Katrin Cartlidge

Katrin Juliet Cartlidge (15 May 1961 – 7 September 2002) was an English actress. She first appeared on screen as Lucy Collins in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside (1982–1983), before going on to win the 1997 Evening Standard Film Award for Best Actress for the Mike Leigh film Career Girls. Her other film appearances included Leigh's Naked, as well as the films Before the Rain (1994), Breaking the Waves (1996), and From Hell (2001).

Early life Cartlidge was born in London, to Derek, an English father and Bobbi, a German-Jewish refugee mother. She was educated at the Parliament Hill School for Girls in Camden.

Career Cartlidge's work in the Milcho Manchevski film Before the Rain (1994) and in No Man's Land (2001) made her well known in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Balkans. Her first leading role was playing Sophie in Mike Leigh's Naked (1993). Cartlidge worked in two more Leigh films: in Career Girls (1997) she played one of the lead roles, Hannah, at the ages of both 20 and 30, and in Topsy Turvy (1999) she was a madam in a Paris brothel. She was due to play the lead role in Polish director Lech Majewski's 2004 film The Garden of Earthly Delights—that of an art historian dying of cancer—but she left shortly before production began. Cartlidge won a role in 21 Grams but was replaced by Charlotte Gainsbourg due to her death. Cartlidge was also filming Dogville at the time of her death and was replaced by Patricia Clarkson.

Death and legacy Cartlidge died at the age of 41 on 7 September 2002, of complications arising from pneumonia and septicaemia caused by a pheochromocytoma.

Mike Leigh wrote: "She took to the improvisation and character work instantly, easily and with extraordinary commitment and imagination. Other than in the Royal Court Young Peoples Theatre, she had had no formal training, but you would never have guessed it. (Drama Centre London turned her down, and that put her off). [...] She often talked to me about move into directing. I am in no doubt that we have lost not only one of our greatest actors but also one of the most interesting new directors of the future."

Following her death, English singer Morrissey dedicated a performance of his song "Late Night, Maudlin Street" at the Royal Albert Hall to Cartlidge, describing her as a "brilliant person and fantastic actor".

Tracy Letts dedicated his 2003 play Man from Nebraska to Cartlidge, stating "Man from Nebraska is dedicated to the memory of my dear friend Katrin Cartlidge".

Filmography Film Year Title Role Director Notes 1985 Sacred Hearts Doris Barbara Rennie 1987 Eat the Rich Katrin Peter Richardson The Comic Strip feature film 1993 Naked Sophie Mike Leigh 1994 Before the Rain Anne Milcho Manchevski 1996 Merisairas Elena Polakov Veikko Aaltonen Alternatively titled "Seasick" 1996 Breaking the Waves Dodo McNeill Lars von Trier Bodil Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Robert Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role 1997 Career Girls Hannah Mills Mike Leigh Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actress Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress Nominated — European Film Award for Best Actress 1998 Claire Dolan Claire Dolan Lodge Kerrigan Nominated — Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead 1998 Hi-Life April Roger Hedden 1999 The Lost Son Emily Chris Menges 1999 Topsy-Turvy Madame Mike Leigh 1999 The Cherry Orchard Varya Michael Cacoyannis 2000 Hotel Splendide Cora Blanche Terence Gross 2000 The Weight of Water Karen Christenson Kathryn Bigelow 2001 No Man's Land Jane Livingstone Danis Tanović 2001 From Hell Annie Chapman Hughes Brothers 2010 Dimension N/A Lars von Trier Unfinished

Television Year Title Role Notes 1982–83, 1990 Brookside Lucy Collins Soap opera • 51 episodes 1986 The Collectors Beattie Haycock Season 1, Episode 7: "The Dog It Was..." 1987 Bulman Rose Season 2, Episode 7: "Ministry of Accidents" 1988 The Comic Strip Presents... Maria Season 3, Episode 6: "Funseekers" 1993 The Chief Liz Williams Season 3, Episode 3: "A Long Cold Lonely Winter" 1994 Capital Lives Carole Season 1, Episode 6: "Repossessed" 1996 Screen Two Lover in Cafe Episode: "Look Me in the Eye"

Television films and short works Year Title Role Notes 1993 Kolinsky Unknown role(s) Short film 1994 Normandy: The Great Crusade Clara Milburn Television short 1994 Nobody's Children Viorica Television film 1994 Fever Claire Short film 1995 3 Steps to Heaven Suzanne / Candy / Billie Television film 1995 Narance Manya Short film 1996 Nightlife Robin Television film 1996 Saint-Ex Gabrielle de Saint-Exupéry Television film 2000 Cinderella Goneril Television film 2001 Sword of Honour Julia Stitch Television film 2002 Crime and Punishment Katerina Ivanovna Television film 2002 Surrealissimo: The Scandalous Success of Salvador Dali Gala Dali Television special 2002 Eddie Loves Mary Unknown role Short film • posthumous release