Bio: Alison Doody was born in Dublin in 1966, in a well-off family. She is the youngest of three children. She was educated in a convent, where she gained a passion for the arts. She later studied at the National College of Fine Arts in Dublin, but left because she lacked the motivation and thought she would take a year off to think it out. Meanwhile, while sitting in a caf�� with friends, she was approached by a still photographer who asked her if she would be interested to model. Thinking she could use the pocket money, she said yes. Modeling proved to be both fun and lucrative, and very soon she did it professionally. Her modeling contracts led to commercial work, which would take her around the world. One day, a casting director saw her work and suggested she try acting instead. She was sent to London at age 19, where she quickly won an audition to appear in the new James Bond film, A View to a Kill (1985). She so loved acting that she pursued a career in that direction. After her first film, she shot a few TV dramas in London and in Dublin, but her big break came when she was cast as Aryan seductress Dr. Elsa Schneider in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). Apparently, she made a huge impression on Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, who loved her great sense of humor and her Grace Kelly looks. After Indiana Jones, which introduced her to Hollywood and to the United States, she was chosen to replace Cybill Shepherd as the spokeswoman for L'Or��al. After that, she shot a few B-movies in the United States, but at one point felt she missed Ireland too much, so she went back to Dublin. In 1994, she put her career on hold to spend more time with media heir Gavin O'Reilly, whom she had been dating for two years. In 1996, they married, and later had two children. In 2002, she was asked to cameo in the Michael Caine comedy The Actors (2003), and there she regained a lust for the movie industry. The following summer, she shot King Solomon's Mines (2004) with co-star Patrick Swayze, and it's then that the whole ball started rolling again. In 2005, she and her husband divorced and she decided to re-launch her stalled career, but she quickly realized how difficult it was to break into this kind of business for a second time, especially after ten years away from the camera. Recently she appeared in the short film Benjamin's Struggle (2005), directed by newcomer Jamie Breese, and played a role in the well-known British series Waking the Dead (2000). In a recent interview, she said she was thrilled to be acting again, but added that she wasn't willing to accept anything for the sake of working. She is determined to find the right part, but she also wants to do different things: "I'm fed up playing the nasty Nazi. I'd like to do something quite extreme."
Tivia: In 2000, she settled a libel action against the Mirror Newspaper Group of Dublin in Ireland, following the publication of a 1999 press article that erroneously claimed she had appeared nude or partially nude on screen. Before the case was due to get underway, a settlement was agreed and Edward Walsh for the Irish Mirror read an apology to the High Court, saying that it was quite untrue that she had ever appeared nude or partially nude in her film roles. He also stated that it is a well-known fact that throughout her career she has always adamantly refused to participate in scenes involving nudity, and that this refusal has cost her the loss of many lucrative roles. The Irish Mirror paid damages, although the actual amount is unknown. Miss Doody told the media that she was quite happy that it was over, and that her good name had been vindicated.She turned down star-making roles that went to Nicole Kidman in Days of Thunder (1990) and Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct (1992). Later, she also refused a part in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.Director Peter Jackson personally offered her the role of "��owyn" in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), but she declined due to her impending pregnancy, which wouldn't have worked with the 18-month on-location production the movies required. The role eventually went to Miranda Otto.She has been presented with the Prince's Trust Award for Charity, for her constant and generous support to children in need.Has played opposite three Bond actors in three different movies. She had a cameo appearance in A View to a Kill (1985) in which she shared a scene with Roger Moore, she played Pierce Brosnan's girlfriend in Taffin (1988) and starred along with Sean Connery in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).Has two daughters with Gavin O'Reilly: Alanna (born 1996) and Lauren (born 1999).At 18 years-old, she was one of the youngest actresses to appear in a Bond film. Some were surprised at her mature appearance.Neighbour was the well-known singer, Enya.Once lived in a ��1.95 million, 10,000 square feet house overlooking the sea at Dalkey, one of the wealthiest and loveliest suburbs of Dublin, on the central east coast of Ireland.She shares a November 11th birthday with Calista Flockhart, the wife of her "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" costar Harrison Ford. Flockhart was born in 1964 and Doody was born in 1966.Is one of a number of actors to be photographed by Claire Newman-Williams, including Thomas James Longley, Ben Barnes, and Adam Garcia.