The following is a list of awards and nominations received by British actress Brenda Blethyn. For her portrayal of Cynthia Purley in the 1996 Mike Leigh drama Secrets & Lies, Blethyn was named Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as receiving Golden Globe and BAFTA Awards, and a nomination for that year's Academy Award for Best Actress. She received her second Oscar nomination, this time for Best Supporting Actress, for her portrayal of Mari Hoff in the 1998 comedy-drama Little Voice. Her other accolades include a Theatre World Award, an Empire Award, a London Film Critics' Circle Award, a British Comedy Award, a Royal Television Society Award, and a Rose d'Or, in addition to nominations for three further BAFTAs, two further Golden Globes, two Primetime Emmys, four Satellite Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and one Olivier Award.
Major associations
Academy Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result1997Secrets & Lies Best Actress 1999Little Voice Best Supporting Actress
British Academy Film Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result1997Secrets & Lies Best Actress in a Leading Role 1999Little Voice Best Actress in a Supporting Role 2006Pride & Prejudice
British Academy Television Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result2005Belonging Best Actress
Golden Globe Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result1997Secrets & Lies Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama 1999Little Voice Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture 2001Saving Grace Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical
Laurence Olivier Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result1984Benefactors Actress of the Year in a New Play
Primetime Emmy Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result2001Anne Frank: The Whole Story Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie 2009Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Persona Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Screen Actors Guild Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result1997Secrets & Lies Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role 1999Little Voice Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Critics awards
Boston Society of Film Critics
Year Nominated work Category Result1996Secrets & Lies Best Actress
Chicago Film Critics Association
Year Nominated work Category Result1996Secrets & Lies Best Actress
Florida Film Critics Circle
Year Nominated work Category Result1996Secrets & Lies Best Actress
London Film Critics' Circle
Year Nominated work Category Result1996Secrets & Lies British Actress of the Year 2000Saving Grace 2005Pride & Prejudice British Supporting Actress of the Year
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
Year Nominated work Category Result1996Secrets & Lies Best Actress
National Society of Film Critics
Year Nominated work Category Result1996Secrets & Lies Best Actress
Southeastern Film Critics Association Year Nominated work Category Result1996Secrets & Lies Best Actress
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association
Year Nominated work Category Result2005Pride & Prejudice Best Supporting Actress
Festival awards
Cannes Film Festival
Year Nominated work Category Result1996Secrets & Lies Best Actress
Festival International de Programmes Audiovisuels
Year Nominated work Category Result2005Belonging Best Actress
Monaco International Film Festival
Year Nominated work Category Result2012My Angel Best Actress
Monte-Carlo Television Festival
Year Nominated work Category Result2010London River Best Performance by an Actress
SESC Film Festival Year Nominated work Category Result2011London River Best Foreign Actress
Miscellaneous awards
20/20 Awards Year Nominated work Category Result2017Secrets & Lies Best Actress
Agatha Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result2018Vera Poirot Award
Australian Film Institute
Year Nominated work Category Result2007Clubland Best Actress in a Leading Role
Awards Circuit Community Awards Year Nominated work Category Result1996Secrets & Lies Best Actress in a Leading Role
British Animation Awards Year Nominated work Category Result2018Ethel & Ernest Best Voice Performance
British Comedy Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result1994Outside Edge Best TV Comedy Actress
British Independent Film Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result2000Saving Grace Best Performance by an Actress in a British Independent Film
CAMIE Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result2006Pride & Prejudice Character and Morality in Entertainment
Chlotrudis Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result1997Secrets & Lies Best Actress
Crime Thriller Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result2012Vera Best Actress 2014
DVD Exclusive Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result2003The Sleeping Dictionary Best Supporting Actress in a DVD Premiere Movie
Empire Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result1997Secrets & Lies Best British Actress 2001Saving Grace
Entertainment Daily Awards Year Nominated work Category Result2022Vera Best Detective Duo
Evening Standard British Film Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result2012London River Best Actress
Indie Shorts Awards Cannes Year Nominated work Category Result2021Strawberry Fields Forever Best Actress
Inside Film Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result2007Clubland Best Actress
New York Indie Shorts Awards Year Nominated work Category Result2021Strawberry Fields Forever Best Actress
Online Film & Television Association Year Nominated work Category Result1996Secrets & Lies Best Actress Best Drama Actress 2000RKO 281 Best Supporting Actress in a Television Picture or Miniseries 2001Anne Frank: The Whole Story 2008Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Royal Television Society
Year Nominated work Category Result2017Vera Performance of the Year
Sant Jordi Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result1997Secrets & Lies Best Foreign Actress
Satellite Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result1996Secrets & Lies Best Actress – Motion Picture 1999Little Voice Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture 2001Saving Grace Best Actress – Motion Picture 2002Anne Frank: The Whole Story Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
Theatre World Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result1991Absent Friends Theatre World Award
TV Choice Awards
Year Nominated work Category Result2018Vera Best Actress 2024
Honours
Alliance of Women Film Journalists
Year Nominee Category Result2007Brenda Blethyn Actress Defying Age and Ageism
Capri Hollywood International Film Festival
Year Nominee Category Result2014Brenda Blethyn Lifetime Achievement Award
Order of the British Empire
Year Nominee Category Result2003Brenda Blethyn Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Rose d'Or
Year Nominee Category Result2021Brenda Blethyn Lifetime Achievement Award
References