Tom Wilkinson was an English actor whose performances in “Michael Clayton” and “In the Bedroom” earned him two Academy Award nominations and who is arguably best known for his work in “The Full Monty” and “Shakespeare in Love.”
- Died: December 30, 2023 (Who else died on December 30?)
- Details of death: Died in London at the age of 75.
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Tom Wilkinson’s legacy
Wilkinson made a name for himself performing Shakespeare in London’s West End in 1980. His portrayal of Horatio in “Hamlet” earned him a Laurence Olivier Award nomination and led to his on-screen career. After a small role in Ang Lee’s 1995 adaptation of “Sense and Sensibility,” Wilkinson won acclaim – and a BAFTA – for his work in the comedic drama “The Full Monty” in 1998. The following year, he won a Screen Actors Guild Award for his work in “Shakespeare in Love.”
Wilkinson garnered Oscar attention in 2001 when he acted opposite Sissy Spacek and Marisa Tomei in “In the Bedroom.” His portrayed of a man grief-stricken over his lost child earned him a Best Actor nomination and further critical acclaim. Roles in “The Importance of Being Earnest,” “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” “Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind,” and “Batman Begins” followed. Wilkinson earned a second Oscar nomination in 2007 for his work in the drama “Michael Clayton.”
Wilkinson also won a BAFTA and both Golden Globe and Emmy awards for his portrayal of Benjamin Franklin in HBO’s “John Adams,” and Screen Actors Guild awards for “The Full Monty” and “Shakespeare in Love,” among others. All told, he was nominated for two Oscars, four Golden Globes, four Emmys, and six BAFTAs, among many others. Wilkinson received an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Kent and was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2005 “for services to Drama.”
Tributes to Tom Wilkinson
Full obituary: The Hollywood Reporter
