The Hon. Elizabeth Lucy Adeline Gower-Alton, CBE (born 11 February 1982), known professionally as Elizabeth Alton, is an English actress and film producer. Her first screen credit was in 2000 for the television miniseries In The Beginning and she came to attention when she was cast at age 21 in the ensemble romantic comedy Love Actually (2003). She was awarded the BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2007 after her portrayal of Bond girl Vesper Lynd in the James Bond film Casino Royale (2006); and also received several British Independent Film Award nominations for her performances in Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005), Dylan Thomas biopic The Edge Of Love (2008), and the coming-of-age drama An Education (2009).
Other film appearances include Jane Bennet in Pride & Prejudice (2005), Frost/Nixon (2008), Bridesmaids (2011), and the eponymous protagonist in Miss Julie (2014). In 2014, her performance in the psychological thriller film Gone Girl was met with critical acclaim and she was awarded the Saturn Award for Best Actress and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama.
On television, Alton played the role of Morgan Pendragon in Camelot (2011), and has appeared on the BBC's TV adaptation Sherlock and the Netflix drama House of Cards. Alton is a five-time Olivier Award nominee, and two-time winner, as well as a Tony nominee for her Broadway debut in 2015.
Alton is the founder and president of the production company Full And By Films. She was appointed a CBE by Queen Elizabeth II in December 2016 for her services to drama and to charity.
Alton is a close friend of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. She is godmother to Prince Louis of Cambridge.
EARLY LIFE & EDUCATION
Alton was born at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital in Hammersmith, London, and was raised in Chiswick. She was christened into the Church of England at All Saints' Church in Denstone, Staffordshire, on 2 July 1982. She is the only daughter of Latin teacher Dr. Beatrix (née Thompson) and Admiral Sir Edward Gower-Alton. Alton's mother is currently a professor and head of the classics department at King's College London. Alton's father is the 10th Baron Alton, and served in the Royal Navy for more than forty years before his retirement in 2003. She has an older half-brother, Oliver (b. 1968), from her father's first marriage (from which he had been widowed).
The family travelled around Europe during her childhood, following wherever her father's job with the Royal Navy took them so long as her mother's doctoral and postdoctoral schedule would allow. The family spent considerable time in Belgium during her father's posts with NATO, allowing Alton to immerse in French and German. Alton was later a boarder at the prestigious Marlborough College in Wiltshire, where she was a classmate of Kate Middleton. She was a member of the National Youth Theatre in her teens, which inspired her to pursue a professional career.
After being turned down by every stage school she applied to, she gained a place to read Classics at Wadham College, Oxford, from which she graduated. She took time off from her studies to pursue her acting career, garnering stage experience in Hitchcock Blonde and Shakespeare's Hamlet, and several small film and television roles; she achieved an Upper Second class degree in 2005.
CAREER
Alton's early career included little-seen thriller The Hole (2001) and the miniseries adaptation of Doctor Zhivago as Lara, alongside Scottish actor Hans Matheson in the title role, which first aired in 2002 to good reviews and high ratings. Her first major feature film was Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) as the handmaiden Dormé. She also had a role in the British romantic comedy Love Actually, which opened in November 2003, followed by period dramas Troy, opposite Brad Pitt, and Vanity Fair, with Reese Witherspoon (who would later produce Gone Girl), in 2004.
Around the time of her graduation from Oxford, Alton appeared as Jane, the eldest Bennet sister, in Joe Wright's acclaimed adaptation of Pride & Prejudice (2005), as well as opposite Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins in Stephen Frears' Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005). Both roles were well-received, and she was nominated for several awards. She was cast at the last minute for the role of Vesper Lynd in the James Bond film Casino Royale (2006). Alton was approached in mid-2005 but turned it down; she eventually changed her mind when principal photography was underway and the director approached her again with a completed script. Alton's performance was well received: Entertainment Weekly called her the fourth-best Bond girl of all time; IGN named her the best femme fatale, stating, "This is the girl that broke – and therefore made – James Bond"; and she won a BAFTA award for her performance, voted for by the British public.
