Talk:Kenneth Branagh

Photo

Not a very good photo. Anyone got a better one? Djbrianuk 16:29, 10 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Someone should post a photo from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein hehe, he looked good in that :D (tyger 19:15, 21 June 2006 (UTC))

Edits: Validated sources

I removed the comments regarding Branagh playing the new Batman as well as being a canidate for Obi-Wan Kenobi. I am sure of the former, but if anybody can find a source for the latter, feel free to restore it. It appears that the prankster who inserted Batman did not insert the Obi Wan comment, so I suppose it could possibly be true. —Preceding unsigned comment added by User:KMils (talk • contribs)

Some time after it was confirmed that the prequel films were going to be made, I remember having heard this. Further to that, I seem to remember hearing that he was considered too old for the part, and that is why he had been ultimately rejected. I don't have any source (nor can I remember the source I originally read it in .. probably some semi-official internet fansite), but I have re-inserted the information under a new trivia section, and I will look for a source. --Mal 19:51, 23 April 2006 (UTC)

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Note: This posting from 2006 has been modified in 2015 to remove <ref>-tags that had no meaningful content and were causing layout problems. The changes can be found in this page's history at the timestamp in my signature. --Xover (talk) 05:59, 27 September 2015 (UTC)

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Theatre

Hi, I wonder, why there is no short list of his theatre work? E.g.his 'Hamlet' with the RSC or his 'Richard III' in Sheffield.I think, that his work in the theatre is important enough to be listed here. Anne-theater 23.42 CET 5th, May 2007 I agree, as a biography this gives far too much weight to his film & TV career. There's no mention that he was the youngest ever actor to play Henry V with the RSC.Dimmacil (talk) 11:01, 7 July 2008 (UTC)

• I just saw a video on you tube Mr Branagh acting on Hamlet like Sir Laurance did. Alloplastic nearly unhearable stuff in mirrowing himself. Can#T follow this non thinking! Disgusting because I like Hamlet#s Thinking in ouerdays reflective and not suicidel... Eating some earth... Heaven and earth_ I remember not a werther in this role, but a player and a strategue. Shall I do a version? Me in black stockings and a jacket out of sammet; female and greedy of recognition._ in the name of action!--Danaide (talk) 16:26, 18 April 2009 (UTC)
  • Perhaps you should have seen him on stage and not on a video in a doubtful quality. You may have changed your mind. I found him to be the most interesting Hamlet I have seen so far in the Stratford version.Anne-theater (talk) 23:52, 19 April 2009 (UTC)

British, Irish, Northern Irish?

I have removed the description of him as a 'British' actor. Such a claim should not be used uncited given his origins in Belfast. Claiming someone from Belfast as British or Irish without adequate research is likely to be offensive to some, and inaccurate. The fact that he refused a British royal honour is indicative that such a statement should not be made without further backup. Some people from Belfast do not regard themselves as British, and some do not regard themselves as Irish. Editors should not unilaterally impose their own interpretation of someones nationality. Without further clarification I would propose 'Northern Irish'. 71.204.133.75 22:09, 3 July 2007 (UTC)

BET it AMERICANS who know little of the FACTS..?? A person from BELFAST can be as BRITISH as someone from LONDON, EDINBURGH or LONDON......ALL UK.... — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2.30.230.38 (talk) 23:22, 28 May 2014 (UTC)

If certain British citizens are so offended by their own Britishness, they're free to emigrate elsewhere. Otherwise, it's an inescapable fact of life. Branagh was born in a part of the UK, and he is therefore undeniably British, whether he personally likes this fact or not. It's also true to say he's Northern Irish. (It's even also true to say he's Irish, in the sense of coming from the island of Ireland). What's wrong with saying he's a British actor from Northern Ireland? Sean Connery is a British actor from Scotland. Richard Burton was a British actor from Wales. Roger Moore is a British actor from England. They're all British. -- JackofOz 22:19, 3 July 2007 (UTC)

Branagh was born in an area whose citizens can have British or Irish or both nationalities, and passports. Neither Scottish or Welsh citizens can automatically get a different passport as no other existing sovereign state has a claim on these territories. Common practice in the case of NI persons is to describe then as NI actors/people - or as Irish or British depending on the individuals own views. To avoid giving offence it is best not to superimpose the Irish Question/British occupation or whatever one wishes to call it - on articles where it has no significant relevance. Describing someone as British by virtue of their birth in Belfast is unwise without further reference as to the individuals views - in the the absence of this (unnecessary) referencing, you should describe him as a Northern Irish actor. As to the inane, xenophobic/nationalist comment 'If certain British citizens are so offended by their own Britishness, they're free to emigrate elsewhere.' I would suggest you study history - and English: British refers to England, Scotland and Wales only - which is why said passport says United Kingdom of Great Britain AND Northern Ireland. The UK has never claimed NI to be Britain, it claims it to be a part of the UK - and with the Northern Ireland Act 1998, this is only claimed as a part of a joint process with Ireland. Referring to someone from Belfast as 'British' with no further work is Original Research at best, and POV or trolling at worst. 71.204.133.75 00:12, 4 July 2007 (UTC)

