Miranda Richardson as Queen Mab
The Arthurian legend is again retold, only this time from the perspective of the life of Merlin. The story begins with young Merlin being schooled in magic by the evil sorceress, Mab, and her apprentice, Frik. Merlin ultimately rejects her tutelage setting up a war between them which leads to her attack on Arthur. Unwittingly, Arthur impregnates his own half-sister, Morgan Le Fey, which leads to the birth of Mordred, an evil son who ultimately destroys Camelot. Merlin also unwittingly leads to Camelot's destruction when he selects Lancelot to protect Guinevere based on mistaken information he gains from The Lady In The Lake.
Biography for Miranda Richardson
Date of birth
3 March 1958
Southport, Lancashire, England, UK
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Miranda Richardson was born in England on March 3rd 1958. She comes from Southport in Lancashire (near Liverpool), and has one sister, eight years her senior. Her parents and sister are not involved in the performing arts. At an early age, she performed in school plays, having shown a talent and desire to 'turn herself into' other people. She has referred to it as 'an emotional fusion; you think yourself into them'. This mimicry could be of school friends or film stars. She left school (Southport High School for Girls) at the age of 17, and originally intended becoming a vet. She also considered studying English literature in College, but decided to concentrate on drama and enrolled at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (as did many well-known British actors).
After three years she graduated and moved into repertory theatre. She became affiliated with the Library Theatre in Manchester in 1979, where she became an assistant stage manager. She obtained her Equity card, and after several regional productions, first appeared on the London stage (Moving at Queens Theatre) in 1981. British television roles soon followed, and then film. Since then, Miranda has moved into the international arena, and has made films in America, France and Spain. Television work (on both sides of the Atlantic) continues, as does some stage work. Her roles are diverse, but powerful and engaging. She has been quoted as stating "what I basically like is doing things I haven't done before" and this continually comes through in the variety of roles she has played in her career.
She is also selective in the roles she takes, being uninterested in performing in the standard Hollywood fare, and preferring more offbeat roles. She was approached to play the Glenn Close role in 'Fatal Attraction', but found it 'regressive in its attitudes'. Her attitude is summed up by a quote from an interview that appeared in the New York Times (Dec 27 1992) "I would rather do many small roles on TV, stage or film than one blockbuster that made me rich but had no acting. And if that's the choice I have to make, I think I've already made it".
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Trivia
Turned down the role, subsequently taken by Glenn Close, in Fatal Attraction (1987)
How many other actresses can say they've been in TWO totally unrelated movies where they were in charge of having peoples heads cut off! Coincidence? - "Alice in Wonderland" Queen of Hearts - "Sleepy Hollow" Crone
Actors, The (2003)
Rage In Placid Lake, The (2003) .... Sylvia Lake
Nicholas Nickleby (2002)
Hours, The (2002) .... Vanessa Bell
Spider (2002)
Snow White (2001) (TV) .... Queen Elspeth
Constance & Carlotta (2000)
Sleepy Hollow: Behind the Legend (2000) (V) .... Herself/Lady Mary Van Tassel/The Western Woods Crone
Get Carter (2000) .... Gloria Carter
Chicken Run (2000) (voice) .... Mrs. Tweedy
... aka C:R-1 (2000) (USA: promotional abbreviation)
Miracle Maker, The (2000) (TV) (voice) .... Mary Magdelene
James Bond Story, The (1999) (TV) (voice) .... Narrator
... aka 007: The James Bond Story (1999) (TV) (New Zealand: English title)
Blackadder Back and Forth (1999) .... Lady Elizabeth/Queen Elizabeth
Sleepy Hollow (1999) .... Lady Mary Van Tassel/The Western Woods Crone
Jacob Two Two Meets the Hooded Fang (1999) .... Miss Fowl
Big Brass Ring, The (1999) .... Dinah Pellarin
King and I, The (1999) (voice) .... Anna Leonowens
Alice in Wonderland (1999) (TV) .... Queen of Hearts
Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's (1998) (uncredited) .... Herself
St. Ives (1998) .... Miss Gilchrist
... aka All for Love (1999) (UK: TV title)
Ted & Ralph (1998) (TV) .... Henrietta Blough-Pendleton
Scold's Bridle, The (1998) (TV) .... Dr. Sarah Blakeney
Merlin (1998/II) (TV) .... Queen Mab of the Fairies, Lady of the Lake (Dame du Lac)
Saint-Ex (1997) .... Consuelo de Saint-Exup�ry
"Dance to the Music of Time, A" (1997) (mini) TV Series .... Pamela Flitton
Apostle, The (1997) .... Toosie
Designated Mourner, The (1997) .... Judy
Kansas City (1996) .... Carolyn Stilton
Evening Star, The (1996) .... Patsy Carpenter
Swann (1996) .... Sarah Maloney
Night and the Moment, The (1994) .... Julie
... aka Notte e il momento, La (1994) (Italy)
... aka Nuit et le moment, La (1995) (France)
Fatherland (1994/I) (TV) .... Charlie Maguire
Tom & Viv (1994) .... Vivienne Haigh-Wood
Century (1993) .... Clara
Line, the Cross & the Curve, The (1993) .... Mysterious woman
Fatale (1992) .... Ingrid Fleming
... aka Damage (1992) (USA)
Crying Game, The (1992) .... Jude
"True Adventures of Christopher Columbus" (1992) TV Series .... Queen Isabella
Enchanted April (1992) .... Rose Arbuthnot
Broken Skin (1991)
Mio caro dottor Gr�sler (1991) .... Frederica/Widow
... aka Bachelor, The (1992) (USA)
Mr. Wakefield's Crusade (1991) (TV) .... Sandra
Old Times (1991) (TV) .... Anna
Redemption (1991) (TV) .... Valerie Paris
"Die Kinder" (1990) TV Series .... Sidonie Reiger
Fool, The (1990) .... Columbine/Rosalind/Ophelia
Sue�o del mono loco, El (1990) .... Marilyn
... aka Mad Monkey, The (1990)
... aka Mono loco, El (1990)
... aka R�ve du singe fou, Le (1990) (France)
... aka Twisted Obsession (1990)
Ball-Trap on the Cote Sauvage (1989) (TV) .... Early Bird
Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988) (TV) .... Queen Elizabeth I/Queen Asphyxia XIX
"Storyteller, The" (1987) TV Series .... The Evil Queen ('The Three Ravens')
... aka "Jim Henson's The Storyteller" (1987) (USA: complete title)
After Pilkington (1987) (TV) .... Penny
Eat the Rich (1987) .... DHSS Blonde
Empire of the Sun (1987) .... Mrs. Victor
Sweet as You Are (1987) (TV) .... Julia Perry
"Blackadder II" (1986) TV Series .... Queen Elizabeth I
... aka "Black-Adder II" (1986)
Dance with a Stranger (1985) .... Ruth Ellis
Death of a Heart, The (1985) (TV) .... Daphne Heccomb
Innocent, The (1985) .... Mary Turner
Underworld (1985) .... Oriel
... aka Transmutations (1985)
"Woman of Substance, A" (1983) (mini) TV Series .... Paula McGill Amory
Other Miranda Richardson pages on Women of Horror:
Merlin (Lady of the Lake)
Sleepy Hollow