working abroad teaching English Bali
Week One
It’s been 5 days since I arrived in Bali to embark on my 6 weeks of part-time Volunteer work for the London Academy of Media and Film, and have just started to write this blog! I don’t seem to have any time whatsoever as getting up at 07.00 and starting teaching at 08.30 the day just goes.. Plus the sun goes down at 18.15 so the days feel really short! But I have to say it’s absolute paradise here so I’m making the most of each waking moment.. I’ve just about got over the Jet Lag and am enjoying sleeping in my wonderful enormous “Serta” bed which is in the villa in the volunteer quarters.
Host family & New Kuta Hotel GM
The villa is located near Jimbaran in a village called Ungasan which is relatively small with not many tourists. It really feels like another world. Chickens, Cows, Tractors, Dogs all roam the streets alongside the cars and motorbikes. The accomodation is really first class except for one small issue in that the well which supplies the water for the villa has not been working for the last week! Andy & Ayu (my wonderful hosts) discovered that a pump is broken and they will have to get a crane to get down deep enough to fix it! in the mean-time, Andy has struck a deal with the hotels that he’s organised the English pronunciation teaching with, that we can all go and use the showers in their gym! This is quite amusing really and proved to be a real bonding experience for me Andy and Ayu! I stayed in a lovely hotel for the first 2 x nights because of the water situation which was nice, but am happily settled into my room now. The hotel was situated on Dreamland beach, one of the best surfing beaches on Bali, a really spectacular bay. I got burned by the sun on the first day, sat out for 2 hours using factor 15 but completely underestimated the power of the Southern Hemisphere sun so haven’t been able to sit in it again until today (5 days later!). Also only remembered the twinkling night sky was “upside down” until I looked up at it the other night!
There are lots of kites flying in the sky, everywhere you look you can see Kites. They are supposed to signify getting closer to God.
The host family I’m staying with are lovely, Andy runs the London Academy of Media and Film and has been living in Bali for the last 5 years. His office is also located within the villa compound, with 4 x Balinese women working for him. Andy is married to Ayu (his Balinese wife) and has 2 gorgeous kids called Charlie (3) and Latina (1). Ayu’s sister and niece also live here, it’s a huge 7 bedroom villa with pool & tennis court, but it’s not overly ostentatious and feels very homely. I really feel like I’m getting a slice of Balinese life, hanging out with Ayu and the kids, popping round to her friends (using their shower) and learning about her family.. I’ve been invited up to her parents house in Singaraja, in the North of the island near Lovina for the night which I’m going to do when Anis (my husband) arrives in a few weeks. Apparently you can swim with dolphins off the coast of Lovina.
Charlie
Andy is also quite musical, he practices the saxophone most evenings in the main lobby of the house where he has an electric keyboard and recorded CD with backing track! I’m a pianist but am yet to offer to duet with him! Andy briefed me on the course outline for this week on Monday evening and I have to say I was more than a little bit nervous.
My first teaching day was yesterday (Tuesday 5th September), in a 3 star hotel just outside of the main tourist drag of Kuta called The Harris Hotel. My nerves went pretty quickly as the students were just so welcoming, lovely and warm! They call me “Miss Anja”, it’s really sweet. The actual course work is quite hard going, lots of vocal repetition and I was pretty tired after I’d finished. The Indonesian people find it difficult to pronounce things like “TH” and say “T” instead… for example Tinking instead of Thinking.
After teaching I went to have a reflexology session at the local supermarket the Carre Four (as you do) which cost me £3.50 for an hour of total bliss! I then went to watch the sunset on Jimbaran beach, which I have to say completely blew me away with the utter beauty of the place. It’s a little fishing village with a large sweeping bay and at sunset all the small fish restaurants and shacks put tables on the beach with lanterns and people come and have a fish supper there with the twinkling lights on the beach.
Sunset at Jimbaran Beach
Andy then offered to take me to Uluwatu, which is one of the main Temples in Bali right on the SW peninsular overlooking the sea. We took the 2 kids and were warned that this Temple was overrun by cheeky grey Monkeys! I thought this would be fun for the kids but it proved to be a bit of a nightmare for them! Andy bought some bananas and the Monkey’s just swamped the kids, came out of nowhere and grabbed the bananas, some of them were the same size as the children, so as you can imagine Charlie just screamed and screamed! It was quite scary! A Japanese lady had her glasses taken from her head and the Monkey just ran off with them, someone else lost a shoe and another guy a hat! We climbed to the top of the Temple though, and the view was worth it…
Today (2nd day teaching) was in a 5 star hotel fairly nearby The Harris, called the Discovery Kartika Plaza and the students weren’t quite as easy as the first day. The were more shy and I didn’t feel like I was getting much out of them, but it’s only week 1… The Balinese also find it difficult to pronounce their SHs and get Fs and Vs and Ps mixed up, so along with giving them role play exercises and lots of tongue twisters, they have to repeat difficult words until they pronounce them correctly!
I then was taken to lunch by the lady who runs training for the Bali hotel association, Nia, and spent a few hours using the pool facilities! The beaches are mostly surf beaches in the SW of Bali so not great for swimming (beautiful to look at however), but as soon as I find my feet I’m going to venture a bit further afield.
Day 3 teaching I am working at the Bali Khama hotel in Tanjung Benoa just outside of Nusa Dua. Nusa Dua is a gated community full of 5 star hotels and is located in the far South East peninsula of Bali. It is a purpose built complex that has a large Shopping Mall inside along with many restaurants and shops. It lacks cultural appeal however, but the village of Tanjung Benoa is just outside. Only 4 students turned up today out of 12, which was really disappointing but they were enthusiastic and willing to learn.
I have booked a “retreat” this weekend called Jiwa Damai about 20 mins from Ubud which is the cultural heart of Bali, about 1.5 hours from Ungasan. I’ll be doing Yoga each morning and meditation (!) and have booked a day excursion to Mount Batur, a large Volcano in the middle of the Island on Saturday!
