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MI6 profiles British actress, Gemma Arterton, who will play MI6 Agent Fields in the upcoming 22nd Bond adventure "Quantum of Solace"...
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Meet The Cast - Gemma Arterton
14th February 2008
On the 4th of January 2008,
Gemma Arterton confirmed
to the Hollywood Reporter that she had signed on to
a Bond-girl role in 007's latest on-screen adventure "Quantum
of Solace". The role was in contention some time
before she finally landed the
project and much speculation surrounded the young British
actress.
It was subsequently reported that Gemma
would play MI6 Agent Fields, a British Security Service
operative assigned to 'look after' 007 on
his mission in Bolivia.
Arterton describes her character
as a likeable woman's woman but with a strong personality
who is liable to clash with Bond's bloody-mindedness. "There's
something very fresh about her. For me, she's got stuff
that all women can identify with."
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Datastream
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| Name: |
Gemma Arterton |
| Character: |
Agent Fields |
| Film: |
Quantum
of Solace |
| Height: |
5" 7' (1.70m) |
| Hair: |
Brunette |
| Eyes: |
Brown |
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Born in January 1986 in Kent, UK, Gemma Arterton
attended Gravesend grammar school and in a summer drama class
she won a grant to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic
Arts - the prestigious dramatic arts college whose home is Bloomsbury,
London. During her time at RADA, Arterton showed enthusiasm and
passion for theatre and won roles in over ten of their regular
productions, including classics such as "An Ideal Husband" and "Vera
Drake".
Still taking regular classes with the college,
Gemma won her first professional role in "Capturing Mary", 2007's
TV drama, directed by Stephen Poliakoff. Straight out of drama
school and onto stage in Shakespeare's "Loves Labour's
Lost" for a run at the Globe Theatre - the undeniable home
of The Bard - Gemma quickly became a rising star
of the British entertainment industry. In this production, she
played the role of Rosaline, and unbeknownst to her, Hollywood
was just
around the corner.
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With charming beauty
and a clear natural talent for the performing arts, Gemma
was picked up for an onscreen role in "St. Trinian's",
opposite "Casino Royale" star, Caterina Murino
and a swell of big-name British actors including Colin
Firth, Rupert Everett and Stephen Fry. Gemma had to fight
of the likes of Sienna Miller for the role of the Head
Girl, Kelly, in this big-budget Brit comedy.
Left: Arterton, dressed as her character, Kelly, promotes 2007's "St. Trinian's"... |
Through her successful work both on-stage and
in film, Gemma came to the attention of EON Productions, looking
for a young and talented actress to appear in "Quantum of
Solace". Gemma talked briefly about landing the role: "I
went to two auditions. I was in a play at the Globe in London and
the casting directors came to see me in it," she explained, "I
was playing a very Bong girly type of role, but Shakespeare. It
was Rosaline in Love's Labour's Lost, and she's very haughty and
sharp. They asked me in for an audition, which I never thought
I'd get. Then I got a second audition where I met the director
and everyone, then I had a screen test which was petrifying, then
I got the part."
Working with successful agent Sally Long-Innes, representative of 007 himself, Daniel Craig, cannot be a bad thing. In a recent interview Arterton described her rendezvous with 007 as an opportunity to do something big and a pathway to even greater things: "[My agent] said ‘If you do this big film, it will open the doors for all these other brilliant things. But you have to do the big film first'." Arterton truly believes in taking chances in order to pursue her dream career, "I think it's difficult for a young girl like me, because there's a certain time for young actresses, which is like a really juicy period when all the parts are love interests and young heroines. Of course, there's always work for men whatever age they are. So I'm really going to go for it. And if it all goes wrong, I'll go and do panto!"
Arterton need not worry as she has a busy
2008 with three film productions, including Bond, and a
mini series due this year. Gemma recently wrapped on Guy
Richie's latest action pic, "RocknRolla", where
Gemma is June in this upcoming mobster-flick.
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Also due this year is "Three And Out",
a twisted comedy of love and loneliness and time-traveling-romance, "Lost
in Austin" where
Arterton will portray Elizabeth Bennette, a classic character
from Austin's fiction. On top of her acting, Arterton practices
dance and is learning to play the guitar.
Briefing
Produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli (Eon
Productions), QUANTUM OF SOLACE was released in the
UK on October 31st 2008 and is directed by
Marc Forster. Principal photography started on January
3rd
2008 at
Pinewood Studios and around the UK, and foreign locations
including Italy, Panama, Chile, Peru and Austria.
Paul Haggis completed the script based on a first draft
screenplay developed by regular scribes Neal Purvis & Robert
Wade, with later polish by Joshua Zetumer. The story
is a direct continuation of the events of Casino
Royale. 007 faces off against
villains Mathieu Amalric (Dominic Greene), Anatole
Taubman (Elvis) and Joaquin Cosío (General Medrano).
Olga Kurylenko (Camille) and Gemma Arterton (MI6 Agent
Fields) play the Bond Girls. Dame Judi Dench (M), Jeffrey
Wright (Felix Leiter) and Giancarlo Giannini (Mathis)
reprise their roles as Bond's allies. It is British
actor Daniel Craig’s second outing as James Bond,
following his debut film Casino Royale released November
16th 2006.
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