Appaloosa Movie Review

Movie Reviews by Michael Phillips

Appaloosa Movie Review & Trailer

People might be in the mood for the wide-open spaces and stripped-down narrative objectives of director Ed Harris' "Appaloosa."

It's less a Western than a loping buddy picture, based on Robert B. Parker's novel, that happens to be set in the territory of New Mexico, 1882.

Harris plays Virgil Cole, whose friend and backup, Everett Hitch, is portrayed by Viggo Mortensen. They're guns for hire, in "the peacekeeping bidness."

A ruthless rancher (Jeremy Irons, cast against type and hidden behind a full set of whiskers) effectively runs the town of Appaloosa as he pleases, killing off the marshal when it best suits him, going about his business.

Enter Cole and Hitch.

Order's restored, uneasily, until the appearance of piano player and hot-to-trot widow Allison French. She's played by Renee Zellweger, and as this coy bundle of availability squeezes into Cole's life, she keeps a side door open for whoever else tickles her fancy.

While "Appaloosa" has its share of revenge killings, there's a fair amount of leisurely conversation between Cole and Hitch as they regard their newfound town and sort through the mysteries of life, women and a universe where a lout like Irons' rancher can start out a lawless varmint and turn into a respectable man of business. Harris co-wrote the screenplay with Robert Knott, and while the story's locale is meant to be dusty and sparsely populated, it is not, I think, meant to be as two-dimensionally fakey as it seems on screen. I admired "Pollack," Harris's directorial debut, and I enjoyed much of "Appaloosa," but Harris has yet to figure out how to energize a scene visually. He's not going for anything fancy, but his compositions are more functional than compelling.

Mortensen comes off best. Not only does he seem like a genuine artifact of the late 19th century, his plainspoken charisma is well-suited to the Western genre. Irons is effective as well, even with a wobbly dialect, and unlike so many frontier adversaries, this one becomes more interesting and dangerously respectable as "Appaloosa" winds its way to the close.

In the end what you have is a mixed bag. The conception of the Zellweger character seems way off, as written and as acted. But with or without that fantastic mustache, Mortensen should certainly do another Western, soon. Preferably he should do one with a real sense of danger to go along with all the neat, tidy, highfalutin' honor and decency.

Appaloosa - 2.5 Stars

MPAA rating: R (for some violence and language).

Running time: 1:54

Starring: Viggo Mortensen (Everett Hitch); Ed Harris (Virgil Cole); Renee Zellweger (Allison French); Jeremy Irons (Randall Bragg); Timothy Spall (Phil Olson); Lance Henriksen (Ring Shelton)

Directed by Ed Harris; written by Robert Knott and Harris, based on the novel by Robert B. Parker; photographed by Dean Semler; edited by Kathryn Himoff; production design by Waldemar Kalinowski; music by Jeff Beal; produced by Harris, Knott and Ginger Sledge. A New Line Cinema release.

Appaloosa Movie Trailer

About "Appaloosa"

In marshal Virgil Cole and deputy Everett Hitch's line of work, you shoot quick, you shoot clean and you reload straightaway. No feelings. Feelings get you killed. Paired as rivals in A History of Violence, Ed Harris (who also directs, produces and co-scripts) and Viggo Mortensen stand together as friends and for-hire peacekeepers Cole and Hitch in a character-driven, bullet-hard western based on Robert B. Parker's novel. As the woman who arrives in town with only a dollar and a keen sense of survival, Renée Zellweger adds feelings – those things that can get you killed – to a quest to bring murderer Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons) to justice. Blood will spill in the town called Appaloosa.

We've been all over out here. Virgil gets hired to settle things down in towns that need settling, and I go with him. -- Everett Hitch

Oscar nominee Viggo Mortensen ("Eastern Promises"), four-time Oscar nominee Ed Harris ("Pollock"), Academy Award winner Renee Zellweger ("Cold Mountain") and Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons ("Reversal of Fortune") star in the Western "Appaloosa," adapted from the Robert B. Parker novel.

Set in 1882 in the Old West territory of New Mexico, "Appaloosa" revolves around city marshal Virgil Cole (Harris) and his deputy and partner Everett Hitch (Mortensen), who have made their reputation as peacekeepers in the lawless towns springing up in the untamed land.

