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Denmark Connie Nielsen is a Danish actress with a diverse career in film and television, recognized for her versatility and compelling performances.
Appeared in television advertisements for Tic Tac in the UK.
Founding member of the Human Needs Project, an organization focused on addressing basic needs and community development in underprivileged areas like the Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya.
Founding member of Road to Freedom Scholarships, supporting educational opportunities in the Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya, in conjunction with her philanthropic work.
Connie Nielsen was born on July 3, 1965, in Frederikshavn, Denmark, and grew up in Elling. Her early acting experiences involved working alongside her mother in local revue and variety shows. At the age of 18, she moved to Paris, pursuing acting and modeling, which subsequently led her to Italy where she refined her craft through drama school in Rome and master classes in Milan. She resided in Italy for several years before relocating to the United States. Her career began in 1984 with the French film ‘Par où t’es rentré ? On t’a pas vu sortir’, followed by roles in Italian and French productions in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Nielsen’s breakthrough into English-language cinema occurred in 1997 with ‘The Devil’s Advocate’, starring opposite Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves. This led to significant roles in “Permanent Midnight” (1998), “Rushmore” (1998), and “Soldier” (1998). Her role as Lucilla in Ridley Scott’s Academy Award-winning film “Gladiator” (2000) further established her global presence. She continued to feature in notable films such as “Mission to Mars” (2000), “One Hour Photo” (2002), “The Hunted” (2003), and “Basic” (2003). Demonstrating her range across different film industries, she also appeared in the French thriller “Demonlover” (2002) and made her Danish film debut in “Brødre” (2004), for which she received critical acclaim.
Throughout the 2010s and beyond, Nielsen maintained a consistent presence in both film and television. She portrayed Queen Hippolyta in the DC Extended Universe films, including “Wonder Woman” (2017), “Justice League” (2017), “Wonder Woman 1984” (2020), and “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” (2021). Other notable appearances include co-starring with Bob Odenkirk in “Nobody” (2021) and its upcoming sequel “Nobody 2” (2025). In television, she had prominent roles in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (2006), “Boss” (2011–2012), and the critically acclaimed Danish miniseries “The Dreamer: Becoming Karen Blixen” (2022), which she also executive produced. She is set to reprise her role as Lucilla in “Gladiator II” (2024).
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