Natalie Dormer
Encyclopedia
Natalie Dormer is an English actress. She is best known for her roles as Victoria in Casanova and as the ill-fated queen Anne Boleyn
in the Showtime series The Tudors
.
, Berkshire
, and attended Chiltern Edge Secondary School, before moving to Reading Blue Coat School
, an independent boys' school that admits girls in the sixth form
. She grew up with her stepfather, mother, sister Samantha and brother Mark. She suffered from bullying problems during her childhood, and it's something that "still to this day she can't place why." At school, Natalie was head-girl, a straight-A student and vice-captain of the school netball team. She also got to travel the globe with her school's public speaking team.
During her school years she trained in dance at the Allenova School of Dancing. She describes herself as the 'academic hopeful' of the family and was offered a place to study history at Cambridge, but misread one of the questions that was in her history A-Level and thus was not able to get the A Grade she needed to attend. She decided she would audition for drama schools and decided to train at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art
in London. She is also a member of the London Fencing Academy.
A self-proclaimed poker
lover, Dormer took part in the 2008 PartyPoker.com Women's World Open in London, where she came in second to Emma Kennedy
in the Celebrity Heat. Dormer has stated that Cate Blanchett
has been an influence in her career as an actress. On the subject of supernatural beliefs, she was quoted as saying: "I've got an open mind. I say I'm an atheist but I wouldn't mind being visited by a ghost."
, Dormer auditioned and won the role of Victoria in Casanova with Heath Ledger
and Sienna Miller
. This was her film debut and it was released in 2005. The director, Lasse Hallstrom
, was so impressed with Dormer's comedic timing that he had the script writer expand her part. On the strength of her audition for the role and her performance, she secured a three-film deal with Disney Touchstone
which was never exercised.
In 2005, Dormer also had a bit part in Distant Shores playing that of a Mobile Woman. After the filming of Casanova, Dormer was out of work for nine months and Dormer says that 'It was the best lesson I could have had in the first 12 months of my career.' In 2006, Dormer guest-starred in an episode of Rebus
entitled "The Falls", playing the character Phillippa Balfour.
In 2007 and 2008 she played Anne Boleyn
in the first two seasons of The Tudors
, for which she received positive reviews. USA Weekend wrote that Dormer's "unconventional beauty and frantic scheming made the first two seasons crackle every week", adding that the third season did not feel the same without the character of Anne, and The Boston Herald agreed, noting that "Dormer’s departure from ‘The Tudors‘ leaves a void." Dormer is related to Jane Dormer
, a lady in waiting to Mary I
. Jane Dormer's memoirs contain some evidence on Boleyn's actual age, which is still a source of much academic dispute.
In 2008 she played Moira Nicholson in Miss Marple
: Why Didn't They Ask Evans? and appears in a number of forthcoming films: Fence Walker, Flying Lessons and City of Life. Dormer's Marple appearance aired in the US in the summer of 2009 as part of PBS' Masterpiece Mystery anthology series.
In March 2010 she made her stage debut at the Young Vic theatre in London as Mizi in the play Sweet Nothings. In TimeOut London, Sam Marlow wrote, "[T]he performances are terrific - in particular, Natalie Dormer's loose-limbed Mizi who beneath her apparent insouciance betrays a hint of self-disgust[...]" After six months of playing Mizi, Dormer went on to film some new roles, including Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
in Madonna's film W.E.
, Private Lorraine in Captain America: The First Avenger
and Niamh Cranitch in the BBC
court drama Silk
, before going on to her next stage role of Pat in .45 at Hampstead Theatre
in the November of 2010. West Hampstead Life, a blog that reviews cultural events in Hampstead, called her performance as Pat "compelling", saying, "[Dormer] combines strength and vulnerability perfectly."
She returned to The Tudors as Anne Boleyn in a dream sequence for the fourth and final season in mid 2010. This was confirmed when the first promotional picture of the season showed Anne (along with King Henry VIII, Katherine of Aragon, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Katherine Parr) on the cover.
