Pete Postlethwaite

In 2010, he was seen in Clash of the Titans (2010), Inception (2010) and The Town (2010).

He was awarded OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2004 New Year's Honors List for his services to drama. On 16 November 2009, when the Labour government, of which he had been a lifelong supporter, was contemplating commissioning a coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth in Kent, he threatened in a speech to Ed Miliband, then Climate Change Minister, to hand back his OBE if the Government went ahead with their plans. The proposal to build a new power station at Kingsnorth was shelved by the coalition government in October 2010.

He was listed as a potential nominee on the 2006 Razzie Award nominating ballot. He was listed as a suggestion in the Worst Supporting Actor category for his performance in the film Aeon Flux (2005). However he failed to receive a nomination.

Was considered for a role in Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York (2002).

Postlethwaite lived quietly out of the spotlight in England and continued on in films with roles in The Shipping News (2001), The Limit (2004), Dark Water (2005), The Omen (2006), Ghost Son (2007) and Solomon Kane (2009).

Turned down major roles in Gone in 60 Seconds (2000) and Gangs of New York (2002).

At the beginning of one hit wonder "Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba, it's his voice that says these words from the movie Brassed Off (1996): "Truth is I thought it mattered, I thought that music mattered. But does it bollocks! Not compared to how people matter".

Other quality roles came his way with The Usual Suspects (1995), Brassed Off (1996), and Amistad (1997).

He did fine work on television in Sharpe: Sharpe's Company (1994), Lost for Words (1999), and The Sins (2000). Postlethwaite worked equally both in the UK and abroad, and avoided the public limelight for the most part, except for occasional displays of political activism.

By 1993 he had crossed over into Hollywood parts and earned his first Oscar nomination for his superb role as Daniel Day-Lewis' father in In the Name of the Father (1993).

He and his Treasure Island (1990) co-star Charlton Heston both portrayed the Player King in film adaptations of "Hamlet": Postlethwaite in Hamlet (1990) and Heston in Hamlet (1996).

He and his wife, a BBC drama assistant, had one child, Billy Postlethwaite (b. 1989). He was also the father of Lily Postlethwaite (b. 1996) by his relationship with Jacqueline Morrish).

By the 1980s he was ready to branch out into film and TV, giving a startling performance as a wife abuser in the Distant Voices, Still Lives (1988).

An oddly fascinating bloke with prominent bony cheeks and rawboned figure, Peter William (Pete) Postlethwaite was born on February 16, 1946 and was a distinguished character actor on stage, TV and film. Growing up the youngest of four siblings in a Catholic family in Warrington, Lancashire (near Liverpool) in middle-class surroundings to working-class parents, he attended St Mary's University (London). However, while completing his studies, he developed an interest in theatre, to the chagrin of his father, who wanted his children to find secure positions in life. A drama teacher initially at a Catholic girls convent school, he decided to follow his acting instincts full-time and gradually built up an impressive array of classical stage credits via repertory, including the Bristol Old Vic Drama School, and in stints with Liverpool Everyman, Manchester Royal Exchange and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Pete Postlethwaite was the youngest of four children born to working-class Roman Catholic parents, William and Mary Geraldine (née Lawless) Postlethwaite in Warrington (near Liverpool). He had two sisters, Anne and Patricia, and a brother, Michael (1944-2006). He attended St Benedict's RC Junior School and a seminary. He then joined the 4th form at West Park Grammar School, St Helens (Merseyside), and spent an extra year re-sitting some O-levels and then took four A-levels in English, history, geography and French. He trained as a teacher at St Mary's University College (Strawberry Hill, Twickenham), majoring in physical education and drama. He later taught drama at Loreto College, Manchester, a Catholic girls convent school.