Born on her father's tea plantation in Chukua, India and educated in England and France, Julie Christie trained for the stage at London's Central School of Music and Drama and made her theater debut with a repertory company in 1957. She began playing small roles in films in 1962 and got her first lead the following year in John Schlesinger's "Billy Liar." It was Schlesinger who provided her with a tailor-made role in "Darling" (1965), which made her an international star and the winner of the best actress Oscar and the New York Film Critics Award, among other prizes.

Christie went on to become a major star of British and Hollywood films through the late 60's and 70's, appearing in David Lean's "Dr. Zhivago," François Truffaut's "Farenheit 451," Nicholas Roeg's "Don't Look Now," and Warren Beatty's "Shampoo" and "Heaven Can Wait." She was nominated for a second Oscar for her performance in Robert Altman's "McCabe and Mrs. Miller." In the 80's she took on roles in James Ivory's "Heat and Dust," Sally Potter's "The Gold Diggers," Maria Luisa Bemberg's "Miss Mary" and Sydney Lumet's "Power," among others. She most recently appeared on screen in the role of Queen Gertrude in Kenneth Branagh's "Hamlet." In September, Christie received the Best Actress Award at the 1997 San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain for her portrayal of "Afterglow's" Phyllis Mann.