Justine Waddell
Encyclopedia
Justine Waddell is a South African born, British actress. Her roles include playing Estella in the 1999 BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations
and her dual role in 2006 feature film The Fall
. She has also appeared in various theatrical productions of works by Anton Chekhov
such as the 1997 London stage production of Ivanov and the 2000 Royal Shakespeare
production of The Seagull
.
, South Africa
. Her mother, Kathy (née
Gallagher), is a South African-born fashion designer who also operated a small shop in Soweto
. Her father, Gordon H. Waddell, is a Scottish
-born progressive Member of Parliament
, director of Anglo American PLC, and a former captain of the Scottish rugby
team. Waddell moved with her family to Scotland
when she was eleven. Some four years later they moved to London
.
She is the only member of her family to take up a career in acting. She read Social and Political Science at Emmanuel College, Cambridge
who allowed her to take time off from her studies to pursue her career. She also appeared in student drama productions at the college.
and Bill Paterson in the Almeida Theatre's
London production of Ivanov (1997), Countess Nordston in Anna Karenina
(1997), Tess in Tess of the d'Urbervilles
(1998), Julia Bertram in Mansfield Park
(1999), Nina in a 1999 Royal Shakespeare Company
production of The Seagull
by Anton Chekhov
, for which she was nominated for an Ian Charleson award
, Estella in Great Expectations
(1999), and Molly Gibson in the television mini series Wives and Daughters
(1999) for which she won a Broadcasting Press Guild
Best Actress award. She played Mary Heller in American film, Dracula 2000' (2000). She won a Prism Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Natalie Wood
in The Mystery of Natalie Wood, a made for television film directed by Peter Bogdanovich
in 2004. In 2002 she starred in British film, The One and Only. In 2006 she starred alongside Jason Statham
and Ryan Phillipe
in the film Chaos
. In 2006 she also starred alongside Lee Pace
in a dual role in Tarsem Singh’s
film, The Fall
.
In 2011, she had a starring role in Russian film, Мишень (Target) a Russian science fiction film directed by Alexander Zeldovich and written by Vladimir Sorokin
, for which she learnt the Russian language from scratch. The film had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival
and then a gala premiere at the Moscow International Film Festival
.
Great Expectations (1999 film)
Great Expectations is BBC's 1999 BAFTA award-winning television film adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel of the same name and was aired on Masterpiece Theatre.- Plot :...
and her dual role in 2006 feature film The Fall
The Fall (2006 film)
The Fall is a 2006 adventure fantasy film directed by Tarsem Singh, starring Lee Pace, Catinca Untaru, and Justine Waddell. It is based on the screenplay of the 1981 Bulgarian film Yo Ho Ho by Valeri Petrov. The film earned $3.2 million worldwide. The film was released to theaters in 2008...
. She has also appeared in various theatrical productions of works by Anton Chekhov
Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
such as the 1997 London stage production of Ivanov and the 2000 Royal Shakespeare
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
production of The Seagull
The Seagull
The Seagull is the first of what are generally considered to be the four major plays by the Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov. The Seagull was written in 1895 and first produced in 1896...
.
Early life
Waddell was born in JohannesburgJohannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Her mother, Kathy (née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Gallagher), is a South African-born fashion designer who also operated a small shop in Soweto
Soweto
Soweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
. Her father, Gordon H. Waddell, is a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
-born progressive Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, director of Anglo American PLC, and a former captain of the Scottish rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team. Waddell moved with her family to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
when she was eleven. Some four years later they moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
She is the only member of her family to take up a career in acting. She read Social and Political Science at Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...
who allowed her to take time off from her studies to pursue her career. She also appeared in student drama productions at the college.
Career
Waddell has divided her work between film, theatre and TV productions. Amongst her roles to date have been her performance as Sasha opposite Ralph FiennesRalph Fiennes
Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is an English actor and film director. He has appeared in such films as The English Patient, In Bruges, The Constant Gardener, Strange Days, The Duchess and Schindler's List....
and Bill Paterson in the Almeida Theatre's
Almeida Theatre
The Almeida Theatre, opened in 1980, is a 325 seat studio theatre with an international reputation which takes its name from the street in which it is located, off Upper Street, in the London Borough of Islington. The theatre produces a diverse range of drama and holds an annual summer festival of...
London production of Ivanov (1997), Countess Nordston in Anna Karenina
Anna Karenina (1997 film)
Anna Karenina is a 1997 film by director Bernard Rose, and starring Sophie Marceau and Sean Bean. The film is an adaptation of the eponymous novel by Leo Tolstoy. It was the first international version to be filmed entirely in Russia, at locations in St...
(1997), Tess in Tess of the d'Urbervilles
Tess of the d'Urbervilles
Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented, also known as Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman, Tess of the d'Urbervilles or just Tess, is a novel by Thomas Hardy, first published in 1891. It initially appeared in a censored and serialised version, published by the British...
(1998), Julia Bertram in Mansfield Park
Mansfield Park (film)
Mansfield Park is a 1999 British romantic comedy-drama film loosely based on Jane Austen's novel of the same name, written and directed by Patricia Rozema. The film differs sharply from the original novel in many respects. For example, the life of Jane Austen is incorporated into the film and the...
(1999), Nina in a 1999 Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
production of The Seagull
The Seagull
The Seagull is the first of what are generally considered to be the four major plays by the Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov. The Seagull was written in 1895 and first produced in 1896...
by Anton Chekhov
Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
, for which she was nominated for an Ian Charleson award
Ian Charleson Awards
The Ian Charleson Awards is a British theatrical award to reward the best classical stage performances in Britain by actors aged under 30. It is named in memory of the late actor Ian Charleson and is run by the Sunday Times newspaper and the National Theatre...
, Estella in Great Expectations
Great Expectations (1999 film)
Great Expectations is BBC's 1999 BAFTA award-winning television film adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel of the same name and was aired on Masterpiece Theatre.- Plot :...
(1999), and Molly Gibson in the television mini series Wives and Daughters
Wives and Daughters (1999 miniseries)
Wives and Daughters is a 1999 four part BBC serial adapted from the novel Wives and Daughters: An Everyday Story by Victorian author Elizabeth Gaskell...
(1999) for which she won a Broadcasting Press Guild
Broadcasting Press Guild
The Broadcasting Press Guild is a British association of journalists who specialise in writing and broadcasting about television, radio and the media generally....
Best Actress award. She played Mary Heller in American film, Dracula 2000' (2000). She won a Prism Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood, born Natalia Nikolaevna Zacharenko was an American film and television actress. After first working in films as a child, Wood became a successful Hollywood star as a young adult, receiving three Academy Award nominations before she was 25 years old.Wood began acting in movies at the...
in The Mystery of Natalie Wood, a made for television film directed by Peter Bogdanovich
Peter Bogdanovich
Peter Bogdanovich is an American film historian, director, writer, actor, producer, and critic. He was part of the wave of "New Hollywood" directors, which included William Friedkin, Brian De Palma, George Lucas, Martin Scorsese, Michael Cimino, and Francis Ford Coppola...
in 2004. In 2002 she starred in British film, The One and Only. In 2006 she starred alongside Jason Statham
Jason Statham
Jason Statham born 12 September1967) is an English actor and former diver, known for his roles in the Guy Ritchie crime films Revolver, Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels...
and Ryan Phillipe
Ryan Phillippe
Matthew Ryan Phillippe , better known as Ryan Phillippe, is an American actor. After appearing on the soap opera One Life to Live, he came to fame in the late 1990s starring in a string of films, including I Know What You Did Last Summer, Cruel Intentions, and 54...
in the film Chaos
Chaos (2006 film)
Chaos is a 2006 crime film directed by Tony Giglio starring Jason Statham, Ryan Phillippe, and Wesley Snipes.-Plot:During a hostage incident on a bridge, Detective York accidentally shoots and kills the hostage, and Detective Conners , his partner, shoots the criminal...
. In 2006 she also starred alongside Lee Pace
Lee Pace
Lee Grinner Pace is an American actor. Pace has been featured in film, stage and television. He is known best for his starring role as Ned in the ABC series Pushing Daisies for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe award and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2008.-...
in a dual role in Tarsem Singh’s
Tarsem Singh
Tarsem Dhandwar Singh , known professionally as Tarsem, is an Indian director who has worked on films, music videos, and commercials.- Life and career :...
film, The Fall
The Fall (2006 film)
The Fall is a 2006 adventure fantasy film directed by Tarsem Singh, starring Lee Pace, Catinca Untaru, and Justine Waddell. It is based on the screenplay of the 1981 Bulgarian film Yo Ho Ho by Valeri Petrov. The film earned $3.2 million worldwide. The film was released to theaters in 2008...
