Biography

Natascha McElhone has been an intriguing figure in British film industry since her screen debut along sir Anthony Hopkins in a 1996 Merchant Ivory production "Survivng Picasso". It was a typical breakthrough role - despite not too positive opinions of the movie, she herself gained good reviews, and automatically, an entrance to Hollywood.

Natascha McElhone (birth name- Taylor) was born on December 14, 1971 in London. When she was 3, her parents divorced and little Natascha moved with her mother, stepfather (both popular journalists) and brother Damon to Brighton. She attended there St. Mary's Hall School for Girls, but it was acting that was her destiny. Natascha continued her education in famous LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art). During the studies, she took part in several theatre productions, including "Richard III", "The Count of Monte Cristo", "The Cherry Orchard" and "Midsummer Night's Dream". After graduation in 1993, Natascha appeared on the big screen, in previously mentioned, "Surviving Picasso", "The Devil's Own", "Ronin" and world-acclaimed "The Truman Show".

Despite playing opposite Hollywood's biggest stars (George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Robert De Niro, Christian Bale, Jim Carrey), Natascha avoids the lime light and chooses roles in low- budget and non-mainstream movies, like "Mrs. Dalloway", "Love's Labour's Lost", "City of Ghosts", "Solaris" and the BBC film "The Other Boleyn Girl".

In recent years, you could also see Natascha in "Ladies in Lavender", along Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, "Guy X"- a Stephen Daldry, US TV show "Revelations", Jean-Baptiste Andrea's "Big Nothing" and as a Hungarian revolutionary in a mini-series "The Company" which was produced by Ridley Scott. In February 2006, she joined Diana Rigg in a West End play "Honour". However, her biggest role of recent years is the one she plays opposite David Duchovny in the highly acclaimed "Californication"- a US TV show about a troubled novelist.

During filming the 2nd season of "Californication", on May 20, 2008, Natascha, who was at that time pregnant, received some tragic news- her husband, Dr. Martin Hirigoyen Kelly was found dead in their London house. The post-mortem revealed that he died of a heart disease called 'dilated cardiomyopathy'.
Natascha lives in Fulham, London with their three children- Theo (b. 2000), Otis (b. 2003) and Rex (b. 2008).