Julie Christie

Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#26).

Born at 10:00am-LMT.

Julies father ran a tea plantation in India, where she grew up.

Her romance with Terence Stamp has been said to have inspired The Kinks "Waterloo Sunset", hence the line "Terry met Julie" in the song. However in a 2004 interview, lead singer Ray Davies , who penned the song, denied this, saying: "No, Terry and Julie were real people. I couldnt write for stars." Stamp later turned down the role of Guy Montag in Fahrenheit 451 because of his complicated emotions over co-starring with Christie, backing out of the role on the pretext of Julie receiving top billing. Oskar Werner subsequently played Montag. A year later, Stamp had overcome his insecurities and agreed to co-star with Christie in Far from the Madding Crowd .

Former co-owner of Katira Productions, along with boyfriend Warren Beatty (named after Beattys parents Kathlyn and Ira.).

Joined 160 people to sign an advertisement which ran in The Times (London) urging the legalization of marijuana.

Is currently active in nuclear disarmament and animal rights.

Brother Clive Christie is a professor of SouthEast Asian studies at Hull University.

Close friends with actresses Shirley MacLaine , Goldie Hawn and Faye Dunaway.

Director David Lean nicknamed her sunflower for her beautiful personality and director John Schlesinger nicknamed her Trilby after the 19th century novel about a lovable bohemian.

Directors she works with often enjoy working with her so much that they use her several times, Robert Altman in McCabe & Mrs. Miller and Nashville ; John Schlesinger in Billy Liar , Darling , Far from the Madding Crowd and Separate Tables ; Nicolas Roeg directed her in Dont Look Now and was cinematographer on Far from the Madding Crowd , Fahrenheit 451 and Petulia and lover Warren Beatty used her in Shampoo and Heaven Can Wait .

Fluent in English, French, and Italian.

She lived with investigative journalist Duncan Campbell from 1979 before their wedding in 2008.

Her idol is Marlon Brando.

Was engaged to Don Bessant, a lithographer and art teacher, from 1963 to 1967. Bessant died aged 52 of cancer in 1993.

In 1967 Time magazine said of her, "What Julie Christie wears has more real impact on fashion than all the clothes of the ten Best-Dressed women combined.".

Julie discovered she wanted to become an actress when, at age nine, she snuck out of her Paris boarding school and spent the day with a complete stranger who was an aspiring actor.

Julie gave friend Sharon Tate a copy of Tom Hardy s novel "Tess of the dUrbervilles" with the inscription "For my Hardy heroine" (Julie had recently become a Tom Hardy heroine in Far from the Madding Crowd ). Sharon gave the novel to her husband Roman Polanski shortly before her death. When Polanski later made the film Tess he dedicated it "For Sharon".

Robert Altman said of her, "Shes my incandescent, melancholy, strong, gold-hearted, sphinx-like, stainless steel little soldier.".

The infamous dinner-party scene in Shampoo was completely improvised by Julie and Warren Beatty , much to the surprise of the rest of the cast and director Hal Ashby.

Turned down roles in Rosemarys Baby , Valley of the Dolls , American Gigolo , Chinatown , The Godfather and a re-make of the Greta Garbo classic Camille .

Was once fashion designer Christian Lacroix s muse, he designed the pink chiffon gown with matching slippers that she wore to the 1971 Academy Awards, and continued to outfit her throughout her career.

Ranked #29 in Mr.Skins Top 100 Celebrity Nude Scenes.

Ranked #34 in Celebrity Skins 50 Sexiest Starlets of All Time.

Ranked #5 in Hello Magazines 25 British Beauties.

Ranked #9 in FHM magazines 100 sexiest women of all time.

Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Greatest Movie Stars (#91).

In an April 29, 1966 Life Magazine cover story, Christie named Sidney Lumet as the only American among a list of directors shed like to work with. Twenty years later, she got her wish, appearing in the Lumet-directed Power .

