Editing Brenda Blethyn (section)

{{Short description|British actress (born 1946)}}
{{EngvarB|date=November 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Brenda Blethyn
| honorific_suffix   = {{post-nominals|country=UK|size=100%|OBE}}
| image              = Brenda Blethyn at the 2014 Berlin Film Festival.jpg
| caption            = Blethyn in 2014
| birth_name         = Brenda Bottle
| occupation         = Actress
| known_for = ''[[Vera (TV series)|Vera]]''
| alma_mater         = [[Guildford School of Acting]]
| years_active       = 1976–present
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|df=y|1946|02|20}}
| birth_place        = [[Ramsgate]], [[Kent]], England
| spouse             = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Alan Blethyn<br/>|1964|1973|end=div}}
* {{marriage|Michael Mayhew<br/>|2010}}
}}
| awards             = [[List of awards and nominations received by Brenda Blethyn|Full list]]
}}

'''Brenda Blethyn''' ({{née}} '''Bottle'''; born 20 February 1946) is an English actress. Known for her [[character actor|character work]] and versatility,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://slate.com/culture/2021/03/secrets-lies-mike-leigh-interview-criterion-collection.html|work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|title=Mike Leigh Reveals the Story Behind Secrets & Lies' Most Famous Scene|date=30 March 2021|access-date=27 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/showbiz-news/brenda-tackles-classic-role-948796|work=[[Manchester Evening News]]|title=Brenda tackles classic role|date=18 April 2010|access-date=27 November 2023}}</ref> she is the recipient of [[List of awards and nominations received by Brenda Blethyn|various accolades]], including a [[Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe]], a [[British Academy Film Awards|BAFTA]], and a [[Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress|Cannes Film Festival Award]], as well as nominations for two [[Academy Awards]] and two [[Primetime Emmy Awards|Primetime Emmys]]. She was appointed [[Order of the British Empire|Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) for services to drama in 2003.<ref name=OBE>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/dec/31/monarchy5|title=New Year Honours|date=31 December 2002|work=The Guardian}}</ref>

Blethyn pursued an administrative career before enrolling at the [[Guildford School of Acting]] in her late 20s. She subsequently joined the [[Royal National Theatre]], gaining attention for her performances in plays such as ''[[Benefactors (play)|Benefactors]]'' (1984), for which she received a nomination for the [[Laurence Olivier Award for Actress of the Year in a New Play]]. She made her [[Broadway (theatre)|Broadway]] debut in the revival of the [[Marsha Norman]] play ''[['Night Mother]]'' (2004).  

She made her feature film debut with a small part in [[Nicolas Roeg]]'s ''[[The Witches (1990 film)|The Witches]]'' (1990). She starred in the Mike Leigh film ''[[Secrets & Lies (film)|Secrets & Lies]]'' (1996), which earned her a [[Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress]] as well as a nomination for the [[Academy Award for Best Actress]]. She was also Oscar-nominated for her role in ''[[Little Voice (film)|Little Voice]]'' (1998). Her other notable film credits include ''[[A River Runs Through It (film)|A River Runs Through It]]'' (1992), ''[[Girls' Night]]'' (1998), ''[[Saving Grace (2000 film)|Saving Grace]]'' (2000), ''[[Lovely & Amazing]]'' (2001), [[Plots with a View]] (2002), ''[[Pumpkin (film)|Pumpkin]]'' (2002), ''[[A Way of Life (2004 film)|A Way of Life]]'' (2004), ''[[Pride & Prejudice (2005 film)|Pride & Prejudice]]'' (2005), and ''[[Atonement (2007 film)|Atonement]]'' (2007).

Blethyn made her screen debut in the [[Mike Leigh]] television film ''[[Grown-Ups]]'' (1980). She has since starred in the [[sitcoms]] ''[[Chance in a Million]]'' (1984–1986), ''[[The Labours of Erica]]'' (1989–1990), ''[[Outside Edge (TV series)|Outside Edge]]'' (1994–1996), and ''[[Kate & Koji]]'' (2020–2022). She received [[Primetime Emmy Award]] nominations playing Auguste van Pels in ''[[Anne Frank: The Whole Story]]'' (2001) and for her guest role in ''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]'' (2008). From 2011 to 2025 she starred in ITV crime drama series ''[[Vera (TV series)|Vera]]'' portraying [[Ann Cleeves#Vera Stanhope|Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope]].