Brideshead Revisited

About the cast

MATTHEW GOODE – Charles Ryder

Matthew Goode studied drama at the University of Birmingham and Classical Theatre at London's Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.

In 2003, he made his film debut as the lead in Fernando Colomo’s SOUTH FROM GRANADA, playing Spanish-speaking writer Gerard Brennan. He went on take the spot light as Mandy Moore's romantic interest in the film CHASING LIBERTY. He has since appeared in Woody Allen’s MATCH POINT with Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Ol Parker’s IMAGINE ME & YOU, Agnieszka Holland’s COPYING BEETHOVEN opposite Ed Harris and Diane Kruger, and award winning THE LOOK OUT directed by Oscar nominated Scott Frank.

Matthew has recently finished filming Zack Snyder’s WATCHMAN, an adaptation of Alan Moore's landmark comic book series.

Matthew’s TV credits include the BBC productions of MY FAMILY AND OTHER ANIMALS co-starring Imelda Staunton, THE INSPECTOR LYNLEY MYSTERIES, Tom Vaughan’s HE KNEW HE WAS RIGHT, and for LWT, Miss Marple’s A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED.
On stage he has played Ariel in Shakespeare’s THE TEMPEST and Moon in Lorca’s BLOOD WEDDING for the Mercury Theatre Company.

BEN WHISHAW – Sebastian Flyte

Ben came to the fore early in his career playing the title role in Dom Rotheroe’s MY BROTHER TOM, for which he was named Most Promising Newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards 2001. He then went on to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 2003. Ben has appeared in Roger Michell’s adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel ENDURING LOVE, and Matthew Vaughan’s LAYER CAKE before taking the lead role in Tom Tykwer’s PERFUME; A STORY OF A MURDERER, for which he was nominated Best Actor at the European Film Awards 2007 and for the BAFTA Orange Rising Star Award in 2007.

In 2005 Ben starred as Rolling Stones singer, Keith Richards, in the biopic STONED, before going on to interpret the venerable Bob Dylan in Todd Haynes’ award-winning film I’M NOT THERE. Ben was one of six actors (Marcus Carl Franklin, Heath Ledger, Christian Bale, Richard Gere and Cate Blanchett) to play Bob Dylan through the seven distinct stages of his life, and together with his co-stars won a 2008 Independent Spirit Award for this role.

Ben’s future film projects include the lead in Jane Campion’s John Keats biopic BRIGHT STAR.

Ben’s theatre work includes his West End debut at the National Theatre in stage adaptation of Phillip Pullman's HIS DARK MATERIALS and he later took the title role in HAMLET, Trevor Nunn's electric 'youth' version of the play at the Old Vic, for which Ben received wide critical acclaim including an Olivier award nomination. Ben also played Konstantin in Katie Mitchell's 2006 version of THE SEAGULL at the National Theatre.

For TV, Ben starred in the popular comedy-drama THE BOOZE CRUISE for ITV and NATHAN BARLEY from director Chris Morris, for TalkBack Productions.

HAYLEY ATWELL – Julia Flyte

Hayley Atwell has featured in prominent TV, theatre and film productions since graduating from the London Guildhall of Music and Drama in 2005. She made her film debut opposite Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor in Woody Allen’s CASSANDRA’S DREAM, which premiered at the 2007 Venice Film Festival. 2007 also saw Hayley take the lead in Anthony Byrne’s HOW ABOUT YOU alongside screen veterans Vanessa Redgrave and Imelda Staunton. Hayley can be seen next in Saul Dibb’s THE DUCHESS opposite Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes and Dominic Cooper.
Hayley’s major TV break through was playing Catherine Fedden in the BBC’s mini-series THE LINE OF BEAUTY, adapted from Allan Hollinghurst’s booker prize- winning novel by Andrew Davies. She has also starred in the ITV lavish adaptation of MANSFIELD PARK (2007) alongside Billie Piper. Additional TV credits include FEAR OF FANNY, based on Fanny Cradock the famous fifties TV chef, and TV-movie adaptation of Phillip Pullman’s RUBY IN THE SMOKE for the BBC.

