Gemma Arterton

Gemma Christina Arterton (born 2 February 1986) is an English actress. After her stage debut in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost at the Globe Theatre, Arterton made her feature-film debut in the comedy St Trinian's (2007). She portrayed Bond Girl Strawberry Fields in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace (2008), a performance which won her an Empire Award for Best Newcomer, and spy Pollyana "Polly" Wilkins / Agent Galahad in the action war film The King's Man (2021).

Arterton has appeared in a number of other films, including The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2009), Tamara Drewe (2010), Clash of the Titans (2010), Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010), Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013), Their Finest (2016), The Escape (2017), Vita and Virginia (2018), and Culprits (2023). She received the Harper's Bazaar Woman of the Year Award for acting in and producing The Escape. Her theatrical highlights have included starring in The Duchess of Malfi (2014), Made in Dagenham (2014), Nell Gwynn (2016), and Saint Joan (2017). Arterton was nominated for Olivier Awards for her work on both Nell Gwynn and Made in Dagenham, and she won the Evening Standard Theatre Award for the latter.

Since 2016, Arterton has run her own production company, Rebel Park Productions, which focuses on creating female-led content in front of and behind the camera.

Early life and education Gemma Christina Arterton was born on 2 February 1986 at North Kent Hospital in Gravesend with polydactyly, a condition resulting in extra fingers which were removed shortly after her birth. Her mother, Sally-Anne Heap, runs a cleaning business, and her father, Barry J. Arterton, is a welder. They divorced while Arterton was a young child, and she grew up on a council estate with her mother and younger sister, Hannah Arterton, who is also an actress. Her matrilineal great-grandmother was a German-Jewish concert violinist.

Arterton attended Gravesend Grammar School for Girls, in Kent (now Mayfield Grammar School) and made her amateur stage debut in a production of Alan Ayckbourn's The Boy Who Fell into a Book. Her performance won her the best-actress prize in a competition at a local festival.

At age 16, Arterton left Gravesend Grammar School to study Drama at the Miskin Theatre at North Kent College, Dartford.

Career

Arterton had her first professional role in Stephen Poliakoff's Capturing Mary while she was still at drama school. She made her stage debut as Rosaline in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost at the Globe Theatre in London in July 2007, before graduating later that year. She made her film debut in St Trinian's (2007) as Head Girl Kelly.

In 2008, she worked alongside Daniel Craig in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace. Chosen from around fifteen hundred candidates, Arterton plays Bond Girl Strawberry Fields, in what is described as a "nice-sized role". Arterton describes her character as "the thinking man's crumpet". In the same year, she played the eponymous protagonist in the BBC adaptation of Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles. Also in 2008, she played Elizabeth Bennet in the ITV serial, Lost in Austen. The role required her to be handcuffed to a bed and wear a ball gag in her mouth throughout. The film was well received, with Frank Scheck for The Hollywood Reporter noting, "Arterton… handles the rigorous physical and emotional demands of her role with great skill".

Arterton was the face of Avon's Bond Girl 007 fragrance, when it was launched in October 2008. In 2010, Arterton made her West End debut in the UK premiere of The Little Dog Laughed. She was originally attached to star in a new adaptation of Wuthering Heights as Catherine Earnshaw; however, she later left the project. thumb Arterton at the Australian premiere for Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters in 2013Arterton appeared in pivotal roles in the 2010 films Clash of the Titans, In 2011, Arterton was nominated for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Rising Star Award and was under consideration for Leading Actress for her performances in Tamara Drewe and The Disappearance of Alice Creed.

Arterton starred in the action horror film Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters as Gretel, opposite Jeremy Renner, who played Hansel. The 3-D film was set 15 years after Hansel and Gretel killed the witch who kidnapped them. It was released on 25 January 2013. In January 2014, she took the title role in John Webster's The Duchess of Malfi, the inaugural production at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, the new indoor theatre at Shakespeare's Globe. Both the play and Arterton herself received positive reviews, with Paul Taylor for The Independent reporting. "The luminous Gemma Arterton beautifully captures the multi-faceted quality of the Duchess". In the same year, she starred with Ryan Reynolds, Anna Kendrick and Jacki Weaver in the psychological thriller film, The Voices.

In 2015, Arterton starred as the titular lead in Gemma Bovery . The film is a re-imagining of Gustave Flaubert's 19th century classic Madame Bovary directed by Anne Fontaine. Arterton learnt to speak French for the role, never having spoken the language previously. a stage musical about the Ford sewing machinists strike of 1968 concerning equal pay for women. Since its premiere on 5 November 2014 at the Adelphi Theatre in London, she has publicly expressed her support for their cause. She played a fictional character named Rita O'Grady and her performance received mixed reviews from critics. Simon Edge, for the Daily Express, complained of an "underpowered central performance from Gemma Arterton as Rita". However, Matt Trueman for Variety praised Arterton for her "all-out star turn" and Paul Taylor, for The Independent, praised how "Arterton holds the show together beautifully". Despite the show closing after only five months, Arterton was nevertheless nominated for an Olivier Award for best actress in a musical, and went on to win the Evening Standard award for Newcomer in a Musical.

