It's the 1660s, and Edward 'Ned' Kynaston is England's most celebrated leading lady. Women are forbidden to appear on stage and Ned profits, using his beauty and skill to make the great female roles his own. But King Charles II is tired of seeing the same old performers in the same old tragedies. Since no one will take him up on his suggestion to improve Othello with a couple of good jokes, he decides to liven the royal palate by allowing real women to tread the boards. In a slightly less progressive spirit, he rules that men may no longer play women's parts. This is good news for the monarch's mistress, the saucy, stage-struck Nell Gwyn. It is also good news for Maria, Kynaston's lovelorn young dresser who has been secretly performing at a seedy tavern in lavish costumes borrowed from her employer. It is very bad news for Ned, who plummets from his exalted position as one of London's most desirable females to become a virtual nobody, virtually overnight. Cast out of the spotlight, Ned seems headed for burlesque obscurity until Maria, now a rising star, takes it upon herself to make a man of him again.

Director:
Richard Eyre	Director
Cast:
Tom Wilkinson	as Thomas Betterton
Billy Crudup	as Ned Kynaston
Claire Danes	as Maria
Rupert Everett	as King Charles Ii
Ben Chaplin	as George Villiars, Duke Of Buckingham
Richard Griffiths	as Sir Charles Sedley
Hugh Bonneville	as Samuel Pepys
Edward Fox	as Sir Edward Hyde
Tom Hollander	as Sir Peter Lely
Clare Higgins	as Mistress Revels
Fenella Woolgar	as Lady Meresvale
Alice Eve	as Miss Frayne
Zoe Tapper	as Nell Gwyn
Cinematography:
Andrew Dunn	Director Of Photography
Dave Gurney	Camera
Mark Milsome	Camera Operator
Andrew Dunn	Camera Operator
Gerry Vasbenter	Camera Operator
Jason Ellis	Camera Focus Puller
Mark Milsome	Camera Focus Puller
Sam Goldie	Loader
Harry Bowers	Loader
Gerry Vasbenter	Steadicam Operator
Benjamin Croce	Camera Trainee
Writer:
Jeffrey Hatcher	Screenplay (Adaptation)
Jeffrey Hatcher	Source Material (From Play: "Compleat Female Stage Beauty")
Karen Jones	Script Supervisor
Producer:
Robert De Niro	Producer
Jane Rosenthal	Producer
Hardy Justice	Producer
James D. Stern	Executive Producer
Michael Kuhn	Executive Producer
Richard Eyre	Executive Producer
Rachel Cohen	Executive Producer
Amir Malin	Executive Producer
Jill Tandy	Co-Executive Producer
Malcolm Richie	Co-Executive Producer
Hardy Justice	Production Executive
Michael Dreyer	Co-Producer
Sarah Nuttall	Executive
Colleen Woodcock	Executive
Geraldine Atlee	Executive
Mark Woolley	Executive
Andrew Hildebrand	Executive
Peter Lüke	Executive
Editing:
Tariq Anwar	Editor
Saska Simpson	Associate Editor
Music:
George Fenton	Music
Bill Silcock	Music
George Fenton	Composer
Geoffrey Alexander	Original Music
Gavin Wright	Original Music
Isobel Griffiths	Music Contractor
Nicole Jacob	Music Coordinator
Steve Price	Music Engineer
Dave Lawson	Music Engineer
Jonathan Allen	Music Engineer
Sophie Cornet	Music Editor
Title Design:
Matt Curtis	Titles
Martin Bullard	Titles
Steve Boag	Titles
Assistant Direction:
Martin Harrison	Assistant Director
Chris Stoaling	Assistant Director
Charlie Waller	Assistant Director
Finn Mcgrath	Assistant Director
Dance:
Scarlett Mackmin	Choreographer
Art Director:
Jan Spoczynski	Art Director
Keith Slote	Art Director
Emma De Polnay	Art Director
Gavin Fitch	Assistant Art Director
Animation:
Nicolas Aithadi	3-D Artist
Visual Effects:
Julian Scott	Digital Effects
Stuart Brisdon	Special Effects Supervisor
Douglas Larmour	Visual Effects Supervisor
Lucy Ainsworth-Taylor	Visual Effects Producer
Mark Haddenham	Special Effects Technician
Steve Benelisha	Special Effects Technician
David Keen	Special Effects Technician
Paul Clancy	Special Effects Technician
Make-Up:
Lisa Westcott	Makeup
Julie Dartnell	Makeup
Helen Johnson	Makeup
Jayne Buxton	Makeup
Beverly Binda	Makeup
Deborah Taylor	Makeup