In June 2010, Dormer was cast in the lead role for the movie adaption of the Peter Straub
novel Shadowland
. In June 2011, she joined the cast of the HBO fantasy TV series Game of Thrones
, as the noblewoman Margaery Tyrell.
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
in the Showtime series The Tudors
The Tudors
The Tudors is a Canadian produced historical fiction television series filmed in Ireland, created by Michael Hirst and produced for the American premium cable television channel Showtime...
.
Early life and current lifestyle
Dormer was born in ReadingReading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, and attended Chiltern Edge Secondary School, before moving to Reading Blue Coat School
Reading Blue Coat School
Reading Blue Coat School is a boys' independent school in Holme Park in the village of Sonning, in the English county of Berkshire, to the east of the town of Reading...
, an independent boys' school that admits girls in the sixth form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
. She grew up with her stepfather, mother, sister Samantha and brother Mark. She suffered from bullying problems during her childhood, and it's something that "still to this day she can't place why." At school, Natalie was head-girl, a straight-A student and vice-captain of the school netball team. She also got to travel the globe with her school's public speaking team.
During her school years she trained in dance at the Allenova School of Dancing. She describes herself as the 'academic hopeful' of the family and was offered a place to study history at Cambridge, but misread one of the questions that was in her history A-Level and thus was not able to get the A Grade she needed to attend. She decided she would audition for drama schools and decided to train at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art
Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art
The Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, formerly the Webber Douglas School of Singing and Dramatic Art, was a drama school, and originally a singing school, in London. It was one of the leading drama schools in Britain, and offered comprehensive training for those intending to pursue a...
in London. She is also a member of the London Fencing Academy.
A self-proclaimed poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
lover, Dormer took part in the 2008 PartyPoker.com Women's World Open in London, where she came in second to Emma Kennedy
Emma Kennedy
Emma Kennedy is an English actress, writer and television presenter....
in the Celebrity Heat. Dormer has stated that Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett
Catherine Élise "Cate" Blanchett is an Australian actress. She came to international attention for her role as Elizabeth I of England in the 1998 biopic film Elizabeth, for which she won British Academy of Film and Television Arts and Golden Globe Awards, and earned her first Academy Award...
has been an influence in her career as an actress. On the subject of supernatural beliefs, she was quoted as saying: "I've got an open mind. I say I'm an atheist but I wouldn't mind being visited by a ghost."
Film, stage and television career
Six months after graduating from the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic ArtWebber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art
The Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, formerly the Webber Douglas School of Singing and Dramatic Art, was a drama school, and originally a singing school, in London. It was one of the leading drama schools in Britain, and offered comprehensive training for those intending to pursue a...
, Dormer auditioned and won the role of Victoria in Casanova with 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...
and Sienna Miller
Sienna Miller
Sienna Rose Diana Miller is a British-American actress, model, and fashion designer, best known for her roles in Layer Cake, Alfie, Factory Girl, The Edge of Love and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. In 2007, the London Film Criticsnamed her British Actress of the Year for Interview...
. This was her film debut and it was released in 2005. The director, Lasse Hallstrom
Lasse Hallström
Lars Sven "Lasse" Hallström is a Swedish film director. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director for My Life as a Dog and later for The Cider House Rules .-Life and career:...
, was so impressed with Dormer's comedic timing that he had the script writer expand her part. On the strength of her audition for the role and her performance, she secured a three-film deal with Disney Touchstone
Touchstone Pictures
Touchstone Pictures is an American film production label and is one of several film labels of the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group. Established in 1984, its releases typically feature more mature themes and darker tones than those that are released under the Walt Disney Pictures banner.Touchstone...
which was never exercised.