In a 2015 interview with the Independent newspaper, Arterton stated that she was the director Jonathan Glazer's choice for the lead role in his movie Under the Skin.

In February 2016, Arterton started a run playing the title role in the Shakespeare's Globe transfer of Nell Gwynn, at the West End's Apollo Theatre. Arterton was praised by critics, with Michael Billington for The Guardian citing her "natural sparkle". For her performance, she was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Play. In July 2016, she was named as a member of the main competition jury for the 73rd Venice International Film Festival. Also in this year, Arterton was nominated for a BIFA for Best Supporting Actress for her role as the teacher Helen Justineau in The Girl with All the Gifts. Her performance, a story set in a dystopian future world ravaged by a zombie pathogen, was generally well reviewed.

In 2016, Arterton set up Rebel Park Productions to create female-lead and female-centric film and TV projects. She produced the well-received short film Leading Lady Parts in support of Time's Up. The film starred Emilia Clarke, Tom Hiddleston and Gemma Chan and helped to raise awareness for the UK Justice and Equality Fund. In the same year, she played one of four lead roles in Arnaud des Pallières' French language film Orpheline (Orphan), a role in which she exercised the French language skills she had acquired for her role in Gemma Bovery.

In 2017, Arterton took on the role of Joan in Josie Rourke's interpretation of George Bernard Shaw's classic story Saint Joan. While the play itself received mixed reviews, Arterton's performance was widely praised as the highlight of the show. In the same year, she appeared as the fictional young screenwriter Catrin Cole in Their Finest, a wartime romcom about a propaganda film crew working during the Second World War. Arterton's performance amongst the impressive ensemble of supporting actors (Bill Nighy, Sam Claflin, and Eddie Marsan) was generally well received.

In 2018, Arterton produced and co-created The Escape, and Arterton was nominated for a BIFA for Best Actress in a British Independent Film. She was awarded Woman of the Year by Harper's Bazaar for her work on the film. Also in 2018, Arterton was one of 928 new members invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 49% of whom were female as part of the academy's ongoing attempt to increase representation.

In 2018, Arterton was announced as playing late singer Dusty Springfield in a film about her life.

In 2019, Arterton appeared in the Netflix comedy Murder Mystery (which stars Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, and Luke Evans). Despite the film's largely negative reviews, it was watched by 30.9 million Netflix account holders in its first three days of release, then a record for the streaming service. In the same year, Arterton played socialite and author Vita Sackville-West in Vita and Virginia, a film about the romantic relationship between Arterton's character and Virginia Woolf, which was the inspiration for Woolf's novel Orlando: A Biography. Arterton is credited as executive producer of the film. She also produced and starred in the short film Hayley Alien, which was written and directed by her sister and co-star, Hannah Arterton.

Arterton was an executive producer and starred in the Second World War film Summerland, directed by Jessica Swale. Arterton had previously worked with Swale on the stage show Nell Gwynn. In 2021, Arterton appeared in the First World War film The King's Man as secret agent Pollyana "Polly" Wilkins / Agent Galahad of Kingsman, a role she will reprise in the sequel The Traitor King.

In 2024, she joined Carl Tibbetts's Sweet Dreams.

Other activities Arterton is on record as being a supporter of the Time's Up, ERA 50:50, and MeToo movements. She played an integral role in persuading actresses to wear black at the 2018 BAFTAs in support of Time'sUp, and has been involved with ERA 50:50, an equal-pay campaign in the UK, since its inception.

Personal life Arterton met production assistant John Nolan on the set of Quantum of Solace and they lived together in London. In 2008, she had a relationship with Spanish stuntman Eduardo Muñoz, whom she met on the set of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. They lived together in a London flat for six months before the relationship ended.

Arterton married Stefano Catelli in 2010. They separated in 2013, and, in August 2015, their divorce was finalised "by consent" at the Central Family Court in High Holborn. Arterton said she "never really believed in exchanging vows" and that she was not sure she would "want to walk down the aisle again". In 2013, Arterton stated that she wanted to wait until she has accomplished something in the acting world before having children.

In 2019, Arterton married actor Rory Keenan. They have two children.

