Colin Firth Quick Info | |
---|---|
Height | 6 ft 1½ in |
Weight | 76 kg |
Date of Birth | September 10, 1960 |
Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
Hair Color | Salt and Pepper |
Colin Firth is an English actor who has dual citizenship of England and Italy. The actor started his acting career in 1983 with the theater play “Another Country”. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has done a lot of charity work in his lifetime. He is known for his work in Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001), A Single Man (2009), The King’s Speech (2010), etc.
Born Name
Colin Andrew Firth
Nick Name
Colin
Sun Sign
Virgo
Born Place
Grayshott, Hampshire, England
Residence
He has a residence in Chiswick, London. He also spends time in Umbria, Italy.
Nationality
Education
Colin Firth went to the Montgomery of Alamein Secondary School (has been renamed as Kings’ School). He later studied at the Barton Peveril Sixth Form College in Eastleigh.
After completion of his sixth form education, he started his acting education with National Youth Theatre. Later, to hone his acting schools, he took classes at the Drama Centre London.
Occupation
Actor
Family
- Father – David Norman Lewis Firth (Education Officer for the Nigerian government and history lecturer at King Alfred’s College)
- Mother – Shirley Jean Firth (Comparative Religion Lecturer at King Alfred’s College)
- Siblings – Kate Firth (Younger Sister) (Actress and Voice Coach), Jonathan Firth (Younger Brother) (Actor)
- Others – Cyril Bruce Firth (Paternal Grandfather) (Anglican Priest), Helen Mary Lewis (Paternal Grandmother), Montague John Rolles (Maternal Grandfather) (Congregationalist Minister), Helen Jean Johnson (Maternal Grandmother) (Congregationalist Minister)
Manager
Colin Firth is represented by London based Independent Talent Group Ltd.
Build
Slim
Height
6 ft 1½ in or 187 cm
Weight
76 kg or 167.5 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Colin Firth has dated
- Meg Tilly (1989-1994) – In 1989, Colin started dating actress Meg Tilly. They had fallen in love while working in the movie, Valmont. In 1990, she gave birth to their son, William Joseph Firth. Just after the start of their relationship, they had started living in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. They decided to head in separate directions in 1994 and hence, Colin decided to return back to England. However, he has remained close to her children (Emily and David) from her first marriage. In fact, he considers them to be his own.
- Jennifer Ehle (1994-1995) – Firth’s romance with Jennifer Ehle blossomed on the sets of their TV show, Pride and Prejudice. However, their romance that lasted for about a year largely remained a well-kept secret until their separation in 1995.
- Livia Giuggioli (1996-2019) – In 1996, Firth started dating Italian director and film producer Livia Giuggioli. Firth was taken by his new girlfriend that he started learning Italian language and eventually managed to master it. In 1997, they got married in a private and romantic ceremony. In March 2001, they welcomed their first son, Luca. Their second son, Matteo, was born in August 2003. In the early months of 2018, it was revealed that Firth and his wife had filed a complaint alleging that they were stalked by Marco Brancaccia. It was later revealed that Livia had dated the Italian journalist in 2015 and 2016. While some sources reported that it was an extra-marital affair, the sources close to the couple claimed that Livia and Colin were on a break at the time of their affair. The couple, however, decided to go their separate ways in December 2019. They had remained together for 22 years.
Race / Ethnicity
White
He has English ancestry. He also has traces of Ulster-Scots and Scottish ancestry.
Hair Color
Salt and Pepper
He dyes his hair.
Eye Color
Light Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Prominent nose
- Dashing good looks
Brand Endorsements
In 2013, Colin Firth was cast as King George VI in a TV commercial for Google Nexus 7.
Best Known For
- Being cast in the leading or supporting roles in popular movies such as The English Patient, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Shakespeare in Love, and Love Actually.
- Having played the role of King George VI in the drama movie, The King’s Speech. His masterful performance in the movie helped him win Academy Awards.
- Being cast as Mr. Darcy in the 1995 TV series, Pride and Prejudice, which was an adaptation of Jane Austen’s iconic novel.
First Film
In 1984, Colin made his theatrical film debut in a leading role in the historical drama movie, Another Country.
First TV Show
In 1984, Colin Firth made his first TV show appearance in the courtroom drama TV series, Crown Court.
Personal Trainer
In order to prepare for his role in Kingsman: The Secret Service, Colin Firth had to follow a special and grueling workout regime. He had to work out three hours a day for every single day over a period of 6 months. His workout regime included some weight training and conditioning along with cardio that relied heavily on running.
However, he usually is slightly laid back when it comes to a daily fitness regime. For daily exercises, he loves to go for cycling. But he isn’t a fan of hitting the gym unless his professional requirements make it absolutely necessary for him.
He doesn’t follow any specific diet either and instead listens to his body. However, he has given up fast food, which he used to enjoy earlier. He is also not much tempted by sweet savories.
Colin Firth Favorite Things
- Food – Middle Eastern and Italian food
- Restaurant – Al Waha in London
- Acting Idols – Paul Scofield, Spencer Tracy, Peter O’Toole
Source – The Guardian
Colin Firth Facts
- When he was just 2 weeks old, his family moved to Nigeria as his father took up a teaching position. They lived there until Firth turned 4 years old.
- In January 2011, he was honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at the iconic Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
- In recognition of his services to cinema and drama, he was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 2011 during Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
- In 2007, the University of Winchester awarded him the honorary degree in recognition of his achievements as an actor.
- In 2012, he was awarded the prestigious honor of being made Freeman of the City of London.
- While studying in school, he was often bullied as he was considered an outsider because he had spent most of his childhood living in Nigeria, the United States, and India.
- At the age of 10, he started attending drama workshops. By the age of 14, he had decided that he wanted to become a professional actor.
- Early in his acting career, he got a job at the wardrobe department at the National Theatre so that he could get more exposure to the acting world.
- When he was first offered the role of Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, he was reluctant to take the role as he wasn’t familiar with Jane Austen’s work. The movie producer Sue Birtwistle eventually managed to convince him.
- He only accepted an offer to work in Bridget Jones’s Diary, which is a modern adaptation of Pride and Prejudice because it gave him an opportunity to take a sarcastic look at his old character of Mr. Darcy.
- His first short story The Department of Nothing was included in the book, Speaking with the Angel, which was edited by Nick Hornby. The proceeds from the sales of the book were donated to TreeHouse Trust, which focusses on assisting autistic children.
- He has done extensive activism work for Survival International, which is a non-profit organization that fights for the rights of tribal people and works to raise awareness about their cause.
- He is a passionate supporter of the UK based Refugee Council, which has often campaigned for the cause of asylum seekers.
- In 2012, he collaborated with British music industry executive, Ged Doherty to establish a production company by the name of Raindog Films.
- He has collaborated with a few to start an eco-friendly show, Eco in West London. The shop sells eco-friendly and fair-trade goods. They also provide expert advice on how to make spaces more energy efficient.
- In 2009, he promoted the new campaign launched by 10:10 charity, which aimed to influence people to reduce their carbon footprint.
- In 2010, Colin stepped in to promote Roots and Shoots education campaign launched by the UK based foundation, Jane Goodall Institute.
- In April 2011, the prestigious Time magazine featured him on their list of “World’s 100 Most Influential People”.
- In September 2017, his application for Italian citizenship was approved by the Italian government.
- During the London Film Festival in 2009, Colin and his wife launched their website, Brightwide, which was to serve as a platform for their political activism and films. However, the website was eventually shut down.
- He doesn’t have any social media account.
Featured Image by Gage Skidmore / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0