a British actor especially known for his portrayals of Mr. Darcy in a television adaptation of Jane Austen’s "Pride and Prejudice" (1995) and the future king George VI in "The King’s Speech" (2010). Firth’s parents were teachers, and the family moved frequently, living in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He acted in school plays, and in 1980 he was accepted to the Drama Centre London. Three years later he made his West End debut, portraying a character based on the British spy Guy Burgess in the play "Another Country." In 1984 Firth starred in the film adaptation, though he was cast in a different role. Over the next decade Firth worked steadily, appearing in numerous stage, movie, and television productions. In 1988 he received critical praise for the TV film "Tumbledown," in which he portrayed a Scottish soldier who is injured during the Falkland Islands War and endures a difficult recovery. The role earned Firth his first British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award nomination.

Despite his numerous credits, Firth did not receive his major breakthrough until he appeared as Fitzwilliam Darcy in the television miniseries "Pride and Prejudice." His portrayal of a repressed aristocrat whose haughtiness hides his growing affection for Elizabeth Bennet earned Firth a devoted following. A series of acclaimed films followed, including "The English Patient" (1996) and "Shakespeare in Love" (1998), both of which earned an Academy Award for best picture. In 2001 Firth garnered further attention as Mark Darcy in the romantic comedy "Bridget Jones’s Diary," an adaptation of Helen Fielding’s best-selling novel. Firth reprised the role in "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason" (2004) and "Bridget Jones’s Baby" (2016).

In Tom Ford’s 2009 adaptation of Christopher Isherwood’s novel "A Single Man," Firth portrayed a gay professor who, following the death of his lover, displays a stoic front while contemplating suicide. The role earned Firth his first Oscar nomination, and he won his first BAFTA Award. He received further acclaim with the historical drama "The King’s Speech" (2010), starring as Prince Albert (eventually King George VI) of Great Britain, who enlists the aid of an eccentric speech therapist (played by Geoffrey Rush) to overcome a debilitating stutter. Firth garnered numerous accolades for his poignant performance, including an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award. Firth also recently deployed his starchy diction and composure to comic effect as a spy in the thriller parody "Kingsman: The Secret Service" (2014) and the franchise’s second installment, "Kingsman: The Golden Circle" (2017).

In 2018 Firth reprised his role as Harry in "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again," played a faithful friend of Oscar Wilde in "The Happy Prince," and starred as an imperiled amateur sailor in "The Mercy." Also that year he assumed the role of William Weatherall Wilkins, president of the Fidelity Fiduciary Bank, in "Mary Poppins Returns."

Off the screen and stage, Firth also does humanitarian work around the world. As an Oxfam ambassador, Firth has challenged Italy Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi over aid issues, helped prevent the deportation of African refugees and met with Ethiopian coffee farmers, which led to the founding of London-based fair-trade coffee chain Progreso. Firth also is a supporter of Survival Intl., an org supporting tribal peoples’ rights, and is co-owner of Eco-Age, a London-based ecological retail shop and consultancy. In 2007, he also opened Eco Age, an eco-friendly shop in Chiswick, London. The store, lit and heated by sunlight, is fully self-sustainable and offers shoppers the chance to buy commodities that are completely environmentally friendly.