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From SCIFIPEDIA
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Pierce Brendan Brosnan is an actor born on May 16, 1953, in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland to May and Thomas Brosnan. He's best known for playing the secret agent James Bond in the Bond films. He's also well known in the role of Remington Steele.
Early Life
Brosnan attended Christian Brothers school in Ireland and lived with his maternal gradparents, Philip and Kathleen Smith while his mother worked in London. His parents divorced while he was still a baby. At age six, he lost both grandparents and moved in with other relatives until his mother was able to bring him to Putney, London at age ten. His mother remarried to Bill Carmichael, after receiving Pierce's approval.
Pierce was drawn to art and trained in illustration. At age 16 he was hired by a circus agent after he saw him in a street performance. He then trained in acting at the Drama Centre in London.
Career
Pierce's first television roles were mainly in TV Movies such as Murphy's Stroke, The Manions of America with Kate Mulgrew, and series such as The Professionals and Play for Today. In 1982 he won a leading role in the detective series Remington Steele. He also received an offer to play James Bond but could not break his contract with the TV Series.
In 1986 the opportunity to play Bond came around again but once again Remington Steele stood in the way and Timothy Dalton filled the role. He appeared in the films The Fourth Protocol, The Lawnmower Man , Mrs. Doubtfire, and Love Affair before the prospect of Bond returned once more in 1994. He starred in the Bond films Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies and The World is Not Enough. In between the Bond movies he also appeared in Mars Attacks!, Dante's Peak, Grey Owl and The Tailor of Panama.
He followed up his last Bond film, The World is Not Enough, with Laws of Attraction, After the Sunset, and The Matador. He was replaced by Daniel Craig in the latest Bond film Casino Royale. Upcoming films include Butterfly on a Wheel, Marriage and Mrs Doubtfire 2.
Personal Life
He married Australian actress Cassandra Harris on December 27, 1980 and the two raised her two children Christopher and Charlotte, and their son Sean until her death of breast cancer in 1991. He has been a spokesperson and advocate for beast cancer charities since Cassandra's death. In 2001 he married Keely Shaye Smith and the couple has since had two children.
Brosnan was granted an honorary OBE (The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II for his role in British film. He maintains Irish citizenship but also became an American citizen on September 23, 2004 after living in the country for over twenty years. His personal causes include gun control, same sex marriage, and the environment.
Awards
- 1998 Saturn Award in the category: Best Actor for Tomorrow Never Dies
- 2000 Blockbuster Award in the category: Favorite Actor in Action for Tomorrow Never Dies
- 2000 Blockbuster Award in the category: Favorite Actor in Drama/Romance for The Thomas Crown Affair
- 2000 Empire Award in the category: Best Actor for The World is Not Enough
- 2001 Humanitarian Award from Women in Film Crystal Awards
- 2002 Chicago International Film Festival Career Achievement Award
- 2004 Glow Award in the category: Best Male Voice Performance for James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing
- 2004 IFTA Award for Outstanding Irish Contribution to Cinema
- 2005 Malibu Film Festival Achievement in the Arts Award
Quotes
"I had to have some balls to be Irish Catholic in South London. Most of that time I spent fighting."
"My mother was the prettiest woman in the town. He was a bit older than her. They made me. And he split."
"Acting allows me to explore new worlds, to discover characters by delving into their lives, and ultimately to become someone else entirely."
External Links
To see specific information, such as individual movies, please click the Pierce Brosnan category link at the bottom of this article. To see other articles that reference Pierce Brosnan, please click the What Links Here tool in the toolbox at the bottom of this page.
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