Biography
Internationally acclaimed Irish actress Geraldine Somerville displayed an early interest in the performing arts and began taking dance lessons at age six. She went on to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and made her television debut in 1990 with a one-off role on BBC's medical drama "Casualty." Her first big break came in 1993, when she was cast opposite Robbie Coltrane in his detective series "Cracker." The abrasive crime drama proved popular, running for four seasons and earning Somerville a BAFTA nod for Best Actress. To many, this is the role for which she is best known. However, 2001 proved to be a life-changing year for the actress. She costarred alongside a number of highly celebrated British actors in Robert Altman's murder-mystery ensemble piece, "Gosford Park." That year she also played Lily Potter in the wildly popular children's adventure "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." The former film earned Somerville accolades from a bevy of American film critics, and the latter made her famous amongst the under-17 set. She has reprised the role of Harry Potter's deceased mother in each of the successive films, balancing these magic-fueled movies with appearances on British television. As the series drew to a close with the release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," Somerville returned to mature dramas with a role in the docudrama "My Week with Marilyn," an intimate look into the life of Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe.
