Classically trained at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, English-born actress Alex Kingston worked in repertory theaters across the United Kingdom before joining the famed Royal Shakespeare Company, where, she played classical characters like Cordelia in "King Lear" and Hero in "Much Ado About Nothing". The wide-eyed, curly-haired performer then moved on to more contemporary roles in British TV and American cable movies like HBO's "The Infiltrator" (1995) and "Weapons of Mass Destruction" (1997). Some savvy film buffs might recognized her from her small roles in the features "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (1989, her debut) and "Carrington" (1995, as Frances Partridge), but she did not garner major attention until her dazzling portrayal of the title heroine in the miniseries "Moll Flanders" (1996), seen on PBS' "Masterpiece Theatre". Exuding a lusty virtuosity in that part, Kingston excited the producers of "ER", who had been contemplating adding a foreigner to the mix. She came aboard the NBC drama in the fall of 1997, lending her sexy smile and no-nonsense style to British surgeon Elizabeth Corday.
Family
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Daughter: Salome Violetta Haertel. Born March 28, 2001; father, Florian Haertel
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Sister: Susie Kingston. Suffered brain damage as a result of being deprived of oxygen at birth
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Uncle: Walter Renneisen. First exposure to theater came from watching her uncle perform in Germany
Education
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Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London, England
Milestones
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1968 Made stage debut at age five, playing the Angel Gabriel in a Nativity Play
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1978 Landed first professional role at age 15 as judo-trained bully on the successful British TV series, Grange Hill
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1989 Made film debut in The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
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1994 Played the title role in the film, Woman of the Wolf
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1995 Portrayed Frances Partridge in Carrington
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1996 Acted the title role of Moll Flanders (aired in USA on PBS Masterpiece Theatre )
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1997 Joined cast of the hit NBC drama series ER as British surgeon Elizabeth Corday; reprised role for the final season in 2009
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1997 Co-starred in the HBO movie, Weapons of Mass Destruction
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1999 Co-starred with Clive Owen in Croupier ; was initially not successful, but later became an art-house success
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2006 Co-starred in the independent film, Sweet Land
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2006 Played Nurse Ratched in the West End revival of One Flew Over the Cuckoo s Nest
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2008 Cast as Mrs. Bennett in ITV s acclaimed four-part production, Lost in Austen
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Joined the Royal Shakespeare Company after completing her studies at RADA