Ralph Brown
Biography
Filmography
Biography
Whether he portrayed a squalid drug dealer (1987's "Withnail & I"), a grimy security guard (1992's "Alien 3"), or a flea-bitten roadie (1993's "Wayne's World 2"), veteran British actor Ralph Brown's intensity never wavered. Married to actress Jenny Jules since 1992, Brown's slow, measured tones brought depth to his polar opposite roles as Jaye Davidson's sometimes-lover in the surprise hit "The Crying Game" (1992), and as Natalie Portman's battle-scarred pilot in the blockbuster "Stars Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace" (1999). But even as he enjoyed steady supporting work in films and British TV shows, Brown pursued a playwriting career that dated back to the late 1980s (and won him a Samuel Beckett Award), while giving his love of music an outlet in the form of Brighton Beach Boys, a Beach Boys tribute band. He also took up screenwriting and producing with the indie film "New Year's Day" (2000). With numerous small but memorable roles under his belt, Brown has managed that rare thing in show business - growing old.
Born and raised in Cambridge, England, Brown began acting in high school. However, he didn't believe he could be an actor until his early twenties, when he attended a summer drama camp in Scotland. After deciding the screen was where he wanted to be, Brown landed his first role in the BBC TV movie "The Merry Wives of Windsor" (1982) and began writing plays shortly thereafter. By the end of the decade he'd won the Samuel Beckett (in 1987 for his play "Sanctuary") and landed the role of Danny, a nostalgic drug dealer, in the cult film "Withnail & I." After a string of appearances in British TV series and movies, Brown appeared in Neil Jordan's Oscar-winning "The Crying Game," which he quickly followed up with David Fincher's debut film "Alien 3." Fincher's notoriously troubled production, which culminated in the studio drastically re-cutting the film (much of Brown's character ended up on the editing room floor) gave the talented actor even more motivation to continue writing and acting for the theatre.
One of Brown's most iconic roles came in 1993, when he was cast as Del Preston, a roadie's roadie, in "Wayne's World 2," which had the dubious distinction of being outperformed by "Mrs. Doubtfire" that holiday season. After appearing in the mammoth productions of both the slavery epic "Amistad" (1997) and the pop culture juggernaut "Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace," (199) in 2001 Brown formed Brighton Beach Boys, where he sang and played keyboards and saxophone. He next starred in the short-lived UK series "Lock, Stock..." (Channel 4, 2000) as a ruthless gang lord, and branched out into producing with the coming-of-age film "New Year's Day." After over a decade of steady TV and film work in the UK, Brown was cast alongside Bill Nighy and Phillip Seymour Hoffman in the '60s period piece "Pirate Radio" (2009), and was featured in Chan-wook Park well-received English-language thriller "Stoker" (2013).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Sound (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1982
Made TV debut in "The Merry Wives of Windsor"
1987
Played a drug dealer in "Withnail & I"
1992
Cast as a security guard in David Fincher's "Alien 3"
1992
Featured in "The Crying Game"
1993
Appeared as Del the Roadie in "Wayne World's 2"
1999
Played pilot Ric Olie in "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace"
2000
Wrote and produced the indie "New Year's Day"
2000
Landed the role of a local gang boss in Channel 4's "Lock, Stock..."
2013
Cast as a sheriff in "Stoker"