Lesley Smith	Makeup
Costume-Wardrobe:
Tim Hatley	Costume Designer
Diane Wren	Costumes
Caroline Olcesi	Costumes
Jacki Thomas	Costumes
Fiona Mccann	Costumes
Anthony Brookman	Costumes
Jane Leonard	Costumes
Vandra Howard	Costumes
David Otzen	Costumes
Celia Yau	Costumes
Nadine Powell	Costumes
Allison Wyldeck	Costume Supervisor
Caroline Waterman	Assistant Costume Designer
Sue Bradbury	Seamstress Supervisor
Hilary Watson	Wardrobe Supervisor
Art Department:
Robert Worley	Art Department
Oliver Goodier	Art Department
Khadeeja Rafique	Art Department
Janine Pauke	Matte Painter
Andy Middleton	Matte Painter
Simon Wicker	Matte Painter
Alan Grenham	Painter
Peter Mounsey	Painter
Michael Finlay	Painter
Michael Pelham	Painter
Clive Ward	Painter
Jeff Sullivan	Painter
Tommy Roberts	Painter
John Ivall	Painter
Nadeem Chugtai	Scenic Artist
Steve Mitchell	Scenic Artist
Caroline Smith	Set Decorator
Jane Clarke	Storyboard Artist
Amanda Leggatt	Art Assistant
Production Designer:
Jim Clay	Production Designer
Sound:
Martin Cunningham	Sound Department
Colin Codner	Sound Department
Christopher Ackland	Sound Effects Editor
Jim Greenhorn	Sound Mixer
Craig Irving	Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Chris Wilson	Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Peter Burgis	Foley Artist
Andie Derrick	Foley Artist
Ben Barker	Foley Editor
Gareth Bull	Foley Mixer
Dave Humphries	Adr Mixer
Mark Lafbery	Adr Mixer
Paul Carr	Adr Mixer
David Boulton	Adr Mixer
Charlene Richards	Adr Mixer
Tariq Anwar	Adr/Dialogue Editor
Peter Bond	Adr/Dialogue Editor
Andy Walker	Adr/Dialogue Editor
Casting:
Celestia Fox	Casting Director
Alex Johnson	Casting Director
Stunts:
Tom Delmar	Stunt Coordinator
Gordon Seed	Stunt Performer
Publicity:
Liz Miller	Film Publicist
Liz Miller	Unit Publicist
Charles Mcdonald	Unit Publicist
Production Companies:
Tribeca Films	Production Company
Film Flow	Production Company
Gp 11	Production Company
20th Century Fox Studio Facilities	Production Company
Endgame Entertainment	Production Company
London Editing Machines	Production Company
Film Finances, Inc.	Production Company
Cineimage	Production Company
Artisan Entertainment	Production Company
Pompei	Production Company
Afm Lighting	Production Company
Sound One	Production Company
Aon/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services	Production Company
Angles	Production Company
The National Theater	Production Company
Kodak	Production Company
Pinewood Photographic Centre	Production Company
Steeple Post Production Services Ltd	Production Company
Tirelli Costumi	Production Company
Sapex	Production Company
Sands	Production Company
Panavision, Ltd.	Production Company
Twickenham Film Studios	Production Company
Reel Skill Film Cutting	Production Company
Farani Sartoria Teatrale	Production Company
E Rancati	Production Company
Anvil Post Production Inc	Production Company
	Production Company
Fintage House	Production Company
Abbey Road Studios	Production Company
	Production Company
Birds & Animals Unlimited	Production Company
Casting Collective	Production Company
Cornejo	Production Company
Cosprop	Production Company
Costumi D'Arte	Production Company
Goldcrest Post Production	Production Company
Hackenbacker Sound	Production Company
The Moving Picture Company	Production Company
Technicolor	Production Company
Royal Shakespeare Theatre	Production Company
Kevin O'Shea	Production Insurance
Qwerty Films	Financier
Artisan Home Entertainment	Domestic Video Distributor
	Public Relations
Icon Uk Group	Foreign Distribution Sales
Momentum Pictures Limited	Foreign Theatrical Distributor
Lionsgate	Domestic Theatrical Distributor
N1 European Film Productions And Co. Kg	Financier
	Foreign Tv Distributor
Film Production - Main:
David Stachini	Production
Derek Whorlow	Production
Kerrie Gant	Production
Richard Stachini	Production
Kevin Lloyd	Production
