Gwendoline Christie was born in Worthing, West Sussex.[2] She has two older half-brothers.[3] Her mother was a housewife, and her father worked in sales and marketing.[4][5] She grew up in a hamlet near the South Downs.[6] As a child she trained as a gymnast but took up acting after a spinal injury.[7] Around 2002, she worked in a boutique in Brighton.[8]
After attending Varndean College in Brighton and Hove, she graduated from Drama Centre London in 2005.[6] She was told she "would probably never work because she didn't look the same as most actors", due to her unconventionally tall physique, and was even told "well, good luck with that" by her agent after stating she would like to work on screen. She was inspired to continue pursuing this goal by Tilda Swinton's performance in Orlando. In a 2017 interview, she recalled thinking "Well, she is in a film, she is otherworldly, and is definitely outside the room. I realised that maybe there is a place for me too."[9][10][11]
In 2002, Gwendoline's height attracted the attention of photographer Polly Borland, who made Gwendoline the subject of a noted series of photographs, entitled Bunny, between 2002 and 2008.[8] According to Gwendoline, she felt then that the photographs in which she appears mostly nude could help her come to terms with her body, and challenge notions of femininity. However, she later said that she was shocked in retrospect that she had agreed to them.[5]
On screen, Gwendoline debuted with a 2007 short film titled The Time Surgeon, written and directed by Nathaniel Mellors. In the following years, she continued to appear in his works, such as Seven Ages of Britain Teaser, a short TV film acting as an introduction to the final episode of the documentary series Seven Ages of Britain, and the first four films of his Ourhouse series of experimental short films, released between 2010 and 2011 as parts of art exhibitions or in selected public screenings.[15] She was also involved in Ourhouse behind the scenes, acting as associate producer and being credited for casting, costumes, props, and make-up. Meanwhile, she made her feature film debut with a minor role in the Terry Gilliam film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus in 2009. In 2009 she joined Patrick Wolf in the music video for "Damaris".
Joining Game of Thrones and Wizards vs Aliens (2011–2015)
In July 2011, Gwendoline was cast as the warrior Brienne of Tarth in the second season of HBO's fantasy TV series Game of Thrones.[16] Her character an unusually tall, muscular, and plain-looking woman is a favourite among many readers of the novels, and Gwendoline had been proposed for the role by fans long before auditions took place.[6] Gwendoline said that she could draw on her own experiences of having been bullied for her height and androgynous looks to play the part of Brienne, a role that she was passionate to play after reading the A Song of Ice and Fire novels which the show adapts.[7] To prepare even for the auditions, she started wearing unisex clothing to help her get into her character's more masculine mindset, and took up an intensive training regime, gaining over a stone (6.4 kg) of muscle mass.[6] According to series co-writer, producer, and author of the novels, George R. R. Martin, she obtained the role practically without debate after an arresting audition at which she appeared already made up and costumed as Brienne.[17] After being cast in the role, she prepared for it by working out extensively, taking horsemanship, sword-fighting, and stagefighting lessons.[18][6][10]
In addition to her role in Game of Thrones, Gwendoline appeared in the British science fantasy series Wizards vs Aliens by Doctor Who writers Russell T Davies and Phil Ford from 2012 to 2013, in the main role of Lexi, the 17-year-old Princess of the Nekross, the alien species invading earth.[27] For the role, she wore heavy make-up, although she also appeared with her usual physique as Lucy, the human form of Lexi.[27] She also had a minor role in another Terry Gilliam movie, The Zero Theorem, released in 2013.
Also in 2015, Gwendoline co-starred in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, as Captain Phasma, one of the film's supporting antagonists.[30][31] Her performance, and the character's design, were both praised; however, the character received criticism for her minimal role in the film, particularly after she was prominently featured in promotional material.[32][33][34]
Gwendoline Christie at the Calgary Comic Expo in 2015.
In 2017, Gwendoline had a main role in China Girl, the second season of Top of the Lake, as Miranda Hilmarson, a Constable in the Sydney Police Force, and the new partner of the show's main character played by Elisabeth Moss; the character was written especially for Gwendoline by series co-creator Jane Campion, after Gwendoline asked her to be a part of the series.[35] The same year, she reprised her role of Captain Phasma in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, a sequel to The Force Awakens.[36] She would later reprise the role for three episodes of the animated series Star Wars Resistance in 2018.[37][38]
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