Aníta Briem (born 29 May 1982) is an Icelandic actress and screenwriter. She is known for her role as Queen Jane Seymour on The Tudors and her role as Hannah Sigursdóttir in Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Personal life Anita was born on 29 May 1982, in Reykjavík, Iceland. She is the daughter of drummer Gunnlaugur Briem of Mezzoforte and back-up vocalist Erna Þórarinsdóttir. She started acting when she was nine at the National Theatre of Iceland. She moved to England at the age of sixteen, graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London in 2004, with a BA in Acting Degree (H Level), and having received the John Barton award in Stage Fighting. She was trained in hand-to-hand combat and self-defence with weaponry skills. She is married to actor/director Constantine Paraskevopoulos.
Career In 2008, Anita starred in Journey to the Center of the Earth as the female action hero lead, and also had major roles in the films Dylan Dog: Dead of Night (2011), and Elevator (2011).
She appeared in the second season of The Tudors, portraying King Henry VIII's third queen consort, Jane Seymour; she was replaced by Annabelle Wallis in the third season after the show was unable to work out conflicting dates with New Line Cinema over her previous commitment to the premiere and press for Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Writer After living in Los Angeles, in what she says was a culture of ageism dictated by men, she returned to Iceland. After working with four female Icelandic directors, she decided she wanted to create stories herself, that have a real impact; to explore female sexuality and sensuality deeper, rather than women just being sexual objects. In her opinion, in Iceland, women are generally perceived as being sexier, wiser, and more interesting because they are getting older and having children. As a writer, she was able to explore love and how relationships change, hormonally and emotionally, from a women's perspective, creating work such as As Long as We Live a series shown on Iceland’s Channel 2.
Film and television + Film Year Film Role Notes2005The Nun Eve2006Köld slóðElínEnglish title: Cold Trail2008Journey to the Center of the EarthHannah SigursdóttirAlso filmed in 3D2009Everything Will Happen Before You DieKaren2010The StorytellerNicole2011Dylan Dog: Dead of Night Elizabeth You, Me & the Circus BoQueen of HeartsClaireShort FilmElevatorCeline Fouquet2012You, Me & The CircusBo2015Queen of HeartsClaire2016Salt and FireFlight Attendant2019The DroneCorrine Coldwell2021QuakeSaga2022A Letter from HelgaUnnur(Svar við bréfi Helgu) Film2023Wild GameHildur2025BFFsAnita Goode Boninfilm + Television Year Title Role Notes2004DoctorsAnneka MarshEpisode: "Golden Girl"2005Doctor WhoSallyEpisode: "The Christmas Invasion" 2006 The EvidenceEmily StevensEpisodes:"And the Envelope Please""Stringers""Wine and Die""Yi vs. Li""Borrowed Time""Pilot""Down for the Count"2008The TudorsJane SeymourSeason Two, 4 episodesUp Close with Carrie KeaganAníta Briem2020The Minister (Ráðherrann)Steinunn 16 episodesVenjulegt fólkLilja2023MannyNikki MaynesTV film2023As Long as We Live (Svo lengi sem við lifum)BetaActress and writer - 6 episodes2023ÁramótaskaupvariousS1.E582025BFFsAnita Goode Boninfilm
References
External links
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Profile; Retrieved 7 May 2014 References to Aníta Briem and her unusual surname; Retrieved 7 May 2014