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Since her feature debut in a
supporting role as a sexually precocious schoolgirl in "Waterland" (1992),
Yorkshire lass Lena Headey has worked steadily in both British and
American films. On the heels of "Waterland", she portrayed a quiet young
woman who has no idea why she consented to marriage with a thoroughly
unbearable man twice her age in "The Summer House", which aired on British
TV before its theatrical release, and had a small role as the upstairs
maid in the Merchant-Ivory period drama "The Remains of the Day" (both
1993). Answering Hollywood's call, she landed the role of the virginal
heroine of Disney's live-action "Indiana Jones" take on "Rudyard Kipling's
The Jungle Book" (1994) and also made her American TV debut that year in
the ABC movie "MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday", based on the long-running
series. The blush was definitely off the ingénue the following year in her
roles for British TV as an Ecstasy-fueled raver in "Loved Up" and a
troubled lesbian prostitute in the miniseries "Band of Gold".
The underutilized Headey brought a spark of humanity to Antonia Bird's
"Face" as the girlfriend trying to persuade her boyfriend (Robert Carlyle)
to abandon his life of crime. In the flashback sequences of the period
drama "Mrs. Dalloway" (both 1997), she added a buoyancy and verve as the
daring Sally Seton who not only flirts with Natascha McElhone (as the
young unmarried Clarrisa) but also runs naked through the Edwardian
household. Headey lent her beauty and charm to the role of the bewitching
girl whom two guys want to marry in the disappointing time-travel romance
"Twice Upon Yesterday/If Only" (1998). She was perfectly cast as Guinevere
in the swashbuckling NBC miniseries "Merlin" (also 1998), which rejoined
Sam Neill (who portrayed her father in "Jungle Book"), here cast as the
legendary sorcerer. After enjoying a pivotal role as Liv Tyler's sister
Olga in Martha Fiennes' feature directorial debut "Onegin" (1999), Heady
sank her teeth into the role of a bitchy college student in the dark
comedy "Gossip" (2000), the first film of a two-picture deal with Warner
Bros. She additionally starred in the festival-screened "Aberdeen" (2000),
earning praise for her turn as a lawyer who must reconnect with her
estranged parents, an alcoholic father and a domineering mother dying of
cancer.
Her resume expanded over the next several years, with key supporting
appearances in such projects as Neil LaBute's romantic mystery
"Possession" (2002), the acclaimed HBO Winston Churchill biopic "The
Gathering Storm" (2002), the adaptation of author Patricia Highsmith's
lesser known Thomas Ripley tale "Ripley's Game" (2002) and other lesser
endeavors. Although she was not director Terry Gilliam's initial choice to
play Anjelika, the tough-as-nails love interest of the Bavarian fairy tale
tellers in "The Brothers Grimm" (2005), producer Harvey Weinstein insisted
that she be cast over Gilliam's choice, Samantha Morton. The actress
equated herself well opposite Matt Damon and Heath Ledger in the otherwise
disappointing film.
Her next appearance was in the sci-fi horror thriller, “The Cave” (2005),
wherein she played a biologist lead by explorers into an elaborate cave
system beneath the newly discovered ruins of a 13th century Romanian
abbey. But instead of discovering an new ecosystem, as she and her fellow
biologists had hoped, the group finds a new species of unique and
unwelcoming beings formed by the isolated environment. A clichéd
storyline, unknown cast and lack of aggressive advertising ensured a $6
million opening weekend. |
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Vivaldi (2008) .... Norina
Six Bullets from Now (2008)
Der rote Baron, (2008) .... Käte
... aka The Red Baron (International: English title)
The Brøken (2008) (post-production) .... Gina McVey
St. Trinian's (2007) (post-production) .... Miss Dickinson
"The Sarah Connor Chronicles" .... Sarah Connor (12 episodes, 2008)
- Pilot (2008) TV Episode .... Sarah Connor
- Episode #1.10 (????) TV Episode .... Sarah Connor
- Episode #1.11 (????) TV Episode .... Sarah Connor
- Episode #1.12 (????) TV Episode .... Sarah Connor
- Episode #1.2 (????) TV Episode .... Sarah Connor
(7 more)
The Contractor (2007) (V) .... Ballard
300 (2006) .... Queen Gorgo
... aka 300: The IMAX Experience (USA: IMAX version)
Ultra (2006) (TV) .... Penny/Ultra
Imagine Me & You (2005) .... Luce
... aka Hochzeit zu dritt, Eine (Germany)
... aka Imagine Me and You (Canada: English title: festival title)
The Brothers Grimm (2005) .... Angelika
The Cave (2005) .... Kathryn
The Long Firm (2004) (TV) .... Ruby Ryder
No Verbal Response (2003) .... Dr. Megan Pillay
The Actors (2003) .... Dolores
Ripley's Game (2002) .... Sarah Trevanny
... aka Gioco di Ripley, Il (Italy)
Possession (2002) .... Blanche Glover
The Gathering Storm (2002) (TV) .... Ava Wigram
The Parole Officer (2001) .... Emma
Anazapta (2001) .... Lady Matilda Mellerby
Round About Five (2001) .... Girlfriend
Aberdeen (2000) .... Kairo 'Kaisa' Heller
Gossip (2000/I) .... Cathy Jones
Ropewalk (2000) .... Allison
... aka Hanginaround
Onegin (1999) .... Olga Larina
Inside-Out (1999) .... Window-dresser
The Man with Rain in His Shoes (1998) .... Sylvia Weld
... aka If Only... (Australia) (France) (UK)
... aka Lieber gestern als nie (Germany)
... aka Lluvia en los zapatos (Spain)
... aka Twice Upon a Yesterday (USA)
Merlin (1998/II) (TV) .... Queen Guinevere
Mrs Dalloway (1997) .... Young Sally
... aka Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway
Face (1997/I) .... Connie
"The Hunger" .... Steph Reynolds (1 episode, 1997)
- Menage a Trois (1997) TV Episode .... Steph Reynolds
"Kavanagh QC" .... Natasha Jackson (1 episode, 1997)
- Diplomatic Baggage (1997) TV Episode .... Natasha Jackson
"Gold" (1997) TV Series .... Colette
"Ballykissangel" .... Jenny (1 episode, 1996)
- The Things We Do for Love (1996) TV Episode .... Jenny
The Grotesque (1995) .... Cleo Coal
... aka Gentlemen Don't Eat Poets (USA)
... aka Grave Indiscretion (USA: video title)
Loved Up (1995) (TV) .... Sarah
"Band of Gold" (1995) TV Series .... Colette (unknown episodes)
Devil's Advocate (1995) (TV) .... Clare Rigby
The Jungle Book (1994) .... Katherine 'Kitty' Brydon
... aka Libro de la selva, El (USA: Spanish title)
... aka Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book (USA: complete title)
MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday (1994) (TV) .... Elise Moran
Fair Game (1994) (TV) .... Ellie
The Remains of the Day (1993) .... Lizzie
"Soldier Soldier" .... Shenna Bowles (3 episodes, 1993)
- Base Details (1993) TV Episode .... Shenna Bowles
- Live Fire (1993) TV Episode .... Shenna Bowles
- Shifting Sands (1993) TV Episode .... Shenna Bowles
"Spender" (2 episodes, 1993)
- Best Friends (1993) TV Episode
- The More Things Change (1993) TV Episode
Century (1993) .... Miriam
Waterland (1992) .... Young Mary
Clothes in the Wardrobe (1992) (TV) .... Margaret
... aka The Summer House (Australia) (USA) |
