Born in Southport, Lancashire, England; educated at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, London, England. Gifted, versatile leading lady of stage, TV and films who has built up a wide ranging career in a variety of tormented female roles. British-born Richardson began her career in English regional theater and TV before making a stunning film debut as the troubled murderess Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain, in Mike Newell's haunting DANCE WITH A STRANGER (1985). The performance caught the eye of director Steven Spielberg who cast her in the female lead of EMPIRE OF THE SUN (1987), as a prisoner in a Japanese internment camp who befriends a young boy prisoner. She turned down the role, subsequently taken by Glenn Close, in FATAL ATTRACTION (1987). SWEET AS YOU ARE (1988), about a couple facing HIV and the thriller TWISTED OBSESSION (1989), though minor cinematic outings, provided Richardson with two formidable co-stars, Liam Neeson and Jeff Goldblum, respectively. Richardson is also known for her comic portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I on British TV's "Blackadder" series, and for the more sympathetic role of Sidonie Reiger in "Die Kinde," an original political thriller that aired on "Mystery!" (1991) about a young English divorcee who sets out on a desperate search for her two children, kidnapped by her German ex-husband. Richardson proved her versatility with impressive back-to-back performances in Mike Newell's romantic comedy ENCHANTED APRIL (1991) as a repressed married woman whose life changes when she shares an Italian villa, a sexy IRA terrorist in Neil Jordan's THE CRYING GAME (1992) and a neglected wife in Louis Malle's DAMAGE (1992). She also delivered a bravura performance as the gifted but mentally troubled, Vivienne Haigh-Wood, first wife of poet T.S. Eliot, in TOM & VIV (1994). For her trouble Richardson received an Academy nomination for Best Actress. Other notable screen credits include KANSAS CITY and THE EVENING STAR (both 1996), THE APOSTLE (1997), ST. IVES (1998), SLEEPY HOLLOW (1999), CHICKEN RUN (voice), GET CARTER and CONSTANCE & CARLOTTA (all 2000), SPIDER and THE HOURS (both 2002), THE RAGE IN PLACID LAKE, THE ACTORS and FALLING ANGELS (all 2003), THE PRINCE & ME, CHURCHILL: THE HOLLYWOOD YEARS and THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (all 2004), WAH-WAH, STARRY NIGHT and HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE (all 2005), PARIS, JE T'AIME, PROVOKED: A TRUE STORY and SOUTHLAND TALES (all 2006), SPINNING INTO BUTTER, PUFFBALL and FRED CLAUS (all 2007), and THE YOUNG VICTORIA, TELEPATHY and CAITLIN (all scheduled for 2008). Richardson's recent television work includes recurring roles on the series "Absolutely Fabulous" (1994//2004) and "The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle" (2007).  Nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role 1992: DAMAGE  Nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role 1994: TOM & VIV 2 nominations