Pete Postlethwaite Biography

Born in Warrington, England to working-class parents, Pete Postlethwaite spent two years in a seminary as a young boy, but chose to go in a different direction as an adult, working first as a drama and physical education teacher before committing to the life of a fulltime actor. Mr. Postlethwaite began his stage career at the Everyman Theater in Liverpool, and he remained faithful to the medium throughout his life. In the 1970s, Postlethwaite started working in television and enjoyed his big screen breakthrough in 1988 with the film Distant Voices, Still Lives. The actor was nominated for an Academy Award in 1994 for his role in the movie In the Name of the Father, in which he played Giuseppe Conlon, the father of a man (Gerry Conlon) who is wrongly accused of terrorism and with whom he is unjustly incarcerated. Known for his craggy and rough looks and an impressive acting range, Pete Postlethwaite enjoyed great success throughout his career, acting in numerous plays and television programs. He appeared in more than 45 films. Mr. Postlethwaite died at 64 of cancer while living in Shropshire, England.