My father is a welder and my mother is a housewife. He was awarded a scholarship from Ross Bruford Theatre Academy in England, and 1979 received a bachelor's degree in drama art. Prior to this, Gary's application for admission was rejected by the Royal Academy of Drama in London. Later, he entered the Greenwich Youth Theatre and played roles in many plays in the early 1980s. Gary Oldman won the 1985- 1986 Best Newcomer Award and the 1985 Best Actor Award from the British Drama Association for his performance in The Wedding of the Pope.