By/Por Linda S. Rodríguez Alemán
Although slow to recognize merits that he has accumulated throughout his varied and productive career, the film and theater actor Colin Firth, 51, was personally awarded by Prince Charles for his role in “The Kings Speech” the other day. In this role he played Prince Charles’s grandfather, and received the Oscar for Best Actor last year.
Firth received the medal as Commander of the Order of the British Empire in a ceremony that was celebrated in the ballroom of the Buckingham Palace. He was given this recognition by Queen Elizabeth II for the contributions he has made to the arts.
For Colin Firth, who gained international recognition by his role in the film “Bridget Jones’s Diary”, this award is the culmination of a year full of rewards for his acclaimed interpretation of George VI.
Queen Elizabeth II was apparently moved by “The Kings Speech” which chronicled the unexpected ascension to the throne by her father and his efforts to overcome a serious and evidently incurable case of stuttering.
Firth had already been awarded in Italy, the homeland of his wife Livia, in 2005 and he was appointed Commander of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity.
The British actor is currently on movie screens around the world with the film adaptation of the spy novel, “Tinker Tailor” by writer John Le Carre. The film is starring Gary Oldman and Firth is playing a supporting role.
