Julia Ormond is a British actress and social activist born on January 4, 1965, in Surrey, England, to a well-to-do family. She was the second of five children, and her parents divorced when she was young. Julia's grandparents were artists, and she initially intended to follow in their footsteps, attending art school for a year before transferring to the Webber-Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, where she graduated in 1988.
Julia's early career in theatre included appearances in musicals at Guildford High School and Cranleigh, a private school. She made her professional debut in the play "Wuthering Heights" as Catherine, where she met and married her co-star, Rory Edwards. Julia's breakthrough role came in 1989 with the London Drama Critic's Award for her performance in "Faith, Hope and Charity" as "best newcomer."
Julia's early television appearances included a debut role as a young drug addict in the series "Traffik" (1989) and a starring role as Catherine the Great in the TV-movie "Young Catherine" (1991). She then portrayed Nadya in the TV movie "Stalin" (1992) alongside Robert Duvall.
Julia's transition to feature films began with "The Baby of Mâcon" (1993),a drama about a woman giving birth. She went on to star in a string of successful films, including "Nostradamus" (1994),"Captives" (1994),and "Legends of the Fall" (1994).
Julia's marriage to Rory Edwards ended around the time of her career rise, and she went on to star in a number of independent and foreign features. These films included "Smilla's Sense of Snow" (1997),"The Barber of Siberia" (1998),and "The Prime Gig" (2000).
On stage, Julia appeared in David Hare's "My Zinc Bed," earning a 2001 Olivier Award nomination for "Best Actress." In the millennium, Julia found herself busy with a range of film projects, including "Resistance" (2003),"Inland Empire" (2006),"I Know Who Killed Me" (2007),and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (2008).
Julia has also had a successful television career, appearing in the mini-series "Beach Girls" (2005),and having recurring roles on "CSI: NY" (2004),"Nurse Jackie" (2009),"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (2001),"Mad Men" (2007),and "Gold Digger" (2019). She also starred in the series "Witches of East End" (2013) and co-starred in the short-lived series "Incorporated" (2016).
In her personal life, Julia married political activist Jon Rubin in 1999, with whom she had a daughter, Sophie, before their divorce. Julia has been involved in fighting human trafficking since the mid-1990s and was appointed United Nations Goodwill Ambassador in 2005, focusing on anti-human-trafficking initiatives and awareness.
