An icy blonde in the Grace Kelly mold, Rosamund Pike made her pop-cultural debut as a Bond girl, but had the classics in her roots. The London-bred only daughter of professional opera singers, Pike was accepted at age 16 into the National Youth Theater where she was eventually cast in her first lead role at age 18 , a stage production of "Romeo and Juliet." The perfromance landed her an agent, and she embarked on a professional career while also attending Oxford University, where she studied English Literature at Wadham College and toured with the university production of "The Taming of the Shrew." In 1998 she appeared in her first film role, "A Rather English Marriage" starring Tom Courtenay and Albert Finney. She also starred in the BBC's "Wives and Daughters" (2000) and "Love in a Cold Climate" (2001) , based on Nancy Mitford's books. In 2002 Pike became an internationally recognized figure after being cast as the appropriately-named Miranda Frost in the 20th James Bond outing, "Die Another Day." Although only 22 when the action film was shot, Pike nicely held her own against A-list movie stars Pierce
