Our great county has produced some of the most extraordinary people. Some of the greatest actors, writers, scientists, musicians, artists, and comedians have all hailed from God’s Own Country. To celebrate these star names, we have put together a list of five of the most famous people from Yorkshire.
1. Sir Patrick Stewart
Sir Patrick Stewart was born in the West Yorkshire town of Mirfield in 1940. He left school at the age of 15 to work as a junior reporter on a local paper. However, Sir Patrick had a love of theatre around this time, and it is reported he would sometimes miss work to attend rehearsals. This led his boss giving him an ultimatum: choose between acting and reporting. Luckily for us, he chose acting!
Sir Patrick went on to be one of the country’s most highly respected actors. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966, going on to play key roles such as Othello and Macbeth. In 1987, he took up a role which for many people defines his acting career: he became Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek. He also starred in a diverse array of roles including Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men, and Avery Bullock in American Dad.
He famously once said: ‘You can always tell a Yorkshireman…but you can’t tell him much!.’ We would wholeheartedly agree.
2. Sean Bean
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Next up is Sean Bean, the true King of the North and one of the finest actors our county has ever produced. He was born in Sheffield in 1959 and is well known for his thick Yorkshire accent, playing characters who often die violently, his love of Sheffield United, and his use of the word ‘bastards!’.
He is also known for some of the most iconic roles in cinematic and TV history. He has starred in blockbuster movies including The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Patriot Games, and GoldenEye. Bean has also starred in hit TV shows like Time, playing Richard Sharpe in Sharpe, and arguably one of his most famous roles, Ned Stark in Game of Thrones. He is a three-time BAFTA winner and was awarded an International Emmy Award.
3. David Hockney
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A wonderful artist whom we sadly lost this year. Born in Bradford in 1937, David Hockney is widely considered to be one of the most influential figures in contemporary art. His prolific career spanned seven decades, and he became known for the variety and innovation of his works. These included sun-drenched paintings of Los Angeles life, his iPad portraits of family and friends, and, of course, those beautiful landscapes of his native Yorkshire.
Some of Hockney’s most famous works include Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy, Bigger Trees near Water, and the Big Splash. The latter of these paintings sold for £23.1m in 2020. You can discover more about David Hockney’s life and his artwork at Salts Mill in Saltaire. Find out more in our guide – Yorkshire Is Home To One of the World’s Largest David Hockney Collections.
4. Sir Michael Palin
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Sir Michael Palin is a man who wears many hats – comedian, writer, actor, and television presenter. Born in Sheffield in 1943 (must be something creative in the water), Palin is undoubtedly best known as part of the comedy genius that is Monty Python, alongside fellow comedians Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, and Terry Jones. He helped write and starred in Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Life of Brian, and The Meaning of Life. He also performed the iconic sketch ‘The Yorkshireman’, which hits very close to home!
Away from Monty Python, Palin has starred in films such as Brazil, The Death of Stalin, and A Private Function. He is also known as a travel documentarian. He has presented shows such as Around the World in 80 Days with Michael Palin and Full Circle with Michael Palin. This has taken him around the world to fascinating places such as the Philippines, Nigeria, Venezuela, the North and South Poles, the Caribbean, and North Korea.
5. Helen Sharman
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Yet another one on our list of famous Yorkshire people who hails from the Steel City! Born in Sheffield in 1963, Helen has done what many of us dream of doing – go into outer space. In fact, she became the first Briton to go into space. She came across the opportunity by luck. Working as a food scientist, she was driving home from the Mars Factory in Slough in 1989 when she came across an advert on the radio that announced: ‘Astronaut wanted. No experience necessary.’
It was part of an Anglo-Soviet mission to send a British person with a Soviet space crew to the Mir Space Station. In May 1991 she was launched into space aboard the Soviet Soyuz TM-12 space capsule. She spent eight days on the Soviet space station, making British (and Yorkshire!) history. You can go see her original space suit in London’s Science Museum.
Helen highlighted in her memoir the life-changing impact the advert and the mission has had on her life. She stated:
“I know, with hindsight, that the minute or so I spent listening to this advertisement is the crucial, pivotal moment in my life. After it, nothing from my old life could ever quite be the same.”
6. Judi Dench
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It would be impossible to make this list without adding one of the finest actors this country has ever produced. Dame Judi Dench has become synonymous with masterful acting performances throughout a career which has spanned seven decades. Born in York in 1934, Dench’s early acting experience came through performing Shakespearean roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Old Vic.
These roles included Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Ophelia in Hamlet, and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. Her later career took her onto the world stage, and she built an impressive portfolio of eclectic, diverse, and challenging roles. Her roles range from starring as ‘M’ in the James Bond series, Iris Murdoch in ‘Iris’, and Queen Elizabeth in Shakespeare in Love. Dench’s work has seen her receive a vast array of prestigious awards, which include an Academy Award for ‘Best Supporting Actress’ (Shakespeare in Love), a BAFTA for ‘Best Actress in a Leading Role’ (Iris) and a Golden Globe for ‘Best Actress in a Motion Picture’ (Mrs Brown). York celebrated Dench’s career by naming a beautiful footpath route by the side of the River Ouse and the Museum Gardens the ‘Dame Judi Dench Walk’.
There are many other wonderful talents who have hailed from our county. Who do you think we should add to our list of famous people from Yorkshire?
Read More: 16 Of The Greatest Yorkshire Films Of All Time
Feature Image Credit: BBC