In the small mining community of Appaloosa, a ruthless, powerful rancher named Randall Bragg (Irons) has allowed his band of outlaws to run roughshod over the town. After the cold-blooded murder of Appaloosa's city marshal, Cole and Hitch are hired to bring the murderer to justice.

While establishing new authority with equal parts grit and guns, Cole and Hitch meet provocative newcomer Allison French (Zellweger), whose unconventional ways threaten to undermine their progress and to destroy the two lawmen's decade-old partnership.

New Line Cinema presents in association with Axon Films, a Groundswell Production of an Ed Harris film, "Appaloosa," starring Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris, Renee Zellweger, Jeremy Irons, Timothy Spall and Lance Henriksen.

The film was directed by Ed Harris from a screenplay by Robert Knott & Ed Harris, based on the novel by Robert B. Parker. Harris, Knott and Ginger Sledge produced the film, with Michael London, Cotty Chubb, Toby Emmerich and Sam Brown serving as executive producers.

The behind-the-scenes team includes director of photography Dean Semler, production designer Waldemar Kalinowski, editor Kathryn Himoff and costume designer David Robinson. The music is by Jeff Beal.

"Appaloosa" reunites Ed Harris with a number of colleagues from his past films, including Viggo Mortensen ("A History of Violence"), Timothy Spall ("To Kill a Priest"), Lance Henriksen ("The Right Stuff"), and Timothy V. Murphy ("National Treasure: Book of Secrets"). Returning to collaborate with Harris from his feature film debut, "Pollock," are costume designer David Robinson and editor Kathryn Himoff, as well as cast members Tom Bower and Robert Knott.

"Appaloosa" is being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The film has been rated R by the MPAA for "some violence and language."

About the Cast "Appaloosa"

ED HARRIS (Virgil Cole/Director/Screenwriter/Producer)

An award-winning actor, who has also received acclaim for his work behind the camera.

A four-time Academy Award nominee, he garnered his most recent Oscar nod, for Best Supporting Actor, for his performance in Stephen Daldry's 2002 drama "The Hours," also earning Golden Globe, BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award nominations in the same category. In 2001, he earned a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his portrayal of artist Jackson Pollock in "Pollock," which also marked his widely praised directorial debut. The film co-starred Marcia Gay Harden, who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Harris had earlier received Academy Award nominations as Best Supporting Actor for his work in Ron Howard's "Apollo 13," also gaining a Golden Globe nomination and a SAG Award; and Peter Weir's "The Truman Show," for which he won a Golden Globe and a National Board of Review Award and earned a BAFTA Award nomination.

Harris more recently co-starred with Nicolas Cage in the 2007 holiday season's blockbuster thriller "National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets." He also joined the ensemble cast of "Gone Baby Gone," the critically lauded directorial debut of screenwriter/actor Ben Affleck, based on the novel by Dennis Lehane. Harris's other recent film credits include the title role in Agnieszka Holland's "Copying Beethoven," and David Cronenberg's critically acclaimed drama "A History of Violence," for which he won a National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor.

In 2005, Harris starred with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward in the acclaimed HBO miniseries "Empire Falls," directed by Fred Schepisi. Harris was nominated for Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG Awards for Best Actor for his work in the project, based on Richard Russo's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.

Harris includes among his additional film credits "Winter Passing"; "Radio"; Ron Howard's Oscar-winning Best Picture "A Beautiful Mind"; "Buffalo Soldiers"; "Stepmom"; Sydney Pollack's "The Firm"; Phil Joanou's "State of Grace"; Agnieszka Holland's "The Third Miracle" and "To Kill a Priest"; Louis Malle's "Alamo Bay"; Karel Reisz's "Sweet Dreams"; Robert Benton's "The Human Stain" and "Places in the Heart"; and Philip Kaufman's epic "The Right Stuff."

On the small screen, Harris has been seen in such longform projects as "The Last Innocent Man," "Running Mates," "Paris Trout," and "Riders of the Purple Sage," for which he and his wife, Amy Madigan, as executive producers and stars of the film, were presented with the Western Heritage Wrangler Award for Outstanding Television Feature Film.

