Jemima Kirke

Last updated

Jemima Kirke
Jemima Kirke headshot.png
Kirke in 2023
Born (1985-04-26) 26 April 1985 (age 38)
London, England
Citizenship
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
Education Rhode Island School of Design (BFA)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • director
  • artist
Years active2005–present
Spouse
Michael Mosberg
​
​
(m. 2009,divorced)​
Alex Cameron
​
(divorced)​
Children2
Parent
Relatives

Jemima Kirke (born 26 April 1985) is a British-American artist, actress and director.

Contents

She gained international acclaim through her role as Jessa Johansson in the 2012 HBO series Girls . [1] She made her film debut in the 2005 indie short Smile for the Camera and her feature-length debut in Tiny Furniture , [2] as a favour for her childhood friend Lena Dunham. In 2017, she starred in Zayn's music video for the single "Dusk Till Dawn" featuring Sia.

Early life and family

Born in London on 26 April 1985, [3] Kirke was raised in New York City. [4] She is the daughter of Simon Kirke, the former drummer of the rock bands Bad Company and Free. [5] Her mother is Lorraine Kirke (née Dellal), the owner of Geminola, a vintage boutique in New York City that supplied a number of outfits for the television series Sex and the City . [6] Her character Jessa wore a wedding dress from Geminola in the season finale of the first season of Girls; also, earlier in her career, she was featured along with her sisters in a fashion piece in Teen Vogue in which they wore clothing from the store. [7]

Her father is of English and Scottish descent (the Kirkes being a junior branch of a family of Nottinghamshire landed gentry and descending also from the Gibson-Craig baronets) [8] [9] and her mother is Jewish. [10] Kirke's maternal grandfather, Jack Dellal, was a British businessman of Iraqi-Jewish descent and her maternal grandmother, Zehava Helmer, was an Israeli flight attendant. [11] [12] [13] Kirke has two sisters, actress Lola Kirke and singer and actress Domino Kirke. [14] [15] [16] She is a cousin of curator Alexander Dellal, [17] shoe designer Charlotte Olympia Dellal and model/photographer Alice Dellal. [17]

Fine art

Kirke majored in art as a student and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2008. [18] In late 2011, she held an exhibition titled "A Brief History" through Skylight Projects. [19] In late 2017 to early 2018 she had a show at Sargeant's Daughters, a Lower East Side gallery, [20] where she exhibited portrait-style paintings, some of them neck-up, others full-figure, of women in their wedding dresses. Kirke was inspired by her own divorce and the exhibition also contained a self-portrait of Kirke in her wedding dress and veil. [21] [22]

In September 2022, Kirke presented for Batsheva Hay's spring collection at Ben's Kosher Deli. [23]

Acting

Kirke reading poetry in New York City in 2023 Jemima Kirke reading.png
Kirke reading poetry in New York City in 2023

Growing up in West Village, Kirke found herself accepting a number of roles on her friends' projects. Dunham asked Kirke to take on a supporting role in her debut film Tiny Furniture . Kirke and a number of other friends were called upon as a favour to Dunham since there was not enough money to pay professional actors.[ citation needed ] Although the film turned out to be profitable, Kirke received no payment. [24] Kirke reunited with Dunham in the HBO series Girls, appearing in all six seasons from 2011 to 2017 as the character Jessa Johansson. Kirke next had supporting roles in the dark comedy films Ava's Possessions and The Little Hours . In 2018, Kirke starred alongside her real-life sister Lola Kirke in Emma Forrest's film Untogether . The film premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival. [25]

In 2011, Kirke appeared in the music video "Wring It Out" for the group Rival Schools. [26] Both this music video and Smile for the Camera were directed by her friend Jordan Galland. In 2017, she appeared in the music video for "Gotta Get a Grip" by Mick Jagger, directed by Saam Farahmand and appeared opposite Alex Cameron in his music video for the song "Stranger's Kiss". In September 2017, Kirke appeared opposite Zayn Malik in his music video for the song "Dusk Till Dawn".

