Brenda Blethyn, best known for her role as DCI Vera Stanhope in the hit crime drama Vera, is absolutely radiant in unearthed photos from 1996. Prior to her stint on the show, the actress modelled a darker blonde bob while posing for a fun photoshoot with TV Times.
Donning a bright red swimsuit in throwback snaps when she was aged 50, Brenda worked with photographer Mark Lawrence on the shoot. The photoshoot came at a pivotal time in her distinguished career.
Pivotal Year in Brenda Blethyn's Career
In 1996, the TV legend had just appeared in Secrets & Lies, a star-studded comedy-drama that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Gaining widespread critical acclaim, the film, directed by Mike Leigh, went on to win the Palme d'Or, while Brenda took home the prestigious Best Actress Award at Cannes.
Delivering a milestone performance as Cynthia Rose Purley — a woman suddenly contacted by the daughter she gave up for adoption — Secrets & Lies had Brenda acting alongside fellow greats Timothy Spall, Phyllis Logan, Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Lesley Manville.
Academy Award Nomination and BAFTA Win
In another career high, the role earned Brenda an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 1997. While she didn't take home the Oscar that year (which went to Frances McDormand for Fargo), Brenda's work in Secrets & Lies did bag her the Best Actress Award at the BAFTAs, as well as a Golden Globe.
Brenda Reflects on the Impact of Secrets & Lies
Speaking with The Scotsman in 2019, Brenda reflected on the incredible impact that Secrets & Lies had on her career. "Because of the way Mike Leigh worked, I didn't know what the film was about until I saw it at the cinema," she revealed.
Noting that the film put her on an international stage, Brenda remarked: "I knew what I'd done, but didn't know it was the main thrust of the story. Then we went off to Cannes and I won Best Actress, the film won the Palme D'Or and I thought 'Lord, this is a dream'. We went all over the place publicising it, South Korea, Brazil, Scandinavia, France..."
