He won an Oscar for playing John Bayley in Iris (2001/I), making him one of eleven actors to win the Award for playing a real person who was still alive at the evening of the Award ceremony (as of 2007). The other ten actors and their respective performances are: Spencer Tracy for playing Father Edward Flanagan in Boys Town (1938), Gary Cooper for playing Alvin C. York in Sergeant York (1941), Patty Duke for playing Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker (1962), Jason Robards for playing Benjamin Bradlee in All the President's Men (1976), Robert De Niro for playing Jake La Motta in Raging Bull (1980), Sissy Spacek for playing Loretta Lynn in Coal Miner's Daughter (1980), Susan Sarandon for playing Sister Helen Prejean in Dead Man Walking (1995), Geoffrey Rush for playing David Helfgott in Shine (1996), Julia Roberts for playing Erin Brockovich in Erin Brockovich (2000) and most recently Helen Mirren for playing Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen (2006).

Considered for the role of Wilbur Turnblad in Hairspray (2007).

Graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in 1972.

Plays former President Richard Nixon in Dirty Tricks (2000) (TV). Nixon was previously played by Anthony Hopkins in Nixon (1995). Hopkins also appeared in Shadowlands (1993) as C.S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), in which Broadbent appeared.

At The Orange British Academy Film Awards on Monday January 28th 2002, he was nominated for the best Performance by an Actor in a leading role Award for his role in the film Iris.

His mother, who died in 1995, suffered from Alzheimer's Disease.

He allegedly declined the O.B.E. (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to drama in 2002.

Voice of Vroomfondel in the BBC radio series version of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

In 2001, appeared in Moulin Rouge! (2001) with Nicole Kidman, Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) with Renée Zellweger and Iris (2001/I) with Judi Dench. All three of these women were nominated for Best Actress for their roles.

Is the only Oscar-winning actor in the Superman films who has only won a single Oscar. Marlon Brando won for On the Waterfront and The Godfather; Gene Hackman for The French Connection and Unforgiven; and Kevin Spacey for The Usual Suspects and American Beauty. Broadbent only won for Iris.

Nominated for a 2004 Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children for Winnie-the-Pooh.

Was offered the part of Del Boy in BBC's Sitcom "Only Fools and Horses", but declined the role. But he did guest-star in three episodes of the show.

Honorary President of the Lindsey Rural Players

Shortly after winning his Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in Iris (2001/I), he was interviewed by Joan Rivers, who apparently didn't even know what nationality he was. On live TV, Rivers said, "Here we have Jim Broadbent, all the way from Australia. You're Australian aren't you?" But there were to be no tantrums from the star - the mild-mannered actor replied, "No, I'm British."

He is the son of Roy Broadbent, who was involved in converting a Methodist Church into a theater. It was later renamed the Broadbent Theater after his death in 1971.