In 2021, Kirke appeared in the Netflix series Sex Education in the role of Hope, headmistress of Moordale Secondary School. In 2021, it was announced that Kirke had accepted a role in Conversations with Friends , a series based on the book of the same name by Sally Rooney, in which she plays Melissa, an older, experienced writer fascinated by a younger couple. [27] [28] In 2023, Kirke starred in the Apple TV+ series City on Fire, based on the book of the same name. [29]

Kirke's DJ set for sister Lola's VIP 2023 event in Manhattan. Jemima kirke dj.jpg
Kirke's DJ set for sister Lola's VIP 2023 event in Manhattan.

Directing

Kirke's directorial debut was in 2019 when she spearheaded the video for the track "Mama" by her sister Lola Kirke. [30] She would go onto direct other projects including multiple music videos and a satire short film with Alex Cameron. [31]

Activism

In 2015, Kirke partnered with the Center for Reproductive Rights to create a public service announcement to advance the future of reproductive healthcare. [32] In the PSA, Kirke discusses the abortion she received in college where she could not afford the anesthesia in addition to the procedure and went without. [32] [33]

Personal life

Kirke resides in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn [34] and East Hampton. She married lawyer Michael Mosberg in 2009 and they have two children. [35] [36] In January 2017, it was announced Kirke and Mosberg had split. [37] [38] The couple had reportedly separated in the summer of 2016. [39]

Kirke is close friends with Lena Dunham, the creator of Tiny Furniture and Girls. [1] They became friends while attending Saint Ann's School in New York City. [1]

Kirke began a relationship with Australian musician and singer songwriter Alex Cameron in July 2017. Cameron has said that his 2019 album Miami Memory is primarily influenced by his relationship with Kirke. [40] [41] The couple has since separated. [42]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2005 Smile for the Camera Twin Singer (voice)Short film
2010 Tiny Furniture Charlotte
2015 Ava's Possessions Ivy
2017 The Little Hours Marta
2018Wild Honey PieGillian
2018 Untogether Andrea Moore
2018 All These Small Moments Odessa
2020 Sylvie's Love Countess

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2012–2017 Girls Jessa JohanssonMain role; 53 episodes
2015 Axe Cop Water Queen (voice)Episode: "The Center of the Ocean"
2015 The Simpsons Candace's Friend (voice)Episode: "Every Man's Dream"
2018 Maniac AdelaideMiniseries; 5 episodes
2019 High Maintenance HerselfEpisode: "Breathwork"
2021 Sex Education Hope HaddonMain role, Season 3; 8 episodes
2022 Conversations with Friends MelissaMain role; 12 episodes
2023 City on Fire Regan Hamilton SweeneyMain role; 8 episodes

Music videos

YearTitleArtist(s)Notes
2017"Dusk Till Dawn" Zayn featuring Sia
2017"Stranger's Kiss" Alex Cameron (duet with Angel Olsen)
2018"Studmuffin96"Alex Camerondirector
2019"Marlon Brando"Alex Camerondirector
2019"Miami Memory"Alex Cameron
2022"Best Life"Alex Camerondirector

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cameron Diaz</span> American actress (born 1972)

Cameron Michelle Diaz is an American actress. Known for her work in both comedy and drama, her films have grossed over $3 billion in the U.S. box-office. Diaz established herself as a sex symbol and one of Hollywood's most bankable stars, and in 2013 she was named the highest-paid actress over 40. She has received various accolades, including nominations for a BAFTA Award and four Golden Globe Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abbie Cornish</span> Australian actress and musical performer (born 1982)

Abbie Cornish is an Australian actress and rapper. In film, Cornish is known for her roles as Heidi in Somersault (2004), Fanny Brawne in Bright Star (2009), Sweet Pea in Sucker Punch (2011), Lindy in Limitless (2011), Clara Murphy in RoboCop (2014), and Sarah in Geostorm (2017). She worked with writer/director Martin McDonagh in Seven Psychopaths (2012) and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017). For the latter, Cornish won her first Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the cast. In 2018, she portrayed Cathy Mueller in the first season of Amazon Video series Jack Ryan opposite John Krasinski, a role she reprised in the fourth and final season in 2023. She also played Dixy in the film The Virtuoso (2021) alongside Anthony Hopkins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chloë Grace Moretz</span> American actress (born 1997)

Chloë Grace Moretz is an American actress. She is the recipient of various accolades, including four MTV Movie & TV Awards, two People's Choice Awards, two Saturn Awards, and two Young Artist Awards.

