IMDb Polls

Poll: Best Shakespearean-Trained British Movie & TV Actor

SetEvery year on April 23rd, Shakespeare Day is celebrated worldwide on the date of his birth. In 2024, William Shakespeare's legacy remains undeniably enduring as we mark the 460th anniversary of his birth.

According to Wikipedia, "William Shakespeare (c. 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist .... His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted."

Today, his body of work is so well-regarded that performing it well is considered one of the best ways to learn the craft of acting. Worldwide, many actors-in-training choose to hone their skills at performing arts schools and theater companies which utilize works of Shakespeare as their primary course of study. Many extol the virtue of such an approach; which both fine-tunes their existing talents and elevates them by developing new skill sets. In celebration of this milestone anniversary, Shakespeare's continuing legacy and the impact that Shakepearean-trained talent has on the quality of modern entertainment:

Which of these select British movie or television actors who are Shakespearean-trained do you think is the best one?

Vote in the companion poll here: Shakespearean-Trained British Movie & TV Actresses

Discuss the topic here.

Results of 182 votes:

  1. 1.
  2. 2.
  3. 3.

Related Polls

Forbes Fictional 15's Forbes create a rich list every year, counting down the richest people in the world, since 2006, every year, they've created a fictional rich list comprising of 15 characters, which of these character…
Titans of Terror Tournament Which of these classic horror actors, which were brought together by the Angry Video Game Nerd in a "Titans of Terror Tournament", is your favorite? Discuss here: http://www.imdb.com/board/…
Here's Looking at You! Very few actors can say so much with just a stare. These actors and actresses have that gift. Just what's on their mind when they do it is anyone's guess. Some say the director of photography or the d…
Favorite oft-adapted male literary character from the 19th century A list of male literary characters who first appeared in the 19th century, often adapted in movies. Limited to protagonist and/or title characters. Discuss the list here.
Bond Before Bond Sorry for the cryptic title but the question is rather simple. All these distinguished gentlemen have many traits in common, they're all British-born and were already known to the public eye before th…
The Shapeshifters All of these characters can change their natural bodily form, some can become anything, others can only become one thing, which is your favourite? Discuss Here
Actors Who Could Never Break Free of Their Iconic Role No matter how many movies or characters they played, these actors are recognized only for a particular role that made them famous. They may forever be known for that one role, while they've done a lot…
Who Can It Be Knocking At My Door Who can it be now? Men at Work? The Postman? Cable Guy? The Cop? These are People at the Door. Knocking or Not! Oh, watch out for the axe wielding people! They never knock. As Jar Jar Binks would say.…
Favorite Oscar-Nominated Sovereign Performance Which of these select Oscar-nominated sovereign performances depicting a ruler or a co-ruler movie character* is your favorite one? * King, Queen, Emperor, Emperess, Dictator and Dictatress [first in …
TV Character Wisdom Which of these TV character words of wisdom agree with you the most? Discuss HERE. See also: Movie Character Wisdom
Awesome African-Born Actors! Which of these well-known actors who were born in Africa do you enjoy most? Discuss the list here
Best portrayal of Sherlock Holmes Many actors have portrayed the popular detective Sherlock Holmes. Who did the best job at it? Limited to the most popular/prolific movies/series/actors. Discuss the list here
Most Hated Movie Characters Sometimes, a character is so despicable, obnoxious or just plain dumb in a movie that we end up almost hating the actor in real life. Our brain is weird like that sometimes. Which is the most hated ch…
There Will Always Be One And Only One... Being the main protagonists of quite enduring franchises, these characters have been played by many actors (at least, more than two), but there's generally one version that strikes as the most iconic,…
The Master of Horror When you think of the horror genre which actor or actress immediately comes to mind? Discuss Here
Oscar-worthy Horror movie performances Which performance should have won an oscar? Discussion for poll: http://www.imdb.com/board/bd0000088/thread/228870449
Monsters in Love Which of these noble and misunderstood characters in need of a little love do you like the most? Discuss here
Best Sherlock Holmes & Watson Crime Solving Duo Which movie or TV series Holmes & Watson pairing works best together to solve mysteries and crimes? Discuss the topic here.
Who are you? (TV version) Which of these TV characters gives the most memorable response to that question? You may discuss the poll here. See also: Who are you? (Movie version)
Greatest Pre-1980's Movie Heroes Which of these pre-1980's live action movie characters do you think can be considered as the "Greatest Pre-1980's Movie Hero"? After voting, you may discuss the poll here. Also vote for: Gre…

Recently Viewed