Thanks for the flattery. To the extent that I stand corrected, I stand corrected. Is it the case that a NI person with an Irish passport can change his mind and obtain a British one? Or vice-versa? And can they do this as often as their whims and caprices dictate? Would our articles on such people have to be updated every time this happens? Can they hold both Irish and UK passports simultaneously, and if so, where would we stand? I'm just curious about how far this issue might have to be taken in an extreme case. JackofOz 00:58, 4 July 2007 (UTC)

Actually they can get both. And the liklyhood of switch is about the same as someone from Southern Japan flipping between being Korean or Japanese. About the only flip-flop I ever heard of was a Beirut Hostage who later got Irish citizenship as far less countries would be hostile to efforts to release him. It doesn't happen, hopefully in the future as passions are replace by peace, that maybe the case - but then its likely that EU citizenship will be far more relevant than local alliegences, and thus rendering it all irrelevant. 71.204.133.75 22:25, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

Your point about Branagh refusing a British honour does not, of itself, say anything about his Britishness or lack thereof. Many UK citizens (including many from Great Britain) have refused British honours for reasons that generally have nothing to do with a desire to not be associated with British institutions. Indeed, in some cases they’ve refused only because of the "lowly" status of the honour, eg. they declined the offer of a OBE or CBE because what they really wanted was a knighthood or an OM or CH, which, in some cases, was subsequently offered and accepted. Maybe Kenneth is hanging in there until he's made Sir Kenneth, who knows. -- JackofOz 00:58, 4 July 2007 (UTC)

Kenneth is known to be Anglican, that means there is a high degree of probability he considers himself British, but this is not a certainty. I think this is all a red herring, this article in no way benefited from making a first sentence declaration of his 'Britishness', which served merely to politice it. You'll note I did not advocate switching it to "Irish Actor", as neither would that have benefited the article enough to merit a line one listing. Saying he is British, absolutely, as a matter of birth in Belfast makes as much sense as saying Darwin is part of Indonesia because some nationalist general in Indonesia believes it is part of a greater Indonesia. Then there's the matter of whether you would call all Irish people British, after all Britain will give a passport at any stage to someone born in Ireland before 1922; which will then confer their grandchildren with the possibility of being a Subject of Britain in addition to or instead of a Citizen of Ireland. The bottom line is in the case of NI, an individual's nationality is not as clear cut as in a widely recognised, and unoccupied nation state, and is generally down to the individual. It's just unnecessary in this article, needless politisation. 71.204.133.75 22:25, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

actually someone born in Northern Ireland is automatically British, Irish nationality is a choice it is not automatic, also someone can be British coming from Northern Ireland, just like someone from Hawaii is an american, geography and jurisdiction are two different things , next you will be saying Barack obama is not american as he was not born in america when he was born in Hawaii which is a part of american soil located in the pacific but its still america none the less 2A02:C7C:6322:2800:254A:F9D7:4AFD:352B (talk) 00:00, 6 February 2024 (UTC)

I tried to do some research on this. I found a newspaper interview where he says that even though he left Belfast when he was nine years old, "I feel Irish. I don't think you can take Belfast out of the boy." Later he says "I remember quickly adopting an English accent for school, while keeping the Irish one for home," and "Being Irish, I'd always had this love of words".[1] I don't know what that says about his citizenship, but obviously he identifies with Irishness on a personal level. Downstage right (talk) 14:37, 9 July 2008 (UTC)

He was born in Northern Ireland, to Northern-Irish parents, but self-identifies as Irish - which is the important one. I believe that Wikipedia respects a persons preference to nationality. White43 (talk) 12:34, 25 April 2009 (UTC)

Sorry to break it to yet another O'Wikipedian, but self-identification and nationality are not related. I self-identify as English, but my nationality is still British. 86.2.64.179 (talk) 14:07, 10 November 2012 (UTC)

He supports Linfield and Rangers which leads one to the opinion that he is British first, and Irish merely by virtue of geographical birth. Peter O'Toole is Irish but was born in Britain. Branagh is British, but born on the island of Ireland —Preceding unsigned comment added by 93.107.145.93 (talk) 08:03, 15 January 2010 (UTC)