I’ve not yet been bitten my a mosquito which is good news for me since they normally love me! Am sure there will be some once I venture into the countryside at the weekend…
I arrived at Jiwa Damai quite early. It is a retreat in the middle of rice fields and Tropical organic gardens and is an oasis of calm compared to the hustle and bustle of Kuta. I decided to come here to have complete relaxation after leaving my hectic life in London. The retreat grows and serves it’s own food and makes coconut oil! There are bugs galore but I am at one with nature! The owner is a lovely German lady called Margaret who holds workshops here and writes spiritual books, she’s a Physcotherapist and also teaches at the University in Java. She has 3 resident dogs which she saved from the streets of Ubud. This really is a slice out of life for me. A group of Javanese students arrived that evening from the University to have some of their sessions at Jiwa Damai. They were all so interesting and we all got along well. We all participated in morning Yoga and Meditation sessions in the tropical garden on some mats on a raised area under a greenhouse cover. After a delicious breakfast of Pancakes I then set off with “Agung”, my driver for the day trip to see rice fields just outside Ubud, a Coffee plantation where they make coffee from animal faeces (!), and the immense Batur Volcano. At dinner the Javanese people asked me to help them translate and watch a video for their physhcotherapy course about water crystals reacting to positive sounds and negative sounds even positive thoughts!! It was very interesting.
Tropical organic Garden at Jiwa Damai
After another Yoga & Meditation session on Sunday morning my new driver “Gede” takes me to Ubud to meet Monika, who is a girl from the Lonely planet thorn tree traveller forum, to go to the Monkey Forest. There were lots of grey monkeys, rather like at Uluwatu they were very cheeky! We then went to the Bali Buddha for a delicious organic lunch. Opposite Bali Buddha stands the shop where the Balinese spiritual healer Wayan from Eat Pray Love works… I have a body check from her and she prescribes medicine and tells me my ailments amazingly accurately. I have just read the book Eat Pray Love actually and it brought alive some of the locations in Ubud.
Cheeky Monkey
I then head back in the car back to Ungasan and stop off at the Bird and Reptile park on my way. These parks are quite small so I wouldn’t bother making the effort to go to them unless you are en route somewhere else. I also stopped somewhere to see how batiks are made. I go back to the Villa via the supermarket and thought that I would splash out on a bottle of local Red Wine (£15 for the cheapest!) to share with Andy. I can’t believe how expensive the Wine is here, I probably won’t bother drinking any after today!
Being in Ubud there were a few more Mosquitos since it is a Tropical area, but I still only have 2 mozzy bites! Ayu cooked me a delicious meal when I got home. She is an amazing cook and I am indulging frequently eating with the family! Ayu makes me feel so welcome I think it would be rude to refuse their hospitality!
Week Two
After going through week 2 notes with Andy, I am very much looking forward to seeing my students tomorrow. Tuesday is my favourite day so far. The students were really keen and had practiced their pronunciation excercises from last week. We talked quite a lot about where each person was from and what their goals and aspirations were. They gave me some great tips on places to visit in Bali a bit off the beaten track.
I went to Balangan beach one afternoon which is a sleepy surfer beach with stunning views and white sand. You can’t swim but when the tide is out you can wade through rocks and look at fish. I had some fried banana with ice cream which was amazing at one of the little hotels overlooking the bay. It was a bit of a of a palarva getting home from Balangan as there were no taxis but I eventually persuaded someone from the hotel to take me for 40000 rupees (about £3). After teaching at the Harris on the Tuesday I met the General Manager of the hotel, Virginie, a lovely French lady who has been living and working in Bali for nearly 20 years. She kindly offered for Anis and I to stay in the hotel for a couple of days next week since there is still no water in the Villa.
Balangan Beach at sunset
Andy is still kindly driving me to and from each hotel and showing me the sights and practicalities of Bali. When my husband arrives this weekend we are going to hire a driver for the month. Andy has shown me around various shopping Malls which are very cheap and fun to look around, being in a car with Andy is quite an experience however! There are so many motorbikes on the roads that I have to close my eyes sometimes as Andy has to overtake the various trucks and lorries that slow down the traffic, whilst the motorbikes weave in and out of the cars!
I discovered from the GM of the The Harris Hotel that Indonesian locals BUY your driving licences here?!! This really explains alot….is like a kamakarzee drive to work each day, there are 150 accidents per day here on the bikes….I asked Andy why the government didn’t introduce driving licence laws and he joked that they were too busy spending money on food and parties!
My students at the Kartika plaza were much more open this week and I felt a lot happier at the end of the class.
Last night (12th September) was a Full moon, you have an amazing view of the stars from the roof of the villa.
On Thursday I used the facilities of the Bali Khama hotel which is gorgeous, the beach is very quiet and you can swim in the sea quite easily here. I had a full quote of 12 students this week.
Bali Khama Hotel view
2nd Weekend
Friday I visited my favourite beach at Jimbaran, and that evening I went to the chocolate cafe for a drink with Andy. The cafe is located just near the beach and is run by a Belgian man who serves amazing modern European food alongside chocolate cocktails and various other sweet delights.
I spoke to my son Rian on skype this evening, the connection is pretty good in the villa. You have free wifi after 18.00 every day. On Saturday we pick up my husband, Anis, from the airport and go straight to Jimbaran beach to show him the beautiful sunset he has been missing! We also have a fabulous fish supper on beach. We eat at the middle Warungs which are just to the right of the Four Seasons hotel. Sunday we visit Nusa Dua and stupidly spent loads money on lunch at the Westin but the beach was gorgeous and water good for swimming. Then we went to watch sunset at Balangan again which was lovely! There are many cheap Warungs nearby the Villa in Ungasan, you can literally eat a lovely meal of Nasi Goreng Ayum (Chicken & Veg with rice) for around £2. We went to Mak Jo’s tonight.
Week Three
Monday 18th I got a driver for a month! A lovely man called Gede, who is a friend of Ayu’s from near her village up in Singaraja. He doesn’t speak English very well but is so lovely and friendly. He has an English translation mini computer which he uses to help learn the language whilst he is not driving. The cost for the month was £375 for a brand new car. We went to the Harris hotel which is a lovely 3 star where I teach on a Tuesday, Virginie (the GM) had kindly offered for us to stay since still no water at the villa!! The Harris reminds me of a posh Holiday Inn in the UK, very functional and cosy. The rooms are scented with orange candles and the decor, uniforms and logo are all orange, although this is the furthest thing from Easyjet. The room we were given was very large and we were also given a complimentary delicious Nasi Goreng with prawns for brunch! We spent the rest of the day doing a spot of sight seeing. We drove up the West coast up from Jimbaran and saw the beautiful sea temple Tanah Lot, then looked at Echo beach Double six beach and finally settled at Ku De Ta in Seminyak which was wonderful, I had a blackcurrant Cachaca cocktail which cost me over 120,000 rupees (about £9! Alot considering you can have a healthy full meal for less than £3 in a Warung! When we returned to the villa after our 2 days at the Harris we were pleased for Andy & Ayu that the water well was now fixed! I had a lovely hot shower which I have to say was worth the wait! The volunteer accomodation is really very lovely.
