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Lucy Gordon (actress)
Encyclopedia
Lucy Gordon was a British actress and model. She became a face of CoverGirl in 1997 before starting an acting career. Her first film was Perfume
in 2001 before going on to have small roles in Spider-Man 3
, Serendipity
and The Four Feathers
. Gordon had played the actress and singer Jane Birkin
in Serge Gainsbourg, vie héroïque; a biopic of singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg
. Before the film was released, she was found hanged in her flat in Paris on 20 May 2009 after committing suicide.
, United Kingdom to Richard and Susan Gordon in 1980; she has a younger sister, Kate. She went to Oxford High School. She passed nine GCSE
s in 1997. She stated in an interview in 1997 that she was continuing her studies for history, biology
and French A-levels. She spent some of her childhood in France particularly during the Summer holidays. Lucy was bilingual in French and English. She moved to Paris after living in New York for several years.
Gordon made her film debut in the 2001 as the character Sarah in Perfume
. She appeared alongside Heath Ledger
in the 2002 film The Four Feathers
. She appeared as the reporter Jennifer Dugan in the 2007 film Spider-Man 3
.
Gordon had played the actress and singer Jane Birkin
in a film biopic of singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg
before her death. The film, entitled Serge Gainsbourg, vie héroïque
was presented at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival
and was released in early 2010. Gordon's father, Richard Gordon said that she had loved playing her latest role in this film about Gainsbourg. The director Joann Sfar
and the producers of the film Marc du Pontavice
and Didier Lupfer released a statement that the film "owes a lot to the generosity, gentleness and immense talent of Lucy Gordon."
in their Paris flat on 20 May 2009, two days before her birthday. A French police official said Gordon appeared to have committed suicide by hanging. One police officer was quoted as calling the scene in the flat "absolutely horrific". Tabloid newspapers have reported that she left two suicide notes before hanging herself in the Paris flat; one detailing her last wishes regarding her estate, the other a letter for her parents. A neighbour is said to have heard the couple having an argument before Alméras fell asleep. Michel Haddi, who recently photographed Gordon for the Italian edition of Vanity Fair
, said she had revealed to him that she was in love with Alméras. Another New York friend said: "She packed up all her things and moved to Paris a few months ago. She trusted everyone. She was very sweet and kind." Friends of Gordon have suggested she was "deeply affected" by a friend’s recent suicide.
Her father, Richard Gordon, said a post-mortem examination proved she had died from hanging and that no other marks were found on her body. He said, "There is no question of foul play. Lucy committed suicide. Burial Père Lachaise Cemetery
."
Gordon wrote her will on 19 May 2009. She split her estate between Alméras, her friends, her parents and her sister.
Perfume (2001 film)
Perfume is a 2001 film about the fashion industry in New York City.-Plot:Prior to a major show, the people involved find themselves embroiled in their own personal battles....
in 2001 before going on to have small roles in Spider-Man 3
Spider-Man 3
Spider-Man 3 is a 2007 American superhero film written and directed by Sam Raimi, with a screenplay by Ivan Raimi and Alvin Sargent. It is the third film in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man...
, Serendipity
Serendipity (film)
Serendipity is a 2001 romantic comedy, starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. It was written by Marc Klein and directed by Peter Chelsom...
and The Four Feathers
The Four Feathers (2002 film)
The Four Feathers is a 2002 action drama film directed by Shekhar Kapur, starring Heath Ledger, Wes Bentley, Djimon Hounsou and Kate Hudson...
. Gordon had played the actress and singer Jane Birkin
Jane Birkin
Jane Mallory Birkin, OBE is an English-born actress and singer who lives in France. In recent years she has written her own album, directed a film and become an outspoken proponent of democracy in Burma.- Early life :...
in Serge Gainsbourg, vie héroïque; a biopic of singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg, born Lucien Ginsburg was a French singer-songwriter, actor and director. Gainsbourg's extremely varied musical style and individuality make him difficult to categorize...
. Before the film was released, she was found hanged in her flat in Paris on 20 May 2009 after committing suicide.
