Fast five with Rose Leslie
Get to know the bewitching Scottish lass who's making her Hollywood debut in The Last Witch Hunter
FACTFILE
NAME Rose Eleanor Arbuthnot-Leslie
BORN Feb 9, 1987, in Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
FILMOGRAPHY New Town (2009), Now Is Good (2012), Honeymoon (2014), The Last Witch Hunter (2015)
1. BLUE BLOOD
The regal redhead was born into Scottish regional nobility. Her father is a chieftain of Aberdeenshire Clan Leslie, while her mother is a descendant of King Charles II.
Home was Lickleyhead Castle before she moved to London to study at the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, where she graduated with honours in 2008.
2. FANTASY FEMME
Her role as maid Gwen Dawson in the British drama Downton Abbey led to her role as warrior Ygritte in the hit TV series Game Of Thrones - leading to her first Hollywood production, The Last Witch Hunter.
In the film which opens here Oct 22, Leslie plays witch Chloe, an unlikely ally of the immortal Kaulder (Vin Diesel) who is out to settle scores with the evil Witch Queen (Julie Engelbrecht) and avert apocalypse.
3. STARSTRUCK
The 28-year-old starlet was in awe of British veteran Michael Caine, who plays priest Dolan 36th.
"Growing up in Britain, Michael (Caine) has always been such an icon. Chatting with him, I know I came across as the biggest doofus. Literally, I was like bowing to him," she told New York Daily News.
"I had one day with him and he was asleep in the scene, but I told my entire family that I was in a scene with Michael Caine!"
4. GENTLE GIANT
The film features Diesel engaging in fisticuffs and swordplay, but Leslie told entertainment website Screen Rant that her scenes with him were "sentimental and filled with joyfulness".
She added that she saw the "charming, softer, gentle side" of Diesel, as her scenes with him are "not as aggressive".
5. LAUGHTER PLEASE
Having worked in action-heavy shows, she's looking for something light-hearted.
"I'd love to try comedy, which I've never actually done," she told The Guardian. "I could fail miserably at it, but I'd have fun working it out."
Witchy women
HERE ARE HOLLYWOOD'S ICONIC SPELLCASTERS
HERMIONE GRANGER
HARRY POTTER)
QUEEN RAVENNA
SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN
WHITE WITCH
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
MALEFICENT
MALEFICENT
GLINDA THE GOOD WITCH
OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL)
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