Jump to content

Lily James

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Skipper Roberts (talk | contribs) at 08:46, 23 May 2015. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Lily James
File:Lilyjames.jpg
Lily James at the premiere of her movie Cinderella in 2015.
Born
Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson

(1989-04-05) 5 April 1989 (age 35)
Esher, Surrey, England
OccupationActress
Years active2010–present

Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson (born 5 April 1989), better known by her stage name Lily James, is an English actress. She is best known for her role as Lady Rose MacClare in the period drama Downton Abbey[1] and the title role in the 2015 Disney film Cinderella.

James began her professional acting career as Ethel Brown in the 2010 BBC production Just William. In 2011 and 2012, she earned warm reviews in several London theatre productions. She began to appear in Hollywood films in 2012, with roles in Wrath of the Titans and Fast Girls, and was seen in further television roles.

Early life

James was born in Esher, Surrey, the daughter of Ninette and Jamie Thomson, who is an actor and musician.[2] Her grandmother, Helen Horton, was an American actress.[3][4] She began her education at Arts Educational School in Tring and subsequently went on to study acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, graduating in 2010.[5]

Career

File:Lilyascinderella.jpg
James as Cinderella in the Disney live-action film of the same name

In 2011, James played Taylor at the Young Vic Theatre in Tanya Ronder's stage adaptation of the novel Vernon God Little directed by Rufus Norris,[6] Nina in a modern adaptation of The Seagull at Southwark Playhouse, and Desdemona in Daniel Evans's production of Othello at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, alongside Dominic West and Clarke Peters. Quentin Letts wrote in The Daily Mail: "We may have a new star actress on our hands. ... [S]he left drama school only last year, yet she practically sweeps all before her as Desdemona in this Othello. Poise, diction, allure – she has them all. ... Her character’s love affair with a much older husband is completely believable".[7] In 2012, James played the role of Katrina in Play House and Marijka in Definitely the Bahamas in a double-bill written and directed by Martin Crimp at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond, London as part of the theatre's fortieth anniversary. Charles Spencer of The Telegraph wrote that "it is performed with a persuasive mixture of mischief and deeper feeling by Obi Abili and Lily James, the latter combining a mixture of neuroticism and glowing sexual allure that proves extraordinarily potent."[8]

Also in 2012, James played the role of Korrina in the Warner Brothers film Wrath of the Titans and starred in Fast Girls, written by Noel Clarke, centered around a group of young female athletes competing in the World Championships. Her television credits include Ethel Brown in the 2010 BBC production of Richmal Crompton's Just William, Poppy in the fourth series of ITV's Secret Diary of a Call Girl (2011), and the rebellious Lady Rose in the last episode of series three of Downton Abbey. Lady Rose later become a main character in the fourth and fifth series of the programme.[9]

James played the title character in the 2015 live-action Disney film Cinderella.[10] The film was released on 13 March 2015. James, as Cinderella, was photographed by Annie Leibovitz, in the blue gown that she wears to the ball, for the December 2014 issue of Vogue.[11][12]

Personal life

It was confirmed in 2015 that James was in a relationship with her Pride and Prejudice and Zombies co-star Matt Smith.[13]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2012 Chemistry Ines Short film
2012 Wrath of the Titans Korrina
2012 Broken Older Skunk
2012 Fast Girls Lisa Temple
2015 Cinderella Cinderella
2015 Adam Jones
2015 Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Elizabeth Bennet

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2010 Just William Ethel Brown 4 episodes
2011 Secret Diary of a Call Girl Poppy 8 episodes
2012–2014 Downton Abbey Lady Rose MacClare 20 episodes
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
2015 War and Peace Natasha Rostova

References

  1. ^ "The Tatler List". Tatler.
  2. ^ http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/cinderella-downton-abbeys-lily-james-5373376
  3. ^ "Fallen angel: How Lily James is bringing scandal to Downton Abbey this Christmas". The Independent. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  4. ^ "Lily James found comfort in drama". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  5. ^ Guildhall Graduates 2009–10
  6. ^ "What's On - Young Vic". youngvic.org. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  7. ^ Letts, Quentin. "A star is born as newcomer takes Desdemona to The Wire", The Daily Mail, 20 September 2011, accessed 19 November 2014
  8. ^ Spencer, Charles. "Play House/Definitely the Bahamas, Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, review", The Daily Telegraph, 19 March 2012, accessed 19 November 2014
  9. ^ "Ones to Watch in 2011". Female First.
  10. ^ ‘Downton Abbey’ Star is New Cinderella Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  11. ^ "The New Trailer, Poster and Photos for Disney's Cinderella!". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  12. ^ Camhi, Leslie. "What Would Cinderella Wear? Costuming Lily James and Cate Blanchett in Kenneth Branagh's Forthcoming Film". Vogue. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  13. ^ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2959808/Her-Prince-Charming-Lily-James-Matt-Smith-make-red-carpet-debut-couple-Cinderella-premiere-Milan.html

Further reading

Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lily_James&oldid=663649776"