Uma Thurman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Uma Thurman
Thurman in 2011
Born	Uma Karuna Thurman (1970-04-29) April 29, 1970 (age 55) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation	Actress model
Years active	1985–present
Works	Full list
Spouse(s)	Gary Oldman ​ ​ (m. 1990; div. 1992)​ Ethan Hawke ​ ​ (m. 1998; div. 2005)​
Partner(s)	Arpad Busson (2007–2009, 2010–2014)
Children	3, including Maya and Levon Hawke
Parents	Robert Thurman (father) Nena von Schlebrügge (mother)

Uma Karuna Thurman (born April 29, 1970) is an American actress and former model. She has starred in many different kinds of movies. These include romantic comedies, dramas, science fiction films, and action movies.

Uma became famous around the world for her role as Mia Wallace in Quentin Tarantino's 1994 film Pulp Fiction. For this role, she was nominated for several major awards. She worked with Tarantino again in the action films Kill Bill: Volume 1 and 2 (2003, 2004). These movies also earned her more award nominations.

Some of her other well-known films include Henry & June (1990), The Truth About Cats & Dogs (1996), Batman & Robin (1997), and Gattaca (1997). She also appeared in Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010) and The House That Jack Built (2018).

In 2011, Uma was part of the jury at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. In 2017, she led the "Un Certain Regard" jury at the same festival. She also made her first appearance on Broadway in the play The Parisian Woman (2017–2018).

Uma won a Golden Globe Award for her role in the TV film Hysterical Blindness (2002). She was also nominated for an Primetime Emmy Award for her role in the TV series Smash (2012). She has also starred in other TV shows like The Slap (2015) and Imposters (2017–2018).

Early Life and Education

Uma Karuna Thurman was born on April 29, 1970, in Boston, Massachusetts. Her father, Robert Thurman, is a professor who studies Tibetan Buddhism and is also an author. Her mother, Nena von Schlebrügge, was a famous model.

Uma grew up with a Buddhist background. She spent about two years living in Almora, Uttarakhand, India. She mostly grew up in Amherst, Massachusetts, and later moved to Woodstock, New York. She has three brothers and a half-sister.

When Uma was young, she was described as a bit shy and quiet. She sometimes felt insecure about her looks and her unusual name. At age ten, someone even suggested she get a nose job. She discovered her love for acting in eighth grade at Amherst Public Schools. At 14, she attended Northfield Mount Hermon School. There, talent scouts saw her act in a play called The Crucible. They offered her the chance to become a professional actress, and she left school to follow her dream.

Career Highlights

Starting as a Model and Actress (1985–1989)

Uma began her career as a fashion model when she was 15. She appeared on the covers of magazines like Glamour and British Vogue. Her first movie was the thriller Kiss Daddy Goodnight in 1987.

In 1988, she starred in three films. One of them was Dangerous Liaisons, which was a big success and helped her get noticed by critics and audiences. At this time, she felt a bit insecure about how she looked.

Becoming Famous with Pulp Fiction (1990–1995)

In 1990, Uma appeared in Henry & June, a drama about writers in Paris. This film was rated for older audiences. Even so, Uma received good reviews for her acting. After playing Maid Marian in Robin Hood (1991), she starred in the thriller Final Analysis (1992) and Jennifer 8 (1992).

In 1993, she played a character with unusually big thumbs in Even Cowgirls Get the Blues. This movie was not very successful. She also starred with Robert De Niro in the drama Mad Dog and Glory.

Uma Thurman at the Venice Film Festival in 1994

In Quentin Tarantino's movie Pulp Fiction (1994), Uma played Mia Wallace. This role made her very famous. The movie earned a lot of money and is considered one of the greatest films ever made. Uma's character, Mia, became very iconic. For her performance, Uma was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. This launched her into the group of top Hollywood stars.

Continued Success (1996–2002)

Uma's next films were Beautiful Girls and The Truth About Cats & Dogs in 1996. Both were successful and received good reviews. In 1997, she starred with Ethan Hawke in Gattaca, a science fiction film that was praised by critics.

Her next big role was as the villain Poison Ivy in Batman & Robin (1997). While the movie itself was not very popular, Uma's performance was often highlighted. She won a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Best Sci-fi Actress.

In 1998, Uma played Fantine in Les Misérables, a film based on the famous novel. Critics said her performance was the best part of the movie. That year, she also starred in The Avengers, which was not a success. In 1999, she acted in a play and in Woody Allen's film Sweet and Lowdown. She also turned down a role in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which she later called "one of the worst decisions" she ever made.

Uma Thurman at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival

Uma starred in the drama The Golden Bowl (2000) and the historical drama Vatel (2000). In 2001, she appeared in Tape and Chelsea Walls. She won a Golden Globe for her role in the TV film Hysterical Blindness (2002). In this movie, she played a woman looking for love in the 1980s.