Robert Flint	Production
James Mcgee	Production
Michael Elson	Head Of Production
Joan Schneider	Production Coordinator
Steve Harrow	Production Consultant
Dianne Twiddy	Production Accountant
Steve Earner	Production Accountant
Sonny Burdis	Best Boy
Gabrielle Le Rasle	Assistant Production Coordinator
Sam Phillips	Crane Grip
Lee Isgar	Driver
Graham Dollery	Driver
Steve Mitchard	Driver
Simon Saunders	Driver
Georg Grohmann	Driver
Steve Rogers	Driver
Darren Leen	Driver
David Speirs	Driver
David Smith	Gaffer
Garth Sewell	Grip
Malcolm Huse	Key Grip
Clive Coote	Photography
Sally Sousa	Animal Trainer
Film Production - Unit:
Tim Porter	Unit Production Manager
Film Production - Construction/Set:
Stephen Weston	Construction
Zoe Robertson	Construction
Tom Martin	Construction Manager
Ray Rose	Props
Paul Webb	Carpenter
Joseph Alley	Carpenter
Craig Parratt	Carpenter
Peter Collins	Carpenter
Barnaby Inman	Carpenter
Barry O'Brien	Carpenter
Paul Carpenter	Carpenter
Matthew Whelan	Carpenter
Dave Lowery	Carpenter
Jason Phelps	Carpenter
Ronald Leighton	Carpenter
Brian Bovingdon	Carpenter
Cathal Macilwaine	Carpenter
Graham Cole	Carpenter
John Brien	Carpenter
Eamon Mcloughlin	Carpenter
Roy O'Brien	Carpenter
John Mcgee	Carpenter
Philip McDonald	Property Master
Les Benson	Propman
Paul Turner	Propman
Matt Chisholm	Propman
Neil Murrum	Propman
Paul Humbles	Propman
Gill Ducker	Props Buyer
Film Production - Lighting/Electrical:
Onkar Narang	Lighting Technician
Ricky Churchouse	Electrician
Peter Wing	Electrician
Mark Keeling	Electrician
Michael Hayes	Electrician
Tony Allen	Electrician
Collin Gallagher	Electrician
Ronald Meeks	Rigging Electrician
Dean Smith	Rigging Electrician
Steve Dunn	Rigging Electrician
Robert Hooker	Rigging Electrician
Christopher Day	Rigging Gaffer
Film Production - Video:
Sebastian Barraclough	Video Assist/Playback
Post Production:
Megan Clark	Post-Production Supervisor
John Stanborough	Grader
John Ensby	Film Lab
Andy Robinson	Negative Cutter
Eddy Kolkiewicz	Negative Cutter
Location Manager:
Joseph Jayawardena	Location Manager
Sue Quinn	Location Manager
Assistant Location Manager:
Aurelia Thomas	Assistant Location Manager
Misc. Crew:
Alexandra Arlango	Assistant
Tonia Wright	Assistant
Kevin Kolovich	Assistant
Claire Lundberg	Assistant
Kathryn Craig	Business Affairs
Fayre Do'S	Caterer
Mark Kenna	Consultant
Joan Washington	Dialect Coach
Sally Grace	Dialect Coach
Alan Brunswick	Legal Counsel
Lisa Koven	Legal Counsel
Kathryn Craig	Legal Services
Tory Michaels	Legal Services
Richard Philipps	Legal Services
Richards Butler	Legal Services
Chris Cullum	Medic
Caroline Oxley-Mcleod	Medic
Heidi Gower	Office Runner
Simon Sanderson	Office Runner
James Shirras	Other
Steve Dent	Other
Ruth Hodgson	Other
Nicola Barnes	Researcher
Lew Morgan	Security
Georgina Sayer	Stand-In
Thomas Doran	Stand-In
Philip Ball	Stand-In
Richard Saperstein	Studio Executive
Rachel Cohen	Studio Executive
Vanessa Baker	Voice Casting
Brendan Donnison	Voice Casting
James Shirras	Various
Steve Dent	Various
Ruth Hodgson	Various
Sheila Fraser Milne	Various
Matthew Symonds	Digital Effects Artist

Co-winner of the 2004 award for Special Recognition For Excellence In Filmmaking by the National Board of Review (NBR).

Released in United States Fall October 8, 2004

Released in United States March 8, 2005

Released in United States October 15, 2004

Released in United States October 8, 2004

Shown at Edinburgh International Film Festival August 18-29, 2004

Shown at Toronto International Film Festival September 9-18, 2004.

Shown at Tribeca Film Festival (Closing Night) May 1-9, 2004.

rtg MPAA R: sexual content and language

Released in United States March 8, 2005

Released in United States Fall October 8, 2004

Released in United States October 8, 2004 (New York City and Los Angeles)

Released in United States October 15, 2004 (Los Angeles and San Francisco)