penny was the last of eight children to christopher and melanie dupree. by all accounts, her mother had been having children in excess simply to have a baby girl. and when penny arrived screaming into this world--that was it. no more fussy boys to put up with, no more husband's begging her for more kids. melanie got the little girl she wanted, and that was that. they lived quietly in atlanta, before when penny was eight, moving into woodstock.
they did well enough for themselves. they went to church every sunday. they followed god, they did their work. penny went to school and enjoyed herself to the fullest, despite the lingering on the girls in her grade and the yearning for something more that sometimes flitted across her mind. none of that was real anyway, she told herself, beyond some twisted up jealousy of girls who were better than her, prettier than her, and more desirable than her. she was, afterall, considered to be a boring wallflower who read books more than most.
she felt she still was boring in her better than average grades and a predictable romance with one of the poorer boys in school, trevor. he treated her nicely, and she treated him nicely back. he asked her to prom andit felt natural to say yes. just as it felt natural to follow him to college, to follow him into a more serious relationship, and eventually, at eighteen, she wound up pregnant. naturally, she kept the baby, entered a shotgun wedding, and supported her husband pursuing the seminary. he expressed a lack of interest in her wanting to continue schooling, and in her somewhat insubstantial ambitions in writing. they had mouths to feed--and penny was good at supporting her husband and that was what they needed the most.
penny wishes that there had been something more significant, all consuming and beautiful between them. she wished that there were more sparks in her life besides being the faithful, good wife her husband leaned on. she sincerely wished that there was so much more to her life outside of going through the motions of it all, from falling in line. it took years for her to understand that she felt taken for granted by everyone in her small life except for her son, luke. of everyone, luke seemed to be the on most in tune with penny. he seemed to care the most about how she was feeling, the one who enjoyed her company the most, and the one who she felt like she could tell her secrets to, whether it was the fact that she had piles of unread manuscripts in the attic or that she seemed to be distant with his father, and closer to the numerous other wives in the community or her encouraging of him to explore his own burgeoning idenity, outside of his brothers. her husband called it doting--and penny ignored it.
and then, in late 2006, luke was struck by a car and died on the scene. penny remembers picking up the phone. she doesn't remember much else afterwards besides the overwhelming grief. he was only thirteen at the time, with so much more ahead for him. what tenuous faith that she had rotely followed her entire life, penny cast aside. what little anger, desperation, fear and isolation she had been repressing for years burst out of her in a torrent in the wake of his death. she and her husband fought almost every week--until penny shut down.
things started to crystallize around her as she sank into depression and anger. the less she participated in things, the more it seemed to her that things were off. her husband, her sons expected her to do every household task they deemed necessary. her husband complained about her not doing the household finances--but seemed to give her the cold shoulder or be outright angry when she admitted she was too depressed to do so. the congregation they were so entrenched in, asked for her to resume her duties to them--and started to urge her to take her husband back, that they could have another child together, that she should move on. and penny wasn't able to take being told to move past luke before she was ready, to move on without him, was too much.
penny thought about the life she wanted to have. about the life she had been resisting all the while. about how her family expected her to bear every burden and still keep going--even when she felt that she couldn't.
the last anyone in georgia heard of penny was the last phone call she placed to her mother, saying she was sorry. in 2008, a few weeks before the anniversary of luke's death, penny packed up only a few things: the manuscripts, the typewriter, some of luke's remaining things, some clothes. she cleared out her own accounts, and took what she believed her husband owed her, left signed documents for a divorce, and vanished for all intents and purposes.
starting over wasn't particularly easy. she located an old friend in los angeles willing to let her rent, while she went back to school to get her masters degree in creative writing. she worked as a waitress at first, before shuttling into a more stable job as a paralegal. she graduated in 2011, cutting her teeth on short stories based around scholocky scenarios, before publishing professionally in late 2012. while it gave her family an avenue to contact her again, she refused to meet them in person. the divorce, which had stalled, finally went through after a tense call in 2015.
since then, she's worked steadily, publishing one book a year under her psuedonym and discovering herself and all the parts of her she'd been ignoring before. it hasn't exactly been the easiest; experiencing break ups, attempting to sort out her identity and even attending pride have all been significant hurdles and struggles with growth. the urge to call her family, to try and connect with them again has been in the forefront of her mind as superheroes have lept off of the pages and into real life, and as she tries to figure out if she could leave it all behind so easily. a part of her knows that one day one of her remaining sons will knock on the door, trying to reconnect. and she's not sure if she's brave enough to do so -- or if she'll be adamant in her decision to not be apart of their lives anymore.
