Glenda Jackson English actress and politician, Member of Parliament from the Labor Party since 1992 Date of Birth: 09.05.1936 Country: Great Britain

Biography of Glenda Jackson

Glenda Jackson is an English actress and politician who has been a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party since 1992. She was born into a bricklayer's family and developed a passion for theater from a young age, performing on amateur stages. After several years of unrelated jobs such as a waitress, hotel administrator, and pharmacist's assistant, Jackson enrolled in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and eventually joined the theater company in Stratford, where she played Ophelia in Hamlet. It was here in 1964 that director Peter Brook noticed her talent.

Her breakthrough role came in the play "Marat/Sade" by Peter Weiss, where she played the mentally ill nymphomaniac Charlotte Corday. This performance earned her recognition and led to her roles in the anti-war play "US" by Peter Weiss, also directed by Brook. Both plays were later adapted into films, further enhancing Jackson's rise to fame. Additionally, she made her screen debut with a small role in the film "This Sporting Life" in 1963.

However, Jackson's star moment in cinema came with her role as the emancipated artist Gudrun Brangwen in the film "Women in Love" directed by Ken Russell. Her portrayal of a woman who could give her body to a "barbarian" (a young coal magnate) while remaining independent resonated with the feminist movement of the 1970s. For this role, Jackson won an Academy Award and received accolades from New York critics. She continued to collaborate with Russell in films such as "The Music Lovers," "The Rainbow," and "Salome's Last Dance."

Another notable role for Jackson was in the film "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" directed by John Schlesinger in 1971, for which she won a British Academy Award and was nominated for an Oscar. In 1973, she won an Academy Award for her role in the romantic comedy "A Touch of Class."

Throughout her career, Jackson showcased her versatility in both contemporary and historical films, portraying characters such as Elizabeth Fielding in "The Romantic Englishwoman," Mary Stuart in "Mary, Queen of Scots," and Sarah Bernhardt in "Incredible Sarah." In 1971, she received an Emmy Award for her lead role in the television series "Elizabeth R."

In the early 1980s, Jackson focused more on television work, including roles in "The Patricia Neal Story" and "Sakharov," where she portrayed Elena Bonner. During this time, she became increasingly interested in political activism. In 1990, she ran for Parliament as a candidate for the Labour Party and in 1992, she became the first and only double-Oscar-winning Member of Parliament. After her political career began, Glenda Jackson officially announced her retirement from acting.