People from Northern Ireland have the right to be "British, Irish or both, if they so choose" per the Belfast Agreement. Kenneth has self identified as "Irish". Where is the debate? There is a clear bigotry at work here. This cannot be allowed on an encyclopedia, otherwise it makes a mockery of the entire site. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 217.45.222.60 (talk) 10:10, 1 October 2008 (UTC)

See my comment about an inch above. It's possible to call oneself Irish but be British by nationality (the UK is a nation of nations, in case that passed you by). You keep your claims of bigotry - what about the armies of bigots who scream with anger when anyone dares point out that Obama is 16 times less Irish than he is British, or remind O'Wikipedians that The Edge and Adam Clayton are British: born in Britain to Britons and still holding British passports? Yeah, no Irishman has EVER been biased against the UK or its people. Cry your "bigot" river somewhere else. 86.2.64.179 (talk) 14:11, 10 November 2012 (UTC)

I'd say you're right about the bigotry but there's plenty of it still in Northern Ireland. Branagh has a British passport, he's a British citizen, so he's British. 86.180.37.142 (talk) 20:26, 29 March 2010 (UTC)

A couple of points on this. (1)There is no such thing as a British Passport. There is a passport covering the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (2)While the Belfast Agreement allows people of Northern Ireland to claim to be British or Irish I personally don't know anyone who would refer to anyone in Northern Ireland as anything other than Irish. You can be a UK citizen and English, Scottish or Welsh. Certainly you can be both a UK citizen and Irish as well? 87.194.162.141 (talk) 15:23, 9 February 2011 (UTC)

a UK citizen is a British citizen it literally says "British citizen"in a UK passport and I am from Northern Ireland it says that in mine "British citizen" 2A02:C7C:6322:2800:254A:F9D7:4AFD:352B (talk) 00:01, 6 February 2024 (UTC)

I DOP NOT KNOW anyone in NI who would DARE call the majority IRISH..Have you been to NI? Do you know anything about us??? See NOT.... — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2.30.230.38 (talk) 23:26, 28 May 2014 (UTC)

The UK government office responsible for issuing passports refers to UK Passports as - guess what - "British Passports", see the WP article entitled "British Passport" for more info. The opinions of your personal circle of friends don't really enter the equation, nor should they. The terms "British" and Irish" are not mutually exclusive, so I suggest ignoring Brannagh's British citizenship is indefensible in this article. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2.100.76.233 (talk) 22:48, 13 June 2011 (UTC)

There IS such a thing as a BRITISH passport (IS what has always been called since the ADJECTIVE pertaining to the UK is BRITSISH)... AND MOST NI PROTESTANTS dislike being called IRISH ..Would NEVER carry an IRISH passport, even though technically are entitled..Such are taken by the RC minority..Get it straight...ONLY an oddball minority of Loyalists would ever apply for an Irish passport... — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2.30.230.38 (talk) 23:18, 28 May 2014 (UTC) Seems to me the British Nationality Act 1981 is clear that someone born in the UK and who was a UK citizen at the required date (with rights of abode and work in the UK) is a British Citizen. This applies to the whole of the UK and not just that part defined as Great Britain. The fact that Branagh has accepted a Knight Bachelor also seems pretty definitive that he is a British Citizen and that is his nationality. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Leedschris (talk • contribs) 21:51, 8 July 2012 (UTC)

NEVER read such RUBBISH..IN WHAT WE ALL CALL A BRITISH passport we are described as BRITISH citizen...Includes the MAJORITY of us in NI who have such....A case of others telling US what we are ..Citizen of UK =BRITISH..... — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2.30.230.38 (talk) 23:09, 28 May 2014 (UTC) A LOT here NEED to know to call MOST people from Northern Ireland IRISH is taken as an insult.... — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2.30.230.38 (talk) 23:13, 28 May 2014 (UTC)

The guy played Henry V (one of the English greats) and a Colonel in the British Army... calling him just 'Irish' will no doubt mean people will be confused about his nationality. He came from an Anglican family and said family then moved to Reading in Southern England to avoid The Troubles - not Manchester, not Liverpool... bloody Reading! Quite frankly, I see any deviation from 'British actor from Northern Ireland' as biased. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 95.149.64.223 (talk) 16:21, 9 October 2015 (UTC)

I've restored the British note as the previous version called him an Ulster actor which is misleading as Ulster includes counties which are in the ROI. He has a knighthood so it is fairly clear that he identifies as British rather than Irish, so the article now clarifies that he is a British Actor from Belfast in Northern Ireland.PompeyTheGreat (talk) 03:38, 19 June 2018 (UTC)

