Trivia

Attended Gonville and Caius College at Cambridge University, and obtained first class honours in English. Attended and graduated from London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama (1983).

Performs under his full name, as there was already a Simon Beale registered when he joined Equity.

He was nominated for Broadway's 2004 Tony Award as Best Actor (Play) for a revival of Tom Stoppard's "Jumpers".

In the Independent on Sunday 2006 Pink List - a list of the most influential gay men and women - he came No. 30, up from 34.

He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours List and Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire in the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to Drama.

He was awarded the 2000 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award (1999 season) for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in "Candide" at the Royal National Theatre, Olivier Stage.

He was nominated for the 1998 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Actor of 1997 for his performance in "Othello" at the Royal National Theatre: Cottsloe stage.

He was awarded the 2003 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Actor of 2002 for his performance in "Uncle Vanya" performed at the Donmar Warehouse.

He received an honorary degree (Doctor of Letters) from the University of Warwick (2005), and an honorary degree (Doctor of the University) from the Open University (OU) (2010).

He was nominated for the 2002 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Actor of 2001 for his performance in "Humble Boy" at the Royal National Theatre: Cottesloe.

He was awarded the 2002 London Critics Circle Theatre Award for Best Actor and the 2002 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor for his performances in "Uncle Vanya" and "Twelfth Night" performed at the Donmar Warehouse.

He was awarded the 1996 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award (1995 season) for Best Supporting Performance for his performance in "Volpone" at the Royal National Theatre Olivier Stage.

Has won four London Evening Standard Awards for Best Actor for his performances on the London stage - "Uncle Vanya", "The Philanthropist", "The Conformist" and "Hamlet".

For his performance in "Hamlet" at the Royal National Theatre, he won the 2000 John and Wendy Trewin Award at London Critics Circle Theater Award for Best Shakespearian Performance and the 2000 London Evening Standard Theater Award for Best Actor, as well as being nominated for the following awards: the 2000 Laurence Olivier Theater Award (2000 season) for Best Actor.

Performed in William Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" at the Royal National Theatre, London. Because of take on a role in George Bernard Shaw's "Major Barbara" at the same venue later in the year. (January 2008)

Simon Russell Beale talked to David Tennant in Hamlet with David Tennant (2012) about audience members who mouthed his lines to Hamlet soliloqies: ". . . people would say it along with you, that's fine. I had one woman who was doing it just before I said it, which was infuriating!".