In February 2006, Elizabeth joined the cast of Casino Royale as their central Bond girl Vesper Lynd when the film was already in production. She had turned the project down in late 2005 out of a desire not to be seen as "tits and ass" because of the Bond girl moniker; she has since elaborated on this decision, noting that the script was incomplete at the time and that she, at 24 and fresh out of Oxford, was overly concerned about cultivating a particular image. When production began and nobody had yet been cast in the role, the director, Martin Campbell, approached her again with a completed script, and she enthusiastically accepted. Elizabeth has since noted her pride that Vesper is seen as ushering in a more modern era of Bond women, and that she was willing to admit her own mistake in not taking the role.
On 11 February 2007, her 25th birthday, Elizabeth was awarded the second ever Orange Rising Star Award at the 60th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs), voted on by the British public. She has since called it one of the biggest honors of her career.
On 29 April 2011, Elizabeth was in attendance at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London. She attended alongside her parents, and was also seen arriving at the private reception that evening at Buckingham Palace.
In September 2011, Elizabeth was tapped as the face of a campaign for Yves Saint Laurent's Opium fragrance, in a campaign shot by Patrick Demarchelier.
In October 2014, Elizabeth became a brand ambassador for luxury watch brand IWC Schaffhausen. She appeared in a video campaign for the brand, as well as showing support at several events and through exclusive interviews.
On 10 April 2015, Elizabeth was listed among the victims of the Wreckoning digital hack; it was later determined that the emails taken by hackers were from the account of her publicist, Celine Ross, and were released on 21 April. In them, Elizabeth had written several inflammatory statements, many of them readable as misogynist and anti-feminist, as well as rude, belligerent, and entitled; many were related to supposed bad press about Gone Girl as well as her award nominations; and yet others (which were quickly and warmly embraced by Tumblr) made light of her costar's not-quite-but-still-pretty-full-frontal shower scene. Ross issued a statement on behalf of all of her clients whose information was leaked, and Elizabeth has only ever commented vaguely about the incident, though has seemed aware of the problematic tone of her words (if not apologetic).
Also in April 2015, Elizabeth was announced as a member of the main competition jury at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. She appeared at many events and premieres over the course of the festival in May of that year, and was highly lauded for her varied couture fashion choices.
On 26 June 2015, Elizabeth was listed among the new invitees to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
On 12 February 2016, the Invictus Games announced that Elizabeth would serve as a celebrity ambassador for that year's games in Orlando, Florida. She made several visits to members of Team GB during their training, as well as participating in a kickoff event at Buckingham Palace in April, and attending the games in May alongside Prince Harry.
On 23 February 2016, Elizabeth announced the establishment of her production company, Full And By Films. While generally lauded for the entirely female leadership team, the company has faced some criticism because of Elizabeth's past film roles (largely as a supporting player to men or in supposedly anti-feminist roles) and the content of her hacked emails, as well as her clear reticence to discuss issues of diversity in her industry at any prior juncture (i.e. when it wasn't directly benefiting her career). She has somewhat embraced speaking more publicly about issues in the entertainment industry since establishing her company, but almost always in a highly-controlled environment with the breathing room to speak her mind thoughtfully, clearly, and thoroughly.
In September 2016, Elizabeth was noted to have missed the Toronto International Film Festival press events and premiere of her film A United Kingdom; costar David Oyelowo acknowledged her absence by mentioning she fell ill at the last minute and could not attend. The following month, she did appear at the London Film Festival premiere of (and associated press junkets and appearances for) the same film.