Harris Hotel students
This weeks teaching (week 3) I introduced a bit of role-play and asked all my students to act out scenarios they may encounter in their daily working lives, such as “room not ready”, “booking for wrong day” and “food poisoning!”. This went down very well and was very funny! They are gradually becoming more confident and are improving their pronunciation and public speaking.
Anis had a surf lesson on Kuta beach, he was surprisingly quite good for a first time! Kuta beach is very touristy and overpriced but the waves are great for novice surfers.We also visited Padang Padang beach this week and I took another trip to Uluwatu again so Anis could see the monkeys.
3rd Weekend
We decided to go to the Gili Islands for the weekend, basing ourselves on Gili Trawangan which is the more livelier of the 3 islands. We got up very early on Friday to get to Padangbai for the 1.5 hour ferry crossing which wasn’t too bumpy thankfully! We checked into Martas bungalows which are located in the gorgeous village inland from the beach on Gili T. Gili T is a tiny island with a few great restaurants and bars.. We have a gorgeous seafood BBQ at the Beach House dinner. Day 2 Gili’s, I rented a bike and rode round the whole island which took about 1 hour, it was so tiring and boiling hot! During my bike ride, Anis did his Introductory dive theory and then we all went on a boat for his first Gili dive whilst I snorkelled. We both saw an abundance of magical coloured Fish and a few turtles!! So I was v happy…. Day 3 Gili’s, we take a boat trip around all 3 islands (Gili Air and Gili Meno aswell), but the sea was very rough! We still saw more turtles though which was wondeful. One or 2 came up to top of water for air, it was an incredible sight. Tonight we had dinner at the Black Penny and splashed out on a lobster which was actually only about £20.
Gili Trawangan paradise
Week Four
We arrive back on Bali and decide to spend the day at Dreamland beach for lunch and a swim. It is very expensive here compared to the other beaches around the SW peninsula but you have an amazing view with a great sunset. I have my briefing with Andy for week 4 that evening and am looking forward to doing more Acting work with my students this week.
Week 4 teaching goes down very well. The groups all love the Acting excercise which is a short script based on a couple arriving at a hotel and there is no room available. I ask everyone to learn their lines for next week and to bring a prop in to ensure they play their new character with conviction. I am learning more and more about Balinese customs and general way of life from my students, this really is an invaluable experience. I feel very close to them and am going to be very sad to leave!
This week we visited the Jimbaran fish Market which was amazing, we saw fish which had been literally dropped directly off the boats and into the market. Some of it was even being cooked there and then. We decided to have some cooked for us and chose a kilo of King prawns, Calamari and a large Mahi Mahi for under 10 pounds!
Fish straight off the boat at Jimbaran fish market
I’ve been trying to do the odd bit of cooking at the villa and offered to make Yorkshire puddings for Andy & Ayu one evening! I went to Hardy’s (local supermarket in Nusa Dua) and got some plain flour and managed to make some to go with a Roast that Ayu had made!
4th Weekend
We decided to go to Singapore for the weekend. The main reason for this was to renew our Balinese visa, although we probably could have extended it once by paying a fee of 75 dollars to an official one week prior to the expiry of our original 30 day visa. We had been offered free accomodation in Singapore however and the flight was very cheap (£30 on Air Asia) so we thought it would be a nice weekend “City Break”. We liked Singapore and managed to fit quite a lot into the 2 days we were there, including going to the Zoo, Botanical Gardens, Chinese/Indian/Arab quarters, shopping on Orchard road and going out to some nice restaurants and bars on Clark Quay and Boat Quay and of course having a Singapore Sling at Raffles Hotel.
Komodo Dragon at Singapore Zoo
We were very glad to get back to Island life on Bali on the Sunday as Singapore was far too much like London for my liking! I prepared for week 5 with Andy and am once again looking forward to seeing my students in this week.
Week Five
On Monday we went to Nusa Lembongan island for the day, we went with Island Getaways which was a great little day trip. The island has lovely white sand and calm waters and the fun boat we went on had snorkelling facilities, a banana boat and slide.
Week 5 teaching this week involved showing the students an episode of Fawlty Towers. This is to show them the English sense of humour and sarcasm which went down really well! I showed them the episode “Gourmet Nights” which never ceases to make me laugh. They also performed their Acting homework from the previous week which was just hilarious. Everyone is really getting more confident and I can tell they have all been practicing their pronunciation and breathing excercises! We also had a discussion on the subject I like Bali I don’t like Bali, this proved very interesting for me as I learned so much from them. They are all immensely proud of their culture and participate in ceremonies on a monthly basis which sometimes involve going back to their home villages, often hours away.
One afternoon during this week we went to Bali cliff for sunset with Ayu and the children which was really gorgeous. Charlie and Latina played in the sea which was nice and calm, it is actually a seaweed farm so it was interesting seeing all the Seaweed farmers collect it and dry it out. We then went to an amazing little Warung we discovered the previous week called Chilli Warung, just up the road from Dreamland. We had a lovely meal there for 6 of us for less than £10.
5th Weekend
We decide to take a bit of a road trip up to the North of Bali as we have heard it is much quieter and the sea is calmer for swimming with great diving! We set off for Lovina with Gede, our happy smiley driver. The trip took approximately 4 hours but we passed many beautiful things on the way up, stopping to take photographs here and there.
Rice Field
We made a stop off at the Botanical Gardens and drove through rice fields, Volcanoes and villages. Lovina is a quiet sleepy town with a dolphin statue embracing the volcanic sandy beach. This is the main draw for tourists as many dolphins are spotted off the coast every morning.
Ketut & Gede
We arrange to go dolphin spotting one morning which involved getting up at 05.30, when we saw the large pods of dolphins at sunrise following the boats around the bay this was so rewarding!
Dolphin spotting at dawn on Lovina
Day 2 in Northern Bali, we drive to Pemuteran to pick up dive and snorkel gear for a day trip to Menjangan island. The water was so clear and calm, much better visibility than the Gili’s, and again we saw Turtles plus Barracuda and loads of massive colourful fish. I was rather jealous of my husband who actually stroked a Turtle and saw lobster, lion fish and eels etc!
