Bruce Robinson English actor, screenwriter and director Date of Birth: 01.05.1946 Country: Great Britain

Biography of Bruce Robinson

Bruce Robinson is an English actor, screenwriter, and director. He was born on May 2, 1946, in the small coastal town of Broadstairs, Kent, England. Robinson's stepfather was abusive and introduced him to alcohol, which later became the main problem in his life. The identity of his biological father is unknown, but his stepfather was a navigator who bombed Tripoli during World War II. He grew up with his sister Ellie, and from a young age, Bruce dreamed of becoming an actor. He participated in amateur productions at the Charles Dickens School and later attended the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.

During his time at drama school, Robinson's classmates included future musician David Dundas and actor Mickey Rourke. It was during a performance that Robinson caught the attention of Italian director Franco Zeffirelli, who cast him as Benvolio in his 1968 version of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." For the next ten years, Robinson continued to work as an actor, playing significant roles in films such as "Perfume of the Lady in Black," "Private Road," and most notably, François Truffaut's "The Story of Adele H."

Despite critical acclaim for his acting, Robinson claimed that he was never truly happy as an actor because he saw himself as a writer. After appearing in the film "The Hotel New Hampshire," Robinson decided to leave acting behind and focus on writing screenplays and directing. In 1984, he gained recognition for his screenplay for Roland Joffé's war drama "The Killing Fields." The script won him a BAFTA award for Best Adapted Screenplay and received nominations for an Oscar and a Golden Globe in the same category.

In the late 1980s and 1990s, Robinson directed and wrote several films, including the cult classic "Withnail & I" based on his own experiences and friendship with actor Vivian MacKerrell. However, his career took a downturn, and his mainstream film, "How to Get Ahead in Advertising," was a commercial failure. After the disappointment, Robinson vowed to avoid big Hollywood studios.

In 2011, after a 19-year hiatus from directing, Robinson returned to filmmaking. He adapted Hunter S. Thompson's novel "The Rum Diary" into a film starring Johnny Depp. The film received mixed reviews from critics, who noted that it deviated from the source material. In 2012, another of Robinson's books, "Paranoia in the Launderette," was made into the comedy film "The Incredible Fear of Everything."

In his personal life, Robinson was in a romantic relationship with actress Leslie-Anne Down from 1969 to 1980. He later married Sophie Windham, with whom he has two children, Lily India (born 1986) and Willow (born 1994). Robinson battled alcoholism for most of his life and finally quit drinking in 2003. He credited his family and his decision to join Alcoholics Anonymous for his recovery.

Today, Robinson resides with his family in their 16th-century estate on the border of Wales. His daughter Lily has followed in his footsteps and pursued a career as an actress in Hollywood. Despite the ups and downs of his career, Bruce Robinson is recognized as a talented writer and director in the film industry.