Alton's stage credits include Hitchcock Blonde by Terry Johnson (in a role requiring her to appear completely nude on stage with only a pair of high heels) and Gaslight at London's Old Vic Theatre. She was nominated for her first Olivier Award for playing Desdemona in the Donmar Warehouse's sold-out run of Othello in 2007. She was later nominated again, and won, for her role as Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire opposite Rachel Weisz, and for the title role in Anna Christie.
In 2007 and 2008, Alton had several supporting roles ranging from Woody Allen's Cassandra's Dream to British historical dramas The Duchess and The Edge of Love. She was a part of the acclaimed film Frost/Nixon (2008), as the girlfriend of Michael Sheen's David Frost.
Starting in 2009 with a lauded supporting role in Lone Scherfig's coming-of-age drama An Education, Alton made a turn toward comedy. She appeared in the 2010 buddy comedy Get Him To The Greek with Russell Brand and Jonah Hill. Alton also starred in the Kristen Wiig comedy Bridesmaids (2011). She received overwhelmingly positive reviews for her portrayal of Helen, Kristen Wiig's rival. She later re-teamed with Joe Wright to play a supporting role in his adaptation of Anna Karenina (2012).
Alton's television credits during this time include the successful Channel 4 adaptation of William Boyd's novel Any Human Heart (2010), and the first and only season of Starz's Camelot (2011) as the sorceress Morgan Le Fay. She played Irene Adler in "A Scandal in Belgravia", the first episode of the second series of Sherlock.
After supporting roles in the critically acclaimed The World's End (2013) and Saving Mr. Banks (2013), Alton was seen in the David Fincher-directed thriller Gone Girl (2014), a film adaptation of Gillian Flynn's novel of the same name. Featuring opposite Henry Dessner, Alton was cast as Amy Dunne, a woman who goes missing on her fifth wedding anniversary. According to Fincher, Alton was his first choice for the role because he wanted someone who was not widely known, and because he found her enigmatic and couldn't easily read her. The film emerged as a box office hit, earning over $356 million in global ticket sales. The movie and Alton's performance both earned widespread acclaim from critics. She received numerous awards and nominations, including for the Academy Award for Best Actress, the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role. In the same year, she starred in the title role in Miss Julie from director Liv Ullman; it was not widely released or widely seen, despite limited praise for Alton's performance.
Amidst the success of Gone Girl, Alton made her Broadway debut in Nick Payne's Constellations opposite Jake Gyllenhaal. The play was well-received and Alton was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Play. She had small roles (filmed prior to Gone Girl) in both Kenneth Branagh's Cinderella (2015) and Ron Howard's In The Heart Of The Sea (2015). That spring, she was selected to sit on the main competition jury at the Cannes Film Festival. Also that year, Alton played a villainous countess who plots with her brother (played by Tom Hiddleston) to terrorize his new bride (played by Minna Marks) in Guillermo del Toro's gothic romance Crimson Peak. She prepared extensively for the role, learning to play piano in four months and citing the films Rebecca, Misery, and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? as inspiration. The film met mixed to negative reviews, though most singled Alton out as a bright (if possibly miscast) spot.
In 2016, Alton played Hannah Conway, wife of New York Governor and Republican presidential nominee Will Conway (Joel Kinnaman) in the fourth and fifth season of the Netflix show House of Cards. In February of that year, she launched her production company, called Full And By Films. She earned generally positive reviews for her role as Ruth Williams Khama in Amma Asante's historical romance A United Kingdom opposite David Oyelowo, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and BFI London Film Festival and was released in the United States in early 2017. From December 2016 to February 2017, Alton starred in the title role of Hedda Gabler in a new version by Patrick Marber at the Royal National Theatre. The play, and Alton's performance in particular, received critical acclaim.