An accomplished stage actor, Harris made his New York stage debut in Sam Shepard's "Fool for Love," for which he earned the 1984 Obie Award for Outstanding Lead Actor. For his performance in the 1986 Broadway production of George Furth's "Precious Sons," Harris won a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lead Actor. He later starred in the 1996 Broadway premiere of Ronald Harwood's "Taking Sides." His other stage credits include productions of "Prairie Avenue," "Scar," "A Streetcar Named Desire," "The Grapes of Wrath," "Sweet Bird of Youth," and "Simpatico," for which he received the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Actor.

In 2006, Harris returned to the New York stage to star in Neil LaBute's one-character play "Wrecks," at the Joseph Papp Public Theater. The production marked the play's U.S. debut, with Harris reprising the role he created for its world premiere at the Everyman Palace Theatre in Ireland.

VIGGO MORTENSEN (Everett Hitch)

Has consistently earned acclaim for his work in a wide range of films, most recently including "Eastern Promises," "A History of Violence" and the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. This past year, he was honored with Academy Award, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and BAFTA Award nominations for Best Actor for his performance in "Eastern Promises," directed by David Cronenberg. In addition, Mortensen won a British Independent Film Award and several critics groups awards for his work in the film. He had previously collaborated with Cronenberg in the 2005 drama "A History of Violence," in which he starred with Ed Harris.

Mortensen earlier shared in a SAG Award, a Critics' Choice Award and a National Board of Review Award as a member of the ensemble cast of the Oscar-winning Best Picture "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." He also starred in the previous two installments of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, "The Fellowship of the Ring" and "The Two Towers."

Following "Appaloosa," Mortensen has two more films due out this fall. One of these is "Good," based on the play by C.P. Taylor, which explores the rise of National Socialism in Germany. The film will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. In November, Mortensen stars in "The Road," John Hillcoat's film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's best-selling novel about a father and son traveling down a post-apocalyptic road in search of safety.

Mortensen was born in New York City to an American mother and a Danish father. His family traveled extensively, however, and he spent most of his first 11 years living in South America. He later spent a few years living and working in Denmark. He began acting in New York, studying with Warren Robertson, and appeared in several plays and movies before moving to Los Angeles.

Mortensen made his feature film debut as a young Amish farmer in director Peter Weir's "Witness" and has since delivered a steady string of memorable performances in more than 40 feature films. He has received praise from critics for his work in such films as "Alatriste," "G.I. Jane," "A Walk on the Moon," "La Pistola de Mi Hermano," "The Portrait of a Lady," "Crimson Tide," "Carlito's Way," "The Indian Runner" and "The Reflecting Skin," to name only a few.

Apart from his acting, Mortensen is also an accomplished poet, photographer, and painter. In 2002, he founded Perceval Press, an independent publishing house specializing in art, poetry, and critical writing. Perceval's mission is to publish texts, images, and recordings that might not otherwise be presented.

Most recently, Mortensen exhibited the photographic series "Skovbo" in Iceland, at the Reykjavik Museum of Photography, and "The Nature of Landscape and Independent Perception," with George Gudni, at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica. Past shows include "Miyelo" at both the Stephen Cohen Gallery in Los Angeles and the Addison Ripley Gallery in Washington, D.C. Mortensen has also shown his work at the Robert Mann Gallery in New York City, as well as in New Zealand, Denmark, and Cuba. On October 18, his photographic exhibition "Sådanset" will open in Roskilde, Denmark, at the Palæfløjen exhibition space. His books of photography and writing are available from Perceval Press.

RENEE ZELLWEGER (Allison French)

An Academy Award-winning actress and multiple Oscar nominee. In 2004, she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in Anthony Minghella's "Cold Mountain." In addition, she swept the Golden Globe, BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild (SAG), and Critics' Choice Awards for her role in the Civil War drama, based on the best-selling novel.

The year before, she had received a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her work in Rob Marshall's screen adaptation of "Chicago." For her performance as Roxie Hart, Zellweger also won a Golden Globe and a SAG Award, in addition to earning a BAFTA Award nomination, all for Best Actress.

She earned her first Academy Award nomination, for Best Actress, for her performance in the title role of "Bridget Jones's Diary," also earning Golden Globe, BAFTA and SAG Award nominations. Zellweger also received a Golden Globe nomination when she reprised her role in the 2004 sequel "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason." She was later Golden Globe-nominated for her portrayal of children's author Beatrix Potter in the 2006 biopic "Miss Potter," which she also executive produced.