Day 3 we set off for the drive back down to the South with the intention of staying overnight in Ubud. We passed by Ayu’s mum’s village on the way back which was just near Singaraja and had a look in the traditional Market. Again the scenery was just breathtaking on the drive back down! Rice fields, marigold fields which flowers are used for ceremonies, an abundance of fruit trees like you have never seen before, plus coconut palms and misty mountains. We stop off at Git Git waterfalls, the water temple called Ulan Danu and then to Jilawatu rice fields.
We eventually arrive in Ubud around 4 and check into Sama’s cottages which were gorgeous. An Oasis of Tropical Gardens right in the centre of Ubud. I absolutely loved Ubud, it was full of Art Galleries, lovely shops, cafes and restaurants and of course has the lush Monkey Forest in the centre.
We went to a Balinese dance performance at the Ubud Palace in evening then had dinner at Cafe Artistes. The next morning Sedona spa picked us up and we had a 3.5 hour session which included Balinese massage, facial and aloe Vera hair treatment called “Cream Bath”. After lunch at the Bali Buddha cafe, we visited the Monkey Forest and went to the Balinese museum of modern art.
Full Moon Ceremony
Balinese warrior dance
Driving back through Ubud we passed an abundance of Art Galleries, more rice fields and people celebrating the Full moon ceremony which begins 3 days before the actual full moon. Women wear huge baskets of fruit on their heads and large amounts of people carrying offerings en route to their nearest Temple. They usually walk on the road stopping traffic!
Week Six
We got back to the villa on the Monday night and met Andy’s dad who has arrived for a few months with his wife, and had a briefing about my final weeks teaching.
This week I showed the students another episode of Fawlty Towers and also had a discussion about their job and aspirations for the future, encouraging them to speak as much English as possible. They all love their jobs and all seem to get along with eachother and their colleagues very well. One thing that has really struck me about Bali is how lovely the people are. By week 6 the majority of the students have indentified their weakness’s in terms of pronunciation and most of them have improved which is great. I asked everyone to write a few comments about the course at the end of each session and we all swapped e mail address’s.
This week we visited the pretty ex pat Geger beach in Nusa Dua and went back to Jimbaran and Seminyak. One evening I made a Daal curry for Andy and Ayu!
I had a very frightening experience this week as my teaching was ending at the Bali Khama hotel on Thursday 13th October. We were about to end the class when all of a sudden I felt the floor shudder and everyone just ran out of the room as quickly as they could shouting Earthquake!! My heart was pounding so fast I think I actually went into shock for a few seconds. I followed the group outside to a clear area under a tree and then saw all the walls of the hotel which were made out of glass were shaking ominously and the floor felt like it was moving beneath us. We all huddled together until it had stopped. This probably only went on for about a minute but it felt like much much longer as we were all gripped with fear! Luckily we were all ok and I believe around 50 Balinese people only suffered minor cuts and bruises. The quake was 6.8 on the Richter scale so pretty high! A few hours later when my husband and I were sitting by the pool at the Bali Khama we felt another quake which turned out to be 5.2! Everyone was shaken up when I got home, I don’t think Bali gets Earthquakes that often, despite being in the ‘ring of fire”.
Andy & Latina
It was very sad saying goodbye to my students this week, I have become really attached to them! I really hope I can come back again next year and repeat the experience! We took some great photos at the Kartika Plaza hotel on the Wednesday. The whole experience of teaching has been so rewarding. I really feel like I have done something worthwhile!
I think most of all though I am going to miss my host family, especially the children Charlie & Latina. They made me feel so welcome, like one of the family!
I spent my last day down at Jimbaran beach again, luckily the weather was glorious! I just love this beach, especially at around 5 p.m. when the beach starts getting busier with locals and families who bring their kids to swim in the slightly cooler part of the late afternoon. The stray dog community also wander into the scene with their tails wagging as if they are catching up on the days gossip! There are balloon sellers, hot sweet and salty corn sellers and you often see Japanese tourists posing for the camera in the soon to be beautiful sunset. The tide is usually out at around 5 p.m. so the lovely crescent shaped bay looks much bigger.. The fishing boats have all come back and we are going to get some king prawns and tuna fresh from the boat for our supper! Today’s sunset was as incredible as it was the first day that I arrived.
Our flight back to London is tomorrow, Saturday 15th October, via Kuala Lumpur, and we have a long 7 hour wait in KL airport! I am sure that my happy memories of Bali will see me through the long long journey home back to London.
London Academy Student Reviews of TV Courses Testimonials Feedback
♦ Alexis – June 2011 ♦
Adam Roberts was an incredible tutor really inspiring and had a genuine interest in developing students and passing on his knowledge in documentary making. He was very generous with his advice and time spend outside of class supporting student questions and putting together a fantastic talk with a Channel 4 commissioner. He was encouraging whist being constructive and directional with his advice. I felt very lucky to have had him as a tutor and in a big way due to this feel so much more reassured me that it is a profession that could be worth pursing.♦ Maria – February 2011 ♦
Documentary Making -Tutor: John Phillips
A very friendly (wicked) class, a genius tutor. Everything explained very clearly. Good facilities and perfect IT recources. Once again thanks to Andi a great course, learnt a lot more than what I would of imagined.
♦ Nita – December 2010 ♦
Camera & Lighting Foundation – Tutor : Mike Raycroft
Everything was relevant and a great experience. Each lesson was motivating and inspiring. Small but good for the class size, was just right.
♦ Linda – July 2008 ♦
Camera Training – Tutor: Mike Raycroft
Course was very relevant as we worked on the exact camera I will be using at work. As it was one-on-one we were able to go at my pace and focus on any issues or problems I had in detail. Mike was excellent at reiterating what we learned throughout the day. This reiteration I find very useful especially when trying to take in a lot of information. As an absolute beginner, I now feel confident in operating DV cameras to a sport level.
I found the course and the tutor excellent. Course well structured and pitched at the right level. We have been given the tools and hopefully will progress forward. Very encouraging.
♦ Linda – January 2008 ♦
Lighting Masterclass – Mike Raycroft
Simply the best tuition available by a tutor still doing the job. Latest lighting technology always available.
♦ Anon – July 2007 ♦
American actor Chris Evans
EARLY LIFE
Chris Evans
Born Christopher Robert Evans on June 13th 1981 in Sudbury, Massachusetts, Chris is the second of three children to Lisa, a theatre company manager, and Robert Evans, a dentist. He studied at Lincoln-Sudbury High School, where he first discovered his talent for acting; appearing in school plays, including a performance of The Winter’s Tale, before landing parts in local theatre productions. He graduated in 1999 and moved to New York to pursue an acting career, where he attended the prestigious Lee Strasberg Theater Institute. Whilst honing his craft, Chris began an internship at a casting office where he befriended several agents and soon landed his debut film role.
ACTING DEBUT
With a performance in independent drama The Newcomers, a guest appearance on The Fugitive, and a role on short-lived television drama Opposite Sex, 2000 marked a significant year in Chris’ acting career and quickly earned him the attentions of Hollywood producers. His first lead performance came a year later when he was cast in teen comedy spoof Not Another Teen Movie (2001). The film was a modest success but highlighted Chris’ talent for comedy and was an early indicator of his future status as a teen heartthrob. He unsuccessfully attempted a return to television in the following years with roles in pilots for Eastwick (2002) and Skin (2003) – though neither of which were commissioned for a full series, before returning to cinema screens with the more high profile likes of The Perfect Score (2004) with Scarlett Johansson, Cellular (2004) with Kim Basinger and Jason Statham, and Fierce People (2005) with Donald Sutherland.
BREAKTHROUGH
Chris’ breakthrough was not far behind with the actor being cast as one of the titular Fantastic Four in the big-budget adaptation of Marvel’s comic series. Starring as Johnny Storm aka The Human Torch, Chris’ performance was widely regarded as the film’s best asset with the young actor sealing his reputation as one of Hollywood’s most sought after rising talents. The film went on to gross over $330 million worldwide, with Chris reprising his role for the 2007 sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Since Fantastic Four’s success, Chris has strayed between high profile Hollywood productions and more personal independent fare; with the actor reuniting with Cellular co-star Jason Statham for drug drama London (2005), before appearing in Danny Boyle’s acclaimed sci-fi Sunshine (2007), and starring opposite Keanu Reeves in David Ayer’s crime thriller Street Kings (2008).
Chris Evans as Captain America
SUPER-HERO
Chris however, has had most success with comic book adaptations and films appealing to comic book fans. Aside from his breakthrough role in the Fantastic Four films, Chris has further appeared in Paul McGuigan’s super-powered action film Push (2009), and comic book adaptations The Losers (2010), and Scott Pilgrim vs The World (2010). He will next be seen in his most high-profile lead role to date as another comic book character, Captain America, in Marvel’s highly anticipated Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). Chris will reprise the role in Marvel’s forthcoming ensemble The Avengers (2012) and will be seen later this year in romantic comedy What’s Your Number? (2011).
PERSONAL LIFE
Chris has previously had a high-profile long-term relationship with actress Jessica Biel whom he met in 2002. The couple went on to star together in Cellular and London before separating in 2006. He has since been linked with actresses Minka Kelly, Emmy Rossum and Dianna Agron. He is currently represented by Creative Artists Agency.
Pursue your success starting now
British Actress- Rebecca Hall
Family and Education
The British actress Rebecca Maria Hall was born on the 19th May 1982, in London, England. Rebecca comes from an artistic background. She is the daughter of the acclaimed English director, Peter Hall and the American Opera singer, Maria Ewing. Rebecca’s parents divorced when she was five years old. She has five half siblings all in the arts field. Edward Hall; the theatre director, Lucy Hall; theatre designer, Christopher Hall; tv drama producer, and Jennifer Caron Hall, a writer and painter.
Rebecca attended Roedean School, and then later at the age of eighteen Rebecca attended Cambridge University to study English Literature. During her time there Rebecca honed her acting talent in a number of plays and student stage productions. She also set up her own theatre company. Rebecca did not complete her degree having dropped out a year before graduation.
Film and Television career
Rebecca Hall in Dorian Gray
Rebecca started acting at the age of ten years old; she featured in her father’s television adaptation of Mary Wesley‘s: The Camomile Lawn (1992). In 2006, at the age of twenty two, Rebecca made her film debut in the film adaptation of David Nicholls‘s novel: Starter for Ten. In the same year Rebecca starred as Sarah Borden in the mystery thriller film: The Prestige directed by Christopher Nolan. This role is considered to be Rebecca’s breakthrough role. In 2007, Rebecca then appeared in the dramatic TV film: Joe’s Palace, directed by Stephen Poliakoff’s and continued to feature in several TV films including: Wide Sargasso Sea (2006) and Rubberheart (2007). Rebecca continued to attract the attention of renowned directors in Hollywood. In 2008, Rebecca starred in Woody Allen’s romance comedy drama film: Vicky Christina Barcelona, as the title character Vicky, co- starring Hollywood heavy weights, Scarlett Johansson as Christina, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem. Rebecca’s performance was critically acclaimed; she was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture; Musical or Comedy. Rebecca’s prestige was steadily rising with her name attached to a string of Hollywood blockbusters. In the same year Rebecca starred in the hotly anticipated historical drama film; Frost/Nixon, based on the post Watergate television interviews between British talk-show host David Frost and former president Richard Nixon. In 2009, Rebecca starred as Emily Wotton, in the British fantasy, thriller, drama film adaptation of Oscar Wilde‘s , 1890 novel; The Picture of Dorian Gray. In 2010, Rebecca starred in the dark comedy; Please Give, co-starring Catherine Keener and the crime film; The Town, co-starring Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively and Ben Affleck. Rebecca is currently finishing filming; The Awakening, a horror film set in 1921 England after the turmoil and anguish of World War One.
Rebecca also has a flourishing stage career. In 2003, she won the Ian Charleson Award for her role as Vivie in the West End production of Mrs Warren’s Profession, directed by her father.
Rebecca’s trademark inclination for dark roles and thrillers has set her aside as one of Hollywood’s unconventional, but sought after actresses.
To be a good actor doesn’t have to come from the artistic family background, but you do it with passion
English actor, Sir Ian McKellen
English Actor Sir Ian McKellen
Early life and religious background
The English actor Sir Ian McKellen, was born four months before the outbreak of World War II, on May 25th 1939. McKellen was born in Burnley, the Northern English mill town in Lancashire, England. He grew up in Wigan, a coal mining town in South Lancashire. McKellen is the younger of two children; he has an older sister, Jean. Mckellen comes from a non orthodox Christian background; both grandfathers from either parent were preachers. His father, Denis Murray McKellen, was also a lay preacher as well as a civil engineer. His mother, Margery Lois, was a home maker and amateur actress. McKellen was brought up on the principle that being a good Christian lies in the way you treat people, rather than adopting an orthodox lifestyle.
