Julie Christie took the world by storm when she appeared in Darling and, of course, as Lara in Doctor Zhivago. The British actress became one of the most famous people in the industry, cementing herself a place in film history.
Christie was on top of the world when, suddenly, she decided to leave Hollywood for good. Instead, she settled down in a place few people would ever have predicted.
So what made Julie Christie leave in the middle of her successful career? And what is she doing today? This is all you need to know about her!
Being a celebrity can be challenging. Sure, fame, glamour, and money can make it seem appealing, but at the same time, it’s all-consuming; high-profile figures are always supposed to be accessible to their fans somehow, whether via working or making other appearances.
For many celebrities, their biggest wish is simply to be able to walk down the street, perhaps buy some milk at the local grocery store and then walk back home. Of course, that often isn’t possible due to the millions of people who would recognize them and then want a picture or an autograph.
In short, being the face everyone thinks they know is difficult. Some people decide to accept it and incorporate that fact into their everyday lives, though others decide that enough is enough and seek to leave the stress of being in the spotlight behind for good.
That was precisely what Julie Christie – the glamorous blond Brit said to have had the sharpest jawline in cinema -– did.
Julie Christie – early life
After becoming a star, Christie turned her back on Hollywood stardom. Her career has been long and very successful, yet while her professional life always was in the spotlight, her personal life was not.
Julie Christie was actually not born in the UK, as many might think. Instead, she was born in colonial Assam in India on April 14, 1941, where her father owned a tea plantation. Her mother was a painter, and at that point, it seemed she was set to follow in her mother’s footsteps.
Julie’s educational career didn’t start that well. She was sent to a boarding school in England at age six. Over the following years, Christie was expelled from several schools.
“It would be shocking for you to know how little it took to get expelled in those days,” she said in 2007.
“Once, it was because I had my school dress tucked in my knickers and was accused of enticing village boys.”
Over the years, Julie has never been interested in speaking too much about herself or paying herself compliments. Although she later understood that she possessed good looks, that was not the case as a youngster. This probably wasn’t made any easier when a nun – by Christie’s recollection – told her, “Stop making faces—you’re ugly enough as it is.”
Julie went on to study in Paris, France, before returning to England and acting studies at London’s Central School for Drama. She always wanted to become an actor, and in 1957, at age 16, she made her stage debut as a member of the Frinton Repertory of Essex. After that, the promising talent began touring with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Julie Christie – ‘Darling’ & ‘Doctor Zhivago’
Christie debuted on screen in 1961, appearing in the sci-fi BBC series A for Andromeda. It might not have been her most impressive role – but it sure caught the interest of directors and producers. Julie had her trademark expression, the “sweet smile,” and it was clear that she was very talented.
After years of performances (and many more parts) Christie got her breakthrough in 1963 when director John Schlesinger cast her in his film Billy Liar. Then, just two years later, she was to get her big, international break as the promiscuous model Diana Scott in Darling.
Not only was it the start of a new, glamorous, Holywood life for Christie, but she also won an Academy Award for best actress. That, of course, elevated her profile in the eyes of many other directors and film companies, and it didn’t take long before another hit came her way.
Christie was cast as Lara in the 1965 romance Doctor Zhivago, starring alongside Omar Sharif. The film earned cult status and certainly turned Julie Christie into a colossal star. She was one of, if not the most promising actresses from the UK since Vivian Leigh, and everyone wanted a piece of her.
Now, filming and being on set might seem like an extraordinary, exciting environment. At that time, though, it was the opposite for Julie and the rest of the cast as they were filmed in both Russia and Spain.
“St Petersburgh in mid-Winter in fact was Madrid in a heatwave. We were all waiting, this multi-million dollar epic, was waiting to be made while we were all sweating away in our furs in 100 degrees heat, waiting for the snow which never came,” she told Express.
“I didn’t use to want to be a great star”
“Finally we were saved by the props and set dressers. So they covered the whole of the set in mountains of marble dust and for the long shots, the fields were covered by miles and miles of bed sheets.”
Before Doctor Zhivago aired, director David Lean projected that Christie would become an international star, and he was right. Yet even at that point, Christie had no interest in becoming a celebrity or being famous.
In a 1965 interview, Julie revealed that she had turned down several prominent roles so that she could tour Eastern Europe and the US with The Royal Shakespeare Company instead. She felt frightened by the thought of being famous and staying with friends, sleeping on an air mattress in their home.
“I didn’t use to want to be a great star. But I must confess it’s becoming quite attractive to me now. However, I’m afraid I might become unbearable. In fact, now I am sometimes downright rude to people,” Julie said.
