Gorgeous geeky British actresses?

[almostwitty]

I was chatting to a female Whovian friend about the geek squee that would be seeing David Tennant and Patrick Stewart doing Hamlet at the RSC.

That got me musing as to which gorgeous British actress they could find to play Ophelia and inspire similar squee in women-fancying geeks. Unfortunately, the only name I could come up with was Kate Winslet - and she's already played Ophelia in the Kenneth Branagh version of Hamlet. Indeed, when I watched it at the time, I thought she played it much like a stereotypical Doctor Who companion, with lots of screaming.

So can you think of any gorgeous British actresses ?

Comments

[red-silk-robe.livejournal.com]

Cate Blanchette comes to mind.
I suppose Kiera Knightly would do but...ick.
Madonna doesn't count as British--no matter what she thinks
Kate Beckinsail. OOOh yeah :)

there's a few

[mrsroyall.livejournal.com]

Hey! Keira Knightley is NOT ick! Just because she made that comment about loving fat chicks... (I'm a fat chick so my opinion of her is biased by that.) She'd be awesome as Ophelia.

I think Kate BeckinSALE would do well as Ophelia as well.

[almostwitty]

I think red_silk_robe and I find Keira Knightley to be ick for the same reason - gorgeous head and face, but her lower half is *WAY* too skinny. And I think it's safe to say that we are partial to "fat" chicks too :P

[lips-of-tragedy.livejournal.com]

Honeysuckle Weeks, Rosamund Pike and Romola Garai spring to mind, they've all played either quirky or quintessentially English characters in the past. Just as long as Keira Shitley doesn't get near it as she couldn't act her way out of a paper bag (although I'd be more than happy to see her drown!!).

[almostwitty]

There's an actress called Honeysuckle Weeks ?!!

[lips-of-tragedy.livejournal.com]

Yeah, she's fab! Probably most famous for the role of Samantha in Foyle's War. I've also seen her on stage, playing Viola in Twelfth Night, and she was very good.

[mrsroyall.livejournal.com]

Sorry about that! :) It's my first reaction to say what I said, because most of the time that's what they mean. :-)

You two are right, actually. She is too skinny. I look beyond that, though. I love what she said about wanting to be fatter.

[itsmissfish.livejournal.com]

don't they all have bad teeth? or is that terribly americanist of me to say? :P

I find liz hurley rather lovely. It's the bitchiness. its very attractive.

[theta-g.livejournal.com]

I've only seen Katherine Parkinson in one thing (The I.T. Crowd) and it gives me few clues about whether or not she's Ophelia material. I *am* pretty sure she's at the beginning of a lot of publicity, though.