Biography
Though most audiences will likely remember getting their first glimpse of the lovely Gabrielle Anwar when she took the dance floor as
Al Pacino's tango partner from 1992's
Scent of a Woman, she had previously appeared in numerous British miniseries' since the late '80s. Breaking into American cinema opposite
Richard Grieco in the 1991 teen spy comedy
If Looks Could Kill, Anwar soon found herself climbing the credits list after her charm and skillful footwork left audience hungering for more. Born in the daughter of an Persian film producer and a British actress in Laleham, Middlesex, England, in February of 1970, ruffian Anwar was kicked out of school for fighting in her early years, though she later opted to study drama and dance in London. Anwar made her television debut in
Jim Henson's
The Storyteller (1987), followed by her film debut in 1988's
Manifesto, and after appearing in such British miniseries as
Summer's Lease,
First Born, and Press Gang (all in 1989), it was time to cross the pond with mate
Craig Sheffer and make her bid for Hollywood. Following her eye-catching turn in
Scent of a Woman, the fledgling starlet faced an unearthly horror in
Abel Ferrara's
Body Snatchers, romanced Michael J. Fox in
For Love or Money (both 1993), and appeared opposite
Andy Garcia in
Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995). Though it certainly seemed as if Anwar's career was headed in the right direction, a series of low-budget efforts in the late '90s, as well as a rumor that she had lost the lead role in
Titanic to
Kate Winslet, seemed to stall her rise to stardom. Taking a cue from her early years, Anwar turned toward television. She gained positive notice for her role as Fidel Castro's secret lover in the 1999 made-for-television feature
My Little Assassin, and a few short years later she appeared in the short lived sci-fi mystery series
John Doe. Still appearing frequently in features, the woman voted as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world by People Magazine (in 1993) could be spotted in such efforts as Save it for Later and Mob Dot Com in 2003. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide