Actress Uma Thurman: biography, filmography and photos

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:41

Actress Uma Thurman was born on April 29, 1970 in the family of a famous Swedish model, and currently a practicing psychotherapist Nena von Schleebrugge, and Robert Thurman, an American writer, professor at Columbia University, a public figure specializing in the religions of the East, who first among Americans to take the vows as a Buddhist monk.

At one time with his close friend the Dalai Lama, he carefully prayed and meditated in the mountains of Tibet.

Amazing family of an extraordinary actress

The girl lived for a long time in India with her parents, then the family moved to the town of Amherst, Massachusetts, where Uma and her three younger brothers (also endowed with unusual Tibetan names) grew up in a rather unusual atmosphere; the doors of their house were always open to guests, the most frequent of which were Buddhists. In general, familywas quite unusual and thoroughly permeated with the spirit of Eastern philosophy.

Unlikeness to others (Uma was a whole head taller than her peers), monstrous shyness, catastrophic dislike for her own appearance (Uma considered herself a terrible ugly), unusual upbringing were an obstacle in communicating with peers for an awkward and nervous girl who She was distinguished by a mischievous boyish character, and for the first time she put on a dress only at the prom. Uma often changed schools, which only increased her suffering, since the constant stay in the status of a “newcomer” exacerbated her dislike of herself even more. Like most children, the girl had a negative attitude towards her own name, dreaming of being called Diane. However, over time, the name given to her in honor of the Indian goddess of light and beauty and meaning "bestower of bliss" became the pride of the future Hollywood actress.

Goal: conquer the world

At the age of 15, the future actress Uma Thurman, having a one-time experience of a successful theatrical game in a school production, revealed a craving for acting. And she left the walls of the educational institution, deciding to devote her life to acting. Like many dissatisfied personalities, Uma enjoyed putting on a mask and playing someone else's life, which radically transformed the future actress, got rid of shyness, made her open and liberated.

She moved to New York to conquer the world, and at first worked as a waitress and dishwasher to be able to pay for courses on her ownacting skills. Unfortunately, the acting activity of the future star did not work out right away, so she began to try herself in the modeling business, all the more so due to her high growth and “flat” figure - the standard of modeling agencies of that time. Click Models signed a contract with Uma Thurman, and after a while the girl, who quickly gained popularity and became a popular model, already had her own agent. In 1985, after some six months after the change of residence, Uma's face flaunted on the covers of such notable publications as Glamor and Vogue.

The beginning of an acting career

The debut of 16-year-old Uma as an actress took place in the low-budget “Kiss Daddy Goodnight” (1987), where she played a seductive and insidious seductress, and the talented person was noticed only after the episodic role of the goddess Venus, innocent and at the same time sensual, in the film The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, directed by Terry Gilliam, in which she played a young diva flirting with an elderly admirer. Uma's game was highly appreciated by critics, as well as love episodes with her participation. And after the release of the film, the talented girl gained a reputation as an actress with erotic role-playing overtones, and this despite her rather extraordinary appearance: big nose, 183 cm tall and 43rd leg size.

Debutante among the greats

Subsequently, she got the role of a sly merry girl named Georgia in a good film about teenagers, temptations and talent - "Johnny, be smart." By the way, this film was the impetus forcareer development of actors such as Anthony Michael Hall and Robert Downey Jr. But Uma Thurman was truly noticed only after her unsurpassed role as a young French aristocrat in Dangerous Liaisons, directed by Stephen Frears (1988), a film that won three major Academy Awards. The film co-stars were Michelle Pfeiffer, John Malkovich and Glenn Close. Moreover, Uma managed to enter this famous cast easily, demonstrating how seductive a lanky and ridiculous heroine can be, how much pleasure communication with her promises.

In 1990, Uma Thurman, an actress endowed with great talent, played in the comedy film Home is Where the Heart Is. Unfortunately, he was not noted by critics, who nevertheless did not ignore the talented actress, despite the minor role. Like other actors of a similar level, Uma Thurman, an actress whose height does not fit into the usual framework, easily reincarnated in a variety of images - sexual, social, historical - and was ready to play any diverse character types.

First marriage experience

In the same 1990, Uma Thurman, an actress, quite famous and in demand by that time, married her film partner Gary Oldman; however, the marriage lasted only two years and ended in divorce due to constant drinking and cheating on her husband.

Great fame came to Uma Thurman after the role of the innocent vicious wife of the writer Henry Miller in the film "Henry andJune", which was classified as a pornographic picture for explicit erotic scenes. The girl, having amazed absolutely everyone with her frankness, merged with the image of a hysterical sick woman to such an extent that it was difficult to imagine the real June Miller to be any other. After this film, Uma was elevated to the rank of actresses who take not only beautiful appearance, but also talented acting. This was followed by the role of the stubborn Made in John Irwin's "Robin Hood".