Alton began 2017 with the announcement that she and the rest of the cast of Love Actually would reunite for a short film sequel in support of Comic Relief's Red Nose Day. Red Nose Day Actually was first broadcast on the BBC on March 24, 2017, and in the United States on May 25. Alton co-starred with Jason Clarke in HHhH (in some markets titled The Man With The Iron Heart), a biographical war drama by French director Cédric Jimenez. In the film, Alton plays Lina, the aristocratic wife of Nazi commander Reinhard Heydrich (Clarke). She later co-starred in Tomas Alfredson's crime thriller The Snowman, opposite Michael Fassbender and Charlotte Gainsbourg.
In November 2017, Alton began starring with Bryan Cranston in the stage adaptation of Network, again at the National Theatre directed by Ivo Van Hove. Alton won rave reviews for her interpretation of the ruthless television executive Faye Dunaway portrayed on screen.
In 2018, Alton starred in the science fiction horror film Annihilation, as a biologist and former soldier. Benjamin Lee of The Guardian called Alton "a strong, fiercely compelling presence, investing us in both her mission and her interlinked marriage (flashbacks to her relationship with Isaac are surprisingly sweet, witty and sexy), providing an emotional center without the need for sentimentality." She also portrayed German hijacker Brigitte Kuhlmann in Jose Padilha's historical 7 Days In Entebbe with Daniel Brühl. Later in 2018, Alton starred opposite Rachel Weisz in Sebastián Lelio's romantic drama Disobedience, based on Naomi Alderman's novel. The film received positive reviews, which praised Alton's performance.
As of May 2018, Alton has seven film projects in varyings stages of production. She will join the X-Men film series in the installment subtitled Dark Phoenix, in which she plays an alien shapeshifter. She will produce and star as the titular superhero in Painkiller Jane, and as legendary film star Ingrid Bergman in a film she will also produce called Seducing Ingrid Bergman about the actress's affair with photographer Robert Capa. Alton has been tapped to star as war reporter Marie Colvin in biographical film A Private War directed by Matthew Heineman. At the 2018 Cannes Film Festival it was announced that she will feature and serve as a producer in the ensemble spy thriller 355.
PROMOTIONAL WORK
In addition to her acting career, Alton has done promotional work for luxury watch brand IWC Schaffhausen, and Yves Saint Laurent's Opium perfume in a campaign shot by Patrick Demarchelier.
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CAUSES
Alton is a celebrity ambassador for The Prince's Trust. She also serves as a celebrity ambassador for the Invictus Games Foundation, starting with support of the 2016 Invictus Games in Orlando, Florida. She has been a patron of the National Youth Theatre, of which she was once a member, since 2016.
In May 2016, Alton was one of many celebrities who signed a letter imploring Britain to vote "remain" in the forthcoming UK EU Referendum. In January 2017, she published an editorial in Huffington Post UK speaking out against Prime Minister Theresa May's invitation to newly-inaugurated President Donald Trump for an official state visit.
Alton is a vocal supporter of the Time's Up movement, and in the wake of the Weinstein effect stated, "[W]hat I have come to is that I need to do better. We all do... I am sick to think that I just took [sexual harassment], and thought that being above it was the same as fighting it, that knowing it was wrong was as good as calling it out, or that calling it out was tantamount to changing it."
PERSONAL LIFE
Alton has one brother, Oliver, a private solicitor, who is married to photographer Anne Linley, with whom he has three children; Edmund, Patience, and Richard. Alton brought her entire family, including niece and nephews, to the Academy Awards when she was nominated in 2015.
While at Marlborough College, Alton became friends with Catherine Middleton (now the Duchess of Cambridge); she attended her wedding to Prince William in 2011. She is one of six godparents to their younger son, Prince Louis of Cambridge. Alton is also reportedly friends with Prince Harry through her work with the Invictus Games, and attended his wedding to Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in May 2018.
HONOURS
In 2015, Alton was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). She is also a voting member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).
Alton was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2017 New Years Honours for services to drama and charity.
