Watch the first scenes of Bond girl Gemma Arterton’s starring performance in the new adaptation of Tess of the D’Urbevilles.

The sexy brunette, 22, looks fresh-faced in the latest BBC1 costume drama – in contrast to her saucy character in 007 film Quantum of Solace.

In this clip of the first episode Tess meets the suave Alec D’Urbeville and claims kinship.

Watch it here.

GALLERY LINKS:
- Tess of the D’Urbervilles (2008) : Production Stills
- Tess of the D’Urbervilles (2008) : Clip - Tess meets the suave Alec D’Urbeville and claims kinship

And also plenty of new scans thanks to the wonderful Lorna.

A year ago she was fresh out of college and up to her ears in debt.

Today Gemma Arterton is a rising star of everything from Bond films to bodice-rippers.

But lean times are not hard to forget and Gemma, whose mum brought her up alone while working as a cleaner, has an eye for a bargain at Primark.

Last night four million viewers watched Gemma, 22, playing Lizzie Bennet in ITV’s comedy period piece Lost in Austen. And she will soon take the starring role in Tess Of The D’Urbervilles, the BBC’s new costume drama.

But it’s not just prime-time TV that Gemma is fast conquering.

Read the full story »»

Today I’ve added 6 new Tess stills to the gallery, as well as a scan from the Sun featuring an iconic image from the book/movie: Tess tasting strawberries. Be sure to check out the Magazine Scans category for more Tess (and Lost in Austen) related material. There are plenty of good articles and pretty photos that aren’t in the Tess of the D’Urbervilles category itself.

GALLERY LINKS:
- Tess of the D’Urbervilles (2008) : Production Stills
- Magazine Scans: The Sun (UK) - September 5, 2008, thanks to Lorna

The BBC’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles website is now ‘live’ with content, including an interview with our girl Gemma.

Gemma Arterton plays Tess

Gemma Arterton brings to life Hardy’s beautiful, iconic heroine, Tess Durbeyfield, the eldest daughter of a poor rural working family; a fresh, pretty country girl with a good heart and a sensitive soul.

However, Gemma explains this isn’t her first foray into the world of Tess: “I played the character of Hope, Tess’s younger sister, in a school play.

“Coming to the drama again almost 10 years later is a very different experience. I was too young to really understand it first time around.

“Tess is a straightforward country girl, very pretty, but unaware of her beauty. Although people chip away at her life, she grows stronger, which is the incredible thing about her. I definitely didn’t want to play her as a victim.”

Read the full story »»

Mari kindly uploaded the Tess of the D’Urbervilles trailer on YouTube and I immediately made screencaps from it for our site. The trailer is very short, but well worth our viewing!

Last but not least, please take the time to visit the great fansites dedicated to the two actors who play the men of Tess’ life: Angel Clare (Eddie Redmayne) and Alec D’Urberville (Hans Matheson).

Tess premieres on BBC1, Sunday September 14, at 9pm.

GALLERY LINKS:
- Tess of the D’Urbevilles (2008) : Trailer

Guys and gals, we have plenty of new scans for you today! Most of them thanks to our faithful collaborator Lorna. But that’s not all. Tran was also kind enough to send us a scan from the Australian magazine Frankie. Please take a look to our last uploads to see what’s new.

Lost in Austen premieres in the UK this Wednesday, on ITV1, at 9pm. Be sure to watch it! However, I have to admit to admit that, while I love Jane Austen film adaptations, I’m most excited about Tess. I love Roman Polanski’s works and his 1979 film. In fact, I love period films and films based on masterpieces of literature. The BBC’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles website was updated with a trailer, but unfortunately you can only view it if you’re in the UK.

Gemma didn’t attend the London premiere of RocknRolla, that’s why you’re not seeing any photos from it in our gallery.

Last but not least, rumour says the second Quantum of Solace trailer will be on the 9th September 2008 at 9:00am CET instead of the 11th.

