GEMMA ARTERTON

Date of Birth
12 January 1986, Gravesend, Kent, England, UK

Birth Name
Gemma Christina Arterton

Height
5' 7" (1.70 m)

Mini Biography
Gemma was born and raised in Gravesend, Kent, UK. She was born with extra fingers, which affects one child in a thousand. Gemma had surgery to correct this condition, known as polydactyly.

Her parents divorced when she was age 5, and so Gemma lived with her younger sister and her mother. Her father is a welder and her mother a cleaner. They encouraged their children to explore their creative abilities. Gemma's sister, Hannah, liked to sing, whereas Gemma chose acting.

During her teenage years, she was part of the Masquerade and Miskin theater companies, appearing in productions of The Massacre of Civitella and Guiding Star. In 2004, she won an award for Best Supporting Actress, which helped her to win a grant to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

Whilst studying at RADA, she landed her first professional role in Capturing Mary (2007) (TV), directed by Stephen Poliakoff and starring Maggie Smith. Gemma graduated from RADA in 2007 and won her first film role in St. Trinian's (2007). Her breakthrough role came in 2008, when she appeared in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace (2008). In 2009, she was the winner of Empire's Best Newcomer Award.

Spouse
Stefano Catelli (6 June 2010 - present)

Trade Mark
Her unique speaking voice


Trivia
Graduated from RADA in 2007.

Raised by a single mother.

She has a younger sister called Hannah (b. 1989).

She was born with a crumpled ear, which was surgically corrected when she was a child.

Featured in Empire Magazine's "The Hot List" as one of the biggest upcoming stars in the 2010's. Other people on the list were Channing Tatum, Zoe Saldana, Marion Cotillard, Mia Wasikowska and Clash of the Titans (2010) co-star Sam Worthington.

Were filming her last scene for A Deal Is a Deal (2008) when she was told, she had won the part in Quantum of Solace (2008).

Her favorite label is Louis Vuitton.

Beat out 1500 other actresses for her role in Quantum of Solace (2008).

The first scene she shot for Quantum of Solace (2008) was the love scene with Daniel Craig.

Clash of the Titans (1981) was one of her childhood favorites, and even though the script was very different from the original, she was eager to star in the remake.

Was in consideration for the role of Natasha Rushman/Black Widow in Iron Man 2 (2010) after Emily Blunt dropped out of the project, but Scarlett Johansson was cast instead.

Replaced Natalie Portman as Catherine Earnshaw in Wuthering Heights (2011), but later dropped out of the project. Kaya Scodelario was then cast instead.

Is an avid supporter of Charlton Athletic Football Club.

During her time as a student at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London she worked as a make-up salesgirl.

Her parents are Barry Arterton, an architect, and Sally Heap, a cleaner.

Announced her engagement to stuntman and body double Stefano Catelli, having been in a relationship with him since March 2009 (6 July 2009).

Was in a relationship with stuntman Eduardo Ivan Munoz, having met him on the set of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) (June-December 2008).

Her grandmother Helen Sarfas (b. 1939) was tragically killed at her home in Kent after being stabbed in the chest with a knife (8 January 2010).

Was in consideration for the role of Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady (????) after Keira Knightley dropped out of the project, but Carey Mulligan was cast instead.

Beat Sienna Miller to the role of Kelly Jones in St. Trinian's (2007).

Married Stefano Catelli in a secret hilltop ceremony in the village of Zuheros in Spain before family and close friends. Arterton wore a cream-colored gown and held a bouquet of white roses (6 June 2010).

Was in consideration for the role of Selina Kyle/Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises (2012), but Anne Hathaway was cast instead.


Personal Quotes
The minute anyone says, 'Oh my God! You're so amazing!' I just have to go, 'Shut up! Please!' I am normal. I have just one rule - don't believe the hype!

[on the set of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)]: When [director Mike Newell] first met me for the film he said, 'Oh dear. Can't you do posh?' I thought, 'I can't believe he's asked me that!' So I said (firmly, through gritted teeth), 'Of course I can, I went to the Royal Academy of Dramatic F***ing Art!'

As soon as I say, 'I can't go out in that dress, I've already worn it before!' my dad will say, 'Listen to yourself! Stop being stupid!'

On making The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2009): I wanted something that was getting down and dirty, and really not about how you look. I wanted to be, like, f***ing hair and make-up everywhere, just not giving a f***! And yes, I get tied up, beaten, and there's nudity. All the things that made people go, 'You should not do this!' But I put my foot down.

When you put yourself in these huge popcorn movies you get out there, in the public arena, more than anyone else. But that also means that you're out there to be criticised more than anyone else. With Keira Knightley, she's brave to do her play. Because, for some reason, if you're successful in Britain, people tend not to like you. But if you're a successful woman, and beautiful, in Britain, you're even more disliked.

On one of the [2009] movies, I'd just done this big comedy scene, and all they said was, 'You need to work on your arms!' Hey, when you've had 12 fingers, everything else looks OK from here. And I said, 'But what about the acting?' And they said, 'Don't worry about the acting, worry about your arms!' I just wanted to say, 'Screw you all! I'd rather do a play!'

I'd really like the type of career Rachel Weisz has. I have a lot of respect for her: brilliant, intelligent, a witty sort of woman... You know, she'll do a rom-com - not that I ever want to do a rom-com - but then she'll go off and do The Constant Gardener (2005), have a family, and live a quite normal life, it seems. I respect that.

[on pressure from studio executives on Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)] They sent me to a personal trainer, wanted to get my teeth done, hair extensions, make me look like somebody else. And that's fine I had the tan, I had the hair, I went to the gym. I became the thing they wanted me to be for the part. But I don't agree with what they think is beautiful because it's not me. Unless you're really famous and successful then they're going to bully you into going to the gym. It's a side of the industry that I find uncomfortable.

In comparison to many actresses I think I'm really average - when I got the Bond film Quantum of Solace (2008) there was this big hoo-ha about me not being hot enough, I have to say I agree - I don't think I'm in that realm.

Sometimes it's hard to make action and adventure movies real, because obviously you have limitations with the writing. In Clash of the Titans (2010), I have this line: "I imagine you are sympathetic to this plight." I walked around [on set] going: "Are *you* sympathetic to the plight...?" [laughs] You have to work yourself up to it, a bit like Shakespeare - you really have to *believe* your character says that. In The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2009) I'm shouting, "F*** off, you c***!" a lot. It was nice. I can imagine myself saying that more!