In 2005, Dormer also had a bit part in Distant Shores playing that of a Mobile Woman. After the filming of Casanova, Dormer was out of work for nine months and Dormer says that 'It was the best lesson I could have had in the first 12 months of my career.' In 2006, Dormer guest-starred in an episode of Rebus
Rebus (TV series)
Rebus is the title of the detective drama based on the Inspector Rebus novels by the Scottish author Ian Rankin set in and around Edinburgh produced by STV Productions for the ITV Network....
entitled "The Falls", playing the character Phillippa Balfour.
In 2007 and 2008 she played Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
in the first two seasons of The Tudors
The Tudors
The Tudors is a Canadian produced historical fiction television series filmed in Ireland, created by Michael Hirst and produced for the American premium cable television channel Showtime...
, for which she received positive reviews. USA Weekend wrote that Dormer's "unconventional beauty and frantic scheming made the first two seasons crackle every week", adding that the third season did not feel the same without the character of Anne, and The Boston Herald agreed, noting that "Dormer’s departure from ‘The Tudors‘ leaves a void." Dormer is related to Jane Dormer
Jane Dormer
Jane Dormer, Duchess of Feria was an English lady-in-waiting to Mary I who went on to serve as the Duchess of Feria.-Biography:...
, a lady in waiting to Mary I
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
. Jane Dormer's memoirs contain some evidence on Boleyn's actual age, which is still a source of much academic dispute.
In 2008 she played Moira Nicholson in Miss Marple
Miss Marple (TV series)
Miss Marple is a British television series based on the Miss Marple murder mystery novels by Agatha Christie. It starred Joan Hickson in the title role, and aired from 1984 to 1992. All twelve original Miss Marple Christie novels have been dramatised. The screenplays were written by T. R...
: Why Didn't They Ask Evans? and appears in a number of forthcoming films: Fence Walker, Flying Lessons and City of Life. Dormer's Marple appearance aired in the US in the summer of 2009 as part of PBS' Masterpiece Mystery anthology series.
In March 2010 she made her stage debut at the Young Vic theatre in London as Mizi in the play Sweet Nothings. In TimeOut London, Sam Marlow wrote, "[T]he performances are terrific - in particular, Natalie Dormer's loose-limbed Mizi who beneath her apparent insouciance betrays a hint of self-disgust[...]" After six months of playing Mizi, Dormer went on to film some new roles, including Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
in Madonna's film W.E.
W.E. (film)
W.E. is an upcoming romantic drama film co-written and directed by Madonna, starring Abbie Cornish, Oscar Isaac, Richard Coyle, James D'Arcy and Andrea Riseborough. It began filming on location in London, England, on July 5, 2010, and also shot in France and the United States...
, Private Lorraine in Captain America: The First Avenger
Captain America: The First Avenger
Captain America: The First Avenger is a 2011 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America. It is the fifth installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe...
and Niamh Cranitch in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
court drama Silk
Silk (TV series)
Silk is a British television drama series produced by the BBC and first shown in 2011. Written by Peter Moffat, the series follows a set of barristers, and what they do to attain the rank of Queen's Counsel, known as 'taking silk'.-Origin:...
, before going on to her next stage role of Pat in .45 at Hampstead Theatre
Hampstead Theatre
Hampstead Theatre is a theatre in the vicinity of Swiss Cottage and Belsize Park, in the London Borough of Camden. It specialises in commissioning and producing new writing, supporting and developing the work of new writers. In 2009 it celebrates its 50 year anniversary.The original theatre was...
in the November of 2010. West Hampstead Life, a blog that reviews cultural events in Hampstead, called her performance as Pat "compelling", saying, "[Dormer] combines strength and vulnerability perfectly."
She returned to The Tudors as Anne Boleyn in a dream sequence for the fourth and final season in mid 2010. This was confirmed when the first promotional picture of the season showed Anne (along with King Henry VIII, Katherine of Aragon, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Katherine Parr) on the cover.