TITLES & STYLES
· 11 Feb. 1982 – 6 Jan. 1994: Miss Elizabeth Gower-Alton
· 6 Jan. 1994 – present: The Honourable Elizabeth Gower-Alton
In February 2006, Elizabeth joined the cast of Casino Royale as their central Bond girl Vesper Lynd when the film was already in production. She had turned the project down in late 2005 out of a desire not to be seen as "tits and ass" because of the Bond girl moniker; she has since elaborated on this decision, noting that the script was incomplete at the time and that she, at 24 and fresh out of Oxford, was overly concerned about cultivating a particular image. When production began and nobody had yet been cast in the role, the director, Martin Campbell, approached her again with a completed script, and she enthusiastically accepted. Elizabeth has since noted her pride that Vesper is seen as ushering in a more modern era of Bond women, and that she was willing to admit her own mistake in not taking the role.
On 11 February 2007, her 25th birthday, Elizabeth was awarded the second ever Orange Rising Star Award at the 60th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs), voted on by the British public. She has since called it one of the biggest honors of her career.
On 29 April 2011, Elizabeth was in attendance at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London. She attended alongside her parents, and was also seen arriving at the private reception that evening at Buckingham Palace.
In September 2011, Elizabeth was tapped as the face of a campaign for Yves Saint Laurent's Opium fragrance, in a campaign shot by Patrick Demarchelier.
In October 2014, Elizabeth became a brand ambassador for luxury watch brand IWC Schaffhausen. She appeared in a video campaign for the brand, as well as showing support at several events and through exclusive interviews.
On 10 April 2015, Elizabeth was listed among the victims of the Wreckoning digital hack; it was later determined that the emails taken by hackers were from the account of her publicist, Celine Ross, and were released on 21 April. In them, Elizabeth had written several inflammatory statements, many of them readable as misogynist and anti-feminist, as well as rude, belligerent, and entitled; many were related to supposed bad press about Gone Girl as well as her award nominations; and yet others (which were quickly and warmly embraced by Tumblr) made light of her costar's not-quite-but-still-pretty-full-frontal shower scene. Ross issued a statement on behalf of all of her clients whose information was leaked, and Elizabeth has only ever commented vaguely about the incident, though has seemed aware of the problematic tone of her words (if not apologetic).
Also in April 2015, Elizabeth was announced as a member of the main competition jury at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. She appeared at many events and premieres over the course of the festival in May of that year, and was highly lauded for her varied couture fashion choices.
On 26 June 2015, Elizabeth was listed among the new invitees to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
On 12 February 2016, the Invictus Games announced that Elizabeth would serve as a celebrity ambassador for that year's games in Orlando, Florida. She made several visits to members of Team GB during their training, as well as participating in a kickoff event at Buckingham Palace in April, and attending the games in May alongside Prince Harry.
On 23 February 2016, Elizabeth announced the establishment of her production company, Full And By Films. While generally lauded for the entirely female leadership team, the company has faced some criticism because of Elizabeth's past film roles (largely as a supporting player to men or in supposedly anti-feminist roles) and the content of her hacked emails, as well as her clear reticence to discuss issues of diversity in her industry at any prior juncture (i.e. when it wasn't directly benefiting her career). She has somewhat embraced speaking more publicly about issues in the entertainment industry since establishing her company, but almost always in a highly-controlled environment with the breathing room to speak her mind thoughtfully, clearly, and thoroughly.
In September 2016, Elizabeth was noted to have missed the Toronto International Film Festival press events and premiere of her film A United Kingdom; costar David Oyelowo acknowledged her absence by mentioning she fell ill at the last minute and could not attend. The following month, she did appear at the London Film Festival premiere of (and associated press junkets and appearances for) the same film.
On 30 December 2016, Elizabeth was appointed Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2017 New Years Honours for services to drama and charity. Her investiture was performed by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on 23 February 2017.
On 31 January 2017, Huffington Post UK posted an op-ed written by Elizabeth, in which she passionately spoke out against Prime Minister Theresa May's suggested state visit for President Donald Trump only a week after his inauguration.
