Adrian Lester trained at RADA, graduating in 1989. He won the Time Out Award for Best Actor and received a Commendation from the Ian Charleson Awards in 1991 for his performance as Rosalind in Cheek By Jowl's production of As You Like It. Lester has won the Olivier award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance as Bobby in Stephen Sondheim's Company, directed by Sam Mendes at the Donmar Warehouse in 1996. He won the Time Out Award for Best Actor for his performance in John Guare's Six Degrees of Separation at the Royal Court in 1992. Lester received an OBE in the 2013 New Year's Honour's List.