First affiliations with the theatre and acting
McKellen was first introduced to the stage by his theatre enthusiast parents. At the age of three, McKellen attended his first theatre production; Peter Pan. This ignited a fascination and interest in acting. At the age of six, McKellen, started acting in church productions with his mother. His first appearance was in a play about Quakers. At the age of twelve, Mckellen’s mother died of breast cancer, he credits her as the one who encouraged him to pursue acting as a career. McKellen’s first affiliation with Shakespeare was at the age of thirteen, when his sister Jean took him to see a production of Twelfth Night.
Mckellen attended Bolton school for boys where he acquired a taste for Shakespearean acting and honed his acting talent in several school productions, such as, Henry V and Twelfth Night. At the age of eighteen, McKellen won a scholarship to study English at St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge under the mentorship of Tom Henn, the Shakespeare and Yeats scholar. At Cambridge, McKellen joined the Marlowe society and appeared in twenty one productions, most notably; Henry IV as Shallow, alongside fellow aspiring actors at the time; Trevor Nunn and Derek Jacobi.
Acting career
Theatre
McKellen in Shakespeare's, 'King Lear'
At the age of twenty two, Mckellen, started his professional acting career. His debut performance was as Roper in the Belgrade theatre’s production of, A Man for All Seasons. At the age of 25, Mckellen moved to London and made his West End debut in the production of, A Scent of Flowers. Mckellen became a renowned name in British Theatre, frequently performing at the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre, attaining leading roles in Shakespearean plays, including the title character in Macbeth, co-starring Judi Dench and Lago in Othello. In 2007, McKellen, returned to the Royal Shakespeare Company, in productions of King Lear and The Seagull. In 2009, Mckellen, performed in the revival of Waiting for Godot at Haymarket Theatre, London. Mckellen has received critical acclaim and prestigious accolades, most notably; the Tony Award for his stage performances.
Films
McKellen as Gandalf
Sir Ian McKellen can add a flourishing film career to his already acclaimed stage status. He starred in several Hollywood block buster hits; the comic book adaptation of the X-Men series; X-Men (2000) and X- Men: The Last Stand (2006) as the ruthless villain Magneto and the book adaptations of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, by J.R.R Tolkien, as the wise wizard Gandalf. McKellen is currently reviving his role as Gandalf in the filming of the book adaptation, The Hobbit: an Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again.
Sir Ian McKellen is considered to be the most accomplished Shakespearean actor of our time and one of the most versatile actors across the field of the performing arts. In 1988, McKellen revealed to the public his sexual orientation as gay and he is an advocator for LGBT Rights. In the same year, McKellen was knighted for his services to the performing arts.
Be an outstanding actor for many decades
American director Michael Bay
EARLY LIFE
Michael Bay
Born Michael Benjamin Bay on 17th February 1965 in Los Angeles, California, Michael is the adopted child of bookstore owner Harriet and accountant Jim Bay. Michael discovered a passion for filmmaking at a young age, spending much of his youth creating his own amateur short films on his parents’ Super 8mm camera. His interest in filmmaking soon lead him to an internship at Lucasfilm where the 15 year old boy was tasked with archiving production design materials and storyboards for the likes of Star Wars (1977), and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). Michael studied at Crossroads High School in Santa Monica before enrolling at Wesleyan University to study filmmaking where he directed acclaimed short Benjamin’s Birthday. He graduated in 1986 and undertook postgraduate studies at the Art College Center of Design in California.
MUSIC VIDEOS AND ADVERTISING
Soon after completing his studies, Michael found fame as a music video and commercials director with his professional debut coming in the shape of a video for Donny Osmond’s comeback single “Soldier of Love” in 1989. The video was an instant success and Michael quickly found himself as one of the industry’s most sought after directors; filming videos for such artists as Vanilla Ice (I Love You, 1991), Tina Turner (Love Thing, 1992) Lionel Ritchie (Do It To Me, 1992), and Meat Loaf (I’d Do Anything For Love, 1993). Michael won a CLIO award in 1994 for his efforts on the first “Got Milk?” commercial, and was honored by the Director’s Guild of America for his ‘Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials”. He also directed advertisements for Nike, Reebok, Coca-Cola, and Budweiser. His early career marked him as a rising directorial talent, a reputation he was keen to take advantage of with his debut feature film, Bad Boys in 1995.
BLOCKBUSTER CAREER
Bad Boys was a box office hit and was the beginning of a very lucrative partnership between Michael and blockbuster producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Jerry would go on to produce Michael’s next 4 films; with The Rock (1996) starring Nicolas Cage, Armageddon (1998) with Bruce Willis, Pearl Harbor (2001), and Bad Boys II (2003) each earning over $100 million at the US box office – firmly establishing him as one of Hollywood’s most successful action directors. Michael’s next venture however, his first produced without Jerry Bruckheimer, the sci-fi blockbuster The Island (2005), flopped at the box office; grossing a disappointing $35 million domestically from a $126 million budget. Michael’s following release would see the director return to the A-list and at his blockbuster best with the Steven Spielberg produced Transformers (2007). The film was a box office smash; becoming one of the year’s highest grossing films and spawned one of modern cinema’s most successful franchises, with Michael returning to helm hit sequel Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen in 2009, and the highly anticipated third entry, Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011). He has infrequently returned to directing commercials outside of his film commitments, including advertisements for Lexus and Victoria’s Secret.
Michael Bay on the set of Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen
PRODUCING CAREER
Michael’s also had some success as a producer; earning credits on some of his own directorial efforts including Armageddon, The Island, and the Transformers trilogy. He also co-owns Platinum Dunes with Brad Fuller, and Andrew Form which has largely specialized in high profile horror remakes including The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (2003), The Amityville Horror (2005), Friday the 13th (2009), and A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010). He has most recently produced teen sci-fi I Am Number Four (2011).
CRITICAL RECEPTION
Michael’s films have often been criticized for their bombastic blockbuster style that seemingly favour spectacle over characterization. He has often been nominated for Razzie awards; earning 3 nominations and the dishonor of a win for his direction on Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen in 2010, yet he is a proven success with audiences, with his total domestic gross to date standing at nearly $1.5 billion. He is currently represented by William Morris Endeavor Entertainment.
