Romola Garai Biography

Fast Facts

• Earned a British Supporting Actress of the Year award from the London Film Critics Circle for her performances as Siobhan in the independent film "Inside I'm Dancing" in 2005
• Nominated for the Prix Lumiere Award in France as Best Female Newcomer in 2007
• As a child, attended an independent boarding school in Wiltshire, England, and later enrolled in the City of London School for Girls, appearing in many school productions and worked with the National Youth Theatre
• Finished her degree in English Literature from the Queen Mary, University of London in 2008
• While working with the National Youth Theatre in high school, an agent signed her on to play the younger version of Judi Dench's character in the TV movie "The Last of the Blonde Bombshells․"
• Was raised in Hong Kong and Singapore until she was 10
• Quote: "I'm very much into self-improvement - particularly with cinema․ I've just started watching Hitchcock films and I recently saw Michael Moore's 'Bowling For Columbine,' which was a revelation for me․ I do my best to extend my knowledge․"
• Quote: "It's too simplistic to say that people start to believe what's written about them․ But what happens is that you become a certain way to please people, to be liked․․․ And I think that's a terrible, pernicious thing․"
• Quote: "In a way, I'd rather go into an interview and be disliked, and have unpleasant things written about me, than to have a wonderful, glowing article that is in no way a reflection of who I am․"
• Over the course of her career, has appeared in multiple BBC dramas, including "The Last of the Blonde Bombshells," "Emma," "The Crimson Petal and the White" and "The Hour․"
• Appeared in two Royal Shakespeare Company productions, including "King Lear" and "The Seagull․"