<i>Smile for the Camera</i> 2005 American film

Smile for the Camera is a short 2005 independent film. It was directed, produced and edited by Jordan Galland, who co-wrote the story and screenplay with Sean Lennon. Galland and Lennon also wrote the theme song, which was performed by Galland's Domino bandmate Domino Kirke and her sister Jemima Kirke. Although the film's cast, with the exception of Erika Thormahlen, had no previous acting experience, Milla Jovovich and Sean Lennon make cameo appearances as "Boxheads". The film has been released on DVD.

Domino Suzy Kirke-Badgley is a British-American singer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daisy Lowe</span> British model

Daisy Rebecca Lowe is an English fashion model who has modelled for editorial photo shoots, commercial advertising campaigns and fashion shows. She is the daughter of Pearl Lowe, the singer-songwriter turned textile and fashion designer, and Gavin Rossdale, lead singer of the rock band Bush.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jemima Goldsmith</span> British journalist and producer (born 1974)

Jemima Marcelle Goldsmith, known professionally by her former married name Jemima Khan, is an English journalist and screenwriter. She is the founder of Instinct Productions, a television production company. As a journalist, she was an associate editor for the British political and cultural magazine The New Statesman and European editor-at-large for the American magazine Vanity Fair.

Geminola was a New York vintage clothing store located at 41 Perry Street in the West Village. It was founded in 2004 by Lorraine Kirke, the daughter of a major British tycoon and the ex of Free and Bad Company musician Simon Kirke. The store's name was a combination of the names of three of her daughters and son, Greg, Domino, Jemima and Lola. Jemima Kirke wore a Geminola green velvet dress for the red carpet premier of GIRLS. The show's writer, Lena Dunham, worked there during her college years.

<i>Tiny Furniture</i> 2010 American film

Tiny Furniture is a 2010 American comedy-drama film written, directed by, and starring Lena Dunham. The film premiered at South by Southwest, where it won the award for Best Narrative Feature, screened at such festivals as Maryland Film Festival, and was released theatrically in the United States on November 12, 2010. Dunham plays Aura, an aimless, jilted film school graduate who returns home on what she hopes is a temporary basis. Dunham's mother, artist Laurie Simmons, plays Aura's mother, while her real sibling, Cyrus Grace Dunham, plays Aura's on-screen sister. The actors Jemima Kirke and Alex Karpovsky would also appear in Dunham's television series Girls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lena Dunham</span> American writer and actress (born 1986)

Lena Dunham is an American writer, director, actress, and producer. She is the creator, writer, and star of the HBO television series Girls (2012–2017), for which she received several Emmy Award nominations and two Golden Globe Awards. Dunham also directed several episodes of Girls and became the first woman to win the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Comedy Series. Prior to Girls, Dunham wrote, directed, and starred in the semi-autobiographical independent film Tiny Furniture (2010), for which she won an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay. Her second feature film, Sharp Stick, written and directed by Dunham, was released in 2022. Her third film, Catherine Called Birdy, had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2022. It was released in a limited release on September 23, 2022, by Amazon Studios, prior to streaming on Prime Video on October 7, 2022.

Girls is an American comedy-drama television series created by and starring Lena Dunham, executive-produced by Judd Apatow. The series depicts four young women living in New York City. The show's premise was drawn from Dunham's own life, as were major aspects of the main character, including financial isolation from her parents, becoming a writer, and making unfortunate decisions. The series is known for its post-feminist commentary and conversation around body politics and female sexual subjecthood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allison Williams (actress)</span> American actress

Allison Howell Williams is an American actress. For her work in horror films, she has been deemed a scream queen by the media. She first became known for starring as Marnie Michaels in the HBO comedy-drama series Girls (2012–2017), which earned her a Critics' Choice Award nomination. Her breakthrough came with the role of Rose Armitage in the horror film Get Out (2017), which earned her nominations from the MTV Movie Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards among other accolades. She went on to star in the horror films The Perfection (2018) and M3GAN (2022), the latter of which she also executive produced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dove Cameron</span> American actress and singer (born 1996)

Dove Olivia Cameron is an American singer and actress. She gained recognition for her dual role of the eponymous characters in the Disney Channel comedy series Liv and Maddie (2013–17), for which she won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in Children's Programming. She also starred in the Disney Channel Descendants franchise (2015–2021).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lola Kirke</span> English-born American actress and singer-songwriter

Lola Clementine Kirke is a British-American actress and singer-songwriter. She starred in the 2015 film Mistress America and the Amazon Studios television series Mozart in the Jungle. She appeared in Gone Girl (2014), Gemini (2017), and Lost Girls (2020) among other films. Recent work includes HBO's Winning Time (2022) and upcoming Starz limited series Three Women.

