Brian Blessed, the actor renowned for his boisterous energy and distinctive Shakespearean presence, has reached his 90th birthday, prompting a chorus of tributes from long-time collaborators. Known for a career that spans decades of theater, film, and television, Blessed is remembered by his peers not just for his booming voice, but for his profound kindness and encouragement of younger talent. I tried to speak but my jaw had frozen in its sockets. His wit and fun and energy and gaiety, his loudness and his madness, i will always love him deeply and appreciate his kindness to a young actress. He was not particularly restrained – not when it came to pissing in the sink. But underneath it all, he is as sensitive as the rest of us, brian is full of bluster and bigness.
For Emma Thompson, memories of Blessed are tied to his unconventional health advice. She recalls visiting his dressing room while filming Kenneth Branagh’s Henry V, where she encountered a characteristically chilly environment. When she struggled to speak due to the cold, Blessed urged her into the corridors, insisting that the freezing temperatures were beneficial. It was during that same period that Blessed, ever the observant colleague, once asked her, “Thompson, why are you wearing blue lipstick?” after she had sat in silence for some time. I know why Brian has lasted this long in spite of falling out of helicopters and off mountains and into lakes all his life: he started the whole being-cold-keeps-you-healthy thing years before Wim Hof was doing his motivational speaking. A lovely off-the-shoulder number, i was in my costume for the Princess of France. I sat there, fascinated, getting colder and colder.
Derek Jacobi, who first worked with Blessed at the Birmingham Rep in 1960, remembers a man who possessed a magnetic personality even in his 20s. The two shared a dressing room during those early years of performing a different play every month. Jacobi notes that while Blessed is often defined by his loud, blustery public persona, he remains a deeply sensitive and consummate professional who proved to be a marvelous Augustus during their time together in I, Claudius.
The impact of Blessed’s mentorship is underscored by the recollections of others in the industry. Adrian Lester, who worked alongside him during the 1984 Royal Shakespeare Company season in Stratford-upon-Avon, credits Blessed with a pivotal moment in his career. While Lester was an 18-year-old struggling to decide between a film role in Revolution and a stage commitment, it was Blessed who pulled him aside at a rehearsal space to offer life-changing advice. He encouraged the young actor to embrace the film world, noting that success in that sphere offered a sustainable and rewarding professional path.
During that same 1984 season, which featured productions of Henry V and Hamlet, Lester observed Blessed’s unfiltered approach to life. He recalls Blessed’s habit of speaking openly and sometimes shockingly about his anatomy—specifically commenting on “that big blue vein on the side of your dick”—which consistently left onlookers, including Branagh, both stunned and amused. Lester reflects that he had never encountered anyone with such an unyielding belief in being exactly who they are.
The actor’s presence on the set of Flash Gordon remains a highlight for many, including co-star Melody Anderson. She describes him as an indefatigable force who brought lightness and essential humor to the grueling 12-hour days on set. She notes that his tendency to take over a room is not a matter of ego, but rather an expression of a profound lust for life. Even while convention-hopping years later, colleagues like Sam J. Jones often found themselves stepping back to let Blessed command the stage.
Brian May of Queen, who worked with Blessed on the Flash Gordon soundtrack and various animal welfare projects, emphasizes the actor’s capacity for empathy. May remembers Blessed helping with badger crusades and appearing in the Badger Badger Badger video, shouting his signature, “Keep the badgers alive!” to audiences. May describes Blessed as an extra member of the Queen team, noting his musical, resonant voice is woven into the soundtrack of the film.
The adventurous spirit of the actor is also well-documented by mountaineer Alan Hinkes. Recalling their time on Mount Everest 30 years ago, Hinkes notes that Blessed managed to reach an altitude of 7,700 meters. Even in the harsh conditions of base camp, where temperatures would plummet to -15C, Blessed would regale others with stories, maintaining a sense of humor that helped sustain the team.
Whether he is acting at the National Theatre—such as his 2001 performance in The Relapse, where he brandished a blunderbuss—or simply living his life, the consensus among his peers is one of gratitude. As Thompson summarizes, Blessed is a force of nature, a “mighty wind,” and a vital part of the creative landscape who continues to earn applause as he enters his 90s.
