Background:

English television and film actress Gabrielle Anwar gained fame and is best known by the American for her role as Al Pacino's tango spouse in Scent of a Woman (1992). Since making Hollywood debut in the comedy If Looks Could Kill (1991), the attractive actress has built a prolific career both on TV and film. She is well-remembered by her fans as the real-life stunt rider Sonora Webster in Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken (1991), the heroine Marti Malone in Body Snatchers (1993), Michael J. Fox's love interest in the romantic comedy For Love or Money (1993), Andy Garcia's girlfriend in Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995) and a woman with a mystifying past in The Grave (1996).

Adding to her productivity, the naturally brown-haired actress was seen in a number of films such as If You Only Knew (2000), the thriller The Guilty (2000), The Guilty (2000), the horror Flying Virus (2001), Save It for Later (2003) and Robert John Degus' drama 9/Tenths (2006). She also appeared in such television projects as Without Malice (2000), How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale (2000), Case of Evil (2002), Try to Remember (2004) and the miniseries "Mysterious Island" (2005). Gabrielle will add the upcoming Crazy Eights (2006), The Marsh (2006) and Librarian 2 (2006, TV) to her long acting resume.

Off screen, the brown-eyed beauty Gabrielle was named one of People magazine's 50 "Most Beautiful People" in the world (1993). The model of Tom Petty's music video "Into the Great White Open" and Paul McCartney's "Pretty Little Head," Gabrielle was once held the record of the "World's fastest talker." As for her private life, Gabrielle has been romantically involved with American actor Craig Sheffer (born in 1960) since 1989. With her long-term companion Sheffer, she shares a beautiful daughter named Willow Anwar (born in 1993).


Hardy Fan

Childhood and Family:

In Laleham, Middlesex, England, U.K, Gabrielle Anwar was born on February 4, 1970. She is the daughter of a film director father of Iranian descent, and her mother is a British actress. Trained at a London drama and dance school, Gabrielle decided to pursue a career in acting after being dropped out of school in England for fighting.

At age 19, while working on films and television in London, she met American actor Craig Sheffer and moved with him to Los Angeles. From the relationship, Gabrielle has a daughter named Willow Anwar (born in 1993).

"He quoted some lines from a Hardy novel I was reading. I was completely enchanted. Gabrielle Anwar on Craig Sheffer on their first meeting


The Marsh

Career:

After studying drama and dance in London, Gabrielle Anwar made her professional acting debut at age 16 when she appeared in the BBC miniseries "Hideaway." Two years later, she broke into film with a bit part in the U.S.-Yugoslavian production Manifesto (1988). Gabrielle continued to work in several English and American TV projects like the miniseries "First Born" (1988), "Summer's Lease" (1989) and "The Mysteries of the Dark Jungle" (1990), the made-for-TV film Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1989) and the series "Press Gang" (1990).

Two years after arriving at Hollywood, Gabrielle made her first American movie in the comedy If Looks Could Kill (1991), starring Richard Grieco and Linda Hunt. Graduating from small roles, Gabrielle took the starring role of Sonora Webster, a truel-life "diving girl" on horseback, in the genuine and underestimated Disney picture Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken (1991), a film by Steve Miner.

The actress's big break, however, arrived in the following year when she was cast as Donna in the Martin Brest-directed Scent of a Woman (1992). Her memorable turn as Al Pacino's tango partner won Gabrielle widespread notice and it subsequently raised her status. The drama film also stared Chris O'Donnell and James Rebhorn.

Gabrielle followed the notable performance by making three movies in the following year. She first costarred as Marti Malone the heroine, opposite Terry Kinney and Meg Tilly, in Body Snatchers (1993), Abel Ferrara's bloody remake of the Don Siegel 1956's cold-war horror classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers. She then portrayed Andy Hart, the love interest of Michael J. Fox in the romantic comedy For Love or Money (1993) and appeared as Queen Anne in The Three Musketeers (1993), which starred Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland and Chris O'Donnell.

After television film In Pursuit of Honor (1995), Gabrielle was unhappy playing Andy Garcia's love interest in Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995). On the other hand, her role as a woman with a mysterious past in The Grave (1996) was well-entertained the actress. 1997-1999 saw roles in films like Nevada (1997), Sub Down (1997), The Manor (1999) and Kimberly (1999. She also appeared on such television movies as The Ripper (1997) and My Little Assassin (1999).

Gabrielle was even busier in the new millennium with a number of TV and film projects under her belt. After supporting Jennifer Beals in television film Without Malice (2000), she appeared in the romance film If You Only Knew (2000), costarred opposite Bill Pullman and Devon Sawa in the crime-thriller The Guilty (2000), had a feature role in actor/writer Casey Peterson's The Guilty (2000) and as Jenny Seeger in the made-for-cable-TV How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale (2000). She next was teamed with long companion Craig Sheffer for the horror movie Flying Virus (2001) and starred as Catherine in the drama/romance Save It for Later (2003). In addition, she had several TV projects, including telefilms Case of Evil (2002) and Try to Remember (2004), and the miniseries "Mysterious Island" (2005).

Recently starring in Robert John Degus' drama 9/Tenths (2006), Gabrielle will soon play the supporting role of Beth Patterson in the horror Crazy Eights (2006), opposite Dina Meyer. She is also scheduled to star in the forthcoming horror/thriller movie The Marsh (2006) and the adventure television film The Librarian 2 (2006).


Awards:
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