Charlotte Ninon Coleman was an English actress best known for playing Scarlett
in the film Four Weddings and a Funeral, Jess in the television drama Oranges Are
Not the Only Fruit, and her childhood roles of Sue in Worzel Gummidge and the
character Marmalade Atkins. Coleman died of an acute asthma attack in Holloway,
North London, aged 33. Early life
Coleman was the first of two daughters born to actress Ann Beach and Canadian -
born television producer Francis Coleman. Her younger sister is the
actress Lisa Coleman. She was educated at Camden School for Girls, from which
she was expelled. Outside regular school hours she attended classes at the Anna
Scher Theatre School in Islington, North London, because she said she was "too
cool" to go to the Brownies. At 15, feeling that her upbringing had
been too liberal – her parents "didn't believe in restraint" – Coleman enrolled
at Dartington Hall School in Devon. It was a very progressive school where
pupils "didn't have to go to any lessons, so I didn't. I spent 15 grand –
all my money – and it was just stupid really." After this, she attended
cookery school. Career
Coleman's first major television role was as Sue in Southern Television's
Worzel Gummidge. This ran for four series from 1978 to 1981 on the ITV
network. Other early work included A Choice of Evils and Two People, as Emma
Moffatt). She had a crush on Stephen Garlick, her co-star in Two People. For
the role, she had to choose a stuffed toy for Emma to carry; she named it
"Haggis" and still had it when interviewed in 1990.
This was soon followed by her role as the teenage rebel Marmalade Atkins,
firstly in Marmalade Atkins in Space, and then in two series, Educating
Marmalade and Danger: Marmalade at Work. All three were made by Thames and
written by Andrew Davies. In 1990, Coleman appeared as Jess, a
girl from Lancashire brought up by a strict Pentecostal mother, in the
acclaimed BBC television drama Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, based on
Jeanette Winterson's novel of the same name. Coleman won a Royal Television
Society, Best Actress award and was nominated for a BAFTA for her portrayal
of the young lesbian character. She also read the novel for release by BBC
Audiobooks. Other television appearances in the
1980s and '90s included roles in The Bill and Inspector Morse, the
short-lived comedy series Freddie and Max, with Anne Bancroft, a drama about
homelessness, Sweet Nothing and, another lesbian role, as Barb Gale in the
political satire Giving Tongue. She also appeared in Simon Nye's sitcom How Do
You Want Me?, alongside Dylan Moran and voiced the lead female character,
Primrose, in the animated adaptation of Brambly Hedge.
Probably Charlotte's most internationally known role was as the
endearingly crazy Scarlett in the film Four Weddings and a Funeral with Hugh
Grant, Simon Callow and Kristin Scott Thomas.
Coleman's final television appearance was in the adaptation of Jacqueline
Wilson's Double Act, where she played the twins' teacher, Miss Debenham. Her
last major film was Jasmin Dizdar's Beautiful People, set in London in 1993,
at the time of the Bosnian War, playing the role of Portia Thornton.
= Theatre= Lorna in Our Own Kind, Bush Theatre,
London, Coleman co-starred with Kevin Whately, Nisha Nayar and Jane Horrocks.
"The prime focus falls on Sylvie's bright-eyed schoolgirl sister Lorna.
Vividly brought to life by Charlotte Coleman, she's both a droll chorus
figure and an optimistic, surrogate victim. The play is tightly directed by
new Bush supremo Dominic Dromgoole" Personal life
In 1987 Coleman's then boyfriend Jonathan Laycock died as the result of a
cycling accident; he was 23 years old. After his death Coleman went through
periods of depression, and developed the eating disorders anorexia and bulimia;
she also attended AA meetings because "she couldn't bear being with all those
fat people at Overeaters Anonymous". = Death=
On 13 November 2001 she visited her family where they watched a video
together. Her father later stated that she had been in great spirits, because
of her new flat in Holloway, North London, which she had decorated, and
there was a possibility of a career upturn after a few years of a career
stall. Later that evening, she complained of feeling unwell, but went
home to her flat against her parents' advice. The next morning, Wednesday, 14
November 2001, her parents telephoned her to see if she was feeling better;
but there was no reply. Concerned, her mother went to Charlotte's flat, to find
her lying unconscious on the floor; her asthma inhaler was in a different room.
She was taken by ambulance to Whittington Hospital in North London,
where she was pronounced dead on arrival, from a massive attack of
bronchial asthma. A memorial was held at the Mill Hill
Buddhist Centre in North London later that month, attended by family and close
friends. Charlotte Coleman Scholarship Award
The New London Performing Arts Centre introduced the Charlotte Coleman
Scholarship in 2003. A showcase event is held every November from which one
performer is chosen to receive the award. All NLPAC members are eligible
for the prize of a year's classes in dance, drama and music.
Roles = Film=
"A Loving Act" ... Det. Jane Thompson Beautiful People ... Portia Thornton
Bodywork ... Tiffany Shades If Only... aka Twice Upon a Yesterday
... Alison Hayes Sweet Revenge ... Norma
Different for Girls ... Alison The Young Poisoner's Handbook ... Winnie
Four Weddings and a Funeral ... Scarlett Map of the Human Heart ... Julie
Bearskin: An Urban Fairytale ... Kate = Television=
Double Act ... Miss Debenham; 2 June 2002, BBC
McCready and Daughter ... Shelley Bennett in "No Bed of Roses"; Ecosse
Films for BBC How Do You Want Me? ... Lisa Lyons; 24
February 1998 – 22 December 1999, Kensington Films & Television for BBC
Wycliffe ... Laura Kessell in "Bad Blood"; 3 August 1997, ITV
Oliver's Travels ... Cathy; 1995, BBC Wales
The Vacillations of Poppy Carew ... Mary; 5 March 1995,
Olly's Prison ... Sheila; May 1993, BBC The Comic Strip Presents... ... Patsy in
"Gregory: Diary of a Nutcase"; 13 May 1993
The Bill ... Sharon Palmer in "Happy Families"; 19 November 1992, ITV
Inspector Morse ... Jessica White in "Happy Families"; 11 March 1992, Zenith
Entertainment for ITV Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit ... Jess;
10–24 January 1990 Freddie and Max ... Freddie Latham; 12
November – 18 December 1990 The Insurance Man ... Seamstress; 22
February 1986, BBC Danger: Marmalade at Work ... Marmalade
Atkins; 20 February – 30 April 1984, Thames Television for ITV
Educating Marmalade ... Marmalade Atkins; 25 October 1982 – 3 January
1983, Thames Television for ITV Marmalade Atkins in Space ... Marmalade
Atkins; 2 November 1981, Thames Television for ITV
Worzel Gummidge ... Sue Peters; 25 February 1979 – 31 October 1981,
Southern Television for ITV References
External links Charlotte Coleman at the Internet Movie
Database Charlotte Coleman at AllMovie
The Unofficial Charlotte Coleman Homepage
New London Performing Arts Centre – Charlotte Coleman Scholarship Award