On 30 December 2016, Elizabeth was appointed Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2017 New Years Honours for services to drama and charity. Her investiture was performed by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on 23 February 2017.
On 31 January 2017, Huffington Post UK posted an op-ed written by Elizabeth, in which she passionately spoke out against Prime Minister Theresa May's suggested state visit for President Donald Trump only a week after his inauguration.
On 9 March 2017, Elizabeth attended the Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial unveiling at the Victoria Embankment Gardens in London, accompanying her father, himself a veteran of the Gulf War, as well as her mother, brother, and sister-in-law. The ceremony was criticised by some relatives of those who died, because they were not invited, and for the presence of Tony Blair, who led Britain into the Iraq War. Elizabeth received many negative reactions online from opponents of the various wars represented, and her publicist has responded to all requests for comment by pointing out her father's war service and that her attendance was in deference to him and to the servicemembers who'd served with him and lost their lives.
In September 2017, Elizabeth was in attendance at Invictus Games Toronto, her second year as a celebrity ambassador for the games and the greater Invictus Games Foundation.
On 9 October 2017, Elizabeth was announced as one of the honorees in Elle's 2017 Women in Hollywood. The celebration in their honor took place on 17 October in Beverly Hills, where Elizabeth was introduced by her Bridesmaids director Paul Feig.
On 19 May 2018, Elizabeth was in attendance at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel, Windsor. She was accompanied by her brother, The Hon. Oliver Gower-Alton, and they were seen arriving with George and Amal Clooney, with whom they were seated in the quire of the chapel.
It was announced on 9 July 2018 that Elizabeth was one of six godparents to Prince Louis of Cambridge, along with Nicholas van Cutsem, Guy Pelly, Harry Aubrey-Fletcher, Lady Laura Meade, and Lucy Middleton. She attended his christening that same day at the Chapel Royal at St. James's Palace in London.
wonder woman is an amazon warrior princess and one of the most powerful superheroes in the dc universe. the daughter of hippolyta, she was given power by the gods to fight against evil in all its forms. although she was raised entirely by women on the island of themyscira, she was sent as an ambassador to the man's world, spreading their idealistic message of strength and love. wonder woman fights crime and acts as a positive role model for women everywhere. her equipment includes the lasso of truth, magic gauntlets, and an invisible jet. in the secret identity she has adopted to become closer to humanity, she is diana prince, a government agent for the department of metahuman affairs. wonder woman is also a founding member of the justice league of america. she has also been a member of the star sapphire corps and the sinestro corps.wonder woman was created by william moulton marston and harry g. peter, and has a lengthy publication history. this history has sometimes included a sidekick wonder girl and many villains. since her debut she has become one of the most popular and recognizable dc comics characters, along with batman and superman. she first appeared in all-star comics #8. (1941)
POINT OF CANON wonder woman is pulled from many sources, mainly focusing on the classic wonder woman stories by william moulton marston, the dcau, new earth, wonder woman: year one and several other pieces of canon. little to nothing from the new 52/prime earth or the dceu is used in her characterization
POINT OF CANON wonder woman is pulled from many sources, mainly focusing on the classic wonder woman stories by william moulton marston, the dcau, new earth, wonder woman: year one and several other pieces of canon. little to nothing from the new 52/prime earth or the dceu is used in her characterization
Edward (father, 75)
Admiral Sir Edward Alexander Charles Gower-Alton KCB OBE, 10th Baron Alton. Born 4 September 1942. Son of Lord Edmund Gower-Alton, 9th Baron Alton (1910-1994), and Lady Lucy (Ellsworth) Gower-Alton (1919-2001). Retired from the Royal Navy in 2003 after more than four decades of service, including operational service in the Gulf War and serving as Commander-in-Chief Fleet as well as NATO Commander-in-Chief Eastern Atlantic and NATO Commander Allied Naval Forces North West Europe. Appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1985 Birthday Honours, appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2003 New Years Honours. Previously married to The Hon. Victoria George, who passed away in 1978.