Early life
Gordon was born in OxfordOxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, United Kingdom to Richard and Susan Gordon in 1980; she has a younger sister, Kate. She went to Oxford High School. She passed nine GCSE
General Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
s in 1997. She stated in an interview in 1997 that she was continuing her studies for history, biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
and French A-levels. She spent some of her childhood in France particularly during the Summer holidays. Lucy was bilingual in French and English. She moved to Paris after living in New York for several years.
Career
While in the fourth form of Oxford High School she was "spotted" by a talent-spotter from a modelling agency as she and her mother visited a Clothes Show Live exhibition. She went on to appear as one of the faces of CoverGirl and soon after she moved into acting. She was signed to Select modelling agency in London and had appeared in the covers of Italian Glamour and Elle.Gordon made her film debut in the 2001 as the character Sarah in Perfume
Perfume (2001 film)
Perfume is a 2001 film about the fashion industry in New York City.-Plot:Prior to a major show, the people involved find themselves embroiled in their own personal battles....
. She appeared alongside Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger
Heath Andrew Ledger was an Australian television and film actor. After performing roles in Australian television and film during the 1990s, Ledger moved to the United States in 1998 to develop his film career...
in the 2002 film The Four Feathers
The Four Feathers (2002 film)
The Four Feathers is a 2002 action drama film directed by Shekhar Kapur, starring Heath Ledger, Wes Bentley, Djimon Hounsou and Kate Hudson...
. She appeared as the reporter Jennifer Dugan in the 2007 film Spider-Man 3
Spider-Man 3
Spider-Man 3 is a 2007 American superhero film written and directed by Sam Raimi, with a screenplay by Ivan Raimi and Alvin Sargent. It is the third film in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man...
.
Gordon had played the actress and singer Jane Birkin
Jane Birkin
Jane Mallory Birkin, OBE is an English-born actress and singer who lives in France. In recent years she has written her own album, directed a film and become an outspoken proponent of democracy in Burma.- Early life :...
in a film biopic of singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg, born Lucien Ginsburg was a French singer-songwriter, actor and director. Gainsbourg's extremely varied musical style and individuality make him difficult to categorize...
before her death. The film, entitled Serge Gainsbourg, vie héroïque
Serge Gainsbourg, vie héroïque
Gainsbourg is a 2010 drama film written and directed by Joann Sfar, based on his graphic novel. It is a biopic of French singer Serge Gainsbourg.-Plot:...
was presented at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival
2009 Cannes Film Festival
The 62nd annual Cannes Film Festival was held from May 13 to May 24, 2009. French actress Isabelle Huppert was the President of the Jury. It was announced on March 19, 2009, that Pixar's film Up would open the festival...
and was released in early 2010. Gordon's father, Richard Gordon said that she had loved playing her latest role in this film about Gainsbourg. The director Joann Sfar
Joann Sfar
Joann Sfar is a French comics artist, comic book creator and film director.-Life and career:Sfar was born in Nice. He is considered one of the most important artists of the new wave of Franco-Belgian comics. Many of his comics were published by L'Association which was founded in 1990 by...
and the producers of the film Marc du Pontavice
Marc du Pontavice
Marc du Pontavice is a French animator who is the creator of Oggy and the Cockroaches , The Extreme Ducks, The Magician", Space Goofs, and Ratz...
and Didier Lupfer released a statement that the film "owes a lot to the generosity, gentleness and immense talent of Lucy Gordon."
Death
French cinematographer Jérôme Alméras found Gordon hangedHanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
in their Paris flat on 20 May 2009, two days before her birthday. A French police official said Gordon appeared to have committed suicide by hanging. One police officer was quoted as calling the scene in the flat "absolutely horrific". Tabloid newspapers have reported that she left two suicide notes before hanging herself in the Paris flat; one detailing her last wishes regarding her estate, the other a letter for her parents. A neighbour is said to have heard the couple having an argument before Alméras fell asleep. Michel Haddi, who recently photographed Gordon for the Italian edition of Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
, said she had revealed to him that she was in love with Alméras. Another New York friend said: "She packed up all her things and moved to Paris a few months ago. She trusted everyone. She was very sweet and kind." Friends of Gordon have suggested she was "deeply affected" by a friend’s recent suicide.