GALLERY LINKS:

Out of our recent gallery additions, I’d like to highlight the following articles:

- Magazine Scans: Frankie (Australia) - Issue 25 (September / October 2008), thanks to Tran
- Magazine Scans: Sky Magazine (UK) - September 2008, thanks to Lorna
- Magazine Scans: Sunday Times (UK) - August 31, 2008, thanks to Lorna
- Magazine Scans: Daily Mail Weekend Supplement (UK) - August 30, 2008, thanks to Lorna

“Oh my God, I have been told that I’m hideous, not to Bond-girl standard, that the only reason I’m working is because I must be shagging someone in the industry . . . I’ve read that everywhere. At first, I was like, ‘I’m an actress, I went to drama school, I did theatre, I’m serious.’ And then you go, ‘Ah, it’s some fat t*** with no life who wrote that, so they can sod off.’ I’ll just do my work, which I seem to be getting, and see what happens.”

Arterton is starring in two of the autumn’s biggest bonnet dramas, but gives them a modern edge

Gemma Arterton owns this autumn. First up, she’s playing the lead in BBC1’s mega-budget Hardy adaptation, Tess of the d’Urbervilles. Next, she’s slinking her way through Quantum of Solace as the cool MI6 handler Agent Fields (just don’t mention that she was taller than Daniel Craig when she wore heels). Then she’s punky and sharp-tongued in ITV’s twisted bonnet comedy, Lost in Austen, in which Arterton as Elizabeth Bennet swaps lives with a modern girl played by Jemima Rooper.

With roles in St Trinian’s and Stephen Poliakoff’s Capturing Mary, and a healthy stage career — all by the age of only 22 — you would expect a ripple from the regulars at the Hampstead pub when she glides through the crowd with a mischievous grin on her face. But nobody so much as blinks. And, to be fair, I’m not entirely sure this actually is the woman I’m supposed to meet. In Bond she’s a redhead with milk-white skin; in St Trinian’s she sports a jet-black bob; and as Tess she looks like the healthy daughter of a country farmer. But this woman is dark and sultry, with a pout that would flatten Rachel Weisz.

Read the full story »»

Gemma’s new mini-series, Lost in Austen, kicks off on The UK’s ITV on September 3, 2008. Be sure to check out the official site. It will be released on DVD September 29.

According to sources, Tess of the D’Urbervilles will start Sunday, September 14. It will be released on DVD October 27.

By the way, we will probably wait for the DVD releases before adding screencaptures or videos on the site. None of us will be in the UK during the releases so to make things less complicated, I will bring you the high quality coverage once the DVDs are available.

By the way, RocknRolla will be released September 5 (UK), October 3 (USA, limited) and October 31 (wide).

I think it is fair to say that September 2008 will be the month of the Gemma.

Beautiful and damned: on the set of Tess of the D’Urbervilles. Gemma is shown on the cover of the Telegraph Magazine with co-star Eddie Redmayne, who plays Angel Clare.

GALLERY LINKS:
- Magazine Scans: Telegraph Magazine (UK) - August 23, 2008, thanks to Lorna

Tonight I have a special treat for all of you Gemma, Thomas Hardy and Tess fans out there: 22 new stills from the TV series!!! You’ll be able to have a glimpse of the opening scene with the spring parade (which was filmed on the clifftop at Dancing Ledge, near Swanage), the country girl with her family and with Alec (played by Hans Matheson).

The Scottish actor has also talked about the upcoming BBC series and our girl Gemma in an interview for today’s Glasgow Sunday Mail:

“I play the villain of the piece Alec D’Urberville, which is good because I generally play saints and do-gooders.

Read the full story »»

GALLERY LINKS:
- Magazine Scans: Radio Times (UK) - August 23-29, 2008, thanks to Lorna
- Magazine Scans: TV Quick (UK) - August 23-29, 2008, thanks to Lorna
- Magazine Scans: Daily Star (UK) - August 21, 2008, thanks to Lorna
- Magazine Scans: Daily Mail (UK) - August 21, 2008, thanks to Lorna
- Talk Shows & Interviews: “Quantum of Solace” Video Game Behind the Scenes: Visiting the Set
- Talk Shows & Interviews: “Quantum of Solace” Video Game Behind the Scenes: Character Likeness
- Quantum of Solace: Production Stills
- Tess of the D’Urbevilles: Production Stills
- Lost in Austen: Production Stills
- Lost in Austen: TV Advertisement
- Lost in Austen: TV Presentation

Total Film interviews Gemma about her good and busy year, her thoughts about London, Prince of Persia, Quantum of Solace and fame.

