Uma Thurman
Not only is Uma Thurman an incredibly talented and beautiful actress, she is also very active in charitable and political causes. Some of her best-known films include Mel Brook’s The Producers (2005) with Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Will Ferrell and Jon Lovitts; Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill I and Kill Bill II (2003-2004) with Lucy Liu, Vivica A Fox and Daryl Hannah, Pulp Fiction (1994) with Tim Roth, John Travolta, Samuel L Jackson, Bruce Willis and Eric Stoltz;, and Gattaca (1997) with Ethan Hawke, Gore Vidal and Blaire Underwood; and Batman & Robin (1997) with Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Clooney, Chris ODonnell and Alicia Silverstone.
Uma was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Robert Thurman and Nena von Schlebrugg. Her father was a professor at Columbia University and taught Indo-Tibetan Buddhist studies. A prominent member of the Buddhist community, Robert named each of his four children, including Uma, after Tibetan names. In Sanskrit, Uma, means “great middle way.” The children had a Buddhist upbringing and spent much time in . Occasionally, the Dalai Lama would even visit their home.
As a child Uma was a shy girl who was often teased in school because of her large feet and unusual name. Although she did not excel in sports or academics, Uma did get into acting at an early age. While she was performing in the play The Crucible, talent scouts noticed Uma and suggested that she pursue acting professionally. She decided to take them up on their offer. She moved to New York to attend the Professional Children’s School, though she dropped out before graduating.
At 15, Uma followed in both her mother’s and her grandmother’s footsteps and became a professional model. Her six-foot frame fit right in, in the world of high fashion. Thurman later stated that at the time she had body dysmorphic disorder, stating that she always felt that there was something wrong with her body. After a couple years of modeling, Thurman decided to concentrate her efforts on acting.
Uma landed her first role in 1988 in the comedy Johnny Be Good when she was 17. She performed in a total of four films that year, Dangerous Liaisons being her fourth role in which she co-starred with John Malkovich. This fourth performance was considered to be her breakthrough role that put her on the map.
After receiving much attention for her role in the film as well as a topless scene, the teenager fled the country. She moved to London for a year and only wore baggy clothing because she was so uncomfortable with her body. It was during that time that she met the British actor, Gary Oldman. When she got back there were roles waiting for her and many magazines interested in profiling the new starlet.
In 1990, Thurman married Gary Oldman after the two had been dating for a couple years. The marriage lasted two short years. The couple split reportedly due to their heavy acting schedules, which caused them to spend very little time together.
Then, in 1998 Thurman married fellow actor Ethan Hawke after becoming pregnant with her first child, Maya Ray. The couple met while co-starring in the film Gattica and was married when Uma was seven months pregnant. Their second child, Levon Roan, was born in 2002. In 2003, the couple separated and later divorced in 2004. There were several rumors regarding the cause of the divorce, some saying that Hawke had been unfaithful to Thurman. The couple maintains that the deterioration of the marriage had was a result of their busy workloads.
Thurman is also involved in charity and politics. She is a supporter of the Democratic Political Party and has made donations to the campaigns for both John Kerry and Hillary Clinton. She has also attended the Convention of Noble Laureates in 2006. Also in attendance at the convention was The Dalai Lama. |
