Anita Briem Biography

ANITA BRIEM

Date of Birth: May 29, 1982

Performing runs in the family for Anita Briem, whose parents are drummer Gunnlaugur Briem, and back-up vocalist Ema Porarinsdottir. Born and raised in Iceland, Briem and her parents moved to London when she was 16, hoping to pursue a formal education in theater. Briem's dreams came true three years later when she was accepted into the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

In London, Briem spent most of her time on stage performing in prestigious plays such as Losing Louis and Catalogue of Misunderstanding. Shortly after completing her schooling at RADA, the blonde beauty got her small-screen big break with an appearance on Doctor Who, and several low-budget feature films.

In 2007, Briem was cast as Jane Seymour in the dramatic series, The Tudors, co-starring opposite Jonathon Rhys Myers. Her portrayal of Henry VIII's third wife caught Hollywood's attention and helped land her the lead role in Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008), co-starring Brendan Fraser. But the role didn't come easy—Briem had to audition 25 times for the part during a nail-biting four month process.

With her first North American big-budget feature under her belt, Briem is already on her way to "It" girl status. She is slated to appear in The Storyteller (2009).

The worldly starlet is multitalented—she is professionally trained in dance and music, and is fluent in English, Icelandic, Danish and German.