There's reference to him self Identifying as Irish, we can't just go changing the article pompey on personal whims. lets discuss this before editing it to our wants. if there's contention, lets leave it as both until we can decide. Perendinatorian (User talk:Perendinatorian) 02:50, 29 October 2021 (GMT)

Firstly, WP should be about neither politics nor self-identification; it’s an encyclopaedia. I have restored the long-standing version of this page, as per STATUSQUO and BRD, pending any other consensus emerging from this discussion. The question here is how Branagh is described in reliable sources across the world. A more thorough survey might help resolve this issue, but when we have looked before, most RS both in the media and journalistic world describe him as a British actor, which is also his legal nationality. In these circumstances there is nothing for editors to ‘decide’; we simply follow the sources. I have no political axe to grind here; the article says right at top that he was born in Belfast, and that should be sufficient. MapReader (talk) 04:46, 29 October 2021 (UTC)

I agree in practice, but the nationality of someone from northern Ireland is a self identification, as per https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/about-northern-ireland. And on multiple occasions statement like this have been made I feel more Irish than English. I feel freer than British, more visceral, with a love of language. Shot through with fire in some way. That's why I resist being appropriated as the current repository of Shakespeare on the planet. That would mean I'm part of the English cultural elite, and I am utterly ill-fitted to be.. that's why I feel both should be shown. Perendinatorian (User talk:Perendinatorian) 03:38, 31 October 2021 (GMT)

In practice, as you say, WP follows the sources, as far as descriptors are concerned, and if you review policy on biographies you will see that people writing about themselves is strongly discouraged. WP is not autobiography. The best use for your quote is to find a context for referring to it (i.e. including it) within the article itself, as material that offers a (self) view on the subject. That would be fine. But it is the RS that define how someone is described. MapReader (talk) 04:31, 31 October 2021 (UTC)

Is it wrong the info that he is Northern Irish? No, it's not. I even linked the Northern Irish page that (GASP!) exists on Wikipedia. Now, Northern Irish citizens are part of the UK. As of now, at least (I hope that will change eventually, but hey, that's me). But right now there's no reason to "correct" Northern Irish into british: his UK nationality isn't under discussion, it's just a more specific fitting that, while conveying his UK nationality (unless you live under a rock and don't know about Northern Ireland), it also conveys MORE information. There's literally no downside. On the other hand, british is literally wrong. British means from Great Britain, which is NOT the whole UK, just the british island. Northern Ireland isn't in Great Britain. It's in the UK, but not in Great Britain. So British is factually wrong. So I don't get why you keep insisting into "fixing" a factually correct and also more precise information for one that is 1- technically wrong and 2- even assuming it was correct and going "british = UK and not just Great britain", it conveys less nuance and detail. Also looks like you're trying very hard to cancel his irish identity. 82.50.16.60 (talk) 02:36, 22 January 2024 (UTC)

I think you are missing the point? WP edits not according to editor opinion or argument, but based on how information is presented in reliable sources. As per the discussion above, Branagh is widely described as a British actor. That he was born in Belfast is covered early and prominently in the lead, as factual data, and doesn’t need repeating. MapReader (talk) 06:03, 22 January 2024 (UTC)

Sources are necessary when an information has to be "proven", confirmed, isn't self-explanatory. You don't need a source to define someone born in Northern Ireland from Northern Irish parents Northern Irish. Of course, you have to show the sources that

1- he was born and grew up in Northern Ireland and

2- he was born to Northern Irish parents

but the fact that he is Northern Irish is a consequence of this two provable facts and thus needs no source, nor is it relevant how media speaks of him. 82.50.16.60 (talk) 23:10, 22 January 2024 (UTC)

Again, that’s not the point. WP is an encyclopaedia that presents information according to the reliable secondary sources. It doesn’t work on editor argument or even “provable fact”. Whether you think you can prove a fact or not is irrelevant (and of course your fact is already stated at the beginning of the second sentence of the article, and prominent in the infobox). People are described here according to how they are described in the RS, not according to how editors think they should be described. MapReader (talk) 06:42, 23 January 2024 (UTC)

Please see WP:IMOS, specifically MOS:IMOS BIOPLACE. Bastun^{Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ!} 16:59, 8 February 2024 (UTC)

That’s a red herring as far as the descriptor in the opening sentence is concerned, which is always based on the RS. IMOS relates to how birthplace locations are described, given the historical changes in Ireland and Northern Ireland’s history. By stating that Branagh was born in Belfast, this article avoids any conflict with IMOS. MapReader (talk) 17:23, 8 February 2024 (UTC)

And there's absolutely nothing preventing greater precision, either. "...from Northern Ireland" or "is a Northern Irish [thing causing notability]" are both absolutely common forms of expression in lede sentences for people from Northern Ireland. Canterbury Tail will be able to verify. Branagh describes himself as Irish, btw! Bastun^{Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ!} 17:33, 8 February 2024 (UTC)

Lead sentence descriptors follow the RS, and Branagh is, according to reliable sources from around the English speaking world, generally described as a British actor. The absence of a volume of RS using alternatives absolutely does prevent using alternative terms. The very next sentence says that he was born in Belfast, and by using that terminology we avoid having to get embroiled in the sensitivities that IMOS is attempting to find a way through. MapReader (talk) 17:43, 8 February 2024 (UTC)

Standard practice on Wikipedia for people from Northern Ireland who haven't identified their national identity preference (which they're 100% entitled to do) is to just use the neutral "from Northern Ireland." If they have self-identified as a particular identity then it can be used, along with a reference. If non-self identified then we should not presume their preferred identity and keep it neutral. Canterbury Tail talk 17:49, 8 February 2024 (UTC)

Sorry, what's "volume kf"? I'm not familiar with the term. Belfast being in Northern Ireland is WP:SKYISBLUE territory, and I don't honestly believe you're saying we can say he's from Belfast but not that he's from Northern Ireland because a source doesn't say Belfast is in NI. And the reason use of "...from Northern Ireland" or "is a Northern Irish [thing causing notability]" are both absolutely common forms of expression in lede sentences for people from Northern Ireland is precisely to avoid edit wars over "he's British"/"no, he's Irish." It works on every other NI BLP where it's used... Bastun^{Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ!} 17:48, 8 February 2024 (UTC)

This has been debated extensively on this page, and the long-standing description as a British actor born in Belfast and raised in Reading has been stable for a long time, reflects the reliable sources, and is supported by citation. There is no reason to change it. MapReader (talk) 17:56, 8 February 2024 (UTC)

Thor

Is he legit going to direct Thor? There's no source, and I haven't heard anything like it.70.179.98.58 (talk) 23:23, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

He is in talks about the possibility of directing it but nothing has been signed or decided. It should not be listed here per WP:CRYSTAL until a final decision is made. MarnetteD | Talk 00:12, 9 October 2008 (UTC)

I would like to formulate a sentence or 2 about his cultural and religious insensitivity as a director, regarding the casting of idris as Heimdel in Thor. There are many scandinavian people and comic fans who are furious for this kind of violation and feel hurt by it, much as if Muhammad was portrayed as white or the Queen of England, a black woman. Someone get back to me so we can start and negotiate the format.PeterHarlington (talk) 14:55, 26 July 2011 (UTC)

If you can find the sources, by all means please do. Remember it can't just be your own point-of-view though, it needs to be backed up by source material. JonChapple^Talk 14:58, 26 July 2011 (UTC)

To follow up on JonChapple's recommendation IMO you need to proceed with caution. At the moment you look to be a WP:SPA with a POV ax to grind. If you can provide any sourcing for your assertions I would suggest that it belongs on the article for the film. Per WP:UNDUE it would have limited usefulness on this article. You might also want to investigate any praise for his cultural sensitivity in his portrayal of the Scandinavian character Wallander. MarnetteD | Talk 16:24, 26 July 2011 (UTC)

Audio Books?

There is a sentence listed in Branagh's film work detailing his work in audio books. This is sentence is obviously misplaced. Any ideas on where to move it or wether to remove it competely? In my opinion it is not notable enough to warrant its own section. TriiipleThreat (talk) 13:27, 27 May 2009 (UTC)

There is a significant "discography and audiobooks" list towards the end of the article so it would seem sensible that this aspect is covered in the description of Branagh's career. The sentence you're objecting to is not in a section of its own, but only under a sub-heading. I don't see a problem. Exok (talk) 23:50, 13 June 2011 (UTC)

Edits on 24 Oct

An IP editor keeps adding Irish nationality with three poor references, WP:OR in all cases as the facts arent in them. The three that are given include "Kenneth Branagh is also of Irish descent"- not Irish nationality or citizenship, "Branagh moved to Reading when he was still in primary school, but has credited his Irish background for his love of language" with the ironic point of this interview in accpecting a royal honor which (Bachelor Knight) can be only bestowed on British citizens (if he had dual nationality he would have had to ask the Irish government for premission to recieve) and "I feel more Irish than English. I feel freer than British, more visceral, with a love of language. Shot through with fire in some way. That's why I resist being appropriated as the current repository of Shakespeare on the planet. That would mean I'm part of the English cultural elite, and I am utterly ill-fitted to be", again this is the closest but does not give his nationality or citizenship over ethnic background or does not affirm that he believes himself to be solely Irish either (and I re-emphasize that it is still not clear over nationality/citizenship or etnicity). Murry1975 (talk) 19:00, 24 October 2012 (UTC)

