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Anna Friel Profile |
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Birth Date: July 12, 1976
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Birth Place: Rochdale, Lancashire, England, UK
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Birth Name: Anna Friel
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Height: 5'2"
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Biography |
Anna Friel was born on July 12, 1976, in Rochdale,
Lancashire. The daughter of two teachers, Anna was bitten by
the acting bug at an extremely early age and found herself
on the receiving end of accolades and kudos for her work at
a variety of local talent shows.
When she was 13, Anna booked her first paying gig -- a role
on a prestigious miniseries entitled G.B.H., opposite Monty
Python's Michael Palin. This led to a series of appearances
on various British television shows, including Emmerdale
Farm and Medics, and it wasn't long before Anna found
herself added to the cast of the long-running soap
Brookside.
It was on Brookside that Anna really made her mark on
British viewers, courtesy of a salacious storyline in which
her character murdered her abusive father. Though she only
stayed with the program for two years (her character was
killed off at her request), Anna's lesbian kiss remains one
of the most talked-about moments in British soap history.
Once she left the show, Anna popped up as a guest star on
several shows before making her cinematic debut opposite
Rachel Weisz and Paul Bettany in the World War II drama Land
Girls.
Anna's next few movies didn't make much of an impact,
despite the fact that she starred opposite such notable
names as Kevin Kline (in 1999's A Midsummer Night's Dream)
and Ewan McGregor (in 1999's Rogue Trader).
In 1999, things began looking up for Anna as she made her
Broadway debut in Patrick Marber's critically acclaimed
stage play Closer (opposite Rupert Graves and Natasha
Richardson). The role brought her heaps of kudos from
audiences and critics alike, and the actress even found
herself chatting up famous fans such as Al Pacino, Leonardo
DiCaprio and Jack Nicholson (who swore that he would not
rest until he slept with her).
As a result of her newfound fame, it was around that time
that the still-single Anna began dating a series of
well-known celebrities -- including George Clooney and
singer Robbie Williams. Her relationships with those folks
never really went anywhere, and it wasn't until she started
seeing long-time friend David Thewlis that Anna finally
found someone that she could envision herself marrying. The
two, while not married, are committed to one another and had
their first child in July 2005.
Anna's role in 2005's Goal!, the internationally successful
soccer movie, has cemented her status as one of the hottest
actresses in virtually every country except for America.
There's little doubt, however, that Anna is destined to
eventually join the ranks of in-demand imports such as Kate
Beckinsale and Kate Winslet. |
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Other
Information |
Living with partner actor David Thewlis
Made her British stage debut in off-West End London
production of "Lulu" by Frank Wedekind in 2001.
Made her American stage debut at New York City's Music Box
in 1999 as Alice in Patrick Marber's "Closer".
With boyfriend David Thewlis, became The Faces Of Mulberry
for Spring 2002.
Caused a major controversy with her Lesbian screen kiss with
Nicola Stephenson on the set of "Brookside" (1982) in 1994.
Dated Darren Day.
Gave birth to a baby girl, named Gracie. This is her first
child with actor David Thewlis. Gracie was born at London's
Portland Hospital and weighed 7lb 4oz. [9 July 2005]
Is of Irish descent.
Lobbied for the role of Nymphadora Tonks in Harry Potter and
the Order of the Phoenix, after the sixth book, Harry Potter
and the Half-Blood Prince, revealed that Tonks was
romantically involved with Remus Lupin, who is played by her
real-life boyfriend, David Thewlis. |
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