Age: 65
male
Sir Kenneth Charles Branagh (born 10 December 1960) is a Northern Irish actor and filmmaker. Born in Belfast and raised primarily in Reading, Berkshire, Branagh trained at RADA in London and served as its president from 2015 to 2024. His accolades include an Academy Award, four BAFTAs, two Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and an Olivier Award. He was appointed a Knight Bachelor in 2012 and was given Freedom of the City in his native Belfast in 2018. In 2020, he was ranked in 20th place on The Irish Times's list of Ireland's greatest film actors. Branagh has directed and starred in several film adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays, including Henry V (1989), Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Othello (1995), Hamlet (1996), and As You Like It (2006). He was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor and Best Director for Henry V and Best Adapted Screenplay for Hamlet. He directed Swan Song (1992), which earned a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. He also directed Peter's Friends (1992), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994), Thor (2011), and Cinderella (2015). For his semi-autobiographical film Belfast (2021), he was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Director and won Best Original Screenplay. Branagh directed and starred as Hercule Poirot in the Hercule Poirot film series (2017–present). He has also acted in Celebrity (1998), Wild Wild West (1999), The Road to El Dorado (2000), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), and Valkyrie (2008). His portrayal of Laurence Olivier in My Week with Marilyn (2011) earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He played supporting roles in Christopher Nolan's films Dunkirk (2017), Tenet (2020), and Oppenheimer (2023). Branagh has starred in the BBC1 series Fortunes of War (1987), the Channel 4 series Shackleton (2002), the television film Warm Springs (2005), and the BBC One series Wallander (2008–2016). He received a Primetime Emmy Award and an International Emmy Award for Best Actor for portraying SS leader Reinhard Heydrich in the HBO film Conspiracy (2001).
On the hidden island of Themyscira, the Amazon princess Diana is raised among warriors and gods, trained for battle under the guidance of her mother Queen Hippolyta and her aunts Antiope, Philippus, and Brunhilde. Though powerful and compassionate, Diana is warned that the world of men is dangerous and that ancient evils still linger beyond the island’s borders. That warning proves true when a mysterious, godlike warrior, Black Adam, reappears after centuries of absence. Once tied to the old gods and forbidden power, Adam seeks to reclaim dominance over humanity. His return destabilizes the balance between gods and mortals, prompting the Amazons to prepare for war. During a covert A.R.G.U.S. operation near Themyscira, pilot and intelligence officer Steve Trevor crashes near the island while pursuing stolen ancient technology. Diana rescues him, learning from Steve about the modern world, global conflict, and the growing presence of metahumans. Against Hippolyta’s wishes, Diana believes Black Adam’s return means the Amazons can no longer remain hidden. Diana leaves Themyscira with Steve Trevor, entering the world of men for the first time. They are quickly intercepted by A.R.G.U.S., led by Amanda Waller, who sees Diana as both a potential ally and a potential threat. Diana’s presence draws immediate attention, and she is placed under surveillance, with Oliver Queen (Green Arrow) assigned to monitor her movements. As Diana struggles to understand humanity, she forms bonds with Steve and his allies, including Etta Candy, whose blunt optimism contrasts Diana’s warrior upbringing, and scientist Dr. Emil Hamilton, who helps interpret ancient myths tied to Black Adam’s power. Diana learns that Adam draws strength from forbidden divine magic, remnants of an age when gods walked openly among humans. Meanwhile, Black Adam manipulates world events from the shadows, provoking conflict to prove humanity unworthy of protection. To stop Diana, he unleashes a devastating construct, an ancient divine weapon comparable to the Destroyer, sent to test her resolve and force her into open battle. Defying both A.R.G.U.S. control and Amazon law, Diana confronts the threat in a populated city. When civilians are endangered, she willingly sacrifices her chance to retreat or return safely to Themyscira, choosing instead to stand between humanity and destruction. This act of selflessness confirms her purpose, not as a conqueror or a god, but as a protector. Reunited briefly with her Amazon mentors, Antiope, Philippus, and Brunhilde, who secretly come to aid her, Diana defeats the weapon and confronts Black Adam directly. Their clash reveals the true difference between them: Adam believes power grants the right to rule, while Diana believes power demands responsibility. In the final confrontation, Diana stops Black Adam’s immediate plan, forcing him into retreat rather than destruction. Though victorious, she understands the world will never fully trust her. She chooses to remain among humanity, guided by compassion rather than dominance. In the aftermath, Amanda Waller tightens A.R.G.U.S. surveillance on Diana, recognizing that beings like her will reshape the world. Diana embraces her role as Wonder Woman, protector of mankind and bridge between gods and mortals.