GALLERY LINKS:
- Magazine Scans: Total Film (UK) - August 2008, thanks to Lorna

GALLERY LINKS:
- Tess of the D’Urbevilles: Behind The Scenes - May 2008 — Hans Matheson and Gemma Arterton film the scene where Alec and Tess first meet
- Magazines: Empire (UK) - June 2008, scanned by Lorna
- Magazines: Independent (UK) - April 23, 2008, scanned by Lorna
- Magazines: Sunday Telegraph - Stella supplement (UK) - April 27, 2008, scanned by Lorna
- Magazines: Mail On Sunday (UK) - May 11, 2008, scanned by Lorna

Sexy Bond girl Gemma Arterton was taught how to milk a cow for her latest screen role.

Gemma, 22, plays MI6 agent Fields in Quantum of Solace and has already shot love scenes with 007 Daniel Craig.

But she needed farmyard skills to play Thomas Hardy’s milkmaid Tess of the D’Ubervilles in a BBC costume drama.

So she went for lessons at a farm near Berkeley, Gloucs, and learned milking techniques on goats.

Farmer Judy King said: “She was a very confident young lady, very down to earth. She just got on with it all. She brought a bit of glamour to the farm, but she’d have a future with livestock if she wasn’t in the movies.”

Source: The Sun

One of the BBC’s autumn drama highlights, Tess of the d’Urbervilles, has been hit by a suspected arson attack that has damaged thousands of pounds’ worth of period costumes.

Costume-makers have been roped in to work around the clock to replace outfits lost in the fire for the four-part adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s tragic novel, which stars Bond girl Gemma Arterton.

Arterton, who plays Agent Fields in new Bond movie Quantum Of Solace, plays the lead role alongside a top cast including Anna Massey.

The damage was discovered yesterday morning in a trailer at Tog Hill near Bath, Somerset.

Read the full story »»

A STREET in Corsham was transformed back in time for a day as the BBC moved into film a new production of Tess of the D’Urbevilles.

On Monday a scene from the Thomas Hardy novel was recreated in Church Street.

The star of the production, which is due to be screened in August, will be 22-year-old Gemma Arterton.

The young starlet landed the role as Tess just months after being signed up to play Agent Fields in the next James Bond film, Quantum of Solace.

After graduating from Rada last year she has starred in several films, including the British comedy St Trinian’s.

Read the full story »»

From ThisisWiltshire.co.uk:

The Corsham club have also been playing host to the BBC this week as filming continues for an adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles. The production, whose cast includes new Bond girl Gemma Arterton and Anna Massey, have been utilising the rugby club as a base unit while filming in the Corsham locality.

Gemma Arterton to star in BBC adaptation of popular book

There is a new star on the horizon. Gemma Arterton, soon to be seen as the latest Bond Girl, has just landed a plum role in a BBC One drama.

The drama is to be screened during the autumn in the West Country. Arterton is to play Tess in an adaptation of the book Tess of the D’Urbervilles.

The character of Tess has always been played by devastatingly beautiful actresses and Gemma is no exception. This famous story was written by Thomas Hardy and is about a humble girl who discovers she is actually of high birth.

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Filming for the BBC One drama begins later this month in the West Country.

The four-hour adaptation is due to be screened in the autumn.

Tess Of The D’Urbervilles was named the nation’s 12th favourite book in a poll for World Book Day last year, and was last adapted for TV by London Weekend Television in 1997.

The BBC’s adaptation was written by David Nicholls, whose credits include Cold Feet and the James McAvoy film Starter for Ten.

Source: BBC News

A few months ago, Gemma Arterton was an unknown actress making ends meet working in a beauty shop in London’s Covent Garden.

Now the 22-year-old is not only the newest Bond girl but has won the role of Tess of the d’Urbervilles in a major BBC TV series.

Gemma was named as 007 Daniel Craig’s sidekick in the new Bond movie Quantum Of Solace just six months after graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

And yesterday, the BBC confirmed she will play Thomas Hardy’s heroine Tess, alongside a top cast including Anna Massey and Jodie Whittaker, who starred opposite Peter O’Toole in the film Venus.

Ruth Jones, from BBC3 comedy Gavin and Stacey, plays Tess’s mother.

Read the full story »»