Uma Thurman was born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, in the family of professor of Columbia University, specialist in eastern religions, Robert Thurman and ex-model Nena von Schlebrugge. Uma’s family was quite unusual. Her father was the first American who took monastic vows. Her mother gave up model’s career and became a psychiatrist. They gave their children good philosophical education thanks to which Uma Thurman is considered to be the most intellectual actress in Hollywood.
At the age of 15 Uma left school as the only thing she liked there was participation in school theatrical productions. She really wanted to be an actress. She moved to New-York where found a job as a model and attended castings and acting classes.
Soon she got her first parts in films. Her debut film was teen comedy “Johnny Be Good” (1988). The same year she got her first big role, gained three “Oscar”, in melodrama “Dangerous Liaisons” and in fantastic film of Terry Gilliam “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen”.
Uma has extraordinary Nordic appearance – she is tall and slim (183sm), has special grace and sexuality which make her interesting for certain roles. In the beginning of 90s she got leading parts in such films as “Henry & June” (1990), which got release rating “pornography” and Uma Thurman was called “sex-symbol for intellectuals”, thriller “Final Analysis” (1992), comedy “Mad Dog and Glory” (1993), where she co-stared with Robert De Niro and Bill Murray. However these roles didn’t make her a real star. The real breakthrough was part of charming brunette in the criminal comedy by Kventin Tarantino “Pulp Fiction” (1994). After this film Uma was nominated for “Oscar” for the best female supporting role. Then she turned to tinsel cinema and despite blockbuster “Batman and Robin” (1997) laid an egg in release, the actress got her first large fee $5 million. While filming in “Gattaca” (1997) she met her second husband Itan Houk. They got married in 1998.
The end of 1990s was not so successful for Uma. Her career went up just after her part in TV drama “Hysterical Blindness” (2002), the actress was honored with Golden Globe award. Soon after Kventin Tarantino wrote a role specially for Uma Thurman. She played Bride in his thriller “Kill Bill” (2003) and “Kill Bill 2” (2004). Great success of the film returned Uma and Tarantino to the leading positions in the industry.
The joy of success was darkened by Uma’s divorce with Itan Houk. The couple has two children. She dove in work to get through this hard time for her. Now she acts in light genre films such as musical “Producers” (2005), comedy “Be Cool” (2005), “My Super Ex-Girlfriend” (2006), “The Accidental Husband” (2008), “Motherhood” (2009) and Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief awaited on the screens in 2010.
