Kelly Macdonald

Kelly Macdonald is a Scottish, Emmy Award-winning actress. Her first film role was as Dianne in the Academy Award-nominated Scottish film Trainspotting. She also appeared in Gosford Park, director Robert Altman's murder mystery film that received an Oscar nomination for Best Picture (among many other accolades).http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800021053/bio

In 2006, Macdonald won an Emmy (and was nominated for a Golden Globe) for her performance as Gina in the TV movie The Girl in the Cafe with Bill Nighy. In 2007, she played Carla Jean Moss (wife of lead character Llewelyn Moss, played by Josh Brolin) in the hit Coen Brothers drama No Country for Old Men, which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2008.http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800021053/bio Macdonald was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 2011 Golden Globes for her performance in Boardwalk Empire.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0531808/awards

Macdonald is married to Dougie Payne, bass player of the Scottish band Travis, and has a son named Freddie. Her other film credits include Finding Neverland, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and Nanny McPhee.http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800021053/bio

Kelly MacDonald was born on February 23, 1976, in Glasgow, Scotland. MacDonald grew up in a working class home until her parents divorced. With her father leaving the family, the actress moved with her mother and brother into public housing. Kelly became interested in acting when she joined a local community theater club. At the age of 17, the actress left home and worked at a bar to make ends meet. She considered attending drama school but decided against it. By chance, the actress came across a notice for a film casting. The film was Danny Boyle's Trainspotting.http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800021053/bio

After her turn in Trainspotting, MacDonald went on to take a role in the period romance, Cousin Bette, in 1998. The same year she took on a role in the historical biopic, Elizabeth, which starred Cate Blanchett and Joesph Finnes. In 2001, Kelly would work with director Robert Altman on Gosford Park. She found her debut TV series role in 2003, portraying Della Smith in State of Play.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0531808/ That same year she married the bassist from the band Travis, Dougie Payne.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0531808/bio

2005 saw the actress cast in The Girl in the Café, opposite actor Bill Nighy and the Michael Winterbottom film, Tristam Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story. In 2007, Kelly took on the role of Carla Jean Moss in the Coen Brothers film, No Country for Old Men. A year later she was cast in Choke, an adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's novel. In 2010, MacDonald began working on her second TV series, Boardwalk Empire, portraying Margaret Schroeder.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0531808/

1996: Flowers of the Forest (TV movie)

1996: Trainspotting

1998: Cousin Bette

1998: Elizabeth

1999: The Loss of Sexual Innocence

2001: Strictly Sinatra

2001: Gosford Park

2003: State of Play (TV)

2003: Intermission

2004: Finding Neverland

2005: The Girl in the Café (TV movie)

2005: Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story

2005: Nanny McPhee

2007: No Country for Old Men

2008: Choke

2009: Skellig: The Owl Man (TV movie)

2010: Boardwalk Empire (TV)http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0531808/

"I don't think you can be involved in film and not be a fan of theirs. The one that I just go back to and can watch anytime it's on TV and I'll watch to the end, is Fargo. I think it's, like, a perfect film, it's genius." — Kelly MacDonald, interview with IGNhttp://movies.ign.com/articles/845/845296p2.html (Talking about the work of the Coen Brothers)

"It's just the way I'm made. I do feel confident in what I do. It doesn't always work out 100% of the time, but generally I think I can do it quite well. But the other part of my job is doing the press and stuff. And I'm rubbish at that. I'm really not good at that at all - this quite important part of what I do." — Kelly MacDonald, interview with Guardian.co.ukhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/apr/05/kelly-macdonald-interview-martin-scorsese (Speaking about dealing with acting and fame)

• Note: The majority of the links in this timeline are to IMDb, which has pop-ups.

• February 23, 1976: Born

• 1996: Trainspotting

• 1996: Stella Does Tricks

• 2001: Strictly Sinatra

• 2004: Finding Neverland

• 2005: The Girl in the Café

• 2005: Nanny McPhee

• 2005: Lassie

• 2007: No Country for Old Men

• 2008: Choke