The combination of passion, training and networking is a good formula, find them all at London Academy
American actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Born on 22nd April1966, in Seattle, Washington, Jeffrey Dean Morgan is the only son to Sandy Thomas and Richard Dean Morgan. He grew up in the town of Kirkland, studying at Ben Franklin Elementary School, and Rose Hill Junior High, before enrolling at Lake Washington High School where he developed a passion for basketball, aspiring to play the sport at a professional level. He graduated in 1984, however, his dreams of a career in sport were soon ended when he suffered a knee injury during his studies at Skagit Valley Community College. He would briefly work as a graphic designer before discovering a new passion; acting.
ACTING DEBUT
Jeffrey discovered his talent for acting through a local theatre company, appearing in productions of Grease and West Side Story, in 1991 before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the arts. His film debut was not far behind when he was cast in the low-budget crime thriller Uncaged in the same year, yet the debutant actor would often struggle to land parts for much of his early career. His next role didn’t come until 1995, when the struggling actor made some minor film appearances in the likes of Undercover Heat, and Roger Corman’s Dillinger and Capone with Martin Sheen. Jeffrey was to be much more successful with his television work, making guest appearances in JAG (1995), and Sliders (1996), and becoming a series regular on short-lived sci-fi series The Burning Zone (1996-1997). Jeffrey’s breakthrough wouldn’t come until the turn of the century though when the actor finally became a frequent television presence thanks to a slew of guest appearances in numerous popular television series.
A CAREER IN TELEVISION
With a return to JAG (2002), and appearances in the likes of ER (2001), The Practice (2002), Angel (2002), CSI (2003), The O.C (2005), and Weeds (2005), Jeffrey became one of American television’s most frequently cast actors, yet it was his recurring appearances on teen sci-fi Supernatural (2005-2008), and medical drama Grey’s Anatomy (2006-2009) that would earn the actor the attentions of Hollywood’s top producers. His performance on Grey’s Anatomy particularly endeared Jeffrey to television audiences, with the actor memorably appearing in over 20 episodes despite his character’s rather premature demise.
BIG SCREEN SUCCESS
More high-profile film roles quickly followed with Jeffrey appearing in the romantic-comedy P.S. I Love You (2007) alongside Gerard Butler and Hilary Swank, and The Accidental Husband (2008) with Uma Thurman and Colin Firth. In 2009, Jeffrey took his first tentative steps towards big-screen stardom with acclaimed performances in Zack Snyder’s graphic novel adaptation Watchmen (2009) as sadistic vigilante The Comedian, and Ang Lee’s ensemble drama Taking Woodstock, before leading a cast of rising stars (including Chris Evans, Zoe Saldana, and Idris Elba) for his second comic-book adaptation, The Losers in 2010. He has most recently reunited with Hilary Swank for Hammer horror release The Resident (2011), and will next be seen in a slew of films due for release later this year including a remake of John Milius’ Red Dawn (2011), action thriller The Courier (2011) with Mickey Rourke, and crime drama The Fields (2011) with Sam Worthington.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan as The Comedian in Watchmen
PERSONAL LIFE
Jeffrey has had high profile relationships with Weeds co-star Mary-Louise Parker, and actresses Sherrie Rose and Sarah Lancaster. He had an on-off relationship with Parker; to whom he was briefly engaged, and discovered he was the father of Rose’s 4 year old son in 2009. He is currently in a relationship with actress Hilarie Burton with whom he has a second son, born in 2010. Jeffrey is currently represented by United Talent Agency.
Actors are needed at every age – try acting today at London Academy
English Actor and Director Terry Jones
EARLY LIFE
On 1st February 1942, Terence Graham Parry Jones was born in an area of North Wales called Colwyn Bay. Jones first met his father at the Colwyn Bay Railway Station, since his father was stationed in India with the RAF when he was born, and they only met upon his return. When Jones was four years old, the family relocated to Surrey, England. Jones spent the early years of his education at Guildford’s Royal Grammar School, and for the year of 1960-61, he was head boy. Jones went on to study at St. Edmund Hall, Oxford, where he started to read English, but then changed to a History course from which he graduated with a 2:1. While at this institute, Jones was a part of the Oxford Revue where he performed comedy, along with his future partner, Michael Palin.
Palin and Jones first wrote together professionally when Sarah Miles pulled out of a writing course Jones was on at the time, so he employed Palin instead, which turned out to be the start of a very successful career together. Jones and Palin were in a comedy sketch series together in 1967, alongside Tony Buffery, Bill Oddie, Graeme Garden and Jonathan Lynn, called Twice a Fortnight. The pair also appeared in Do Not Adjust Your Set in 1969, alongside David Jason and Eric Idle, a series for which Terry Gilliam did the animations. Jones, Palin and Idle also featured in The Frost Report, along with John Cleese and Graham Chapman, who along with Terry Gilliam formed the world famous comedy group, Monty Python.
MONTY PYTHON’S FLYING CIRCUS
Jones wrote many sketches for the Pythons, mainly working with Michael Palin, and due to many of his roles being middle-aged women, he became known as “the best rat-bag woman in the business” to the rest of the group. As well as being an influential writer for the group, Jones was involved in evolving the directing style of the Monty Python’s Flying Circus series. Jones preferred to avoid the use of punch-lines, but instead have each sketch flowing into the next, which in his opinion gave the comedy style of the group room to breathe. In progression from this, Jones directed Monty Python and the Holy Grail with Terry Gilliam in 1975, Monty Python’s Life of Brian in 1979 and Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life in 1983. All three of the Python films were widely enjoyed by followers of the Python’s and new audiences alike.
DIRECTING WITH STYLE
Jones developed a certain style of directing while with Python, and following his style of comedy when he was writing with Palin, he enjoyed using visually impressive settings that added to the comedy value of the sketches. Since Python, he has appeared in a few major movies, including Labyrinth in 1986, which was the Last film Jim Henson directed before he passed away in 1990. He wrote, directed and appeared in a film in 1989 called Erik the Viking, which had the same title as his 1983 children’s book, but the plot followed a different story, and more recently, he appeared in the 1996 film adaptation of the popular children’s novel The Wind in the Willows, alongside fellow Python members Cleese, Palin and Idle.
