Rosamund Pike Biography
Rosamund Mary Ellen Pike (born 1979) is a British actress, known for her outstanding performances on stage and screen.
She was born in London to Julian Pike and Caroline Friend, both of whom are opera singers. Pike attended Badminton School in Bristol, and it was during her time in the National Youth Theatre production of Romeo and Juliet that she was noticed by an agent who helped her begin a professional acting career.
Despite being turned down by all the stage schools she applied to, Rosamund Pike was accepted to read English literature at Wadham College, Oxford. She graduated with an Upper Second-class honours degree in 2001, during which time she gained valuable stage experience in plays such as David Hare’s Skylight, Arthur Miller’s All My Sons, and several Shakespearean productions.
Rosamund Pike’s early acting work included appearances on British television shows, such as A Rather English Marriage (1998), Wives and Daughters (1999), and the miniseries Love in a Cold Climate (2001). She also played Sarah Beaumont in an episode of Foyle’s War.
Rosamund Pike’s film career began with a breakthrough role as a Bond girl and MI6 double agent, Miranda Frost, who double crosses James Bond in Die Another Day (2002). She became the first Bond girl to have attended Oxford.
Pike’s talent and range as an actress were showcased in a variety of roles, from Elizabeth Malet in The Libertine (2004), which she won the British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actress.
She also played Jane in Pride & Prejudice (2005), and Gone Girl (2014) playing the enigmatic Amy Dunne opposite Ben Affleck, which she won nominations for the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, Critics’ Choice Movie Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress.
In addition to her work on stage and screen, Rosamund Pike has lent her voice to various projects, including the film Jackboots on Whitehall (2010) and a series of James Bond audio books. Pike also played Pussy Galore in the BBC Radio 4 adaptation of Fleming’s Goldfinger.
Pike’s most recent work includes her role as con artist Marla Grayson in the crime thriller I Care a Lot (2021), for which she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical. She also starred in and executive produced the historical fiction podcast Edith! in 2021.
Pike has two sons with her partner, businessman Robie Uniacke, both of whom are fluent in Mandarin.