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About Philip
Mini-Biography
Philip Glenister is an British actor. He was born in Harrow, Middlesex, England and brought up in Hatch End in the London Borough of Harrow, north-west London attending Blackwell Comprehnsive School (now Hatch End High School). He is the son of TV director John Glenister and the younger brother of actor Robert Glenister (Hustle, Spooks).
His interest in acting came from watching his brother Robert in a production about the Sex Pistols at the Soho Poly. He worked for a few years as a runner for Robert Stigwood and worked his way up to film publicist, before his then sister-in-law, actress Amanda Redman, encouraged him to apply for drama school. She secretly coached him for his audition to the Central School of Speech and Drama. He was successful in his audition and attended Central alongside Graham Norton, Rufus Sewell and Jamie Glover, the latter of whom he shared a flat with.
It was at Jamie's birthday party in July 1997 that Philip met his wife, actress Beth Goddard. The couple married 9 years later, in 2006. They live in East Sheen, London with their two daughters, Millie and Charlotte.
Filmography
Philip's most notable roles are that of DCI Gene Hunt (Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes), Rev Anderson (Outcast) and Mack (Clocking Off) but he has had a varied career in film, television and theatre spanning over twenty-five years. See detailed filmography.
Trivia
Quotes:
Awards
A list of awards Philip has been nominated for indivdually during his career:
Philip Glenister is an British actor. He was born in Harrow, Middlesex, England and brought up in Hatch End in the London Borough of Harrow, north-west London attending Blackwell Comprehnsive School (now Hatch End High School). He is the son of TV director John Glenister and the younger brother of actor Robert Glenister (Hustle, Spooks).
His interest in acting came from watching his brother Robert in a production about the Sex Pistols at the Soho Poly. He worked for a few years as a runner for Robert Stigwood and worked his way up to film publicist, before his then sister-in-law, actress Amanda Redman, encouraged him to apply for drama school. She secretly coached him for his audition to the Central School of Speech and Drama. He was successful in his audition and attended Central alongside Graham Norton, Rufus Sewell and Jamie Glover, the latter of whom he shared a flat with.
It was at Jamie's birthday party in July 1997 that Philip met his wife, actress Beth Goddard. The couple married 9 years later, in 2006. They live in East Sheen, London with their two daughters, Millie and Charlotte.
Filmography
Philip's most notable roles are that of DCI Gene Hunt (Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes), Rev Anderson (Outcast) and Mack (Clocking Off) but he has had a varied career in film, television and theatre spanning over twenty-five years. See detailed filmography.
Trivia
- A fan of the rock band Genesis, Philip wrote sleeve notes to accompany the "Genesis - The Movie Box 1981-2007" DVD set, released in 2009.
- Philip supports Arsenal Football Club and is also a fan of non-league side, Whealstone FC.
- A keen golfer, Philip is a member of the Stage Golfing Society and takes part in several celebrity golf fundraisers every year.
- A book by Philip, on 1970s and 1980s culture, entitled Things Ain't What They Used to Be, was published in October 2008.
- Philip is patron of two fantastic children's charities; Moment-um and Shooting Star Chase.
Quotes:
- If I was 10 years younger, or didn't have children, I might like to go to Hollywood, but it's never been a burning desire, and I can't be arsed now to start at the bottom of the pile. I'm too old and cynical to go cap in hand.
- Children change you. You have this overwhelming feeling of responsibility, of love - they're everything. They're yours. You know when you're cuddling them, cradling them, and you can smell their hair. I love that.
- My parents might have been worried to begin with – "Oh shit, a dynasty?" – but it's actually fine having two actors in the family. I do think that if you have family in the business and they are all doing all right, it can be tough to break into it. I look at my eldest and think, if you want to be an actor and earn some money, become a barrister. You can still wear a wig and get dressed up, but you earn. So let's get down the Old Bailey for a taster! It is a tough one because you don't want to stand in the way of anyone's ambitions and dreams but equally you know how hard it is in this business.
- Acting is just a job at the end of the day, and it's a very strange one.
- There are some very good people in television, but a lot of fools running it.
- I'm an instinctive actor. I just see the part and play it. I'm more interested in what isn't said - the silences.
- It seems the better the quality, the more you're penalised. If we bring Life on Mars in on time and perhaps under budget, they say you can do it for less next time. If you said to a heart surgeon, 'Love your work - cut your surgery time', he'd say, 'the patient will die'. It's very frustrating when they want to hurry you up to save money. I tell them, 'I didn't sign up for The Bill . Let's do it properly.'
- There's so much cheapness with all this reality stuff. Someone makes big bucks at someone else's expense and it's the sadistic element of shows like Big Brother I find so cruel. We're so screwed up with our principles. We used to mock Japanese game shows where they ate bugs. Now we're doing the same, if not worse. It's terrifying
- There's so much dumbing down on television. I'm pissed off that every awards ceremony has a special soap category. I don't want to be a snob, but they only do it to satisfy market forces. Soaps are a separate industry, churned out on a treadmill with no time for any creative process, so nobody gives a shit. I have a soft spot for Coronation Street, it doesn't take itself too seriously. But EastEnders is up its own arse.
- (On Gene Hunt) He's Wyatt Earp; he's the Sheriff who wears the badge. When I've been asked what genre you would put "Life On Mars" in, I say it's a Western. It's got everything that a great Western has: the frontier, the town, the characters and the Sheriff and that Sheriff is "Gene".
Awards
A list of awards Philip has been nominated for indivdually during his career:
Year
2011 2011 2010 2010 2010 2009 2009 2008 2008 2008 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 |
Result
Nominated Nominated Nominated Nominated Won Nominated Nominated Won Nominated Nominated Nominated Nominated Nominated Nominated Nominated Won |
Award
National Television Award Virgin Media TV Award Crime Thriller Award National Television Award TV Quick Award TV Quick Award Crime Thriller Award) TV Quick Award Broadcasting Press Guild Award Monte Carlo TV Award TV Quick Award Broadcasting Press Guild Award Monte Carlo TV Award RTS Television Award SFX Award Variety Club Showbiz Award |
Category
Most Popular Drama Performance (Ashes to Ashes) Best Actor Best Actor (Ashes to Ashes) Most Popular Drama Performance (Ashes to Ashes) Best Actor (Ashes to Ashes) Best Actor (Ashes to Ashes) Best Actor (Ashes to Ashes) Best Actor (Ashes to Ashes) Best Actor (Cranford & Life on Mars) Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series (Ashes to Ashes) Best Actor (Life on Mars) Best Actor (Life on Mars) Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series (Life On Mars) Best Actor (Life on Mars) Best TV Actor (Life on Mars) Best TV Actor (Life on Mars) |
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