Gwendoline Christie | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Christie at an event forGame of Thrones in 2019 | |
| Born | (1978-10-28)28 October 1978 (age 46) Worthing,West Sussex, England |
| Alma mater | Drama Centre London |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Partner | Giles Deacon (2014–present) |
Gwendoline Christie (born 28 October 1978[1]) is an English actress. She is known for portrayingBrienne of Tarth in theHBO fantasy-drama seriesGame of Thrones (2012–2019), and theFirst OrderstormtrooperCaptain Phasma in the filmsStar Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) andStar Wars: The Last Jedi (2017). For the former, she received a nomination for thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in2019. Christie has since appeared in theNetflix fantasy seriesThe Sandman andWednesday (both 2022), and theApple TV+ seriesSeverance (2025).
Gwendoline Christie was born inWorthing,West Sussex.[2] She has two older half-brothers.[3] Her mother was ahousewife, and her father worked in sales and marketing.[4][5] She grew up in a hamlet near theSouth 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 attendingVarndean College in Brighton and Hove, she graduated fromDrama Centre London in 2005.[9][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 byTilda Swinton's performance inOrlando. 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."[10][11][12]
In 2002, Christie's height attracted the attention of photographerPolly Borland, who made Christie the subject of a noted series of photographs, entitledBunny, between 2002 and 2008.[8] According to Christie, 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]
Christie's mentor since drama school has been actor and authorSimon Callow.[6] Her theatrical career includes a performance as the Queen inShakespeare'sCymbeline oppositeTom Hiddleston, portraying Mag Wildwood inBreakfast at Tiffany's, and "standing out" asLucifer inMarlowe'sDoctor Faustus (2010).[6][13][14][15]
On screen, Christie debuted with a 2007short film titledThe Time Surgeon, written and directed byNathaniel Mellors. In the following years, she continued to appear in his works, such asSeven Ages of Britain Teaser, a short TV film acting as an introduction to the final episode of the documentary seriesSeven Ages of Britain, and the first four films of hisOurhouse series ofexperimental short films, released between 2010 and 2011 as parts of artexhibitions or in selected public screenings.[16] She was also involved inOurhouse behind the scenes, acting asassociate producer and being credited forcasting,costumes,props, andmake-up. Meanwhile, she made her feature film debut with a minor role in theTerry Gilliam filmThe Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus in 2009. In 2009 she joined Patrick Wolf in the music video for "Damaris".
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In July 2011, Christie was cast as the warriorBrienne of Tarth in thesecond season ofHBO's fantasy TV seriesGame of Thrones.[17] Her character, an unusually tall, muscular, and plain-looking woman, is a favourite among many readers of the novels, and Christie had been proposed for the role by fans long before auditions took place.[6] Christie said that she could draw on her own experiences of having been bullied for her height andandrogynous looks to play the part of Brienne, a role that she was passionate to play after reading theA Song of Ice and Fire novels which the show adapts.[7] To prepare 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.[18] After being cast in the role, she prepared for it by working out extensively, taking horsemanship, sword-fighting, andstagefighting lessons.[19][6][11]
Her debut was in the second season's third episode, "What Is Dead May Never Die", which aired on 15 April 2012.[19] Her debut performance was well received by critics. Nina Shen Rastogi praised her "eloquent and economical physical performance", noting that her walk, stance, andmien effectively conveyed Brienne's single-minded devotion to her self-given quest to become a knight.[20][21] For her performance as Brienne in the show'sthird season, Christie was nominated for theSaturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television in 2014.[22] As a part of the cast, she was also nominated for a total of fourScreen Actors Guild Awards forOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (she was not a part of the nominated cast in certain years depending on her number of appearances each season).[23][24][25][26][27]
In addition to her role inGame of Thrones, Christie appeared in the Britishscience fantasy seriesWizards vs Aliens byDoctor Who writersRussell T Davies andPhil Ford from 2012 to 2013, in the main role of Lexi, the 17-year-old Princess of the Nekross, the alien species invading earth.[28] For the role, she wore heavy make-up, although she also appeared with her usual physique as Lucy, the human form of Lexi.[28] She also had a minor role in another Terry Gilliam movie,The Zero Theorem, released in 2013.
