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Natalie Dormer (born 11 February 1982 in Reading, Berkshire, England, UK) is an English actress. She is best known for her roles in Casanova as Victoria and as the ill-fated Tudor queen, Anne Boleyn in the Showtime series The Tudors.

Background

Dormer attended Chiltern Edge Secondary School, before moving to Reading Blue Coat School, an independent boys' boarding school that admitted girls in the sixth form. She grew up with her stepfather, mother, sister Samantha and brother Mark.^[1] She suffered from bullying problems during her childhood,^[2] and it's something she "still can't place today."^[3]

During her school years she trained in dance at the Allenova School of Dancing.^[4] She describes herself as the 'academic hopeful' of the family and was due to read history at university, but instead decided to train at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London.^[1] She is also a member of the London Fencing Academy.^[5]

A self-proclaimed poker lover, Dormer took part in the 2008 PartyPoker.com Women's World Open in London, where she came second in the Celebrity Heat.^[6] Dormer has stated that Cate Blanchett has been an influence in her career as an actress.

Career

Dormer made her film debut as Victoria in Casanova with Heath Ledger. After this performance, she secured a three-film deal with Disney Touchstone which was never exercised.^[1]

In 2007 and 2008 she played Anne Boleyn in the first two seasons of The Tudors, for which she received positive reviews. Dormer's ancestor is Jane Dormer, a lady in waiting to Mary I, the real Boleyn's estranged stepdaughter.^{[citation needed]} Jane Dormer's memoirs contain some evidence on the real Boleyn's age, which is still a source of much academic dispute.

In 2008 she played Moira Nicholson in Miss Marple: Why Didn't They Ask Evans? and appears in a number of forthcoming films: Fence Walker, Flying Lessons and City of Life. Dormer's Marple appearance aired in the US in the summer of 2009 as part of PBS' Masterpiece Mystery anthology series.

In March 2010 she made her stage debut at the Young Vic theatre in London as Mizi in the play Sweet Nothings.

She will return as Anne Boleyn to the Tudors for the forth and final season in Mid 2010, this was confirmed when the first promotional picture of the season showed Anne on the cover.

Dormer's favourite film is La Reine Margot

Filmography

References

Further reading

• Armstrong, S (2007-09-30). "She won’t lose her head". TV & Radio (The Sunday Times). http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article2499952.ece. Retrieved 2007-10-03. 

External links

• Natalie Dormer at the Internet Movie Database
• Natalie Dormer at MySpace
• Natalie Dormer Today's Girl - Maxim.com
• Profile of Tudors actress Natalie Dormer
• Dormer interviewed in Sunday Times Culture magazine, Sept 2007
• Admiring Natalie Dormer Fansite
• Boho Boleyn girl: Actress Natalie Dormer interviewed for Daily Mail, 1 November 2008.
• Natalie Dormer