<i>Untogether</i> 2018 American film

Untogether is an American drama film written and directed by Emma Forrest. Her directorial debut, it stars Jamie Dornan, Ben Mendelsohn, Lola Kirke and Jemima Kirke. The film centers on a recovering addict who attempts to get her writing career back on track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Cameron (musician)</span> Australian singer

Alex Cameron is an Australian singer-songwriter from Sydney. He is best known for his solo career, a high-concept act in which Cameron initially adopted the persona of a failed entertainer. During live performances, Cameron is often joined by saxophonist and "business partner", Roy Molloy. Before making music under his own name, Cameron was also a member of the electronica act Seekae, releasing three studio albums with them.

<i>Girls</i> season 1 Season of television series

The first season of the American comedy-drama television series Girls premiered on HBO on April 15, 2012, and consisted on 10 episodes, concluding on June 17, 2012. The series was created by Lena Dunham, who portrays the lead character, who based the premise and central aspects of the show on her personal life. It was produced by Apatow Productions, I Am Jenni Konnor Productions and HBO productions.

<i>Lost Girls</i> (film) American drama mystery film

Lost Girls is a 2020 American mystery drama film. Lost Girls was directed by Liz Garbus, from a screenplay by Michael Werwie, and based on the book Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery by Robert Kolker. The film revolves around the murders of young female sex workers on the South Shore barrier islands of Long Island, committed by the Long Island serial killer, who remains unknown, but for which a suspect was charged July 14, 2023.

