Jennifer Ehle is the daughter of novelist John Ehle (The Journey of August King, Winter People) and actress Rosemary Harris (Tom and Viv, Hamlet, Looking for Richard). Born in North Carolina, Jennifer changed schools 18 times growing up in order to follow her mother's frequent moves as an actress. She attended London's Central School of Speech and Drama, but she dropped out in her final term when Sir Peter Hall offered her a leading role in Channel 4's production of The Camomile Lawn (with her mother playing her character aged).
Her first movie role was as Cynthia Powell (John Lennon's first wife) in 1993's Backbeat. She was in several Alan Bleasdale Presents television productions and won acclaim as the slain army wife Penny McAllister in Beyond Reason. The first time most American audiences were introduced to Jennifer was in January of 1996, when A&E showed the BBC/A&E production of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Her role as Elizabeth Bennet won her a 1996 BAFTA award as Best Actress. Jennifer also has done theater work. She was seen in Tartuffe in the West End and has performed as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company in such roles as Lady Anne in Richard III, Amanda in The Relapse, and Serafina in The Painter of Dishonour .
Jennifer had a role in the ensemble historical drama Paradise Road. Her costars included Glenn Close, Frances McDormand, Cate Blanchett, and Julianna Margulies. The movie is about women who were captured by the Japanese and put into concentration camps during World War II. To combat the brutality of their condition, the women decide to form a singing group. Jennifer was also in the next Alan Bleasdale Presents production, which was a movie based on Francis Durbridge's 1960 serial Melissa. It aired on Channel 4 starting on May 14th. Also released in 1997 and 1998 is Wilde, starring Stephen Fry, Jude Law, and Vanessa Redgrave. Jennifer plays the role of Constance, Oscar's wife. Since the movie is about Oscar Wilde's affair with Lord Alfred Douglas, she has a supporting role. Jennifer also had a role in Rose Troche's Bedrooms and Hallways. Her co-stars included Kevin McKidd, Hugo Weaving, and Simon Callow. She was also seen in Sunshine, which also starred Ralph Fiennes and her mother played Jennifer's character at an older age. She also has filmed Possession, which co-stars Gywneth Paltrow, Jeremy Northam, and Aaron Eckhart.
Currently, Jennifer on Broadway debut in the Noel Coward play, Design for Living. She has the lead role of Gilda, and she won the 2000 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her role as Annie in Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing.
Jennifer lives in the London area. Her birthday is on December 29th.
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