On 9 March 2017, Elizabeth attended the Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial unveiling at the Victoria Embankment Gardens in London, accompanying her father, himself a veteran of the Gulf War, as well as her mother, brother, and sister-in-law. The ceremony was criticised by some relatives of those who died, because they were not invited, and for the presence of Tony Blair, who led Britain into the Iraq War. Elizabeth received many negative reactions online from opponents of the various wars represented, and her publicist has responded to all requests for comment by pointing out her father's war service and that her attendance was in deference to him and to the servicemembers who'd served with him and lost their lives.
In September 2017, Elizabeth was in attendance at Invictus Games Toronto, her second year as a celebrity ambassador for the games and the greater Invictus Games Foundation.
On 9 October 2017, Elizabeth was announced as one of the honorees in Elle's 2017 Women in Hollywood. The celebration in their honor took place on 17 October in Beverly Hills, where Elizabeth was introduced by her Bridesmaids director Paul Feig.
On 19 May 2018, Elizabeth was in attendance at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel, Windsor. She was accompanied by her brother, The Hon. Oliver Gower-Alton, and they were seen arriving with George and Amal Clooney, with whom they were seated in the quire of the chapel.
It was announced on 9 July 2018 that Elizabeth was one of six godparents to Prince Louis of Cambridge, along with Nicholas van Cutsem, Guy Pelly, Harry Aubrey-Fletcher, Lady Laura Meade, and Lucy Middleton. She attended his christening that same day at the Chapel Royal at St. James's Palace in London.
Elizabeth is largely considered one of the most promising actors of her generation, known to seek notable and diverse directors while establishing working relationships with others, and to display versatility even in roles which on paper seem similar. While she is not Method, she is known to conduct wide-ranging research to inform her performances. She has been praised by several noted directors, among them Fincher and Del Toro, for whom she's portrayed emotionally grueling roles, who noted a commitment that does not preclude being a great colleague. Although she is known as a dramatic actor, she held her own opposite world-class comedians in successful comedies, displaying impressive genre diversity all around. She is also a decorated stage actress, and has no vanity about taking time away from more esteemed film roles to take a part on stage or in television.
There has been some criticism of Elizabeth's résumé being stacked with "thankless wife roles" as second-billing to more famous men; she has never addressed this critique directly, but maintains that her goal with her career is to work with as many people with as many unique visions in as diverse stories as possible, regardless of the prestige of the part or project. Some have found this endearing – others, pretentious. But within her industry she is universally known as a true professional, almost a chameleon, and a desirable commodity... if not necessarily a home run.
There has been some criticism of Elizabeth's résumé being stacked with "thankless wife roles" as second-billing to more famous men; she has never addressed this critique directly, but maintains that her goal with her career is to work with as many people with as many unique visions in as diverse stories as possible, regardless of the prestige of the part or project. Some have found this endearing – others, pretentious. But within her industry she is universally known as a true professional, almost a chameleon, and a desirable commodity... if not necessarily a home run.
Elizabeth is known to be confident in interviews, so much so that unless you're an eagle-eyed long-time fan you won't exactly notice how easily she maneuvers the conversation the way she wants, away from personal topics she's deemed off-limits by nature of them not being relevant to the work – and for her, it's all about the work, that much is clear. Fan sites, Tumblr, etc. have latched on to her aristocratic background and seem to find it endearing; ask professional interviewers, and they'd probably say she's very friendly but too smart and savvy for her own good, and it's not exactly a compliment. Now in her 30s and solidly giving fewer fucks, she's also widely praised for her red carpet choices and sense of humor (when she shows it).
Edward (father, 75)
Admiral Sir Edward Alexander Charles Gower-Alton KCB OBE, 10th Baron Alton. Born 4 September 1942. Son of Lord Edmund Gower-Alton, 9th Baron Alton (1910-1994), and Lady Lucy (Ellsworth) Gower-Alton (1919-2001). Retired from the Royal Navy in 2003 after more than four decades of service, including operational service in the Gulf War and serving as Commander-in-Chief Fleet as well as NATO Commander-in-Chief Eastern Atlantic and NATO Commander Allied Naval Forces North West Europe. Appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1985 Birthday Honours, appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2003 New Years Honours. Previously married to The Hon. Victoria George, who passed away in 1978.