Turned down the role of Louise Bryant in her former lover Warren Beatty s Reds as she thought the role should be played by an American. Beattys then-lover Diane Keaton won a Best Actress Academy Award nomination playing the role.

Originally signed for the role of the Senators wife in American Gigolo when Richard Gere was signed to the project, but quit when Gere was ditched in favor of John Travolta. Travolta later dropped out and Gere was hired for the film, but Christie was not offered the role that was eventually played by Lauren Hutton. Ironically, a rumor in the 1970s held that Christie and Hutton were lovers. Christie and Gere would eventually appear together in Sidney Lumet s Power .

Was Charlton Heston s first choice as co-star The War Lord , according to Hestons published diaries "Charlton Heston: The Actors Life; Journals 1956-1976". She was vetoed by the studio because her fee was too high, much to Hestons consternation, who believed she was about to become a major star. He was proved right at the end of 1965, the year that "The War Lord" was released.

Was considered as the first "Bond Girl" for Dr. No . She was not chosen because she was considered to be too flat-chested by the producers.

Was the producers first choice to play Presidential widow Liz Cassidy, a role modeled on Jacqueline Kennedy , in The Greek Tycoon . Despite being offered a $1 million fee, she turned it down, and the role was played by Jacqueline Bisset.

Lived with Warren Beatty from 1967 to 1974.

Turned down the leads in They Shoot Horses, Dont They? , Anne of the Thousand Days , Nicholas and Alexandra , and Reds , all roles that won the actresses who eventually played them Best Actress Academy Award nominations.

Accompanied her long-time lover Warren Beatty on a trip to Russia which inspired him to write his Oscar-winning epic Reds which ultimately took him 13 years to write. Beatty had always planned to have Christie play the role of Louise Bryant, but when Reds began filming several years after the couples breakup, Christie turned down the role and Beatty gave it to Diane Keaton. However, Beatty dedicated the film to Christie by hinting to her in his best director Oscar acceptance speech. "For Jules" can also be seen in the final credits of the film.

Favorite filmmaker is Rainer Werner Fassbinder.

Turned down the role of Lara in Doctor Zhivago at the time the most coveted role in Hollywood, several times before finally accepting.

Member of the jury at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1979.

Her mentor, director John Schlesinger , envisioned a cast of Al Pacino , Julie Christie and Laurence Olivier for Marathon Man . Pacino has said that the only actress he had ever wanted to work with was Christie, who he claimed was "the most poetic of actresses." Producer Robert Evans , who disparaged the vertically challenged Pacino as "The Midget" when Francis Ford Coppola wanted him for The Godfather and had thought of firing him during the early shooting of the now-classic film, vetoed Pacino for the lead, insisted on the casting of the even-shorter Dustin Hoffman instead! On her part, Christie -- who was notoriously finicky about accepting parts, even in prestigious, sure-fire material -- turned down the female lead, which was then taken by Marthe Keller (who, ironically, became Pacinos lover after co-starring with him in Bobby Deerfield . Of his dream cast, Schlesinger only got Olivier, who was nominated for a "Best Supporting Actor-Oscar. Pacino has yet to co-star with Christie.

Has played the mother of two Defense Against the Dark Arts professors from the "Harry Potter" series. In Hamlet , she plays the mother of Kenneth Branagh , who went on to play "Gilderoy Lockhart". In DragonHeart , she plays mother to David Thewlis , who plays "Remus Lupin". Christie herself also appears in the third film, with Thewlis.

Has worked with director-screenwriter and actress Sarah Polley three times: co-starring with Polley in No Such Thing and the Goya Award-winning The Secret Life of Words , and taking the lead in Polleys first feature film as a director, Away from Her . Polley is one of the many co-workers impressed by not only Christies talent, but her intelligence and independence. After appearing with her in No Such Thing , Polley -- who lost her mom when she was 11 years old -- said that Julie had become one of her surrogate mothers.