Kill Bill and More (2003–2005)

Uma worked with Quentin Tarantino again for the two-part action film Kill Bill (2003–2004). She played Beatrix Kiddo, an assassin seeking revenge. Tarantino wrote the role just for her. He considered her his inspiration for the character. Uma trained for three months in martial arts, swordsmanship, and Japanese for this demanding role.

During the filming of Kill Bill in 2003, Uma was involved in a car accident on set. She sustained injuries to her neck and knees. The director, Quentin Tarantino, later said this incident was "the biggest regret of his life." Uma later shared that Tarantino apologized to her, and she has forgiven him.

Both Kill Bill movies were very popular with critics and audiences. Uma was nominated for two Golden Globes and won several MTV Movie Awards for her performances.

By 2005, Uma was one of the highest-paid actresses. She appeared in the crime-comedy Be Cool with her Pulp Fiction co-star John Travolta. She also starred in the romantic comedy Prime with Meryl Streep. In the musical film The Producers (2005), Uma played Ulla, a Swedish actress. She sang her own songs in the movie and received praise for her performance.

Later Film and TV Roles (2006–Present)

In 2006, Uma starred in My Super Ex-Girlfriend, playing a superhero who gets revenge on her ex-boyfriend. The movie received mixed reviews. In 2007, she starred in The Life Before Her Eyes, a drama about an accident survivor.

Uma Thurman at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival

In 2008, Uma appeared in the romantic comedy The Accidental Husband. She also took on a role in the British TV drama My Zinc Bed.

In 2009, she starred in Motherhood, playing a busy New York City mom. She also had a brief role as Medusa in the fantasy film Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010).

In 2011, Uma was part of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival. Her only film that year was Ceremony. She then appeared in Bel Ami (2012), Playing for Keeps (2012), and Movie 43 (2013). These films were not well-received.

Moving to Television and Broadway (2012–2018)

Uma started working more in television in 2012. She joined the cast of the drama series Smash, playing a Hollywood actress named Rebecca Duvall. Her performance was highly praised, and she was nominated for an Emmy Award.

Uma Thurman at the Berlin Film Festival in 2014

In 2013, Uma appeared in ...maniac. Even with limited screen time, critics called her performance "sensational." She won a BAMBI Award for Best International Actress in 2014.

In 2015, Uma starred in the NBC miniseries The Slap and played a restaurant critic in the film Burnt. In 2017, she had a recurring role in the TV series Imposters.

Uma made her Broadway debut in the play The Parisian Woman (2017–2018). She played a socialite dealing with politics and her life. The play was successful, and Uma won an audience award for her role.

In 2018, she starred in the comedy The Con Is On and reunited with director Lars von Trier for the film The House That Jack Built. She also played a headmistress in the thriller Down a Dark Hall.

Recent Roles (2019–Present)

In 2019, Uma played a grieving mother in the Netflix horror series Chambers. She also received an honorary award at the David di Donatello Film Awards in Italy.

Uma worked again with Robert De Niro in the family comedy The War with Grandpa (2020). Despite mixed reviews, the movie did well at the box office during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also narrated a documentary series called The Age of Nature for PBS.

In 2022, Uma starred in the Apple TV+ thriller series Suspicion. She also played Arianna Huffington in the TV series Super Pumped. Uma appeared as Roxanne Martel in the film Hollywood Stargirl (2022) on Disney+.

Looking ahead, Uma will star in the crime thriller The Kill Room with Samuel L. Jackson. She will also play a fictional US president in the romantic comedy Red White & Royal Blue for Amazon Prime. She has also joined the cast of the sequel to The Old Guard.

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

Uma Thurman married English actor Gary Oldman in 1990, but they divorced in 1992. In 1998, she married American actor Ethan Hawke. They met while filming Gattaca in 1997.

Uma and Ethan have two children: a daughter named Maya (born in 1998) and a son named Levon (born in 2002). The couple separated in 2003 and divorced in 2005.

Uma later dated French financier Arpad Busson. They were engaged twice but called off their engagement for the second time in 2014. Uma and Arpad have a daughter named Luna, born in 2012. In 2017, Uma gained primary custody of their daughter.

Activism and Causes

Uma Thurman is involved in many good causes. She supports the Democratic Party and has given money to political campaigns. She also supports gun control laws. In 2000, she took part in a campaign called "End Gun Violence Now."

She is on the board of Room to Grow, a charity that helps families and children in need. She also serves on the board of the Tibet House US. In 2007, she hosted the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway.

In 2008, Uma spoke about human rights in China before the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She described some actions by the Chinese government as "horrible."

In 2011, Uma joined the USAID and Ad Council's FWD campaign. This campaign raised awareness about the drought in East Africa. She also supported LGBT civil rights, saying people should have the right to commit to someone they love. In 2015, Uma joined the "Rhino Rescue Project" in Southern Africa to help protect black rhinoceroses. She called her experience with these animals "spiritual."

Filmography

Uma Thurman has starred in over 50 films. Some of her most praised and successful movies include Pulp Fiction (1994), Dangerous Liaisons (1988), Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003), Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004), The Truth About Cats & Dogs (1996), and Gattaca (1997).

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Uma Thurman para niños