Beatrix (mother, 61)
Dr. Beatrix Marie Gower-Alton (née Thompson) CBE, Lady Alton. Born 1 August 1956. Head of Classics at King's College London, formerly a Latin teacher at the secondary level. Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2011 for services to education.
Oliver (half-brother, 50)
The Honourable Oliver Philip Arthur Gower-Alton. Born 10 January 1968. Only child of Edward and his first wife Victoria (1945-1978). Private solicitor, lives in Primrose Hill with his wife and three children. Educated at Harrow School, the London School of Economics and Oxford University. Partner in his own private client firm, Aperture Solicitors, in Holborn.
Anne (sister-in-law, 48)
The Honourable Anne Caroline Gower-Alton (née Linley). Born 7 November 1969. Professional photographer. Born and raised in Leicestershire. Educated at Loughborough High School and the University of St. Andrews. Married Oliver in 1993.
Edmund (nephew, 23)
Edmund Charles Linley Gower-Alton. Born 4 January 1995. Attended Harrow School. Studying engineering at Imperial College London.
Patience (niece, 21)
Patience Victoria Linley Gower-Alton. Born 30 July 1996. Attended the North London Collegiate School. Studying art history at the University of St. Andrews.
Richard (nephew, 20)
Richard Linley George Gower-Alton. Born 13 December 1997. Attended Harrow School. Studying history at King's College London.
Agent (UK) – Lindy King
Agent (US) – Jack Whigham
Publicist – Celine Ross
Stylist – Jessica Paster
Business Partner – Elise Siegel
Business Partner – Kelly Carmichael
Attorney – Oliver Gower-Alton
Trainer – Holly Lawson
5'4", slim athletic figure. Blue eyes and mid-tone blonde hair (which she has dyed darker for several lengths of time throughout her career).
Aquarius sun, Libra moon, Cancer rising. INTJ ("The Architect"), RHETI 1W2 ("The Reformer"; perfectionist, responsible, fixated on improvement).
Goes exclusively by Elizabeth or El in public and with friends; her family (and only her family) sometimes calls her Lizzie.
Represented by Lindy King of United Agents in the UK, and Jack Whigham of CAA in the United States.
Speaks conversational French, Italian, and German. Can read Latin fluently and Ancient Greek with moderate proficiency.
Maintains public Instagram and Twitter accounts (@ElizabethAlton for both), used primarily for business purposes with occasional vague personal posts.
Favorite film of all time is "The Sound of Music." Other favorites include "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" and "Rear Window." Favorite television shows of the moment include "The Americans," "Game of Thrones," and "Westworld." All-time favorite fictional character is Éowyn from "The Lord of the Rings."
Known to collaborate with directors multiple times on both film and stage, not infrequently in small supporting roles, including Ron Howard, Stephen Frears, Joe Wright, Rob Ashford and Ivo Van Hove.
Very keen sportswoman; danced ballet until the age of 12, played field hockey through secondary school, is an active runner (though many would call it "obsessive"), and took up boxing in 2013 as part of her preparation for Gone Girl (with professional MMA fighter and trainer Holly Lawson). Supports Aston Villa. Learned basic sailing skills from her father and ultimately earned her sailing license, which she maintains; still tries to go sailing whenever it is convenient.
Diagnosed with endometriosis in 2011 after years of significant menstrual (and generally chronic) pain; has not gone public with diagnosis (and does not intend to), and occasionally relies on narcotic analgesics while working so her pain does not disrupt filming or performing. In the past has used hormonal birth control to manage symptoms, but discontinued use for actor reasons. Had minor excision surgery in April 2016.