Agree, his nationality must be explicitly verified. However this issue can be avoided all together by just simply stating his nation of birth, Northern Ireland.--TriiipleThreat (talk) 19:22, 24 October 2012 (UTC)

Assessment comment

The comment(s) below were originally left at Talk:Kenneth Branagh/Comments, and are posted here for posterity. Following several discussions in past years, these subpages are now deprecated. The comments may be irrelevant or outdated; if so, please feel free to remove this section.

Wikipedia:WikiProject Belfast: May be start w/r/t biography project, but has a bit of interesting detail and is in my view B w/r/t Belfast project. however is not that important to Belfast so... mid. ++Lar: t/c 17:10, 24 August 2006 (UTC) I upgraded importance to high as Branagh is one of the most famous of Belfast people. Also, he gained some local acclaim for his role as Billy in the Billy Plays before his more mainstream, international reknown. --Mal 03:52, 25 August 2006 (UTC) Wikipedia:WikiProject Biography: Needs expansion, filmography should be split ....(Complain)(Let us to it pell-mell) 05:59, 7 August 2006 (UTC)

Last edited at 03:52, 25 August 2006 (UTC). Substituted at 21:04, 29 April 2016 (UTC)

Northern Ireland is not even a Country so He is not Irish

Northern Ireland is a region which is part of Britain, just like Scotland and Wales

Everybody in Northern Ireland are British having a British citizen and British passport

there is no such thing as Irish Citizen in Northern Ireland

so He is British — Preceding unsigned comment added by 58.10.55.222 (talk) 14:47, 4 November 2017 (UTC)

According to the British government Northern Ireland is one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom. Indeed more people in NI selected Northern Irish as their sole identity in the last census than those that choose Irish, so it is a valid identity which simply means someone from Northern Ireland. Also there is such a thing as Irish citizens in NI due to the GFA. Mabuska ^(talk) 10:37, 6 December 2017 (UTC)

Do you even read his Bio? He moved to England since he was 9. He is not Northern Irish anymore despite there is no such thing as North Irish Nationality. Northern Ireland is not even a nation. prove me that there is such thing as Northern Irish Citizen, now. and He has been living in England for his life for over 50 years now and on  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 58.10.55.50 (talk) 15:15, 7 December 2017 (UTC)

1.Prove that There is such thing as Northern Irish Citizen. 2.Prove that There is even North Irish Passport. 3. Prove that Northern Irish is a country. It has never been formed as a Country since the Beginning. It is a Region from the start. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 58.10.55.50 (talk) 15:22, 7 December 2017 (UTC)

It's hard to know where to begin with 58.10's comment. The title of this paragraph I suppose, would be a good start. As has been pointed out, Northern Ireland is indeed regarded as a country. Part of the problem some people have is that the definition of "country" in the English language can be very loose. Northern Ireland is certainly not a sovereign country. Nor are England, Scotland or Wales.

However, saying that Northern Ireland is not a country and that THAT makes Mr Branagh NOT Irish, is like saying, "London is not even a country, so Kit Harrington is not English". There is absolutely no logic to the statement.

Moving along, correctly speaking Northern Ireland is not "a part of Britain". Nor even Great Britain. Northern Ireland is a part of the sovereign country the United Kingdom. Just like Scotland, Wales and England.

Further on, the next paragraph makes slightly more sense. At least the conclusion is correct - the explanation is not. People in Northern Ireland born there before 1981 are automatically British due to British citizenship laws. Not everybody in Northern Ireland holds a British passport. I don't know what "having a British citizen" means, so I cannot comment on that part of the statement!

The result is that Kenneth Branagh is indeed British. As it happens, so is Gerry Adams, unless he specifically renounced his British citizenship. Legally speaking, Adams is a British citizen, whether he accepts that as fact or not.

The Belfast, or Good Friday, Agreement has done nothing to change any of this. All the Agreement did was set out the civic right of everyone from Northern Ireland to describe themselves as British or Irish, or both. This merely reaffirms what had already been happening in Northern Ireland for decades. It's nothing new. People were able to hold British, or Republic of Ireland passports in the past. The only thing that might have changed is the idea of dual citizenship (and therefore legal ownership of BOTH passports).

