He terrified us as Voldemort in Harry Potter and charmed us as J Lo’s love interest in Maid In Manhattan and now, Empire magazine has announced that Ralph Fiennes will receive the prestigious Legend accolade at this year’s Empire Awards.
The BAFTA winning and Oscar nominated actor/director will be presented the award, sponsored by Jameson Irish Whiskey, at the star-studded ceremony in London this Sunday, March 29.
He was in the spotlight last year for his turn as a concierge in Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel but Ralph first gained international acclaim - and the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor - for his role in Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List in 1994. Since then, Fiennes has starred in over 30 films, receiving multiple Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations along the way. He’s also had turns behind the camera, making his directorial debut in 2011 with Coriolanus.
Ralph, who is currently taking over spymaster duties from Judie Dench in the upcoming James Bond film Spectre, is now part of an exclusive group who can deem themselves “Legends”, joining previous winners Tim Burton, Helen Mirren, and last year’s Legend of our Lifetime, Tom Cruise.
Empire’s Editor-In-Chief Morgan Rees said: "When you look at the body of work he has given us, both on screen and behind the camera, he has achieved so much. I can’t think of anyone who deserves this award more. Ralph Fiennes is truly an Empire Legend."
This weekend’s Empire Awards will be hosted by James Nesbitt and attended by distinguished guests from the world of film. Exclusive coverage of all the action on the night can be found here and via Empire’s Twitter.
by Laura Donaldson. Follow Laura on Twitter @lauradonaldson_