The Alton peerage was created in the 1780s, the first Baron having been raised to the peerage for service in Parliament (his ancestors previously having been made baronet). The family ancestral seat is in Greatgate, Staffordshire, but their family estate was small and sold before World War I. They are distantly related to the Earls of Shrewsbury and the Leveson-Gower Family (of the dukedom of Sutherland); while their name and title were originally associated with the village of Alton, there is no direct connection between the baronetcy and local theme park Alton Towers, which takes its name from Alton Mansion. The family motto is "In Altum" ("to heights" or "to the depths", depending). Elizabeth is extremely protective (some might say defensive...) of her family and their history. Will openly acknowledge her privilege but not be made to feel less for it, and is the first to call herself out-of-touch on some things.
Has been open about her strong maternal instinct toward her niece and nephews, even though they're fairly close in age, and has also not hidden her desire to start a family... although given her age and her (publicly undisclosed) existing gynecological issues she privately doubts that it is still an option naturally and has become more hesitant to talk about it.
Textbook workaholic. In recent years has notoriously stacked projects back-to-back-to-back with little to no time for leisure, and publicly laughs it off as "not being able to say 'no'" and luxuriating in an embarrassment of riches. Has taken some weekend holidays but none at length in several years.
Aquarius sun, Libra moon, Cancer rising. INTJ ("The Architect"), RHETI 1W2 ("The Reformer"; perfectionist, responsible, fixated on improvement).
Goes exclusively by Elizabeth or El in public and with friends; her family (and only her family) sometimes calls her Lizzie.
Represented by Lindy King of United Agents in the UK, and Jack Whigham of CAA in the United States.
Speaks conversational French, Italian, and German. Can read Latin fluently and Ancient Greek with moderate proficiency.
Maintains public Instagram and Twitter accounts (@ElizabethAlton for both), used primarily for business purposes with occasional vague personal posts.
Favorite film of all time is "The Sound of Music." Other favorites include "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" and "Rear Window." Favorite television shows of the moment include "The Americans," "Game of Thrones," and "Westworld." All-time favorite fictional character is Éowyn from "The Lord of the Rings."
Known to collaborate with directors multiple times on both film and stage, not infrequently in small supporting roles, including Ron Howard, Stephen Frears, Joe Wright, Rob Ashford and Ivo Van Hove.
Very keen sportswoman; danced ballet until the age of 12, played field hockey through secondary school, is an active runner (though many would call it "obsessive"), and took up boxing in 2013 as part of her preparation for Gone Girl (with professional MMA fighter and trainer Holly Lawson). Supports Aston Villa. Learned basic sailing skills from her father and ultimately earned her sailing license, which she maintains; still tries to go sailing whenever it is convenient.
Diagnosed with endometriosis in 2011 after years of significant menstrual (and generally chronic) pain; has not gone public with diagnosis (and does not intend to), and occasionally relies on narcotic analgesics while working so her pain does not disrupt filming or performing. In the past has used hormonal birth control to manage symptoms, but discontinued use for actor reasons. Had minor excision surgery in April 2016.
The Alton peerage was created in the 1780s, the first Baron having been raised to the peerage for service in Parliament (his ancestors previously having been made baronet). The family ancestral seat is in Greatgate, Staffordshire, but their family estate was small and sold before World War I. They are distantly related to the Earls of Shrewsbury and the Leveson-Gower Family (of the dukedom of Sutherland); while their name and title were originally associated with the village of Alton, there is no direct connection between the baronetcy and local theme park Alton Towers, which takes its name from Alton Mansion. The family motto is "In Altum" ("to heights" or "to the depths", depending). Elizabeth is extremely protective (some might say defensive...) of her family and their history. Will openly acknowledge her privilege but not be made to feel less for it, and is the first to call herself out-of-touch on some things.
Has been open about her strong maternal instinct toward her niece and nephews, even though they're fairly close in age, and has also not hidden her desire to start a family... although given her age and her (publicly undisclosed) existing gynecological issues she privately doubts that it is still an option naturally and has become more hesitant to talk about it.
Textbook workaholic. In recent years has notoriously stacked projects back-to-back-to-back with little to no time for leisure, and publicly laughs it off as "not being able to say 'no'" and luxuriating in an embarrassment of riches. Has taken some weekend holidays but none at length in several years.