Broadbent's supporting role for drama school

The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (Lamda), the Alma Mater of a host of Britain's best-known actors, is attempting to raise £5m to pay for a permanent home to replace the cold, damp and cramped accommodation it has occupied for more than half a century.

Jim Broadbent, who was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Iris, is one of a number of Lamda luminaries involved in the campaign to buy the old base of the Royal Ballet School in Talgarth Road, west London. The building would provide modern facilities in one location. Lack of space at the academy's home in Cromwell Road, which has been used since 1946, means students have to do much of their work in neighbouring church halls and sometimes have to finish to allow the Brownies to come in.

Unlike the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada), which succeeded in getting a £22m handout for its redevelopment, Lamda is not allowed to receive funding from the National Lottery. Distinguished Lamda alumni, including Patricia Hodge, Harriet Walter, Brian Cox and David Suchet, are backing the appeal.

Broadbent, who admits he always suspected his career would take off later in life because of his "strange" appearance, said he was delighted to add his support because Lamda had been very important to him.

"Lamda was totally invaluable for me. As soon as I started, the first week, I knew I was absolutely at home and it was brilliant," he said at a breakfast designed to encourage potential donors.

"All the teachers knew exactly what the business was about and I'm sure that hasn't changed. Getting into Lamda was one of the three big personal high spots of my career. The second was getting my first job after leaving Lamda and the third was getting a job with Woody Allen."

He added: "When I was at Lamda there were half the number of students there are now and we were short of space then."

When he left, Broadbent spent most of the next 20 years working in the theatre before deciding to move into film and television about a decade ago.

He said the good thing about his recent successes, which include a best supporting actor Golden Globe award for Iris and a similar Bafta for Moulin Rouge, was that producers could no longer stop directors from employing him because he was insufficiently well-known.

But he admitted there were very few good scripts around and added: "I'm aching to do a bit of theatre again now."

Peter James, Lamda's principal, said he had never worried about the academy's public profile because it had always serviced the industry with fine performers. But they were having to raise the stakes in order to be able to replace the maze of buildings with leaking roofs, inadequate heating and spare rooms on short-term lets with a proper new home.

The new building, which will cost £3.5m with another £1.5m renovation costs, will provide 10 large rehearsal rooms as well as smaller teaching rooms and offices.

Luke Rittner, Lamda's chairman, said the decision to stop further Lottery grants to projects in London had been a "great blow," particularly as they regarded the academy as a national institution.