Emily Lloyd

An actress of considerable talent who made a memorably searing debut as a rebellious, foul-mouthed teen whose promiscuity lands her in dire circumstances in Wish You Were Here (1987), fame has sadly eluded Emily Lloyd due to string of bad circumstances and a struggle with her own inner demons. Born the daughter of actor Roger Lloyd Pack in London, England, in 1970, young Emily took a shine to the stage as a teen and soon began to pursue acting as a serious career. Though initially rejected following her audition for director David Leland's Wish You Were Here, the undaunted actress eventually convinced the director that she was right for the part. Her performance, based on the childhood experiences of brothel madam Cynthia Payne, so moved audiences that the pretty young actress was nominated for a BAFTA award and won a Best Actress award from the National Society of Film Critics. Subsequently relocating to America to essay a role as yet another rebellious teen in Susan Seidelman's Cookie (1989), Lloyd continued her bid for stateside fame with appearances in In Country (also 1989) and later returned to her native England for a role as a murderous dance hall girl in the fact-based Chicago Joe and the Showgirl (1990). Though it seemed that Lloyd was successful in alternating between British and American roles, her stateside appearances were ultimately relegated to supporting performances in such films as A River Runs Through It (1992) and Welcome to Sarajevo (1997). It was around this time that Lloyd began a career-stalling battle with obsessive-compulsive disorder following a trip to India, and despite a stay in Marchwood Priority in attempts to overcome OCD, Lloyd would continue to appear onscreen. Eventually winning that battle with OCD with a combination of professional treatment and reassured self-confidence, Lloyd suffered yet another minor career setback when she was stopped by police in Los Angeles and charged with driving without a license and not wearing a seatbelt. Despite her hardships, Lloyd continued to appear in such films as Boogie Boy (1997) and Woundings (1998) before falling back into the good graces of critics with a role in the independent thriller The Honeytrap (2002).

~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide