Lucy Gordon (actress)
A rising star whose portrayal of Jane Birkin was tragically unveiled only after her death by suicide in Paris.
1980–2009 (age 29)·British actress and model·Birthday: May 22·Generation X
Biography
Lucy Gordon's story is one of bright light and sudden darkness. The British model, who became a CoverGirl face as a teenager, transitioned to acting with a quiet determination, taking on small but memorable roles in films like 'Serendipity' and 'Spider-Man 3'. Her career was building towards a defining moment: the role of singer-actress Jane Birkin in the biopic 'Gainsbourg'. Gordon immersed herself in the part, capturing Birkin's ethereal spirit. In a cruel twist, she died by hanging in her Paris apartment in May 2009, just before the film's release. Her final performance became a poignant, posthumous farewell, leaving behind a haunting question of what might have been for an actress of evident sensitivity and grace.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Lucy was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lucy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Lucy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2009Died at 29
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
Key Achievements
- Became an international face for CoverGirl cosmetics at the age of 17.
- Secured the pivotal role of Jane Birkin in the biographical film 'Gainsbourg'.
- Appeared in major Hollywood films including 'Spider-Man 3' and 'The Four Feathers'.
Did You Know?
She was fluent in French.
Her first film role was in the 2001 movie 'Perfume'.
She was a talented pianist.
“I loved the challenge of becoming someone else, of telling their truth.”