Filmography +Key Denotes projects that have not yet been released Film Year Title Role Notes 2007 Capturing Mary Liza Television film St Trinian's Kelly Jones 2008 Three and Out Frankie Cassidy RocknRolla June Quantum of Solace Strawberry Fields 2009 The Boat That Rocked Desiree The Disappearance of Alice Creed Alice Creed St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold Kelly Jones Perfect Poppy Short film 2010 Clash of the Titans Io Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Princess Tamina of Alamut Tamara Drewe Tamara Drewe A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures Shelly Voice role, UK Version 2011 Astonish Me The Guide Short film 2012 It's Getting Late Sarah Short film Byzantium Clara Webb Song for Marion Elizabeth 2013 Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters Gretel Runner Runner Rebecca Shafran 2014 The Voices Fiona Gemma Bovery Gemma Bovery 2016 The Complete Walk: Love's Labour's Lost Lady Rosaline Short film 100 Streets Emily The Girl with All the Gifts Helen Justineau The History of Love Alma Mereminski Orphan Tara Their Finest Catrin Cole 2017 The Escape Tara 2018 Vita & Virginia Vita Sackville-West It's Me, Sugar Marilyn Monroe Short film 2019 Murder Mystery Grace Ballard My Zoe Laura Fischer How to Build a Girl Maria von Trapp Master Moley Mona Lisa Short film, voice role StarDog and TurboCat Cassidy Voice role 2020 Summerland Alice Lamb Hayley Alien Woman on the Bridge Short film 2021 Bump Pearl Short film The King's Man Polly Wilkins 2022 Rogue Agent Alice Archer The Cunning Elizabeth Short film The Amazing Maurice Peaches Voice role 2023 The Critic Nina Land 2024 Buffalo Kids Governess Eleanor Voice role, English Version 2025 Grand Prix of Europe Edda Voice role, English Version Post-production Peaches Pre-production Bryony 'Killa Bee' Tyrell Pre-production

Television Year Title Role Notes 2008 Lost in Austen Elizabeth Bennet Miniseries; 2 episodes Tess of the D'Urbervilles Tess Durbeyfield Miniseries; 4 episodes 2014 Inside No. 9 Gerri Episode: "Tom & Gerri" 2016 Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em Jessica Spencer Episode: "Sport Relief Special" 2018 Urban Myths Marilyn Monroe Episode: "Marilyn Monroe and Billy Wilder" Leading Lady Parts Panelist 2 Television short Watership Down Clover Miniseries; 4 episodes 2020 Unprecedented Ellie Episode: "Safer at Home" Black Narcissus Sister Clodagh Miniseries; 3 episodes 2021–2023 Moley Mona Lisa Voice role; Series regular; 18 episodes 2022–2024 Funny Woman Barbara Parker / Sophie Straw Lead Role; 10 episodes; also executive producer 2023 Culprits Dianne Series regular; 7 episodes 2026 Secret Service Kate Henderson Series regular; 5 episodes Madame Merle Upcoming six-part series

Music videos "Kerala" (2016) by Bonobo "Remember Where You Are" (2021) by Jessie Ware

Theatre credits YearTitleRoleVenue 2007 Love's Labour's Lost Lady Rosaline Shakespeare's Globe, London 2010 The Little Dog Laughed Ellen Garrick Theatre, London The Master Builder Hilde Wangel Almeida Theatre, London 2014 The Duchess of Malfi The Duchess Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, London 2014–2015 Made in Dagenham Rita O'Grady Adelphi Theatre, London 2016 Nell Gwynn Nell Gwynn Apollo Theatre, London 2016–2017 Saint Joan Joan of Arc Donmar Warehouse, London 2021 Walden Stella Harold Pinter Theatre, London

Accolades Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref 2008 Empire Award Best Newcomer St Trinian's National Movie Award Best Actress Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Best Actress Tess of the D'Urbervilles 2010 Teen Choice Award Choice Movie: Female Breakout Clash of the Titans Teen Choice Award Choice Fantasy Actress Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Clash of the Titans Scream Award Best Breakout Performance Female Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time 2011 BAFTA Rising Star Award Herself 2014 The WIFTS Foundation International Visionary Awards The Barbara Tipple Award for Best Actress Gemma Bovery 2015 Whatsonstage.com Awards Best Actress in a Musical Made in Dagenham Laurence Olivier Award Best Actress in a Musical Evening Standard Theatre Award Newcomer in a Musical 2016 Laurence Olivier Award Best Actress Nell Gwynn Evening Standard Theatre Award Best Actress British Independent Film Awards Best Supporting Actress The Girl With All The Gifts Glamour Awards Best Theatre Actress Herself 2017 National Film Awards UK Best Actress The Girl With All The Gifts 2018 British Independent Film Awards Best Actress The Escape National Film Awards UK Best Actress Their Finest Harper's Bazaar Woman of the Year Herself 2019 National Film Awards UK Best Actress The Escape