Hayley made her theatre debut in WOMEN BEWARE WOMEN as Bianca in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production. She went on to play Lo in the Sound Theatre stage production of PROMETHEUS BOUND directed by James Kerr, and most recently George Etherege’s MAN OF MODE and George Bernard Shaw’s MAJOR BARBARA directed by Nicholas Hytner for the National Theatre.

EMMA THOMPSON – Lady Marchmain

Oscar and multiple award-winning actress Emma Thompson, has an extensive background in film and television. Her early films include THE TALL GUY co-starring Jeff Goldblum and the award-winning HENRY V, directed and co-starring Kenneth Branagh. It was Emma’s performance in HOWARDS END for Merchant Ivory which brought her international recognition and an Oscar award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, in addition to Best Actress awards from the Golden Globes, New York Critics, LA Critics, the National Society of Film Critics and BAFTA. Emma continued to give critically acclaimed performances; including her 1993 Oscar nominated performance for Best Supporting Actress in REMAINS OF THE DAY, her second Merchant Ivory collaboration. The following year she received an Oscar nomination for Best Leading Actress for Tim Sheridan’s IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, co-starring Daniel Day-Lewis. In 1995, Emma starred in and adapted the screenplay for Ang Lee’s SENSE AND SENSIBILITY which won Emma a further Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and a BAFTA award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

Emma’s additional credits include Richard Curtis’ romantic comedy LOVE ACTUALLY, for which she received Best Supporting Actress awards from the Evening Standard Awards and the London Film Critics Awards, and a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role. In 2002 Emma starred in and adapted the screenplay for Kirk Jones’s NANNY MCPHEE, before going on to co-star with Will Ferrell in Marc Forster’s STANGER THAN FICTION.

Emma recently reprised her role as Professor Trelawney in David Yates’ HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, following on from HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN.
Emma can be soon seen in Joel Hopkins’ LAST CHANCE HARVEY opposite Dustin Hoffman.

Emma has starred in a number of TV productions. In 2003 she played multiple roles in ANGELS IN AMERICA, for which she received nominations for Best Actress and Supporting Actress from the Screen Actors Guild of America (SAG), Golden Satellite and Emmy Awards. Emma’s starring role playing a cancer victim in the HBO drama WIT, earned her Best Actress nominations from the Golden Globes, Emmy, SAG and the Golden Satellite Awards. Emma also won an Emmy Award for her guest starring role in ELLEN, playing a fictionalized parody of herself.

About the Filmakers

JULIAN JARROLD - Director

Julian Jarrold made his feature film directorial debut in 2005 with KINKY BOOTS, starring Chewitel Ejiofor. Most recently Julian directed Oscar nominee James MacAvoy and Anne Hathaway in the Jane Austen biopic feature film BECOMING JANE.  Prior to that Julian worked in the UK television industry for more than 10 years and directed some of the UK’s most prominent and successful British TV drama series and mini-series in that period. In 1994 Julian directed a BAFTA winning episode of the acclaimed ITV drama series CRACKER (‘THE BIG CRUNCH’), which he followed up with the two hour film for Granada, SOME KIND OF LIFE which was nominated for a BAFTA.  Working with the BBC Julian also directed the Emmy-nominated miniseries GREAT EXPECTATIONS starring Ioan Gruffudd and Charlotte Rampling and ALL THE KING’S MEN starring David Jason and Maggie Smith.  Julian has also worked with some of the UK’s most talented young actors including John Simm in the BAFTA nominated, feature length dramas, NEVER, NEVER and CRIME AND PUNISHMENT and Andrew Lincoln in THE CANTERBURY TALES: MAN OF LAW for the BBC. He also directed   BOOTS Julian Channel 4’s critically acclaimed adaptation of the Zadie Smith best selling novel, WHITE TEETH, starring Om Puri and Phil Davis.