Gary Oldman calls out Royals and shares disappointment at being snubbed by honours system
Gary Oldman has expressed his surprise and disappointment at not receiving a knighthood or other royal honour despite his illustrious career.
In a recent interview with the BBC, Oldman, who won an Oscar, BAFTA, and Golden Globe for his portrayal of Sir Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour, candidly addressed the lack of royal recognition.
“I don’t know why. You should ask them. No nod from the royals, but there we are,” Oldman said when questioned about the absence of an honour.
The 66-year-old actor, whose career spans over four decades, added with a hint of hope: “Maybe it’s in my future.”
Oldman’s achievements include three Academy Award nominations and numerous critically acclaimed performances in films such as Sid and Nancy, Dracula, and The Dark Knight Trilogy.
His situation stands in stark contrast to many of his British peers as he remains the only British winner of the Best Actor Oscar this century without a royal honour.
Fellow actors such as Sir Anthony Hopkins, Sir Daniel Day-Lewis, and Sir Kenneth Branagh have all received knighthoods, particularly following major Oscar wins.
Mark Rylance was knighted the year after his Best Supporting Actor win for Bridge of Spies in 2017, Colin Firth received a CBE in 2011 after his Oscar-winning role in The King’s Speech, and Olivia Colman took the same honour in 2019 following her Best Actress win for The Favourite.
Eddie Redmayne was also given an OBE in 2016 after his Best Actor win for The Theory of Everything, with Kate Winslet receiving a CBE in 2012, three years after her Oscar for The Reader.
Currently, Oldman is enjoying success in his first long-running television role as Jackson Lamb in the Apple TV+ series Slow Horses.
The show, which is set to begin its fourth season, has garnered positive reviews, with Oldman’s portrayal of the dishevelled MI5 agent earning him the Best Actor BAFTA earlier this year.
He is now tipped to land his first Emmy award for the role next month and humorously discussed his character’s unpleasant habits, including breaking wind: “These are the conversations that you have.
“You know: ‘This one is on a leather chair, so it should be more robust’.”
The fourth series will begin streaming on AppleTV+ from September 4.
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Oldman’s career has included iconic roles in major franchises. He portrayed Sirius Black in the Harry Potter series, starting with The Prisoner of Azkaban in 2004.
The 66-year-old remains reflective about his performances, and in a recent interview described his work in the Harry Potter films as mediocre.
However, he clarified that he didn’t want to “disparage anyone out there who are fans of Harry Potter and the films”.
As Oldman continues his acclaimed career, the question of royal recognition lingers. While he expresses surprise at the oversight, he remains hopeful.
