Birthplace: Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
biography
Perhaps one of the most respected and established actors to emerge from Ireland, Stephen Rea spent years performing on stage and on screen before staking his claim in the United States with an Oscar-nominated performance in “The Crying Game” (1992). Directed by long-time collaborator, Neil Jordan, “The Crying Game” both introduced him to a wider, international audience while reaffirming to fellow countrymen his status as an actor of considerable depth. Prior to his breakout performance, Rea spent two decades working on stage, touring his native Ireland in small theatres until he worked his way