Her father, Richard Gordon, said a post-mortem examination proved she had died from hanging and that no other marks were found on her body. He said, "There is no question of foul play. Lucy committed suicide. Burial Père Lachaise Cemetery
Père Lachaise Cemetery
Père Lachaise Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the city of Paris, France , though there are larger cemeteries in the city's suburbs.Père Lachaise is in the 20th arrondissement, and is reputed to be the world's most-visited cemetery, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to the...
."
Gordon wrote her will on 19 May 2009. She split her estate between Alméras, her friends, her parents and her sister.
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2001 | Perfume Perfume (2001 film) Perfume is a 2001 film about the fashion industry in New York City.-Plot:Prior to a major show, the people involved find themselves embroiled in their own personal battles.... |
Sarah | |
| Serendipity Serendipity (film) Serendipity is a 2001 romantic comedy, starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. It was written by Marc Klein and directed by Peter Chelsom... |
Caroline Mitchell | ||
| 2002 | The Four Feathers The Four Feathers (2002 film) The Four Feathers is a 2002 action drama film directed by Shekhar Kapur, starring Heath Ledger, Wes Bentley, Djimon Hounsou and Kate Hudson... |
Isabelle | |
| 2005 | The Russian Dolls The Russian Dolls The Russian Dolls is a 2005 French-British film, the sequel to L'Auberge espagnole . Cédric Klapisch wrote and directed the film, whose settings include Paris, London, Saint Petersburg and Moscow... |
Celia Shelburn | |
| 2007 | Spider-Man 3 Spider-Man 3 Spider-Man 3 is a 2007 American superhero film written and directed by Sam Raimi, with a screenplay by Ivan Raimi and Alvin Sargent. It is the third film in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man... |
Jennifer Dugan | |
| Serial Serial (film) Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials, Film serials or Chapter plays, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. They were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction... |
Sadie Grady | ||
| 2009 | The Last International Playboy The Last International Playboy The Last International Playboy is a 2009 American independent film directed by Steve Clark and written by Steve Clark and Thomas Moffett. The cast includes Jason Behr, Monet Mazur, Krysten Ritter, Mike Landry, India Ennenga, Lydia Hearst, Lucy Gordon, and Carlos Velazquez.Shooting began in May 2007... |
Kate Hardwick | |
| Brief Interviews with Hideous Men Brief Interviews with Hideous Men (film) Brief Interviews with Hideous Men is a 2009 American comedy-drama film written, produced, and directed by John Krasinski, based on a short story collection of the same name by David Foster Wallace.-Plot:... |
Hitchhiker | ||
| Cinéman | Viviane Cook | ||
| 2010 | Gainsbourg (Vie héroïque) | Jane Birkin Jane Birkin Jane Mallory Birkin, OBE is an English-born actress and singer who lives in France. In recent years she has written her own album, directed a film and become an outspoken proponent of democracy in Burma.- Early life :... |
|
| Television | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1999 | 2point4 children 2point4 children 2point4 Children is a 1990s British sitcom that was created and written by Andrew Marshall. It follows the lives of the Porter family; an average family that is persistently faced with surreal situations and sheer bad luck.... |
Lampety Jones | (TV series; episode "After the Fox") |
| 2005 | Stella Stella (TV series) Stella was a short-lived television series that originally ran from June 28, 2005 to August 30, 2005 on the American television channel Comedy Central, created by and starring Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, and David Wain, the three members of the sketch comedy troupe of the same name and... |
China | 1 episode, 'Office Party' |
See also
External links
- Lucy Gordon at the Fashion Model DirectoryFashion Model DirectoryThe Fashion Model Directory is an online database of information about female fashion models, modeling agencies, fashion labels, fashion magazines, fashion designers and fashion editorials. FMD is often denoted as the IMDb of the fashion industry, for being one of the world's largest fashion...