Connie Nielsen

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Connie Nielsen
Connie Nielsen 2011.jpg
Nielsen in 2011
Born Connie Inge-Lise Nielsen
(1965-07-03) 3 July 1965 (age 47)
Frederikshavn, Denmark
Years active 1984–present
Partner(s) Lars Ulrich (2004-2012)
Children Bryce Thadeus Ulrich-Nielsen, (b. 2007)
Sebastian (b. 1991)

Connie Inge-Lise Nielsen (born 3 July 1965) is a Danish actress. She is known for her roles in the English language films The Devil's Advocate (1997), Gladiator (2000), Basic (2003), and The Ice Harvest (2005). She starred as Meredith Kane on the Starz TV series Boss (2011-2012).

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Early life [edit]

Nielsen was born in Frederikshavn, Denmark. Her father, Bent Nielsen, was a bus driver, and her mother was an insurance clerk, who also acted and wrote musical reviews.[1][2][3] She was raised a Mormon[4] and grew up in a village named Elling.[5] She began her acting career working alongside her mother on the local revue and variety scene. At 18, she traveled to Paris, France, where she worked as an actress and model, which led to further work and study in Italy — at drama school in Rome and in master classes with Lydia Styx, a teacher at Piccolo Teatro di Milano in Milan. She lived in Italy for many years, before moving to the United States, where she still resides.

Career [edit]

Nielsen's feature film debut was the Jerry Lewis French film Par Où T'es Rentré? On T'a Pas Vu Sortir in 1984, followed by a role in the Italian mini-series Colletti Bianchi in 1988. She appeared in the Italian film Vacanze di Natale '91 (1991) and the French film Le Paradis Absolument (1993).

She moved to the United States in 1996 and made her first appearance in a major English-language film in 1997 as Christabella Andreoli in The Devil's Advocate, starring opposite Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves. This first minor breakthrough led to roles in the films Permanent Midnight (1998), Rushmore (1998), and Soldier (1998).

In 2000, Nielsen became known to worldwide audiences as Lucilla in Ridley Scott's internationally acclaimed Academy Award–winning epic Gladiator, starring opposite Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix. Since then, she has starred in American films including Mission to Mars (2000), One Hour Photo (2002), The Hunted (2003), and Basic (2003). She also starred in the acclaimed French thriller Demonlover (2002), directed by Olivier Assayas. She played the Irish mother to an orphan in A Shine of Rainbows (2009).

In 2004, Nielsen made her Danish film debut in the drama, Brødre (also known as Brothers), for which she won the Danish Best Actress Award, the Bodil, as well as Best Actress at the San Sebastian International Film Festival. She was also nominated for Best Actress at the European Film Awards. In 2006, Nielsen appeared in several episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Detective Dani Beck. She filled in for Mariska Hargitay, who was on maternity leave at the time of filming.

Personal life [edit]

From 2004 to 2012, Nielsen dated Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich. They have one son together, Bryce Thadeus Ulrich-Nielsen, (b. 21 May 2007) in San Francisco.[6] She has a son, Sebastian (born 2 June 1990), from a previous relationship.

Nielsen speaks eight languages: Danish, English, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish and a little Spanish.[7]

Filmography [edit]

Film Role
1984 Par Où T'es Rentré? On T'a Pas Vu Sortir Eva
1991 Vacanze di Natale '91 Brunilde/Vanessa
1993 Voyage Ronnie Freeland
1994 Le paradis absolument Sarah
1997 The Devil's Advocate Christabella Andreoli
1998 Permanent Midnight Dagmar
Rushmore Mrs. Calloway
Soldier Sandra
2000 Dark Summer Megan Denright
Mission to Mars Terri Fisher
Gladiator Lucilla
2002 One Hour Photo Nina Yorkin
Demonlover Diane de Monx
2003 The Hunted Abby Durrell
Basic Osborne
2004 Brødre Sarah
Return to Sender Charlotte Cory
2005 The Great Raid Margaret Utinsky
The Ice Harvest Renata Crest
2006 The Situation Anna Molyneux
2006 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Det. Dani Beck
2007 Battle in Seattle Jean
2008 Danny Fricke Danny Fricke
2009 A Shine of Rainbows Maire
2010 Mellem linierne Cora
Tonight at Noon Laura
2011 Perfect Sense Jenny
2011–12 Boss Meredith Rutledge Kane
2013 Three Days To Kill

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Connie Nielsen Biography (1965–)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2009-12-06. 
  2. ^ Stewart, Susan (9 March 2003). "Double Danish / Connie Nielson (sic)". Newsday. p. D7. 
  3. ^ "Star Dentist Drilled for $20M". New York Post. 7 August 2004. p. 6. 
  4. ^ Cavagna, Carlo (December 2005). "Interview: Connie Nielsen". AboutFilm.com. Retrieved 2009-12-06. 
  5. ^ "Connie Nielsen". Aniston.dk. Retrieved 2011-04-01. 
  6. ^ "METALLICA Drummer LARS ULRICH, Girlfriend CONNIE NIELSEN Expecting". Blabbermouth.net. 6 December 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-18. 
  7. ^ Vaughan, Brendan (2007-03-01). "A Woman We Love: Connie Nielsen". Esquire Magazine 

External links [edit]