Beatrix (mother, 61)
Dr. Beatrix Marie Gower-Alton (née Thompson) CBE, Lady Alton. Born 1 August 1956. Head of Classics at King's College London, formerly a Latin teacher at the secondary level. Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2011 for services to education.
Oliver (half-brother, 50)
The Honourable Oliver Philip Arthur Gower-Alton. Born 10 January 1968. Only child of Edward and his first wife Victoria (1945-1978). Private solicitor, lives in Primrose Hill with his wife and three children. Educated at Harrow School, the London School of Economics and Oxford University. Partner in his own private client firm, Aperture Solicitors, in Holborn.
Anne (sister-in-law, 48)
The Honourable Anne Caroline Gower-Alton (née Linley). Born 7 November 1969. Professional photographer. Born and raised in Leicestershire. Educated at Loughborough High School and the University of St. Andrews. Married Oliver in 1993.
Edmund (nephew, 23)
Edmund Charles Linley Gower-Alton. Born 4 January 1995. Attended Harrow School. Studying engineering at Imperial College London.
Patience (niece, 21)
Patience Victoria Linley Gower-Alton. Born 30 July 1996. Attended the North London Collegiate School. Studying art history at the University of St. Andrews.
Richard (nephew, 20)
Richard Linley George Gower-Alton. Born 13 December 1997. Attended Harrow School. Studying history at King's College London.
Agent (UK) – Lindy King
Agent (US) – Jack Whigham
Publicist – Celine Ross
Stylist – Jessica Paster
Business Partner – Elise Siegel
Business Partner – Kelly Carmichael
Attorney – Oliver Gower-Alton
Trainer – Holly Lawson
5'4", slim athletic figure. Blue eyes and mid-tone blonde hair (which she has dyed darker for several lengths of time throughout her career).
Aquarius sun, Libra moon, Cancer rising. INTJ ("The Architect"), RHETI 1W2 ("The Reformer"; perfectionist, responsible, fixated on improvement).
Goes exclusively by Elizabeth or El in public and with friends; her family (and only her family) sometimes calls her Lizzie.
Represented by Lindy King of United Agents in the UK, and Jack Whigham of CAA in the United States.
Speaks conversational French, Italian, and German. Can read Latin fluently and Ancient Greek with moderate proficiency.
Maintains public Instagram and Twitter accounts (@ElizabethAlton for both), used primarily for business purposes with occasional vague personal posts.
Favorite film of all time is "The Sound of Music." Other favorites include "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" and "Rear Window." Favorite television shows of the moment include "The Americans," "Game of Thrones," and "Westworld." All-time favorite fictional character is Éowyn from "The Lord of the Rings."
Known to collaborate with directors multiple times on both film and stage, not infrequently in small supporting roles, including Ron Howard, Stephen Frears, Joe Wright, Rob Ashford and Ivo Van Hove.
Very keen sportswoman; danced ballet until the age of 12, played field hockey through secondary school, is an active runner (though many would call it "obsessive"), and took up boxing in 2013 as part of her preparation for Gone Girl (with professional MMA fighter and trainer Holly Lawson). Supports Aston Villa. Learned basic sailing skills from her father and ultimately earned her sailing license, which she maintains; still tries to go sailing whenever it is convenient.
Diagnosed with endometriosis in 2011 after years of significant menstrual (and generally chronic) pain; has not gone public with diagnosis (and does not intend to), and occasionally relies on narcotic analgesics while working so her pain does not disrupt filming or performing. In the past has used hormonal birth control to manage symptoms, but discontinued use for actor reasons. Had minor excision surgery in April 2016.
