Summary
Gwendoline Christie is an English actress and model. She was born on October 28, 1978, in Worthing, West Sussex, England.
Christie is best known for her roles as Brienne of Tarth in the HBO television series โGame of Thronesโ (2012-2019) and as Captain Phasma in the โStar Warsโ film series (2015-2019). She has also appeared in other films such as โThe Hunger Games: Mockingjay โ Part 2โ (2015) and โWelcome to Marwenโ (2018).
RELATED: All Henry Cavill Movies and TV Shows
Table of Contents
In addition to her acting career, Christie has also worked as a model. She has modeled for a number of fashion and beauty brands, including Vivienne Westwood and Miu Miu.
Christie is known for her tall stature (she stands at 6โ3โณ or 191 cm) and for breaking stereotypes about what a female lead should look like in film and television. She has been praised for her performances and has been nominated for several awards, including an Emmy for her role in โGame of Thrones.โ
Early Life
Gwendoline Christie was born on October 28, 1978, in Worthing, West Sussex, England. She grew up in a village in South Downs, England, and was interested in acting from a young age.
As a child, Christie was very tall for her age and experienced bullying as a result. However, she later used her height to her advantage, both as a model and as an actress.
After completing her secondary education, Christie studied drama at the Drama Centre London, where she graduated in 2005. She also worked as a gymnast during this time and performed as part of a trapeze act in a circus.
Christie has been open about her experiences with dyslexia and has spoken about how acting helped her to overcome some of the challenges she faced in school. She has also been an advocate for mental health awareness, speaking publicly about her struggles with anxiety and depression.
Career
Gwendoline Christie started her career as a model, working for designers such as Vivienne Westwood and making appearances in fashion magazines such as V magazine and i-D.
Christieโs acting career began in 2006, when she landed a role in the production of โPrismโ at the Battersea Arts Centre in London. She then appeared in several television shows, including โThe Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassusโ (2009) and โWizards vs. Aliensโ (2012).
Christieโs breakthrough role came in 2012 when she was cast as Brienne of Tarth in the HBO series โGame of Thrones.โ Her performance in the role was highly praised, and she went on to appear in the series for eight seasons, from 2012 to 2019.
In addition to โGame of Thrones,โ Christie has appeared in a number of other film and television projects, including โThe Hunger Games: Mockingjay โ Part 2โ (2015), โStar Wars: The Force Awakensโ (2015), โStar Wars: The Last Jediโ (2017), and โWelcome to Marwenโ (2018).
Christie has also appeared in theater productions, including โCymbelineโ and โBreakfast at Tiffanyโsโ in Londonโs West End.
Throughout her career, Christie has been recognized for her performances, receiving nominations for awards such as the Primetime Emmy Award, the Screen Actors Guild Award, and the Criticsโ Choice Television Award.
Stage actress and early on-screen career (2006โ2011)
After graduating from the Drama Centre London, Gwendoline Christie started her acting career on stage. In 2006, she made her professional stage debut in the production of โPrismโ at the Battersea Arts Centre in London. She also appeared in several other stage productions, including โBreakfast at Tiffanyโsโ and โDr. Faustusโ in Londonโs West End.
Christie began to make appearances on television in the late 2000s, starting with a small role in the British medical drama โDoctorsโ in 2008. She then had a recurring role in the science-fiction series โWiredโ in 2008 and 2009.
In 2010, Christie appeared in the British crime drama โThe Time Surgeon,โ and also had a small role in the British comedy film โThe Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,โ which was directed by Terry Gilliam and starred Heath Ledger in his final film role.
Christie continued to make appearances on British television in 2011, with guest roles in shows such as โTop Boyโ and โThe Zero Hour.โ She also had a role in the British comedy film โThe Personal History of David Copperfield,โ which was released in 2020.
Joining Game of Thrones and Wizards vs Aliens (2011โ2015)
In 2011, Gwendoline Christie auditioned for the role of Brienne of Tarth in the HBO series โGame of Thrones.โ Despite initial concerns about her gender and appearance not fitting the role, she was eventually cast in the part, making her debut in the second season of the show in 2012. Her portrayal of Brienne of Tarth, a skilled warrior who defies traditional gender roles, was praised by critics and audiences alike, and Christie continued to appear in the show until its eighth and final season in 2019.
In addition to โGame of Thrones,โ Christie also appeared in the science-fiction series โWizards vs Aliensโ in 2013 and 2014, playing the character of Lexi.
Christie also continued to make appearances in film during this time. In 2014, she appeared in the British crime drama โThe Smoke,โ as well as in the Terry Gilliam film โThe Zero Theorem,โ alongside Christoph Waltz and Tilda Swinton.
In 2015, Christie had a prominent role in โStar Wars: The Force Awakens,โ playing the character of Captain Phasma. She also appeared in the final installment of โThe Hunger Gamesโ film series, โThe Hunger Games: Mockingjay โ Part 2,โ as Commander Lyme.
Star Wars and Top of the Lake (2015โpresent)
In addition to her continuing role on โGame of Thrones,โ Gwendoline Christieโs career continued to flourish after 2015. That year, she had a prominent role in the highly anticipated โStar Wars: The Force Awakens,โ playing Captain Phasma, the chrome-plated stormtrooper commander. She reprised the role in the 2017 film โStar Wars: The Last Jedi.โ
Christie also appeared in the second season of the television series โTop of the Lake,โ which aired in 2017. She played the character of Miranda Hilmarson, a police officer investigating a case involving the death of a Chinese woman in Sydney, Australia. Her performance was highly praised by critics.
In 2018, Christie appeared in the film โIn Fabric,โ a horror-comedy about a cursed dress that wreaks havoc on the lives of its wearers. She also had a supporting role in the film โWelcome to Marwen,โ a biographical drama about a man who creates a miniature World War II-era town as a form of therapy after a brutal attack.
In 2019, Christie reprised her role as Brienne of Tarth for the final season of โGame of Thrones.โ Her performance in the final season, particularly in the series finale, received widespread acclaim.
More recently, Christie appeared in the 2020 film โThe Personal History of David Copperfield,โ a comedic retelling of the Charles Dickens novel. She also had a recurring role in the 2020 television series โThe Sandman,โ based on the comic book series of the same name by Neil Gaiman. In 2021, she was cast as Lucifer in the upcoming film โThe Death of the Nile,โ based on the Agatha Christie novel of the same name.
Personal Life
Gwendoline Christie is known to be a very private person, and not much is known about her personal life. She is rumored to have been in a relationship with British fashion designer Giles Deacon since 2013, although the couple has never confirmed this.
Christie is known for her distinctive sense of style, often wearing bold, androgynous outfits on the red carpet. She has been praised for her fashion choices and has become a muse for several designers.
Christie has also been open about her struggles with mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. She has spoken publicly about her experiences in order to help reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.
In her spare time, Christie is an avid reader and has spoken about her love of literature in interviews. She also enjoys practicing yoga and has said that it helps her to stay centered and focused.
All Gwendoline Christie Movies and TV Shows
Movies
Year | Title | Role | Director(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus | Classy Shopper 2 | Terry Gilliam | |
2013 | The Zero Theorem | Woman in Commercial | ||
2015 | The Hunger Games: Mockingjay โ Part 2 | Commander Lyme | Francis Lawrence | |
Star Wars: The Force Awakens | Captain Phasma | J. J. Abrams | ||
2016 | Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie | Herself | Mandie Fletcher | |
2017 | Star Wars: The Last Jedi | Captain Phasma | Rian Johnson | |
2018 | The Darkest Minds | Lady Jane | Jennifer Yuh Nelson | |
In Fabric | Gwen | Peter Strickland | ||
Welcome to Marwen | Anna | Robert Zemeckis | ||
2019 | The Personal History of David Copperfield | Jane Murdstone | Armando Iannucci | |
Our Friend | Teresa | Gabriela Cowperthwaite | ||
2022 | Flux Gourmet | Jan Stevens | Peter Strickland | Nominated โ British Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble Performance (2022) |
TV Shows
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | Seven Ages of Britain Teaser | The Operator | Television short |
2012โ2019 | Game of Thrones | Brienne of Tarth | 42 episodes Empire Hero Award (2015, together with the cast)[52] Nominated โ Criticsโ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (2019) Nominated โ Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (2019) Nominated โ Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television (2013, 2019) Nominated โ Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (2013โ15, 2017, 2019) |
2012โ2013 | Wizards vs Aliens | Lexi | 26 episodes |
2017 | Top of the Lake: China Girl | Miranda Hilmarson | 6 episodes |
2018 | Star Wars Resistance | Captain Phasma (voice) | 3 episodes |
2022 | Green Eggs and Ham | Marilyn Blouse | Voice |
The Sandman | Lucifer | 2 episodes | |
Wednesday | Larissa Weems | Main Role | |
TBA | Severance | Season 2 |