In addition, Zellweger earned critical acclaim for her performance in Ron Howard's "Cinderella Man," in which she starred opposite Russell Crowe. She also lent her voice to the animated features "Bee Movie" and "Shark Tale." She most recently starred in the football comedy "Leatherheads," directed by and starring George Clooney.

Zellweger's upcoming films include "Chilled in Miami," opposite Harry Connick Jr., to be released in January 2009; and Richard Loncraine's "My One and Only," alongside Chris Noth, Kevin Bacon and Logan Lerman. In addition, she executive produced the Lifetime Original Movie "Living Proof," based on the true story of UCLA's Dr. Dennis Slamon's battle to keep drug trials afloat for the lifesaving breast cancer drug that he developed, Herceptin. Set to air on October 18, 2008, the film was produced by her "Chicago" producers, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.

Born in Texas, Zellweger attended the University of Texas, where she took her first acting class. She began her career on television before making her feature film debut in Richard Linklater's coming-of-age film "Dazed and Confused." She subsequently appeared in Ben Stiller's "Reality Bites"; "Love and a .45," for which she gained her first Independent Spirit Award nomination; "8 Seconds"; "The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre"; "Empire Records"; and "The Whole Wide World," for which she received another Independent Spirit Award nomination.

In 1996, Zellweger gained international recognition when she starred in Cameron Crowe's "Jerry Maguire," opposite Tom Cruise. She went on to win a National Board of Review Award for Breakthrough Performance and earned a SAG Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her work in the film. Her additional film credits include starring roles in "One True Thing," with Meryl Streep; Neil LaBute's "Nurse Betty," for which she won her first Golden Globe Award; the Farrelly brothers' "Me, Myself & Irene," opposite Jim Carrey; "White Oleander," with Michelle Pfeiffer; and "Down with Love," opposite Ewan McGregor.

JEREMY IRONS (Randall Bragg)

One of today's most respected actors, has been honored for his work on stage, screen and television. He won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, and was named Best Actor by several critics organizations, for his chilling portrayal of Claus von Bülow in the 1990 true-life drama "Reversal of Fortune," directed by Barbet Schroeder. Irons more recently won an Emmy, a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance as Robert Dudley in the Showtime miniseries "Elizabeth I," opposite Helen Mirren.

Irons' latest feature film work includes the fantasy "Eragon"; David Lynch's "Inland Empire"; Lasse Hallstrom's "Casanova," with Heath Ledger; Ridley Scott's "Kingdom of Heaven"; "Being Julia," opposite Annette Bening; "The Merchant of Venice," with Al Pacino; Franco Zeffirelli's "Callas Forever"; and Claude Lelouch's "And Now...Ladies and Gentlemen."

Irons began his acting career in the theatre in his native England at the Bristol Old Vic. He made his London stage bow in 1971 as John the Baptist in "Godspell." He was later honored with Tony and Drama League Awards for Best Actor for his Broadway debut in the 1984 production of Tom Stoppard's "The Real Thing." Returning to the London stage, he most recently starred in the West End productions of "Embers" and "Never So Good," at the National Theatre.

On the big screen, Irons first gained international attention for his role in Karel Reisz's "The French Lieutenant's Woman," earning a BAFTA nomination for his performance opposite Meryl Streep. His early film credits also include Jerzy Skolimowski's "Moonlighting"; David Jones' "Betrayal"; the title role in Volker Schlondorff's "Swann in Love"; Roland Joffe's "The Mission," for which he received a Golden Globe nomination; and David Cronenberg's "Dead Ringers," for which he won a New York Film Critics Award and a Genie Award.

Irons counts among his additional film credits Steven Soderbergh's "Kafka," Louis Malle's "Damage," David Cronenberg's "M. Butterfly," Bille August's "The House of the Spirits," "Die Hard: With a Vengeance," Bernardo Bertolucci's "Stealing Beauty," Wayne Wang's "Chinese Box," Adrian Lyne's controversial drama "Lolita," and "The Man in the Iron Mask." He also lent his distinctive voice to the role of the villainous Scar in the animated hit "The Lion King."

Irons has also worked extensively on television, most notably starring in the groundbreaking 1981 miniseries "Brideshead Revisited," for which he received Emmy, Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations. His recent credits include such longform projects as Showtime's "Fitzgerald" and the A&E movie "Longitude."

