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Alison Doody

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Alison Doody
Doody in 2009
Born (1966-11-11) 11 November 1966 (age 58)[1]
Dublin, Ireland
Occupation(s)Actress, model
Years active1984–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1994; div. 2006)​
Partner(s)Douglas De Jager
(2011–2012; his death)
Tadhg Geary
(e. 2014; sep. 2015)
Children2

Alison Doody (born 11 November 1966)[1] is an Irish actress and model. After making her feature film debut as Bond girl Jenny Flex in A View to a Kill (1985), she went on to play Elsa Schneider in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). Other roles include Siobhan Donavan in A Prayer for the Dying (1987), Charlotte in Taffin (1988), Rebecca Flannery in Major League II (1994) and Catherine Buxton in RRR (2022). She also played Pam in Beaver Falls (2011–2012).

Early life

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The youngest of three children, Doody was born in Dublin, Ireland. Her mother, Joan, was a beauty therapist, and her father, Patrick, worked in the property business and farmed.[2] Doody attended Mount Anville Secondary School.

Career

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Approached by a photographer, Doody took up modelling, which turned into a career in commercial modelling. Doody stringently avoided glamour and nude work, a clause which she extended to her acting career.

Having come to the attention of the casting director of a new James Bond film, she accepted a small part as Jenny Flex in 1985's A View to a Kill. Doody was listed as one of 12 Promising New Actors of 1986 in John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 38. Still only 18 when she appeared in the role, Doody was – and remains – the youngest Bond girl to date.[3] Another early movie was a small part as IRA member Siobhan Donovan in A Prayer for the Dying (1987), which starred Mickey Rourke.

Doody had a non-speaking role in the 1987 television adaptation of The Secret Garden appearing as Archibald Craven's wife, Lilias, in his dream. Her first lead role was in a 1988 episode of Jim Henson fantasy series The Storyteller as Sapsorrow, opposite John Hurt, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.

She played opposite Pierce Brosnan in the film Taffin (1988) before taking probably her most high-profile part to date, as Austrian Nazi-sympathiser and archaeologist Elsa Schneider in 1989's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade playing opposite Harrison Ford. The film also starred Sean Connery as Indy's father; Doody has acted alongside three actors (Moore, Connery, and Brosnan) who have portrayed James Bond.

In 1991, Doody co-starred opposite Jonathan Pryce in mini-series Selling Hitler, inspired by the publishing fraud known as the Hitler Diaries. She subsequently relocated to Hollywood.[citation needed] Chosen to replace Cybill Shepherd as spokeswoman for L'Oréal, she went on to play opposite Charlie Sheen in 1994's Major League II as Flannery, his girlfriend and agent.

After almost a decade away from the screen, Doody returned to acting with a small role in 2003 film The Actors with Michael Caine, playing herself in an award ceremony scene.[4] She played alongside Patrick Swayze in the 2004 television film King Solomon's Mines and also starred in a short called Benjamin's Struggle (2005),[citation needed] a pamphlet about the Holocaust, and in the TV series Waking the Dead (in a two-part episode called "The Fall"). In 2010, Doody shot a part in Danny Dyer's film The Rapture (2010). She later guest starred in RTÉ's medical drama The Clinic.[citation needed], and was set to star in a 2011 remake of horror classic The Asphyx, but the project later stalled.

In 2011, she began the first of two series on E4 comedy-drama Beaver Falls, playing Pam Jefferson. In 2014 she appeared in We Still Kill the Old Way.

On 21 November 2018, she was honoured with the "Almería, tierra de cine" award,[5] and she received a star on Almeria Walk of Fame.[6]

On 20 November 2019 she was announced to be debuting in the Indian film industry with the film RRR.[7]

Personal life

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Doody married Gavin O'Reilly, CEO of the Independent News & Media, on 25 June 1994, at the O'Reilly family residence Castlemartin. The couple made their home at Bartra House,[8] a 10,000-square-foot (930 m2) home overlooking the sea in Dalkey; at the time of purchase, it was the most expensive house in Ireland.[9] The marriage produced two daughters. She separated from O'Reilly in 2004, and divorced him in 2006.[10][11][failed verification][citation needed]

During the 2011 filming of the comedy-drama Beaver Falls in South Africa, Doody met Douglas De Jager, a packaging tycoon from Cape Town. The couple had been keeping their relationship low-key, before De Jager died of a heart attack in July 2012.[12]

She was engaged to businessman Tadhg Geary from 2014 to 2015.[13]