Future long-term lover Warren Beatty first espied Christie at the 1966 Royal Command Performance of the film Born Free in London, which he attended with his then-girlfriend, Leslie Caron. Caron and Beatty were situated near Chrstie in the reception line for Queen Elizabeth II , and Beatty first saw Christie in person when he turned to watch the Queen shake hands with her. Beatty inveigled his friend Richard Sylbert , who was production designer on Christies film Petulia , to tell her to call him. She did, he flew up to the San Francisco location of the Petulia shoot and, after a rocky start, they became lovers. She made her first public appearance with Beatty at a sneak preview of Bonnie and Clyde for the Hollywood elite. It took them several months to rid themselves of their then-current lovers before they came together in a committed relationship, although they usually maintained separate households for the length of their long romance. Most of those who knew them said they shared a passion for the truth. Beatty told his friends he had asked Christie to marry him, but she refused as she did not want children. Christie believed in monogamy, but Beatty felt that as long as they werent married, he could engage in multiple affairs as long as he remained loyal to her. Eventually, Christie tired of his womanizing and their relationship ended after seven years. His longest and most lasting relationship until he married Annette Bening , the mother of his four children, Beatty considered Christie his wife and told the press in 1971 that he would pay her alimony if they split up, if she wanted it. They did, but she didnt. When Beatty was awarded the Irving Thalberg Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in the year 2000, Christie was one of the friends and co-workers who appeared in a film tribute to her former lover.

Her performance as Diana Scott in Darling is ranked #75 on Premiere Magazines 100 Greatest Performances of All Time.

Inspired the song "Julie Christie" on the Better Than Chocolate soundtrack.

Turned down the role of Laura Fischer, Paul Newman s girlfriend, in The Verdict . Subsequently, Charlotte Rampling was cast in the role.

She reluctantly agreed to star in writer-director Sarah Polley s debut feature-film Away from Her after many months of persuasion. Christie, who had acted previously with Polley, liked her script, but -- like Polley -- is ambivalent about her acting career. She finally capitulated and her brilliant performance in the film, which debuted at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival and is due to be released in the United States in the Spring of 2007, has generated buzz predicting that the film likely will bring Christie her fourth Best Actress Oscar nomination.

Al Pacino s favorite actress.

Friends with actresses Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson.

Great admirer of Princess Diana of Wales and was extremely affected by her 1997 death.

Close friends with actress Goldie Hawn. The two women were introduced by Warren Beatty in the late 1960s. Beatty and Christie came to consider Goldie as family, and she co-starred with them in Shampoo . Hawn also introduced Christie to yoga, which she still practices today.

Became very close with director Robert Altman while filming McCabe & Mrs. Miller . (Ironically, her lover and co-star Warren Beatty did not get along with Altman, primarily due to his use of overlapping dialog.) She later appeared as herself in Altmans 1975 classic Nashville and received an Oscar nomination starring in the Altman-produced Afterglow , directed by Altman protg Alan Rudolph. The two remained very close until Altmans death in 2006.

One of her first roles was playing young Anne Frank in a London theatrical production of "The Diary of Anne Frank".

Producer Joseph Janni , who produced four of Christies earliest pictures ( Billy Liar , Darling , Far from the Madding Crowd , and In Search of Gregory ) and generally is credited, along with director John Schlesinger , in launching her career, created a complex tax shelter for Christie to insulate her earnings from the prohibitively high British tax rate during the 1960s. When the UK Inland Revenue finally investigated the tax shelter many years later, Inland Revenue officials declared it was one of the most complicated tax-avoidance scheme it had come across. Christie herself was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Said to have been the inspiration for the character "Julie Baker" in Franois Truffaut s La nuit amricaine .

She is a fan of actress Meryl Streep.

Variety Club of Great Britain film Actress Award for 1965 for her performance in Darling .

Variety Club of Great Britain Most Promising Newcomer Award 1963 joint winner with James Fox.

Married boyfriend of 28 years Duncan Campbell.

Release of the book, "Julie Christie: The Biography" by Tim Ewbank.

