Uma Thurman Biography

(Best Known for Her Roles in the Films: 'Pulp Fiction' and 'Kill Bill: Volume 1 & 2')

Birthday: April 29, 1970 (Taurus)

Born In: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Uma Karuna Thurman is an American actor who rose to fame with her portrayal of ‘Mia Wallace’ in the dark comedy movie ‘Pulp Fiction.’ Her role in the movie made her one of Hollywood’s A-list stars. She is a dedicated actor who does not mind shedding her glamorous image. Her deglamorized role in the ‘Kill Bill’ movie series won her awards and appreciation. She was born into a family known for its unconventional ways of life and was given a Hindu name and a Buddhist upbringing. Growing up, the lanky girl was often made fun of because of her angular frame and large feet. Though she is now famous for her exotic beauty, there was a time when she was highly insecure about herself and her body. She found solace in acting and actively participated in dramatics in high school. Believing that she was meant to be an actor, she quit school at 15 to pursue an acting career. Initially, she had to earn her livelihood by doing dishes and modeling, before landing small roles in films. She got her big breakthrough in 1994 when she appeared in the movie ‘Pulp Fiction.’ She was then critically acclaimed for her role in the ‘Kill Bill’ film series.

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Quick Facts

Also Known As: Uma Karuna Thurman

Age: 53 Years, 53 Year Old Females

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: (m. 1998–2005) (1998–2004), Gary Oldman (m. 1990–1992)

father: Robert Thurman

mother: Nena von Schlebrügge

siblings: Dechen Thurman, Ganden Thurman, Mipam Thurman

children: Levon Roan Thurman-Hawke, Luna Thurman-Busson, Maya Thurman-Hawke

Partner: Arpad Busson (2007–2009; 2011–2014)

Born Country: United States

Models Actresses

Height: 5'11" (180 cm), 5'11" Females

Ancestry: Swedish American, German American

Notable Alumni: Amherst Public Schools, Northfield Mount Hermon School

City: Boston

U.S. State: Massachusetts

More Facts

education: Northfield Mount Hermon School, Amherst Public Schools

Childhood & Early Life

Uma Thurman was born on 29 April 1970, in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, to Robert Thurman, a professor and author, and Nena von Schlebrugge, a model. She is of mixed descent which explains her exotic looks.

She attended ‘Amherst Regional Middle School.’ As a child, she was an introvert and others made fun of her lanky frame and large feet.

She attended ‘Northfield Mount Hermon School,’ a preparatory school in Massachusetts. However, she dropped out when she was 15 to pursue an acting career.

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Career

She began modeling when she was just 15; she has appeared on the covers of ‘Glamour’ and ‘Vogue.’

She began receiving minor movie roles by the late-1980s. She appeared in the teen thriller ‘Kiss Daddy Goodnight’ in 1987. In 1988, she appeared nude in one of the scenes of the movie ‘The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.’

She played the character of ‘Cecile de Volanges’ in the 1988 historical drama ‘Dangerous Liaisons.’ The movie was critically acclaimed and got nominated for several ‘Academy Awards.’

In 1990, she played a sexually provocative role in the biographical drama ‘Henry & June’ which also starred Fred Ward and Maria de Medeiros. The movie was released with an ‘NC-17’ rating because of its sexual content and Thurman became an overnight sex symbol.

She was cast as the main character ‘Sissy’ in the 1993 movie ‘Even Cowgirls Get the Blues’ which was based on a novel of the same name by Tom Robbins. The movie was a critical and commercial failure.

She received her big break in 1994 when she was selected to play ‘Mia Wallace’ in the dark comedy film ‘Pulp Fiction.’ The movie was a huge commercial as well as a critical success, and Thurman was appreciated for her role.

Throughout the 1990s, she starred in several movies, such as ‘Beautiful Girls’ (1996), ‘The Avengers’ (1998), and ‘Sweet and Lowdown’ (1999). When her daughter Maya was born in 1998, she took a two-year break from taking up major film roles to focus on her family.

She played ‘The Bride’ in ‘Kill Bill: Volume 1’ (2003) in which she portrayed a woman seeking revenge on those who massacred the members of her wedding party. She earned several awards and nominations for her role.

She reprised her role as ‘The Bride’ in ‘Kill Bill: Volume 2’ in 2004. This movie too was a huge hit like its predecessor.