In 2015, Christie played Commander Lyme in the fourth installment inThe Hunger Games film series,The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2. ActressLily Rabe had signed on for the part previously, but had to back out due to scheduling conflicts.[29] The same year, she joined the cast ofSwallows and Amazons as Mrs. Blackett, but later dropped out.[30]
Also in 2015, Christie co-starred inStar Wars: The Force Awakens, asCaptain Phasma, one of the film's supporting antagonists.[31][32] 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.[33][34][35]
In 2017, Christie had a main role inChina Girl, the second season ofTop of the Lake, as Miranda Hilmarson, a Constable in the Sydney Police Force, and the new partner of the show's main character played byElisabeth Moss; the character was written especially for Gwendoline by series co-creatorJane Campion, after Christie asked her to be a part of the series.[36] The same year, she reprised her role of Captain Phasma inStar Wars: The Last Jedi, a sequel toThe Force Awakens.[37] She would later reprise the role for three episodes of the animated seriesStar Wars Resistance in 2018.[38][39]
In 2018, she appeared as the bounty hunter Lady Jane inThe Darkest Minds, an adaptation of the book trilogyThe Darkest Minds byAlexandra Bracken, as Gwen in thePeter Strickland filmIn Fabric, and as the Russian caretaker Anna in theRobert Zemeckis filmWelcome to Marwen.[40][41][42][43]
Game of Thrones concluded in 2019 with itseighth season; for her performance in the final season, Christie received her firstPrimetime Emmy Award nomination forOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series; she also received a secondSaturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television nomination for her performance in the final two seasons.[44][45][46]
In January 2021, Christie was cast asLucifer in theNetflix adaptation ofThe Sandman.[47][48]
In November 2022, Christie played Principal Larissa Weems in the Netflix comedy horror seriesWednesday.
In January 2024, Christie walked forMaison Margiela during ParisCouture Week, wearing the closing look of the collection.[49]
On August 20, 2024, Firaxis Games announced that Christie would be the narrator for their flagship gameCivilization VII, which was later released in February 2025.[50]
Christie is about 191.14–192 cm (6 ft 3.25 in – 6 ft 3.59 in) tall.[11][5] Her height led to her being bullied when she was younger.[51][52]
Since 2014, she has been in a relationship with British fashion designerGiles Deacon.[53][54]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus | Classy Shopper 2 | |
| 2013 | The Zero Theorem | Woman in Commercial | |
| 2015 | The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 | Commander Lyme | |
| Star Wars: The Force Awakens | Captain Phasma | ||
| 2016 | Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie | Herself | |
| 2017 | Star Wars: The Last Jedi | Captain Phasma | |
| 2018 | The Darkest Minds | Lady Jane | |
| In Fabric | Gwen | ||
| Welcome to Marwen | Anna | ||
| 2019 | The Personal History of David Copperfield | Jane Murdstone | |
| Our Friend | Teresa | ||
| 2022 | Flux Gourmet | Jan Stevens | |
| 2024 | Robin and the Hoods | Aura | |
| 2025 | After This Death | Alice |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Seven Ages of Britain Teaser | The Operator | Television film |
| 2012–2013 | Wizards vs Aliens | Lexi | Main role (seasons 1–2) |
| 2012–2019 | Game of Thrones | Brienne of Tarth | Recurring role (seasons 2–3); main (seasons 4–8) |
| 2017 | Top of the Lake: China Girl | Miranda Hilmarson | Main role (season 2) |
| 2018 | Star Wars Resistance | Captain Phasma (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2022 | Green Eggs and Ham | Marilyn Blouse (voice) | Recurring role (season 2) |
| The Sandman | Lucifer | 2 episodes | |
| Wednesday | Larissa Weems | Main role | |
| 2025–present | Severance | Lorne | Recurring role (season 2); 2 episodes |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Pravda | Cindy | Chichester Festival Theatre |
| Mirandolina | Ortensia | Royal Exchange, Manchester | |
| 2007 | Cymbeline | Queen | Barbican Theatre |
| 2009 | Giantbum | Sir Boss | London's Tate Britain |
| Skin Deep | Susannah Dangerfield | Leeds Grand Theatre | |
| Breakfast at Tiffany's | Mag Wildwood | Theatre Royal Haymarket, London | |
| 2010 | Dr. Faustus | Lucifer | Royal Exchange, Manchester |
| 2019 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Titania/Hippolyta | Bridge Theatre |
| Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens | Captain Phasma | [55] |
| 2017 | Star Wars Battlefront II | ||
| 2025 | Sid Meier's Civilization VII | Narrator | [56] |
| Year | Title | Role | Director(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | The Time Surgeon | The Tape | Nathaniel Mellors | Short film |
| 2010 | Ourhouse, Episode 1: 'Games' | Annalise "Babydoll" Wilson | Nathaniel Mellors | Short film; alsoassociate producer, and responsible forcasting,costumes,props, andmake-up |
| Ourhouse, Episode 4: 'Internal Problems' | Annalise "Babydoll" Wilson | Nathaniel Mellors | Short film; also associate producer, and responsible for casting, costumes, props, and make-up | |
| 2011 | Ourhouse, Episode 2: 'Class' | Annalise "Babydoll" Wilson | Nathaniel Mellors | Short film; also associate producer, and responsible for casting, costumes, props, and make-up |
| Ourhouse, Episode 3: 'The Cure of Folly' | Annalise "Babydoll" Wilson | Nathaniel Mellors | Short film; also associate producer, and responsible for casting | |
| 2016 | The Dress | The Woman | Barnaby Roper | Short film |
She also appeared in the music video for "Damaris" by Patrick Wolf in 2009.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | The Sleeper and the Spindle | The Queen | [57] |
| 2022 | The Callisto Protocol: Helix Station | Percy | Prequel to the video gameThe Callisto Protocol |
Gwendoline Christie: Oct. 28
Birth Place: Worthing, West Sussex, England