The Alton peerage was created in the 1780s, the first Baron having been raised to the peerage for service in Parliament (his ancestors previously having been made baronet). The family ancestral seat is in Greatgate, Staffordshire, but their family estate was small and sold before World War I. They are distantly related to the Earls of Shrewsbury and the Leveson-Gower Family (of the dukedom of Sutherland); while their name and title were originally associated with the village of Alton, there is no direct connection between the baronetcy and local theme park Alton Towers, which takes its name from Alton Mansion. The family motto is "In Altum" ("to heights" or "to the depths", depending). Elizabeth is extremely protective (some might say defensive...) of her family and their history. Will openly acknowledge her privilege but not be made to feel less for it, and is the first to call herself out-of-touch on some things.
Has been open about her strong maternal instinct toward her niece and nephews, even though they're fairly close in age, and has also not hidden her desire to start a family... although given her age and her (publicly undisclosed) existing gynecological issues she privately doubts that it is still an option naturally and has become more hesitant to talk about it.
Textbook workaholic. In recent years has notoriously stacked projects back-to-back-to-back with little to no time for leisure, and publicly laughs it off as "not being able to say 'no'" and luxuriating in an embarrassment of riches. Has taken some weekend holidays but none at length in several years.
Aquarius sun, Libra moon, Cancer rising. INTJ ("The Architect"), RHETI 1W2 ("The Reformer"; perfectionist, responsible, fixated on improvement).
Goes exclusively by Elizabeth or El in public and with friends; her family (and only her family) sometimes calls her Lizzie.
Represented by Lindy King of United Agents in the UK, and Jack Whigham of CAA in the United States.
Speaks conversational French, Italian, and German. Can read Latin fluently and Ancient Greek with moderate proficiency.
Maintains public Instagram and Twitter accounts (@ElizabethAlton for both), used primarily for business purposes with occasional vague personal posts.
Favorite film of all time is "The Sound of Music." Other favorites include "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" and "Rear Window." Favorite television shows of the moment include "The Americans," "Game of Thrones," and "Westworld." All-time favorite fictional character is Éowyn from "The Lord of the Rings."
Known to collaborate with directors multiple times on both film and stage, not infrequently in small supporting roles, including Ron Howard, Stephen Frears, Joe Wright, Rob Ashford and Ivo Van Hove.
Very keen sportswoman; danced ballet until the age of 12, played field hockey through secondary school, is an active runner (though many would call it "obsessive"), and took up boxing in 2013 as part of her preparation for Gone Girl (with professional MMA fighter and trainer Holly Lawson). Supports Aston Villa. Learned basic sailing skills from her father and ultimately earned her sailing license, which she maintains; still tries to go sailing whenever it is convenient.
Diagnosed with endometriosis in 2011 after years of significant menstrual (and generally chronic) pain; has not gone public with diagnosis (and does not intend to), and occasionally relies on narcotic analgesics while working so her pain does not disrupt filming or performing. In the past has used hormonal birth control to manage symptoms, but discontinued use for actor reasons. Had minor excision surgery in April 2016.
The Alton peerage was created in the 1780s, the first Baron having been raised to the peerage for service in Parliament (his ancestors previously having been made baronet). The family ancestral seat is in Greatgate, Staffordshire, but their family estate was small and sold before World War I. They are distantly related to the Earls of Shrewsbury and the Leveson-Gower Family (of the dukedom of Sutherland); while their name and title were originally associated with the village of Alton, there is no direct connection between the baronetcy and local theme park Alton Towers, which takes its name from Alton Mansion. The family motto is "In Altum" ("to heights" or "to the depths", depending). Elizabeth is extremely protective (some might say defensive...) of her family and their history. Will openly acknowledge her privilege but not be made to feel less for it, and is the first to call herself out-of-touch on some things.
Has been open about her strong maternal instinct toward her niece and nephews, even though they're fairly close in age, and has also not hidden her desire to start a family... although given her age and her (publicly undisclosed) existing gynecological issues she privately doubts that it is still an option naturally and has become more hesitant to talk about it.
Textbook workaholic. In recent years has notoriously stacked projects back-to-back-to-back with little to no time for leisure, and publicly laughs it off as "not being able to say 'no'" and luxuriating in an embarrassment of riches. Has taken some weekend holidays but none at length in several years.