TIMOTHY SPALL (Phil Olson)

Most recently appeared in Tim Burton's film adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim musical "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," the hit fantasy film "Enchanted" and Gillian Armstrong's "Death Defying Acts." He also played Wormtail in the Harry Potter films "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" and "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," and will reprise his role in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."

Spall earned BAFTA Award nominations for his performances in the Mike Leigh films "Topsy-Turvy" and "Secrets & Lies." He has also collaborated with Leigh in the films "Life is Sweet" and "All or Nothing." His many other film credits include Adrian Shergold's "Pierrepoint," in the title role; Brad Silberling's "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events"; Edward Zwick's "The Last Samurai"; Doug McGrath's "Nicholas Nickleby"; Cameron Crowe's "Vanilla Sky"; Peter Cattaneo's "Lucky Break"; Stephen Herek's "Rock Star"; the Kenneth Branagh films "Love's Labour's Lost" and "Hamlet"; Bernardo Bertolucci's "The Sheltering Sky"; Clint Eastwood's "White Hunter Black Heart"; and Agnieszka Holland's "To Kill a Priest."

On the small screen, Spall received BAFTA TV Award nominations for his work in Danny Boyle's "Vacuuming Completely Nude in Paradise," Stephen Poliakoff's "Shooting the Past" and the miniseries "Our Mutual Friend." His additional credits include the telefilms "Oliver Twist," "A Room with a View," "Mysterious Creatures," and Richard Loncraine's "My House In Umbria."

Spall began his career on the stage, spending two years with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has also starred in a wide range of theatrical productions, including "This is a Chair," for director Stephen Daldry; "A Midsummer Night's Dream," under the direction of Robert Lepage; "The Government Inspector," directed by Matthew Francis; and Mike Leigh's "Smelling a Rat," to name only a few.

LANCE HENRIKSEN (Ring Shelton)

An acclaimed actor who has worked with some of the most prominent directors in the motion picture industry, including Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Sidney Lumet and Sam Raimi.

Born in New York, Henriksen studied at the Actors Studio and began his career off-Broadway in Eugene O'Neill's "Three Plays of the Sea." One of his first film appearances was for director Sidney Lumet in "Dog Day Afternoon," followed by Lumet's "Network" and "Prince of the City." Henriksen's early film credits also include Steven Spielberg's "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "Damien: Omen II" and Philip Kaufman's "The Right Stuff," in which he portrayed Mercury astronaut Walter Schirra, Jr. alongside Ed Harris in the role of John Glenn. James Cameron cast Henriksen in his first directorial effort, "Piranha Part Two: The Spawning," followed by "The Terminator" and the sci-fi blockbuster "Aliens," in which Henriksen memorably played the android Bishop. He reprised the role in "Alien3" and more recently appeared in "AVP: Alien vs. Predator."

Henriksen's additional feature credits include Kathryn Bigelow's cult vampire film "Near Dark," "Jagged Edge," "Pumpkinhead," "The Horror Show," "Survival Quest," "The Pit and the Pendulum," Bruce Robinson's "Jennifer Eight," Richard Rush's "Color of Night," "Powder," "Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man," "Tarzan" and director John Woo's first American film, "Hard Target," for which Henriksen received a Saturn Award as Best Supporting Actor.

For television, Henriksen starred in Fox's "Millennium," created by Chris Carter of "The X-Files." His performance garnered three consecutive Golden Globe nominations for Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Drama Series, as well as a People's Choice Award nomination for Favorite New TV Male Star. He also starred in the TNT miniseries "Into the West," executive produced by Steven Spielberg, and was nominated for a Golden Satellite Award for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln in the TNT original film "The Day Lincoln Was Shot." Henriksen also had starring roles in the Emmy-winning PBS project "The Dark End of the Street" and two episodes of HBO's "Tales from the Crypt," "Cutting Cards" and "Yellow."

TOM BOWER (Abner Raines)

Previously worked with Ed Harris in the film "Pollock." A busy character actor, he has appeared in more than 60 feature film, but is perhaps most recognized for his role as Marvin, the janitor who helps John McClane defeat the terrorists, in the blockbuster "Die Hard 2."