.
In 2011, she had a starring role in Russian film, Мишень (Target) a Russian science fiction film directed by Alexander Zeldovich and written by Vladimir Sorokin
Vladimir Sorokin
Vladimir Georgievich Sorokin is a contemporary postmodern Russian writer and dramatist, one of the most popular in modern Russian literature.-Biography:...
, for which she learnt the Russian language from scratch. The film had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
and then a gala premiere at the Moscow International Film Festival
Moscow International Film Festival
Moscow International Film Festival , is the film festival first held in Moscow in 1959. From its inception to 1995 it was held every second year in July, alternating with the Karlovy Vary festival. The festival has been held annually since 1995....
.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Anna Karenina Anna Karenina (1997 film) Anna Karenina is a 1997 film by director Bernard Rose, and starring Sophie Marceau and Sean Bean. The film is an adaptation of the eponymous novel by Leo Tolstoy. It was the first international version to be filmed entirely in Russia, at locations in St... |
Countess Nordston | |
| 1999 | Mansfield Park Mansfield Park (film) Mansfield Park is a 1999 British romantic comedy-drama film loosely based on Jane Austen's novel of the same name, written and directed by Patricia Rozema. The film differs sharply from the original novel in many respects. For example, the life of Jane Austen is incorporated into the film and the... |
Julia Bertram | |
| 2000 | Dracula 2000 Dracula 2000 Dracula 2000, also known internationally as Dracula 2001, is a 2000 horror film written and directed by Patrick Lussier. The film stars Gerard Butler, Christopher Plummer, Jonny Lee Miller, Justine Waddell, Omar Epps, Colleen Fitzpatrick, Jeri Ryan, and Jennifer Esposito.Dracula 2000, the... |
Mary Heller | |
| 2002 | The One and Only | Stevie | |
| 2006 | Chaos Chaos (2006 film) Chaos is a 2006 crime film directed by Tony Giglio starring Jason Statham, Ryan Phillippe, and Wesley Snipes.-Plot:During a hostage incident on a bridge, Detective York accidentally shoots and kills the hostage, and Detective Conners , his partner, shoots the criminal... |
Detective Teddy Galloway | |
| 2006 | The Fall | Nurse Evelyn | |
| 2007 | Thr3e Thr3e Thr3e is a 2003 suspense novel written by author Ted Dekker.-Plot:Kevin Parson, a 28 year old seminary student, has his life turned upside-down when a killer named Richard Slater decides to stalk him. If he can "confess his sin", Slater will stop killing... |
Jennifer Peters | |
| 2011 | Killing Bono Killing Bono Killing Bono is a 2011 comedy film directed by Nick Hamm, based on Neil McCormick's 2003 memoir Killing Bono: I Was Bono's Doppelgänger.... |
Danielle | |
| 2011 | Target (Mishen) | Zoe (Zoya) |
| Year | Show | Role | | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | The Woman in White The Woman in White (1997 TV series) The Woman in White is a BBC television adaptation of the 1859 novel of the same name by Wilkie Collins. Unlike the epistolary style of the novel, the 2-hour dramatisation uses Marian as the main character. She bookends the film with her narration.... |
Laura Fairlie | |
| 1997 | The Moth | Millie Thorman | |
| 1998 | Tess of the D'Urbervilles | Tess Durbeyfield | |
| 1999 | Great Expectations Great Expectations (1999 film) Great Expectations is BBC's 1999 BAFTA award-winning television film adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel of the same name and was aired on Masterpiece Theatre.- Plot :... |
Estella | |
| 1999 | Wives and Daughters Wives and Daughters (1999 miniseries) Wives and Daughters is a 1999 four part BBC serial adapted from the novel Wives and Daughters: An Everyday Story by Victorian author Elizabeth Gaskell... |
Molly Gibson | Winner, Broadcasting Press Guild Award Broadcasting Press Guild The Broadcasting Press Guild is a British association of journalists who specialise in writing and broadcasting about television, radio and the media generally.... for Best Actress |
| 2004 | The Mystery of Natalie Wood | Natalie Wood | Winner, Prism Award for Best Performance in a TV Movie or Miniseries |