Raymond Andrew "Ray" Winstone, Jr.[Ray Winstone Biography (1957-)] (born February 19, 1957) is an
Emmy Award-winning
English film and television actor. He is mostly known for his "tough guy" roles, beginning with that of Carlin in the 1979 film
Scum, and is also known as a
voice over actor. More recently he has branched out into film production. His film résumé includes
Nil by Mouth,
Sexy Beast,
Cold Mountain,
King Arthur,
The Proposition,
The Departed,
Beowulf and
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Early life
Winstone was born in
Homerton, in the
London Borough of Hackney.
[Winstone Biography accessed May 10, 2007] His family was originally from
Cirencester,
Gloucestershire – half of them moving to
London, the other half to
Wales. Moving via
Plaistow to
Enfield when he was seven, his father, Raymond Andrew Winstone, Sr., ran a fruit and vegetable business (he is now a
black cab driver) while his mother, Margaret, had a job emptying
fruit machines. Winstone recalls playing with his friends on bomb sites until "
Moors Murderers"
Ian Brady and
Myra Hindley were arrested for killing five children. Winstone was educated at
Edmonton County, which had changed from a
grammar school to a
comprehensive upon his arrival. He didn't take to school, eventually leaving with a single
CSE (Grade 2) in
Drama.