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British actress Julia Ormond had several solid years of stage work to her credit, as well as the starring role in the made-for-cable Catherine the Great biography Young Catherine (1991) when, at 27, she co-starred in the expansive HBO biopic Stalin (1992). Most of the publicity guns were aimed at Robert Duvall's portrayal of the Soviet dictator, but at least one observer singled out Ormond's performance as the long-suffering Mrs. Stalin as one of the highlights of the picture. That observer was director Edward Zwick, who later cast Ormond as the heroine in his big-budget theatrical feature LEGENDS OF THE FALL. She was recently seen in David Lynch's INLAND EMPIRE and just completed work on David Fincher's THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, opposite Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt.

Born in Epsom, Surrey, Ormond was a self-admitted tomboy who excelled at field hockey, became involved with the theatre in school plays, and, following a stint at art school (both her grandparents were abstract artists), studied drama at London's Webber-Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts. Following graduation, she landed her first professional work in TV commercials and then acted in a series of plays until her breakthrough role in Young Catherine.

During the mid-90s, the graceful Ormond played Guinevere opposite Sean Connery's King Arthur in FIRST KNIGHT and was cast in the title role of Sydney Pollack's remake of SABRINA. Ormond has starred in such international pictures as SMILLA'S SENSE OF SNOW (1997), SIBIRSKIJ TSIRYULNIK (THE BARBER OF SIBERIA, 1998) and RESISTANCE (2003).

Ormond is also a well-known social activist on issues related to HIV/AIDS, anti-trafficking and poverty alleviation in Africa. She is Founding Co-Chair of FilmAid International, a nongovernmental organization that uses the power of film to alleviate refugee despair and psychological trauma, combat isolation and communicate with disenfranchised populations in Afghanistan, East Africa and the Balkans. Together with Transatlantic Partners Against AIDS, Ormond also fights HIV/AIDS in Russia and Ukraine by advocating for improved prevention and treatment policies, raising awareness through media appearances, and mobilizing the creative community in both countries.