Release of the book, "Julie Christie" by Anthony Hayward.

Release of the book, "Julie Christie" by Michael Feeney Callan.

(August 2006) She now lives in Ojai, California with her long-time companion, the journalist Duncan Campbell of the Manchester Guardian.

(March 2008) Lives in East London with her husband, the journalist Duncan Campbell.

Favorite cigarette brand is Craven A.

On April 2, 1979 a 22-month-old boy drowned in a 2-ft. duck pond on Christies farm in Wales. The infants parents, Jonathan and Leslie Heale, were live-in caretakers of the property.

Had a secret half-sister name June, from her fathers affair with a teenage Indian peasant girl who worked on the tea estate he managed in Chabua, Assam.

At one time, was dating musician Brian Eno.

As of 2016 she is the 9th earliest living recipient of a Best Actress Oscar nomination, tied with Samantha Eggar and behind only Olivia de Havilland , Leslie Caron , Carroll Baker , Joanne Woodward , Shirley MacLaine , Doris Day , a tied Piper Laurie and Sophia Loren , and Julie Andrews. She was nominated (and won) for Darling .

Christie and Liza Minnelli are the only actresses to have won the Best Actress Oscar for portraying a character who undergoes an abortion.

Attended Brighton Technical College for a year.

Is one of 12 actresses to have won a Best Actress Oscar for playing a character who is pregnant at some point during the film, hers being for Darling . The others are Helen Hayes for The Sin of Madelon Claudet , Luise Rainer for The Good Earth , Vivien Leigh for Gone with the Wind , Ginger Rogers for Kitty Foyle , Olivia de Havilland for To Each His Own , Jane Wyman for Johnny Belinda , Anna Magnani for The Rose Tattoo , Liza Minnelli for Cabaret , Sissy Spacek for Coal Miners Daughter , and Frances McDormand for Fargo .

She is based in North Shore of New Zealand.

She was awarded the O.N.Z.M. (Officer of the Order of New Zealand Medal) for her services to Television in the 2007 Queens Birthday Honors List.

[on the prospect of her directing a film] Always a foot soldier, never a,general.

[on fame] All that concentrated adulation is terribly corroding.

It felt, to me, like a permanent cocktail party, without the drinks.

Time has been savage in its relentless eating up of the years. Have I,made the most of it? I have had an endless struggle not to be a coward,about things. I know what I feel, but hate being looked at, hate doing,anything in public, hate making speeches.

I am innumerate. I had great earning years, but it went through my,fingers. I no longer have a career to build. So I do a few things to,pay the bills. I cannot complain. I am comfortable, my God.

I cannot even talk about waste without being indignant. My introduction,to Hollywood was a society that used it, sniffed it and threw it away.

It is a complicated business, and we are very insecure, we actors. We,all feel - and fear - we are going to be found out at any moment.

Someone is going to point and say, "You are really not very good, are,you?".

Hollywood was basically a throwaway society, run by publicity,machines.

I found films to be turbulent and stressful. They have caused me an,enormous amount of anxiety, because I do not have a lot of confidence.

You are working, intellectually and mentally, and you are having to be,with people and socialise all the time. Actors like it, on the whole,but I was not born with that quality. I am very quiet and would much,prefer to talk to a few people rather than a crowd.

I could never really see the point of being high-profile when I loathed,it so much. Every now and then, you can go to something like an Oscars,ceremony, but nobody is holding a gun to your head. The rules were the,same 40 years ago as they are now. You can either choose your spotlight,- or you can stay at home.

[observation, 1966] Being on top right now is a fluke.

I know the sorts of things that appeal to me does not appeal the way,that Forrest Gump (1994) does. I really like ambiguity and I,really like all sorts of complexity.

Some of my opinions are quite radical.

[her motivation to get a facelift at 55] People who are older than you,appear to be younger. It is really undermining. You know they are older,than you, yet you look like their mother.

My family said that I wanted to act even when I was a child living on a tea plantation in the jungle in India.