Vivien Leigh

Skådespelare

5 november 1913 — 7 juli 1967 (53 år)
Vivien Leigh (born November 5, 1913, Darjeeling, India—died July 8, 1967, London, England) was an English actress renowned for her roles in Hollywood and British theater. She won two Academy Awards for Best Actress, portraying Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939) and Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), both performances that solidified her place among the greatest actresses of classic cinema.

Leigh was the only child of Ernest Hartley, a British broker, and Gertrude Yackjee, who had Anglo-Indian and Armenian ancestry. She spent her childhood between England and Europe, attending convent schools before enrolling at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London in 1932, setting the stage for her acting career.

Her film debut came in Things Are Looking Up (1934), followed by roles in British films such as Fire Over England (1937), where she starred alongside Laurence Olivier. Their professional collaboration soon became a high-profile romance, capturing public fascination.

Leigh’s breakthrough role was Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939), a part for which she beat hundreds of actresses in a legendary casting search. The film became one of the most celebrated in cinematic history, and her performance earned international acclaim, securing her first Academy Award.

Leigh continued to star in films such as Waterloo Bridge (1940) and That Hamilton Woman (1941), frequently working with Olivier, whom she married in 1940. Their union lasted 20 years, during which they became one of the most revered couples in theater and film, starring together in Shakespearean productions and three films.

In 1951, she won her second Academy Award for A Streetcar Named Desire, where her portrayal of Blanche DuBois was deeply personal, reflecting her own struggles with mental health.

Leigh suffered from bipolar disorder, which profoundly affected her career and personal relationships. She also battled chronic tuberculosis, first diagnosed in the mid-1940s, which ultimately led to her death on July 8, 1967, at the age of 53.

After divorcing Olivier in 1960, she found companionship with actor John Merivale, who remained by her side until her passing.

Despite periods of career instability, Leigh remains one of the most celebrated actresses of her time. In 1999, the American Film Institute (AFI) ranked her as the 16th greatest female movie star of classic Hollywood cinema. She also won a Tony Award for Tovarich (1963), proving her talent extended beyond film.

Her beauty, talent, and dedication made her an enduring icon, and her performances continue to be studied and celebrated worldwide.

Filmer och Serier på Plex

  • Narrskeppet
    Narrskeppet1965
  • Caesar och Cleopatra
    Caesar och Cleopatra1945
  • Anna Karenina
    Anna Karenina1948
  • Dansösen från gatan
    Dansösen från gatan1938
  • Spioncentral Stockholm
    Spioncentral Stockholm1937
  • Storm i en tekopp
    Storm i en tekopp1937
  • Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace
    Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace2019

Känd för

  • Borta med vinden
    Borta med vinden1939
  • Linje Lusta
    Linje Lusta1951
  • Dimmornas bro
    Dimmornas bro1940
  • Narrskeppet
    Narrskeppet1965
  • Lady Hamilton
    Lady Hamilton1941
  • Hennes italienske älskare
    Hennes italienske älskare1961
  • Anna Karenina
    Anna Karenina1948
  • Caesar och Cleopatra
    Caesar och Cleopatra1945
  • Spioncentral Stockholm
    Spioncentral Stockholm1937
  • Mannen och hans samvete
    Mannen och hans samvete1940
  • Storm i en tekopp
    Storm i en tekopp1937
  • Dansösen från gatan
    Dansösen från gatan1938
  • Eld över England
    Eld över England1937
  • En yankee i Oxford
    En yankee i Oxford1938
  • Look Up and Laugh
    Look Up and Laugh1935
  • Things Are Looking Up
    Things Are Looking Up1935
  • The Village Squire
    The Village Squire1935

Filmografi

2020
2019
Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace · as Scarlett O'hara In Gone With The WindPå Plex
2019
Sunset Over Mulholland Drive · as Scarlett O'hara
1999
1994
That's Entertainment! III · as (archive Footage)
1993
1986
Marilyn Monroe · as Archive Footage
1976
America at the Movies · as Blanche
1976
That's Entertainment, Part II · as (archive Footage)
1969
Hollywood: The Selznick Years · as Scarlett O'hara
1965
Ship of Fools · as Mary TreadwellPå Plex
1961
1955
The Deep Blue Sea · as Hester Collyer
1955
1951
A Streetcar Named Desire · as Blanche Dubois
1948
Anna Karenina · as Anna KareninaPå Plex
1945
Caesar and Cleopatra · as CleopatraPå Plex
1941
That Hamilton Woman · as Emma, Lady Hamilton
1940
Waterloo Bridge · as Myra
1940
21 Days Together · as Wanda
1939
Gone with the Wind · as Scarlett O'hara
1938
Sidewalks of London · as LibertyPå Plex
1938
A Yank at Oxford · as Elsa Craddock
1937
Storm in a Teacup · as Victoria GowPå Plex
1937
Dark Journey · as Madeleine GoddardPå Plex
1937
Fire Over England · as Cynthia
1935
The Village Squire · as Rose Venables
1935
Look Up and Laugh · as Marjorie Belfer
1935
Things Are Looking Up · as Schoolgirl