Ashley Connor is an American cinematographer who is best known for her work on films such as Madeline's Madeline, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, The Death of Dick Long, and Thou Wast Mild and Lovely. She was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award in 2019 for Best Cinematography.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rosen, Christopher (23 April 2012). "Jemima Kirke, 'Girls' Star, On Periods, Collaborations And Sex Scenes". HuffPost. Archived from the original on 27 April 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
  2. ↑ Miller, Julie (9 April 2012). "Q&A: Girls Co-Star Jemima Kirke on Tattooing Lena Dunham and Playing It Cool Through Her Awkward Phase". Vanity Fair . Archived from the original on 27 April 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  3. ↑ "Jemima Kirke". Allmovie. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  4. ↑ "Jemima Kirke". 24 June 2012. Archived from the original on 5 June 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  5. ↑ Interviews & Reviews – Simon Kirke Official Website Archived 31 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine . Freewebs.com. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  6. ↑ "Geminola". Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  7. ↑ Rubin, Julia (27 June 2013). "Exclusive! Jemima Kirke and Her Stylish Sisters Model for Their Mom's Store". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  8. ↑ A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry, 9th edition, Sir Bernard Burke, 1898, pp. 845-846
  9. ↑ A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage, 95th edition, ed. E. M. Swinhoe, Burke's Peerage, 1937, p. 483
  10. ↑ Pang, Jeanine Celeste (18 March 2014). "Jemima Kirke's Paintings of Girls". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  11. ↑ Aylmer, Olivia (12 October 2017). "Joan Didion (and Her Sunglasses) Take New York Film Festival by Storm". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  12. ↑ Nate Bloom (27 April 2012). "Jews in the News: Jews Rock Hall of Fame, A Minyan of Marvel Heroes". Let My People Grow. Archived from the original on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  13. ↑ "Jews in the News: Jews Rock Hall of Fame, A Minyan of Marvel Heroes". Archived from the original on 11 December 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  14. ↑ Weber, Mia (29 October 2014). "Soul Sisters: Jemima Kirke & Domino Kirke". New York Family. Archived from the original on 11 June 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  15. ↑ Kaufman, Amy (11 August 2015). "Lola Kirke steps out of sister Jemima's shadow in Noah Baumbach's 'Mistress America'". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  16. ↑ Jacobs, Laura (26 April 2016). "Introducing Vanity Fair's Sisters Issue, Featuring the McCartneys, Waterhouses, Wojcickis, and Many More". Vanity Fair . Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  17. 1 2 "30 fun facts about Jemima Kirke: How She Landed Her Role on 'Girls'". Booms Beat. 14 April 2015. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  18. ↑ "Jemima Kirke - Exhibitions - Sargent's Daughters". www.sargentsdaughters.com. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  19. ↑ "Skylight Projects". artslant.com. Archived from the original on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  20. ↑ Sargeant's Daughters
  21. ↑ Eckardt, Stephanie. "Jemima Kirke Is More Than Ready to Talk About Her Divorce". W Magazine. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  22. ↑ "Jemima Kirke Original Works For Sale Online". RoGallery. Archived from the original on 19 October 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  23. ↑ "Batsheva Spring 2023 Ready-to-Wear Collection". 14 September 2022. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  24. ↑ Vilensky, Mike (14 March 2012). "The Art of Being 'Girls' Co-Star Jemima Kirke". The Wall Street Journal . Archived from the original on 20 April 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  25. ↑ Cusumano, Katherine. "Jemima and Lola Kirke Are Really Tired of People Commenting on How They Look". W Magazine. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  26. ↑ photofinishrecords (25 February 2011). "Rival Schools- Wring It Out (Official Music Video)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 23 May 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  27. ↑ "The next Normal People? Conversations with Friends cast finally revealed". HELLO!. 17 February 2021. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  28. ↑ "Conversations With Friends: 7 Quick Things We Know About The Hulu Series". CINEMABLEND. 2 May 2021. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  29. ↑ Lind, Emily Alyn (2 May 2023). "Jemima Kirke joined the cast of Apple TV+'s "City on Fire"". Next TV Series. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  30. ↑ "Lola Kirke Previews New EP With Disturbing 'Mama' Video". Rolling Stone. 21 August 2019. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  31. ↑ Martoccio, Angie (14 March 2019). "Jemima Kirke and Alex Cameron on Their Satirical New Short Film". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  32. 1 2 "Why 'Girls' Star Jemima Kirke Talks About Her Abortion In A New PSA". ThinkProgress . 14 April 2015. Archived from the original on 6 September 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  33. ↑ Ronan, Alex (14 April 2015). "Jemima Kirke Talks About Her Abortion". Archived from the original on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  34. ↑ Pang, Jeanine Celeste. "Jemima Kirke’s Workout Thwarts the Usual Fitness Trends" Archived 21 February 2019 at the Wayback Machine , The New York Times Style Magazine , March 24, 2015. Accessed February 21, 2019. "Four years ago, with a post-baby body that she couldn’t quite shake despite the help of popular workout classes like Pure Barre and the Tracy Anderson Method, the Girls actor Jemima Kirke stumbled upon Brooklyn Strength, a Pilates and fitness studio in Brooklyn Heights, near her home in Carroll Gardens, N.Y."
  35. ↑ Zhong, Fan (April 2012). "Naughty Girl: Jemima Kirke's Wild-Child-Role in HBO's Girls". W . Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  36. ↑ "Jemima Kirke Welcomes Second Child". People. Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  37. ↑ Heller, Corrinne (14 January 2017). "Girls' Jemima Kirke and Husband Michael Mosberg Split: Reports". E! News . Archived from the original on 19 January 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  38. ↑ Stone, Natalie (14 January 2017). "Girls' Jemima Kirke and Husband Michael Mosberg Split After 7 Years of Marriage". People . Archived from the original on 19 January 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  39. ↑ Jones, Allie (13 January 2017). "Report: Girls Star Jemima Kirke Split With Husband Months Ago". The Cut. Archived from the original on 26 March 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  40. ↑ Corinne, Heller. "Girls Alum Jemima Kirke and Musician Alex Cameron Show PDA in NYC" Archived 28 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine , E! , New York, 5 July 2017. Retrieved on 28 March 2018.
  41. ↑ "Alex Cameron Releases 'Miami Memory'". Secretly Canadian. 13 September 2019. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  42. ↑ "Jemima Kirke on the Girls revival, sex scenes and Apple's City on Fire". British GQ. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.