1992 was a test for Uma, as the difficulties of acting life almost pushed her to leave the world of cinema. However, such a decision could be considered only a momentary weakness of a strong woman; actress Uma Thurman with great zeal and passion continued her film career, which developed quite successfully. Over a 10-year period, Uma starred in 17 films, mostly in which she played supporting roles. These are Final Diagnosis with Kim Basinger and Richard Gere, Jennifer Eight with Andy Garcia and John Malkovich, Mad Dog and Glory with Robert De Niro, and the complex and unconventional story Even Girls Get Sad Sometimes. Despite the meager box office performance, these films have established Uma's reputation as a top-notch actress.

The unique Uma Thurman is an actress

The actress's filmography required a push, which was Pulp Fiction, Quentin Tarantino's unsurpassed work, which became the loudest film of the 1990s, an immortal masterpiece that will be in demand at all times. Uma in the role of Mia became his best decoration and received an Oscar. After filmingUma became very close to Quentin Tarantino; director and actress endlessly trusted each other. Quentin largely left Uma to create the character of the heroine on her own.

After the tremendous success in Pulp Fiction, actress Uma Thurman, whose biography is of genuine interest to many of her fans, began to receive a large number of invitations, but mostly starred in romantic films: “A Month by the Lake” (1995), “The Truth About Cats and Dogs and Beautiful Girls (1996), as well as Batman & Robin (1997), which became the biggest creative failure of her entire career. Moreover, the viewer, unlike the critics who evaluated Uma's talented game, was only interested in her seductive body. Therefore, fans elevated Uma to the rank of a sex symbol, which embarrassed the actress and even became the reason for her refusal of several roles.

Failed movies, failed marriages

1997 was marked for Uma by the release of the frank film "Gattaca", where she played with her future husband Ethan Hawke. Having failed at the box office, this sci-fi film became the best and most plausible version of the future of mankind. In May 1998, actress Uma Thurman married Hawke, gave birth to a daughter, and some time later a son was born. Family life did not prevent the spouses from successfully building a career, and Ethan and personal life on the side (with a Canadian model). However, the husband came to Uma with a confession, and she, acting like a wise woman, took him back. Union Uma and Ethan broke up in 2004.

1998was marked by the release of not very successful films "The Avengers", "Les Misérables". Uma Thurman is an actress whose photo adorns the pages of many printed publications, not only because of her beautiful and extraordinary appearance. Therefore, even in these films, she played perfectly, as in Woody Allen's "Sweet and Ugly".

2000 for Uma Thurman became more successful; the actress did not hesitate to show her acting talents and played exactly as the director intended. This is the historical film by Roland Joffe "Vatel", then the drama "Golden Cup" by James Ivory (which took part in the Cannes Film Festival), then "Historical Blindness", in which Uma, who also acted as a producer, won the "Golden Globe" as the best actress.

Kill Bill

In 2002, Quentin Tarantino again offered Uma cooperation; she played in the picturesquely cruel project "Kill Bill", after the release of which the former glory returned to Tarantino in full. The plot of this film was invented by the director and Uma Thurman back in the days of Pulp Fiction. The shooting, which took place in five countries, was very difficult, requiring Uma to have absolute mastery of martial arts in the frame, so she diligently studied Japanese swordsmanship and fighting techniques for three months.

The success of the film, which became a cult classic right after its release, was undeniable. According to critics who accepted the picture with open arms, there are only a few such stylish films in the world classics. The second part of "Kill Bill", released onscreens a year later, cemented the success of the previous film. For both films, Uma Thurman received about $25 million in roy alties and was nominated for a Golden Globe.

Then the actress was invited by Gary Gray to his picture "Be cool"; this was followed by roles in the films "My Super Ex", "Random Husband", "My Best Lover".

Uma Thurman Life Roles

In 2007, the actress began a rocky relationship with billionaire financier Árpád Busson, which ended in 2009 in order to resume again in 2010. In 2012, the couple had a girl, Rosalind Arusha Arkadina Altalaun Florence Thurman-Busson, and for each of them it was already the third child.

One of the latest works of the actress, strangely unlike her previous films, is the social melodrama "Motherhood", released in 2009. The film turned out to be a strained, thoroughly fake and unsuccessful comedy. In 2010, Uma Thurman starred as Medusa Gorgon in the film Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by one of the best Hollywood directors, Chris Columbus, author of the brilliant comedy Home Alone. The 2010 melodrama The Wedding, directed by young director Max Winkler, was Uma Thurman's next work.

The actress plans half a dozen films, including the third part of the epic "Kill Bill" by her favorite director Quentin Tarantino.

Uma, like many Hollywood stars, is involved in charity work and is a member of the "Place on Earth" organization that supports American orphans. To this day, Uma, along with Goldie Hawn and Richard Gere,sponsors monks in Tibet.

Uma Thurman: actress after plastic surgery

In early 2015, Uma Thurman once again surprised her fans, though not with a new role, but with a new face. At the premiere of the new mini-series in New York, the 44-year-old actress riveted the eyes of others with some changes in her appearance, which, according to most, not only deprived her of her uniquely Uma Thurman individuality, but also hardly did her good.

It turns out that Uma Thurman is an actress for whom plastic surgery at a certain period of her life has become the only way to improve her appearance? Apparently, this is actually true, but, most likely, the actress became a victim of inept plastic surgeons, although she herself claims that she simply refused decorative cosmetics.