To reiterate: people from Northern Ireland can "identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both, as they may so choose". I don't think it particularly changed nationality law in the UK. It just reaffirms the right that people have to describe themselves as British or Irish or both.

Irish citizens come and go in Northern Ireland all the time. Many are actually from Northern Ireland, and their rights to describe themselves as such, and to hold a passport of the Republic, are affirmed by the 1998 Agreement.

However, legally speaking, anyone from Northern Ireland born before 1981 is automatically a British citizen. The only way to voluntarily stop being a British citizen is to apply in writing to the British government.

Another part of the problem is that the word "Irish" has a few different contexts. Branagh undoubtedly feels Irish because he was born in Ireland, to Irish parents, descended from Irish people from at least the 1600s. With a name like Branagh, he probably has Irish ancestors from way before the Plantations too, like most people from Northern Ireland.

In this context, 'nationality' in terms of legal belonging to a specific sovereign country is not applicable.

Many Northern Irish people are happy to identify as Irish without suggesting any connection with the Republic of Ireland. One can be Irish and not have affiliation with, or allegiance to, the Republic of Ireland, or the desire for a 32-county independent state.

Indeed, according to the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey, the 2016 results suggest that some 46% of Northern Irish people regard themselves as Irish to some degree or other. That number is coincidentally a similar number to the percentage of Roman Catholics in Northern Ireland. However, on further examination, it can be seen that 54% of people who declared themselves in the survey as Protestant also describe themselves as being, to one extent or another, Irish. Plus 68% of those surveyed who were of no fixed religion also see themselves as Irish to one degree or other.

The difference that is felt toward the term Irish and the demarcation of context with regard to the description 'Irish' as a sovereign nationality, particularly by those of a Protestant background, can be seen when they are asked to describe themselves in a more either/or question. Therefore when asked if they are British or Irish, many more Protestants will tend to answer British. In the case of the 2015 Life & Times Survey, for example, only 2% of the Protestant respondents choose "Irish" as their answer. This is despite the fact that, in 2015, 48% of Protestants described themselves as Irish to some degree in another question.

For people of a Protestant background, context is everything. It has become confused over the decades because, for Protestants, political affiliation to the words "Irish" and "Ireland" by certain terrorist organisations has made them feel alienated from those descriptions. Far fewer Protestants today describe themselves as Irish than people prior to 1922. Even fewer still since the modern Troubles circa 1969.

Moving along to 58.10's next posted message, it is hard to understand the logic of what they are saying. Moving to England, no matter what age, does not particularly change the ethnic roots of a person. To wit, Branagh is still Northern Irish, and Irish, and British, even if he has lived most of his life in England. If a person from Denmark moved to England when they were 9 years old, it doesn't make them any less Danish, ethnically speaking.

There is indeed a nation of Northern Irish people, by dint of the fact that there are a large number of people who come from, or inhabit, Northern Ireland. Nobody is claiming that Northern Ireland is a sovereign state: it isn't. But somebody from Wales is generally regarded as Welsh, from Scotland Scottish and from England English. "Citizens from Northern Ireland" or "people of Northern Ireland" means that there are "Northern Irish citizens" and "Northern Irish people". It is grammar and descriptors.

It would not be possible to prove that there is a "Northern Irish passport", because there isn't one. Passports have little to do with it. Nationality law differs from ethnicity. There is no such thing as an English passport, for example, and yet there are - somehow - English people.

Finally, proving that Northern Ireland is, or is not, a country is not particularly relevant. Prove, for example, that Liverpool is a place. There exist Liverpudlians. How can this be, when Liverpool is clearly not a country?! However, arguably Northern Ireland could be described more fittingly as a country than England, Scotland or Wales. After all, for good or for bad, Northern Ireland had its own devolved government for some fifty years. It was without a devolved parliament since 1973, but regained local regional devolved powers again in the early years of the 21st century. By contrast, Scotland and Wales have only had devolved administrations since 1998.

England, of course, has not had a separate local administrative government since before the Union of 1707.

Even without this added level of administrative context though, Northern Ireland certainly fits into the definition of a country. Again arguably, Northern Ireland is actually the continuation of the country that had been Ireland, because the Irish Free State actually broke away from it - not the other way around. This "Ireland" just became smaller, and its administrative headquarters was moved.

Just as a footnote, many politicians in what was to become the Republic feared that the politicians in the North would choose the name "Ireland" for the country. It's already confusing enough that there are two Irelands due to the fact that the Republic insists on people calling it "Ireland", in common with the name of the island.