PERSONAL LIFE
As well as being an actor and director, Jones is also an Author, with a number of books published too. In his personal life, Jones has been married to Alison Telfer since 1970, and he has had 2 children with her. The first, Sally, was born in 1974 and Bill, who was born in 1976. Jones’ marriage to Telfer broke down when he said he had fallen in love with Anna Söderström, and he has fathered a child to her, Siri, who was born in 2009. Despite this, he is still married to Telfer. Jones has enjoyed success throughout his career, though apart from a few roles, rarely can be seen outside of his own projects.
Sharpen your multi-talent at London Academy
British Actress Kaya Scodelario
Kaya Scodelario
Early Life Kaya Scodelario is a British actress famous with her role as Effy Stonem in a teenage drama “Skins”. She was born in London on 13 March, 1992 from a Brazilian mother and an English father. When she was very young, the parents split up and she was taken care of by her mother. Most of Kaya’s family live in Itu, a city in Sao Paulo State Brazil where she sometimes goes visiting. Kaya managed to teach herself Portuguese and now she can speak the language fluently. Young Kaya had been suffering from dyslexia which actually became her drift to learn about acting.
Role in Skins Never learning about acting before, Kaya tried to attend an audition of Skins drama, but in the beginning she didn’t feel confident. She was about to leave the audition, but the producer gave her a chance to read a part, and then finally she won the role, but had very limited part of speaking act in the early role as Effy Stonem. Her debut started in January 2007.
Playing a role as Effy Stonem
As Effy, Kaya played as supporting role in the first series and only appeared few times, but the character developed to become more challenging in the next series. Effy Stonem was described as a teenager who had many disasters in life but somehow resolved to manage her life. Her role was the center of characters in season three. Kaya announced that she will leave the series and had her last day filming on 18 November, 2009 making the series prepared another generation to play the characters. Her appearance in Skins made her received a nomination for Best Actress in TV Quick Awards in 2009.
Other Work and Modeling After Skins, Kaya also appeared in other movies and had made her first performance in Moon, first premiered at The Sundance Film Festival in 2009. Shank (2010) became her second movie and followed by Clash of the Titans in the same year. There are four movies of her that are going to be released, Wuthering Heights and Invisible, which already in Post-Production and will be released in 2011, Twenty8K and Stay with Me which will be ready in 2012.
Kaya is also recognized as a model and had appeared in various magazine including Teen Vouge, Nylon, Instyle UK, Elle UK, Dazed & Confused, Vouge and i-D. Kaya joined with model agency Model 1. She was also a video model for Don Broco and appeared in Dreamboy.
Personal Life Kaya started a relationship with Jack O’Connel and they’ve been dating for a year before finally broke up in June, 2009 and still became good friends. Kaya lives by herself in an apartment in North London. She is now dating Elliot Tittensor since end of 2009 and had supported him during the court.
Sometime your passion need to be found, find yours at London Academy
American Actress Winona Ryder
American Actress Winona Ryder
Early Life American Actress Winona Ryder was born as Winona Laura Horowitz, named after a nearby city, Winona. She was born in Olmsted County, Minnesota, from an author as well as video producer and editor, Cynthia Palmer, and Michael Horowitz who is also an author, editor, and publisher but also sells antique books.Ryder has a brother named Uri, a half brother named Jubal and a half sister named Sunyata. Her grandparents came from Russia and had been settling at Ellis Island, the Horowitz family moved to Mendocino County, California, living in a poor condition without electricity and moved again to Petaluma, California, when Ryder was still ten years old. Young Ryder loved reading and she fell in love in acting after being showed few movies on their barn by her mother. She went studying at Kenilworth Junior High, but her high school education only last for a week and she had to spend time homeschooling for study after being bullied at her old school. She got her high school certificate from Petaluma High School with 4.0 GPA in 1989 and took her acting lesson at American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco since she was 12.
Early Career During her lessons at American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, her acting was taped for an audition for Desert Bloom by talent scouts. She didn’t get a role but it delivered her to Triad Artists Agency which later she got a cast in Lucas (1986). Thanks for the movie, she got her first credit title as Winona Ryder which name was later very famous. Ryder was named after Mitch Ryder an American musician, who her dad owned his albums. Ryder’s career rose after being spotted by Tim Burton who were interested with her cast in Lucas and offered her a cast in Beetlejuice (1988) which later succeed at the box office. In 1989, she continued with Heathers and Great Balls of Fire! before finally casted by Tim Burton again in Edward Scissorhands (1990) which amazingly made big success in box office. In the same year, Ryder played with Cher as her daughter in Mermaids along with Christina Ricci. Night on Earth (1991) was her next move and after she was about to get a cast in The Godfather: Part III as Michael Corleone’s daughter but her role was withdrawn due to her respiratory infection and exhaust after travelling from Rome.
Receiving Golden Globe
Filmography and Awards Ryder later signed a contract with Creative Artist Agency which got her a role as Mina Murray in novel-adapted movie Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) and won the attention from Francis Coppola that later gave her a cast in the melodrama The House of the Spirits playing aside with Antonio Banderas. Later on, she took a role in The Age of Innocence with Michelle Pfeiffer and received Academy Award nomination also made her won Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress. Another Golden Globe nomination received when she landed a role in Little Women (1994) for Best Actress. Before that, she starred Reality Bites (1994), House of Spirits (1993), casting as Allison Taylor in The Simpsons and How to Make an American Quilt (1995).
Ryder appeared in many box office film including Boys (1996), Richard III, The Crubicle and Alien Resurrection (1997) and received a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Best Actress for her role. Later, she casted a role in Celebrity (1998) and became an executive producer for Girl, Interrupted (1999) where she also played a role alongside Whoopi Goldberg and Angelina Jolie. The movie made Jolie’s role recognized in Hollywood and won her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She had other performances in Autumn in New York with Richard Gere, Lost Souls, Zoolander and several movies including the last one The Dilemma which will be released on 9 March, 2012. She received a Hollywood Walk of Fame in October 2000 next to Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard.
Hiatus, Relationships and Criminal Ryder took time off from acting after her shoplifting incidents at Beverly Hills Saks Fifth Avneue and sentenced to USD 3,700 in fines and had to spend 480 hours in community service. She also had to spend three years of probation and was released in 2005.
Ryder’s love story engaged to Johnny Depp for three years starting in July 1990 after a meeting in a premiere of Great Balls of Fire! in 1989. They broke up and later she got along with Dave Pirner, Conor Oberst and Matt Damon. Winona was known as Gwyneth Paltrow’s best friend before they finally grew apart in 1990s which made Ryder lost her role in Shakespeare in Love which went to Paltrow.
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