‘He punched a polar bear on the nose!’ Ninety glorious years of Brian Blessed – by Emma Thompson, Adrian Lester and more
Peeing in the sink he shared with Derek Jacobi, making a badger video with Brian May, climbing Everest with Alan Hinkes … as the great actor blasts into his 90s, stars celebrate his ‘loudness and madness’ Emma Thompson
Key points
- Brian Blessed turns 90, celebrated by actors who worked with him over six decades.
- Emma Thompson recalls his cold dressing room during Henry V and his advice on cold showers.
- Dexter Fletcher credits Blessed with steering him toward the film Revolution with Al Pacino.
Brian Blessed, the British actor known for his booming voice and larger-than-life presence, has turned 90. The Guardian Culture marked the occasion with tributes from actors and collaborators who worked with him across stage, film and television.
Contributors include Emma Thompson, Dexter Fletcher, Melody Anderson, Brian May and mountaineer Alan Hinkes. They describe a performer whose loudness and energy were matched by sensitivity and kindness.
Tributes from fellow actors
Emma Thompson recalled visiting Blessed's dressing room during the filming of Kenneth Branagh's Henry V at Shepperton. She said the windows were open in freezing weather and her jaw froze while he told an Everest story; he later told her, "The cold is good for you!"
Dexter Fletcher, who worked with Blessed at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1984, said Blessed advised him to take a film role in Revolution with Al Pacino. Fletcher said the decision led to many movies and he owes Blessed great affection.
The cold is good for you!
— Brian Blessed
Flash Gordon and animal activism
Melody Anderson, who played Dale Arden in Flash Gordon, said Blessed's energy on the tough six-day-a-week shoot lifted the cast. She said he pinched her bottom during a scene, which she welcomed as it produced an honest response and pleased director Mike Hodges.
Brian May of Queen said Blessed appeared in the Badger Badger Badger video and joined badger crusades near Windlesham in Surrey. May described him as caring deeply about animals and as a very deep human being.
Everest and stage memories
Mountaineer Alan Hinkes said that 30 years ago Blessed reached 7,700m on Everest before turning back. Hinkes described him as a great raconteur who remained entertaining at base camp but was less ebullient high on the mountain.
An unnamed contributor recalled Blessed in The Relapse at the National Theatre in 2001 as a delightfully terrifying figure with a booming voice. The contributor said he was quiet and contemplative backstage and called him a rare, brilliant, kind-hearted giant.
