Gemma Arterton - The Elton John AIDS Foundation Winter Ball in London 10-30-10

Gemma Christina Arterton (born 12 January 1986) is an English actress. She played the eponymous protagonist in the BBC adaptation of Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles. She has starred in many feature films including British comedy St Trinian's and its sequel St. Trinian's II: The Legend of Fritton's Gold, as well as blockbuster hits: James Bond film Quantum of Solace, Clash of the Titans, and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.

Arterton won her first professional role in Stephen Poliakoff's Capturing Mary, while she was still at drama school. Similarly, she made her stage debut as Rosaline in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost at the Globe Theatre, London in July 2007 before graduating later that year. She made her film debut in the 2007 St Trinian's movie St Trinian's as Head Girl Kelly, a role she gained in competition with Sienna Miller.

In 2008, she appeared in the James Bond film, Quantum of Solace. Chosen from around 1500 candidates, Arterton plays Bond Girl "Strawberry Fields", in what is described as a "nice-sized role". In 2008 also, she played the role of Elizabeth Bennet in the ITV serial Lost in Austen, albeit a reduced role from the original Pride & Prejudice.

She is the face of Avon's Bond Girl 007 fragrance which launched in October 2008. Having already started in a series of low-key adverts for cosmetics company Avon, in May 2008 Arterton requested a role opposite model Kate Moss for Rimmel, but was blocked on contractual terms under her Avon contract.

In 2010, she made her West End debut in the UK premiere of The Little Dog Laughed. She was originally attached to star in a new adaptation of Wuthering Heights as Catherine Earnshaw, however, she later left the project. She is set to star in Burden of Desire.

Arterton was seen in the 2010 films Clash of the Titans and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, and will next appear in Tamara Drewe, being released on September 10, 2010 in the UK.