Lesley-Anne Down is an actress, former fashion model, and singer. She began her modeling career in her childhood when she was only 10. She participated in beauty contests and commercials. She was voted Britain’s most beautiful teenager at the age of 15. She moved to the United States when she was 17. Down made her film debut with the British drama ‘The Smashing Bird I Used to Know’ and by the time she was 15, she had completed four films.
Television career
Down’s career-changing role came in 1973 when she was cast as Georgina Worsley in the British drama series, ‘Upstairs, Downstairs’, which became a hit on PBS in the U.S. She starred in the TV miniseries North and South, for which she was nominated for Golden Globe Awards in 1986. She appeared for six episodes as Stephanie Rogers in the primetime television series ‘Dallas’. Down also played a number of leading roles in made-for-television movies and miniseries. On stage, she has appeared in “Hamlet” and a musical version of “Great Expectations”.
Film career
Lesley-Anne Down has starred in some of the superhit movies including ‘A Little Night Music’, ‘The Pink Panther Strikes Again’, ‘The Betsy’, ‘Hanover Street’, ‘Sphinx’ and many more. In 1985, she starred in ‘Arch of Triumph with’ Anthony Hopkins and Donald Pleasence. In the 1990s, Down starred in several small feature and television films, and played guest roles on television series such as The Nanny and Diagnosis: Murder.
Personal life
Lesley-Anne Down had a ten-year relationship ship with actor Bruce Robinson. In 1980, she married Enrique Gabriel, but the marriage lasted only for a year and a half. Down’s second marriage was to film director William Friedkin from 1982 to 1985. She met her third husband Don Fauntleroy while filming ‘North and South’. At that time, she was married to William Friedkin and Fauntleroy was also married. The resulting legal and custody proceedings interrupted the careers of both Down and Fauntleroy for two years and ultimately cost Down and Friedkin US$1 million each.
Down now lives with her husband Fauntleroy and son George-Edward. She announced her retirement from acting in 2014, but she came back after a few months. Here below are some beautiful photos of young Lesley-Anne Down from her early life and career.
