Rosamund Pike

Pike, born in London, England, in January 1979, is the child of professional opera singers. As a student studying English literature at Oxford, the bookish Pike began to discover her passion for theater and would subsequently appear in many of the school's plays. After refining her talents on-stage, the burgeoning actress would abandon her field of study upon graduation to appear in a series of BBC productions. Making her television debut in 1998 with A Rather English Marriage, Pike soon began accepting a steady stream of roles consisting mostly of period dramas before making the journey stateside as a prospective Bond girl. Though admittedly intimidated by appearing alongside such luminaries as Pierce Brosnan, Judi Dench, and Halle Berry in her mainstream debut, the confident actress seemed well fit for her role in one of the longest-running celluloid franchises in cinematic history. Though Pike raised a few eyebrows by remaining relatively silent during the press conference for Die Another Day, the actress' decision to let her well-known co-stars do most of the talking indicated that she is a smart actress who chooses her words, as well as her roles, with careful consideration. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide