Vanessa Redgrave. Actress: Atonement. On Janu, renowned theatre actor Michael Redgrave was performing in a production of Hamlet in London. During the curtain call, the show's lead, Laurence Olivier, announced to the audience: "tonight a great actress was born". This was in reference to his co-star's newborn daughter, Vanessa Redgrave. Vanessa was born in Greenwich, London, to.