Connie Nielsen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Connie Nielsen
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Nielsen in 2016
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Connie Inge-Lise Nielsen
3 July 1965 Frederikshavn, Denmark
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| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Spouse(s) | Fabio Sartor (divorced) |
| Partner(s) | Lars Ulrich (2004–2012) |
| Children | 2 |
Connie Inge-Lise Nielsen (born July 3, 1965) is a Danish actress famous for her roles in major Hollywood films. She is best known for playing the Roman noblewoman Lucilla in the movie Gladiator and its sequel, Gladiator II. She also played Queen Hippolyta, the mother of Wonder Woman, in the DC Extended Universe movies.
Nielsen has appeared in many other popular films. These include Soldier, Mission to Mars, One Hour Photo, The Hunted, and Nobody. She has also acted in several television series, such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and I Am the Night.
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Early Life and First Steps in Acting
Connie Nielsen was born in Frederikshavn, a town in Denmark. She grew up in a small village called Elling. Her father, Bent Nielsen, was a bus driver. Her mother, Laila, worked for an insurance company and also enjoyed acting and writing about music.
Nielsen started her acting career by performing with her mother in local shows. When she was 18, she moved to Paris, France, to work as an actress and model. This led her to study acting in Italy, first in Rome and then in Milan. She lived in Italy for many years before moving to the United States to continue her career.
Career Highlights
Nielsen's first movie was a French film in 1984. After appearing in Italian and French films, she moved to the United States in the mid-1990s. Her first major English-language movie was The Devil's Advocate in 1997, where she acted alongside Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves. This role helped her get parts in other films like Permanent Midnight and Soldier.
Breakthrough with Gladiator
In 2000, Nielsen became world-famous for her role as Lucilla in the hit movie Gladiator. She starred with Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix. The film was a huge success and made her a well-known star. After Gladiator, she appeared in more American movies, including Mission to Mars, One Hour Photo, and The Hunted. For one of her roles, she even had to cut her hair very short.
Success in Danish and American Films
In 2004, Nielsen starred in her first Danish film, Brødre (which means Brothers). Her performance was highly praised, and she won the Bodil Award, which is the main Danish film award for Best Actress. She also won Best Actress at the San Sebastian International Film Festival.
Nielsen is also known for her role as Queen Hippolyta in the DC superhero movies. She first played the character in Wonder Woman (2017) and appeared in other films in the series, including Justice League and Wonder Woman 1984.
Television Roles
Besides movies, Nielsen has also worked in television. In 2006, she joined the cast of the popular crime show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit for several episodes. She played Detective Dani Beck. She also had important roles in the political drama Boss and the crime series The Following. In 2019, she starred in the drama series I Am the Night.
Personal Life
From 2004 to 2012, Nielsen was in a relationship with Lars Ulrich, the drummer for the band Metallica. Like Nielsen, Ulrich is also from Denmark. They have one son together. Nielsen also has another son from her previous marriage to actor Fabio Sartor.
Nielsen is a talented linguist. She can speak many languages fluently, including her native Danish, English, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, and Swedish.
Selected Film and Television Work
Here are some of Connie Nielsen's most famous roles:
- The Devil's Advocate (1997) as Christabella Andreoli
- Gladiator (2000) as Lucilla
- One Hour Photo (2002) as Nina Yorkin
- The Hunted (2003) as Abby Durrell
- Brødre (2004) as Sarah
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2006) as Detective Dani Beck
- Boss (2011–2012) as Meredith Rutledge Kane
- Wonder Woman (2017) as Queen Hippolyta
- Justice League (2017) as Queen Hippolyta
- I Am the Night (2019) as Corinna Hodel
- Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) as Queen Hippolyta
- Nobody (2021) as Becca Mansell
- Gladiator II (2024) as Lucilla
Awards
- Rungstedlund Prize (September 4, 2023)
See also
In Spanish: Connie Nielsen para niños
