Joseph Fiennes

Joseph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (born 27 May 1970) is an English film and stage actor. He is known for his portrayals of William Shakespeare in Shakespeare in Love, Sir Robert Dudley in Elizabeth, Commisar Danilov in Enemy at the Gates, Martin Luther in Luther, Merlin in Camelot, Mark Benford in the 2009 TV series FlashForward and for starring as Monsignor Timothy Howard in the second season of the TV series American Horror Story. Early life and family Fiennes was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England in 1970, the son of photographer Mark Fiennes and novelist Jennifer Lash. The youngest of six siblings, his elder siblings are actor Ralph Fiennes, filmmakers Sophie Fiennes and Martha Fiennes, composer Magnus Fiennes, conservationist Jacob Fiennes, his twin brother; and a foster brother Mike Emery, an archaeologist. He is also a relative to explorer Ranulph Fiennes. Fiennes was briefly educated in the Republic of Ireland and then at Swan School For Boys (now known as Leehurst Swan School, following a merger with another school), an independent school in Salisbury, before passing his 11+ exam and continuing to Bishop Wordsworth's School, a voluntary-aided state day grammar school, in the Cathedral Close of the city. He then attended art school in Suffolk for a year, before joining the Young Vic Youth Theatre. Fiennes subsequently trained for three years at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 1993. Career His first professional stage appearance was in the West End in The Woman in Black, followed by A Month in the Country opposite Helen Mirren. Fiennes then became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company for two seasons. He made his television debut as Willy in The Vacillations of Poppy Carew. His first feature film was 1996's Stealing Beauty, co-starring Liv Tyler. In 1998, Fiennes appeared in two films that were nominated at the Academy Awards: he played Robert Dudley opposite Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth and he portrayed William Shakespeare opposite Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. He and Paltrow were reunited onscreen in Running with Scissors (2006). Fiennes starred in the ABC science fiction series FlashForward, which debuted on 24 September 2009 and ran through 27 May 2010, as Mark Benford. Fiennes stars in Starz's 10-part series, Camelot, as the wizard Merlin. In the second season of American Horror Story, which premiered in October 2012, Fiennes began playing the role of Monsignor Timothy Howard. Personal life Fiennes married María Dolores Diéguez, a Swiss model, in a Roman Catholic ceremony in Tuscany in August 2009. They have two daughters. Fiennes was one of the celebrities, including Tom Hiddleston, Jo Brand, E. L. James and Rachel Riley, to design and sign his own card for the UK-based charity Thomas Coram Foundation for Children. The campaign was launched by crafting company Stampin’ Up! UK and the cards were auctioned off on eBay during May 2014.