It is ironic that many of these same people object to the idea of referring to Northern Ireland as "Ulster". The Republic of Ireland is merely the majority of Ireland - not all of it, just in the same way that Northern Ireland is merely the majority of Ulster - not all of it.

To sum up, the terms "Irish" and "British" have never been mutually exclusive. In a similar way, the terms "English" and "British" are not mutually exclusive. The term "Northern Irish" exists and, again according to the Life & Times Survey in 2016 28% of the surveyed population chose that term as a sole description. Many more describe themselves as Northern Irish in combination with "British" and/or "Irish". The fact is that over half of people of a Protestant background see themselves as Irish in some context, even if they also see themselves as British. While Branagh probably doesn't feel associated particularly strongly with the Republic of Ireland in a national notion, he is almost the rule for Northern Irish people, rather than an exception, by owning his Irish identity. 24.163.2.149 (talk) 09:55, 27 December 2017 (UTC)

That must have taken some time to write up. The problem the other IP has is that they are confusing the definition of the term country. On one hand it can refer to a sovereign state, I.e. Spain or the UK, on the second hand it can refer to a region of a sovereign state, I.e. the Basque Country or England. Never heard of a Basque or English citizen or passport..... Mabuska ^(talk) 13:10, 27 December 2017 (UTC)

He doesn't hold an Irish passport, so saying he holds 'Irish' Nationality would be misleading. PompeyTheGreat (talk) 13:37, 20 April 2020 (UTC)

References

FYI

@PompeyTheGreat and Mabuska: Despite the hidden note an IP/IPs changed his 'nationality' here, no summary, they've been doing other silly edits. In the text Branagh apparently 'identifies' as Irish. 220 of ^Borg 14:12, 4 June 2020 (UTC)

I don't think 'irish-born British' is an apt descriptor in the lede. Kenneth himself is vocal on his Belfast/Northern Irish roots and identity.Halbared (talk) 22:32, 31 July 2021 (UTC)

Collaborations

Collaborations seems a little arbitrary (extending this to other individuals would be arduous and of little value), the table herein could grow significantly to cover all twice-credited actor that gets a mention, surely adding prose to cover the significant and or multiple project co-works would be more beneficial especially if either party had direct hire/recommendation/red line/line in sand authority/investment/pull and these should really be differentiated.121.99.108.78 (talk) 08:39, 10 November 2017 (UTC)

RADA / "new wave of actors"

In the second paragraph of the Career / Theatre section there’s a passage referring to RADA that says, "Branagh was part of the 'new wave' of actors to emerge from the Academy. Others included Jonathan Pryce, Juliet Stevenson, Alan Rickman, Anton Lesser, Bruce Payne and Fiona Shaw". ....Aside from the fact that somebody is copying and pasting this section into other articles on actors, it seems odd: the "generation" it's referring to is rather vague, to stay the least. Jonathan Pryce left RADA around 1968. Alan Rickman left around 1967. Branagh left around 1981. To say he's from the same "generation" as the 2 other actors is incorrect. Pryce was "known" and was working through the 70's (actually Branagh would have been at school at the time), and although Rickman's success seemed concurrent with Brannagh's, to include him and Pryce in Branagh's generation would seem wide of the mark. Have also mentioned as much on the Pryce talk page.

Favourites Films - new section

Re: new section created by The One I Left -- without any context or specific attachment to facts in the article, this section seems to qualify as trivia. Please reference WP:HTRIVIA. If you can amend this section with further notes on how these films have been cited as influences, it would be worthy of inclusion. Otherwise, I'd recommend deletion of this section. --GimmeChoco44 (talk) 14:00, 24 June 2021 (UTC)

Ah, come on, this was a valuable part of the article. It’s a specific submission he made for a project, not coastal conversation or gossip. I’d be happy to find all of those entries in the articles for other contributors. Marty Mangold (talk) 02:27, 5 February 2022 (UTC)

Relationship with 1st wife? Comment

Query: Is it known whether his 1st wife, Emma Thompson, and Branagh have been able to sustain a friendship? The article doesn't address this in neither a positive nor negative way. I know that he scuttled his own marriage with his Helena Bonham Carter relationship, but they are both brilliant and it would be a crying shame if they never worked together again. Thank you for your time, Wordreader (talk) 18:15, 8 March 2022 (UTC)

Covid

This is a wider issue for BLP, the "tested positive for Covid". Fortunately, Branagh recovered and is healthy, and is attending this year's Oscars.[2] But is his testing positive briefly for Covid and quickly recovering sufficiently notable for inclusion in an encyclopedia? I am not sure it passes a WP:10YT. Solipsism 101 (talk) 19:02, 27 March 2022 (UTC)