Bower's additional film credits include "Gospel Hill," "The Hills Have Eyes," "North Country," "The Badge," "High Crimes," "The Laramie Project," "Hearts in Atlantis," "The Million Dollar Hotel," "The Negotiator," "Nixon," "Georgia," "Clear and Present Danger," "Raising Cain," "True Believer," "Distant Thunder" and "Beverly Hills Cop II."

Bower has also been seen in numerous television projects, including "Riders of the Purple Sage," with Ed Harris, as well as such television movies as "The Pennsylvania Miners' Story," "Monday After the Miracle," "Buffalo Soldiers," "Murder in the Heartland," "Love, Lies and Murder" and "Dillinger," to name only a few. He has also had guest roles on dozens of series, most recently including "Monk," "Battlestar Galactica," "Cold Case," "NCIS" and "Law & Order."

In addition, Bower has appeared in more than 80 theatrical productions. He is one of the founding members and is on the board of directors of The Loretta Theatre, which also includes Harris, Amy Madigan, Holly Hunter, and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Beth Henley. Bower is also a lifetime member of The Actors Studio.

In 1981, Bower was invited by Robert Redford to be a resource actor at the Sundance Institute for film and television. He has remained active in the Institute since that time, and has served as a member of the Nominating Committee. Bower is also Chief Creative Officer for New Deal Pictures in Denver, Colorado, and is a member of the Advisory Board of Syracuse Film City Center. He has served on and is running for the National Board of Screen Actors Guild.

JAMES GAMMON (Earl May)

One of Hollywood's most prolific character actors with a film and television career spanning more than 40 years.

He has appeared in more than 60 feature films, including "Cold Mountain," "The Cell," "The Hi-Lo Country," "Point Break," "The Man in the Iron Mask," "The Apostle," "Natural Born Killers," "Wyatt Earp," "Major League," "Major League II," "Cabin Boy," "Leaving Normal," "Coupe de Ville," "The Milagro Beanfield War," "Ironweed," "Silverado," "Any Which Way You Can," "Urban Cowboy," "The Greatest," "Macon County Line," "A Man Called Horse" and the classic "Cool Hand Luke."

A familiar face to television audiences, Gammon was a regular on the series "Nash Bridges," playing the title character's father. He has also had guest roles on dozens of series, the latest including "Grey's Anatomy," "Monk" and "Crossing Jordan." His long list of television credits also includes a wide range of movies and miniseries, most recently including the telefilm "Jesse Stone: Sea Change," based on the Robert Parker novel, "What I Did for Love" and "Paradise."

ARIADNA GIL (Katie)

Born in 1969 in Barcelona, and has appeared in more than 40 films. The daughter of a prominent lawyer, she studied singing, classical dance and violin as a child, and segued to theatre and television at age 17, following her appearance on the cover of an avant-garde magazine.

It was during this period, in 1986, that Bigas Luna noticed her and offered Gil her first film role, in "Lola." Her appearance opposite Javier Bardem in the comedy "Amo tu cama rica" brought her widespread recognition in 1991, a fame consolidated the following year with Fernando Trueba's romantic comedy "Belle epoque," in which she appeared alongside Penelope Cruz. It was while shooting the latter that she met her future husband, actor-director David Trueba, brother of Fernando.

Numerous Spanish and French box-office hits have followed: Fina Torres' "Mecaniques celestes (Celestial Clockwork)"; Vincente Aranda's "Libertarias"; Jacques Weber's "Don Juan"; Gerardo Vera's "Segunda piel"; Sergei Bodrov's "The Bear's Kiss"; Fabien Onteniente's "Jet Set"; Joaquin Oristrell's "Manifesto"; Arturo Ripstein's "La virgen de la lujuria"; Fernando Trueba's "El embrujo de Shangaï"; David Trueba's "Soldados de Salamina"; Guillermo del Toro's Academy Award-winning "Pan's Labyrinth"; Agustin Diaz Yanes' "Alatriste," in which she starred opposite Viggo Mortensen; Alberto Lecchi's "Una estrella y dos cafes"; David Trueba's "Bienvenido a casa"; Beda Docampo's "Quiereme"; and, most recently, Agustín Díaz Yanes' "Sólo quiero caminar."

Gil holds a Degree of Dramatic Art from Theatre Institut of Barcelona and speaks Spanish, Catalan, French and English.