The 2014 thriller “Kingsman: The Secret Service” was a big commercial success. Fans of the movie were drawn into the mythology created by filmmaker Matthew Vaughn, who directed and co-wrote the film. It was adapted from the graphic novel series “The Secret Service,” written by Mark Millar. In 2017, Vaughn and co-writer Jane Goldman reunited for the sequel “Kingsman: The Golden Circle. Many of the principal cast, including lead actor Taron Egerton, returned for the sequel.
For the third movie in the franchise, titled “The King’s Man,” Vaughn is going back in time. The movie is set in the early 20th century and focuses on the creation of the agency. As it is a prequel, it features a brand-new cast. Gemma Arterton, who plays Polly in the film, is one of the most notable newcomers to the franchise. To get you ready for the release of “The King’s Man,” here’s a rundown of Gemma Arterton’s career, from her first big break to her appearances in major blockbusters.
#1 Arterton was set to act from a young age
Source: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Gemma Arterton was born in February 1986 in Gravesend, a town situated on the River Thames in England. During an interview on “Friday Night with Jonathan Ross,” she revealed that she was born with an extra finger on each of her hands. This condition, called polydactyly, was also present in her grandfather and father. However, doctors removed the extra fingers soon after her birth.
Arterton’s mother worked as a cleaner, while her father was a welder (as reported by Stylist). Her parents got divorced when she was young, and she was raised by her mother alongside her younger sister, Hannah, who is three years her junior. As a teenager, she attended Gravesend Grammar School for Girls before enrolling at North West Kent College at the age of 16 to study acting (as per Daily Mirror). Arterton subsequently obtained a full government grant to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where she graduated in 2008 (according to the institution’s website). By then, her acting career had already taken off. Her younger sister, Hannah, also followed in her footsteps and attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
#2 Arterton worked with Guy Ritchie early in her career
Source: BBC
Gemma Arterton made her acting debut back in 2007, with two films being released almost at the same time. Her first role was in the TV movie “Capturing Mary,” where she starred alongside Dame Maggie Smith and Ruth Wilson. However, her big break came with the comedy “St Trinian’s,” which was a reboot of a franchise that dates back to 1954. Arterton played the role of Kelly Jones, the Head Girl of the school who befriends new student Annabelle Fritton and together they plan to save the school with the help of a local criminal named Flash Harry.
In 2008, Arterton landed some significant roles. She played June in the Guy Ritchie film “RocknRolla,” which had a star-studded cast that included Mark Strong, Idris Elba, Thandiwe Newton, Tom Hardy, and Gerard Butler. She also starred in a TV adaptation of the Thomas Hardy novel “Tess of the D’Urbervilles” on the BBC, portraying the titular character, Tess Durbeyfield.
#3 Arterton landed a major role in a Bond film
Source: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Gemma Arterton is a British actress who gained a lot of recognition for her role as Strawberry Fields in the 2008 James Bond movie called “Quantum of Solace. In the movie, she played the role of an MI6 agent who was stationed at the British consulate in Bolivia. Her initial mission was to ensure that Bond returns to the UK from Bolivia, but she ends up helping Bond by going undercover with him at a fundraiser held by the main villain, Dominic Greene.
In 2009, Arterton appeared in the thriller movie “The Disappearance of Alice Creed”. She played the lead role of Alice Creed, who was the only child of a wealthy family. In the movie, Alice was kidnapped by two criminals named Vic and Danny, who held her hostage while demanding a ransom from her parents. During her captivity, Alice discovered that Danny was someone she had been romantically involved with in the past.
#4 Arterton starred in blockbuster remakes and adaptations
Source: Warner Bros.
In 2010, Gemma Arterton starred in two blockbuster movies. The first one was “Clash of the Titans,” which is a remake of the 1981 film, and in which she co-starred with Sam Worthington and Mads Mikkelsen. In the movie, Arterton portrays Io, a woman who has been cursed with immortality for refusing the advances of a god. She discloses the true origins of Perseus and accompanies him on a journey to the Stygian witches, who reveal that the Kraken can be defeated with the head of Medusa.
Later in the same year, Arterton appeared in “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,” which is an adaptation of the popular “Prince of Persia” video game series. In this movie, Arterton played Princess Tamina of Alamut, a holy city that had been invaded by the Persian army. Dastan, the Persian monarch’s adopted son, steals a sacred dagger that allows the wielder to travel back in time by a minute. Tamina reveals that she is the guardian of the dagger, which can access the Sands of Time that are beneath Alamut and allows the user to rewind time even further.
#5 Arterton hunted witches and worked with Diana Rigg
Source: Paramount Pictures
In 2013, Arterton made a comeback to blockbusters with “Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters,” a new version of the classic fairytale. Arterton plays Gretel, who is now grown up and together with her brother Hansel, played by Jeremy Renner, hunts witches for a fee. The siblings are hired by the mayor of Augsburg to find the town’s missing children, who the townspeople believe have been taken by witches.
After that, Arterton appeared in supporting roles in several films like “The Voices,” “The Girl with All the Gifts,” and “How To Build a Girl.” She also played a leading role in the 2016 movie “Their Finest,” where she portrays Catrin Cole, a woman tasked with telling stories about Britain’s World War II efforts through a female perspective.
She returned to television in 2020 for the miniseries “Black Narcissus,” where she played Sister Clodagh alongside the late Dame Diana Rigg, who passed away before the series debuted.
“The King’s Man” is another promising highlight in Arterton’s already illustrious career. The movie is set to release in theaters on December 22, 2021.