In June 2010, Dormer was cast in the lead role for the movie adaption of the Peter Straub
Peter Straub
Peter Francis Straub is an American author and poet, most famous for his work in the horror genre. His horror fiction has received numerous literary honors such as the Bram Stoker Award, World Fantasy Award, and International Horror Guild Award, placing him among the most-honored horror authors in...
novel Shadowland
Shadowland (Straub novel)
Shadowland is a novel by Peter Straub, first published in 1980 by Coward, McCann and Geohegen. It is a horror novel that has strong elements of fantasy...
. In June 2011, she joined the cast of the HBO fantasy TV series Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones (TV series)
Game of Thrones is an American medieval fantasy television series created for HBO by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. Based on author George R. R. Martin's best-selling A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels, the first of which is called A Game of Thrones, the television series debuted in...
, as the noblewoman Margaery Tyrell.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Distant Shores | Mobile Woman | TV series (1 episode: "Episode #1.1") |
| Casanova | Victoria | ||
| 2006 | Rebus Rebus (TV series) Rebus is the title of the detective drama based on the Inspector Rebus novels by the Scottish author Ian Rankin set in and around Edinburgh produced by STV Productions for the ITV Network.... |
Philippa Balfour | TV series (1 episode: "The Falls") |
| 2007 | Flawless Flawless (2007 film) Flawless is a 2007 British fictional crime film directed by Michael Radford, written by Edward Anderson, and starring Michael Caine and Demi Moore.... |
Cassie | |
| The Tudors The Tudors The Tudors is a Canadian produced historical fiction television series filmed in Ireland, created by Michael Hirst and produced for the American premium cable television channel Showtime... |
Anne Boleyn Anne Boleyn Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the... |
TV series (21 episodes: 2007-2010) Nominated — Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role 2008 Gemini Award The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are... Nominated — Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role 2009 Gemini Award The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are... |
|
| 2009 | Masterwork | Mo Murphy | TV movie |
| Marple: Why Didn't They Ask Evans? Marple (TV series) Marple is a British television series based on the Miss Marple and other murder mystery novels by Agatha Christie. It is also known as Agatha Christie's Marple. The title character was played by Geraldine McEwan from the first to third series, until her retirement from the role. She was replaced... |
Moira Nicholson | TV movie | |
| City of Life City of Life City of Life is a 2009 multilingual Emirati film written, directed, and produced by Ali F. Mostafa. Set in the United Arab Emirates, the film revolves around three parallel lives, amongst many cultures in one city, namely, Dubai.- Plot :... |
Olga | ||
| 2011 | Fencewalker | post-production | |
| Silk Silk (TV series) Silk is a British television drama series produced by the BBC and first shown in 2011. Written by Peter Moffat, the series follows a set of barristers, and what they do to attain the rank of Queen's Counsel, known as 'taking silk'.-Origin:... |
Niamh Cranitch | TV series (6 episodes) - a second series has been commissioned | |
| W.E | Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II... |
completed | |
| Captain America: The First Avenger Captain America: The First Avenger Captain America: The First Avenger is a 2011 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America. It is the fifth installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe... |
Private Lorraine | ||
| The Fades The Fades (TV series) The Fades is a British supernatural drama television series broadcast on BBC Three and BBC HD. The first of six episodes aired on 21 September 2011.... |
Sarah Etches | ||
| Poe | Celeste Chevalier | pre-production | |
| 2012 | Game of Thrones Game of Thrones (TV series) Game of Thrones is an American medieval fantasy television series created for HBO by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. Based on author George R. R. Martin's best-selling A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels, the first of which is called A Game of Thrones, the television series debuted in... |
Margaery Tyrell | TV series, Season 2 |
External links
- Natalie Dormer Today's Girl - Maxim.com
- Dormer interviewed in Sunday Times Culture magazine, Sept 2007
- Boho Boleyn girl: Actress Natalie Dormer interviewed for Daily Mail, 1 November 2008.
- Tudors Wiki: Natalie Dormer
- LIFE: Photo Gallery Natalie Dormer (about 200 pics)