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In 2008, she appeared alongside Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Colin Firth, and Sam Shepard in the romantic comedy film ‘The Accidental Husband.’ The movie was a big box-office success.

Her other movies in the early-2010s include ‘Ceremony’ (2010) and ‘Movie 43’ (2013).

In 2015, Thurman appeared alongside Bradley Cooper in the drama film ‘Burnt’ which fared quite well at the box office. She then played the recurring role of ‘Anouk Latham’ in the ‘NBC’ miniseries ‘The Slap’ for which she received rave reviews.

In 2017, she made her Broadway debut with the production of ‘The Parisian Woman,’ written by Beau Willimon. The play ran for 141 performances and received mixed reviews. In the same year, she was also seen in the dark comedy series ‘Imposters.’

In 2018, she was seen in three movies, namely ‘The Con is On,’ ‘The House That Jack Built,’ and ‘Down a Dark Hall.’ The following year, she became part of the main cast in the ‘Netflix’ series ‘Chambers.’ The show was canceled after a season.

In 2020, she starred as ‘Sally Decker’ in the American family comedy film ‘The War with Grandpa’ directed by Tim Hill. The film was based on Robert Kimmel Smith’s novel of the same name and received mostly negative reviews from critics.

She was next seen in the 2022 American teen romantic drama film ‘Hollywood Stargirl’ where she played the role of ‘Roxanne Martel.’ The film was lauded by critics and received an impressive 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

In 2023, she portrayed ‘Ellen Claremont’ in the Matthew Lopez-directed romantic comedy film ‘Red, White & Royal Blue.’ The film had its premiere at the BFI IMAX and was released on Amazon Prime Video.

Major Works

She is best-known for her role in the action-thriller film ‘Kill Bill’ which was released in two separate volumes. She was highly appreciated for playing the role of a former member of an assassination team.

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Her role of an excitable woman who seeks romance in her life in the television movie ‘Hysterical Blindness’ is considered one of her fine performances.

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Awards & Achievements

In 2003, she won the ‘Golden Globe Award’ for ‘Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film’ for the ‘HBO’ series ‘Hysterical Blindness.’

She won the ‘Saturn Award’ for ‘Best Actress’ for ‘Kill Bill Volume 1’ in 2004.

In 2017, she was named the president of ‘Cannes Film Festival.’

She has also won the Broadway.com ‘Audience Award’ for her role in the play ‘The Parisian Woman.’

In March 2019, she became the recipient of the honorary ‘Special David Award,’ which is given at the ‘David de Donatello’ awards ceremony.

Personal Life & Legacy

She married actor Gary Oldman in 1990 and divorced him two years later.

She married Ethan Hawke in 1998 and had two children with him. Thurman and Hawke divorced in 2005.

She then began a relationship with French financier Arpad Busson with whom she has a daughter. Thurman and Busson parted ways in April 2014.

Through a social media post in 2017, Thurman confirmed that she was sexually abused by former film producer Harvey Weinstein, who was accused of rape, sexual assault, and abuse by other women too.

She is a staunch human rights activist, associating herself with the ‘USAID’ campaign and fighting for LGBT civil rights. She also supports the protection of animals that are on the verge of extinction.

Trivia

This famous Hollywood actor was named after the Indian goddess of light and beauty.

She has shades of ‘Lancome’ lipsticks named after her. These shades are available only in Asia.

She was involved in a car crash while performing her own stunt for the movie ‘Kill Bill.’ She sustained permanent injuries to her neck and knees.

Uma Thurman Movies

1. Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair (2011)

  (Crime, Action)

2. Pulp Fiction (1994)

  (Crime, Drama)

3. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

  (Action, Crime, Thriller)

4. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)

  (Crime, Thriller, Action)

5. Gattaca (1997)

  (Drama, Thriller, Sci-Fi)

6. Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

  (Romance, Drama)

7. Les Misérables (1998)

  (Drama, Crime, Romance, History)

8. Beautiful Girls (1996)

  (Drama, Comedy, Romance)

9. Tape (2001)

  (Drama)

10. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)

  (Fantasy, Adventure, Comedy)

Awards

Golden Globe Awards
2003 Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television Hysterical Blindness (2002)
MTV Movie & TV Awards
2005 Best Hero Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
2005 Best Fight Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
2004 Best Female Performance Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
2004 Best Fight Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
1995 Best Dance Sequence Pulp Fiction (1994)

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