Filmography

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Film

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Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released
Year Title Role(s) Notes Ref.
1985 A View to a Kill Jenny Flex Film Debut [14]
1987 A Prayer for the Dying Siobhan Donovan
The Secret Garden Mrs. Lilias Craven (dream; cameos)
1988 Taffin Charlotte
1989 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Elsa Schneider [15]
1991 Duel of Hearts Lady Caroline Faye
1992 Ring of the Musketeers Ann-Marie Athos
1994 Major League II Rebecca Flannery
Temptation Lee Reddick
2003 The Actors Herself
2004 King Solomon's Mines Elizabeth Maitland
2005 Benjamin's Struggle Katrina Stockhausen Short film
2010 The Rapture Professor Alison Hayes
2011 Billy & Chuck Mother Short film
2014 We Still Kill the Old Way Susan Taylor [16]
2016 Brother Grace [17]
2017 Division 19 Neilsen [18]
2019 The Rising Hawk Rada [19]
Muse Grace [20]
2022 RRR Lady Catherine Buxton Indian film [21]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
1985 Deceptions Waitress Unknown episodes
1986–1987 Howards' Way Girl Unknown episodes
1987 Queenie Bully Episode: #1.1
1987 Harry's Kingdom Debbie TV film
1988 Campaign Alessandra Castorina All 6 episodes
1988 Echoes Caroline Nolan 3 episodes
1988 The StoryTeller Sapsorrow Episode: "Sapsorrow"
1989 The Jim Henson Hour Episode: "Garbage"
1989 Women in Tropical Places Celia TV film
1991 Selling Hitler Gina Heidemann All 5 episodes
2004 King Solomon's Mines Elizabeth Maitland All 2 episodes
2007 Waking the Dead Katherine Keane ”The Fall" Episodes 6.5 & 6.6
2009 The Clinic Lucille 4 episodes
2011–2012 Beaver Falls Pamela Jefferson All 12 episodes

Non-acting television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
1990 Wogan Herself Series 9
2003 Entertainment Tonight
1st Irish Film & Television Awards Presenter TV special
2004 2nd Irish Film & Television Awards TV special
2006 The Hollywood Greats Series 7 with Harrison Ford
2008 Indy's Women: The American Film Institute Tribute Herself
Xposé Herself Season 3 Episode 16
2009 The Late Late Show Herself
2010 7th Irish Film & Television Awards Presenter TV special

Documentaries

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Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
2003 Indiana Jones: Making the Trilogy Herself
2004 Happy Birthday Oscar Wilde

References

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  1. ^ a b Doody, Alison. "Thank you for your kind thought but my birthday is actually the 11th of November 😘". Instagram.com. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  2. ^ COOL DOODY. | Article from The Evening Standard (London, England)[dead link]
  3. ^ "007 Irish Connections". Irish Independent. 10 March 2012. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012.
  4. ^ "Alison Doody Making a Comeback..." showbizireland.com. 14 May 2002. Archived from the original on 18 June 2008. Retrieved 18 May 2008.
  5. ^ "Alison Doody recogerá su 'Almería, tierra de cine' y una estrella en el Paseo de la Fama este miércoles". Europa Press (in Spanish). Almería. 19 November 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  6. ^ "Alison Doody ya forma parte del paseo de la fama de Almería". Ideal (in Spanish). Vocento. 21 November 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  7. ^ @RRRMovie (20 November 2019). "Welcome to Indian cinema, #AlisonDoody! Had a wonderful time shooting for your first schedule... We are glad to have you play lead antagonist #LADYSCOTT in #RRRMovie! #RRR" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  8. ^ Hughes, Emer (2 March 2003). "Rich chase streets of dreams". ThePost.ie. Archived from the original on 7 April 2008. Retrieved 18 May 2008.
  9. ^ Leslie, Neil. HOUSE THAT FOR pounds 1.9M, Daily Mirror, 12 October 1996
  10. ^ Robinson, James (27 January 2008). "O'Reilly junior proves passion for print is in the genes". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 16 April 2008. Retrieved 18 May 2008.
  11. ^ "The Edge: The beautiful Alison Doody is solo again". Irish Independent. 6 July 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  12. ^ "Alison Doody heartbroken as her partner dies suddenly while on holidays in Capri". Irish Independent. 2 December 2012.
  13. ^ "The beautiful Alison Doody is solo again". Irish Independent. 3 July 2015.
  14. ^ "A VIEW TO A KILL (1985)". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  15. ^ "The Stars of 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade': Where Are They Now?". The Hollywood Reporter. 24 May 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  16. ^ "Former Bond girl Alison Doody is back in new action role". Independent.ie. 9 July 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  17. ^ "Comedy thriller starring Alison Doody at Cork Film Festival". The Irish Times. 11 November 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  18. ^ ""Division 19" Starring Alison Doody". The Harlton Empire. 16 April 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  19. ^ "ADR yesterday on the movie "The Rising Hawk" COMING SOON TO A SCREEN NEAR YOU". Instagram. 1 October 2019. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  20. ^ "Muse". Cambridge Film Festival. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  21. ^ Press Trust of India (20 November 2019). "SS Rajamouli ropes in Olivia Morris Ray Stevenson and Alison Doody for RRR". India Today. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
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