[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gc_2.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[Film/TheForceAwakens Submit your blaster for inspection.]]]]
->''"Part of the reason why I love acting is that you do hope that somehow your work will connect to people and somehow expand their consciousness somewhat, and being able to challenge notions of prejudice through work - through my work - is really thrilling."''

Gwendoline Christie (born 28 October 1978 in Worthing, England) is an English actress and model. She is best known for portraying Brienne of Tarth in ''Series/GameOfThrones'' and Captain Phasma in ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' and ''Film/TheLastJedi''.

She hails from the South Downs, and started doing gymnastics at school there, but a spinal injury caused her to switch to acting. She was trained by actor-author Simon Callow and graduated from Drama Centre London in 2005. After finishing her studies, Christie settled down in London and began acting in stage plays, notably as Lucifer in Creator/ChristopherMarlowe's ''Theatre/DoctorFaustus''.

Christie is well-known for her height (6 feet 3 inches, making her one of the tallest prominent actresses in the industry) and her androgynous physique (she's an A-cup, and her bust looks even smaller due to her height). While both of these features made her the subject of bullying from peers and even opposition from professors and agents who doubted that she'd be able to find work, they are now recognized as defining aspects of her characters.

One of Christie's earliest noted projects, a photo series by photographer Polly Borland titled ''Bunny'', resulted from her catching Borland's attention due to her height. She was also a popular fancast for the role of Brienne of Tarth in ''Game of Thrones'', and considering Brienne is also an unusually tall and muscular woman, it was a role Christie grew passionate about playing, as she stated it would allow her to draw on her experiences. According to Creator/GeorgeRRMartin, her audition for the part was practically uncontested, owed in no small part to her showing up already in full makeup and armor alongside prepping in ways including gaining over a stone (6.4 kg, 14 lbs) of muscle mass.
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!!Roles
* ''Literature/GreatExpectations'' (2005 stage version) as Mrs. Hubble
* ''Theatre/{{Cymbeline}}'' (2007) as The Queen
* ''[[Literature/TheEpicOfGilgamesh Gilgamesh]]'' (2009 stage version) as Ishtar
* ''Literature/BreakfastAtTiffanys'' (2009 stage version) as Mag Wildwood
* ''Theatre/DoctorFaustus'' (2010 stage version) as Lucifer
* ''Film/TheImaginariumOfDoctorParnassus'' (2009) as Ursula Bond Street
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'' (2012 - 2019) as Brienne of Tarth
* ''Series/WizardsVsAliens'' (2012 - 2013) as Lexi
* ''Film/TheHungerGamesMockingjayPart2'' (2015) as Commander Lyme
* ''Franchise/StarWars'' as Captain Phasma
** ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' (2015)
** ''Film/TheLastJedi'' (2017)
** ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsResistance Resistance]]'' (2018) (voice)
* ''Series/TopOfTheLake: China Girl'' (2017) as Miranda Hilmarson
* ''Film/TheDarkestMinds'' (2018) as Lady Jane
* ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream'' (2019 stage version) as Titania
* ''Film/ThePersonalHistoryOfDavidCopperfield'' (2020) as Jane Murdstone
* ''Series/{{The Sandman|2022}}'' (2022) as ComicBook/{{Lucifer}}
* ''Series/{{Wednesday}}'' (2022) as Larissa Weems
* ''Film/FluxGourmet'' (2022) as Jan Stevens
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!!Tropes:
* CareerEndingInjury: As a child, she originally trained as a gymnast but turned to acting after suffering a spinal injury that prevented her from pursuing gymnastics professionally.
* ChainmailBikini: Her two most prominent roles avert this; [[Series/GameOfThrones Brienne Of Tarth]] dresses in plate armour like most other knights in the series and [[Film/TheForceAwakens Captain Phasma]] is clad in silver stormtrooper armour, [[TheFaceless even keeping her helmet on for the entirety of her screentime]].
* GenderFlip: As Lucifer in a stage performance of ''Doctor Faustus'' and as the comic book version in ''The Sandman''. Besides the Biblical character of course being male, this particular version was also previously played by [[Film/{{Constantine}} Peter Stormare]] and [[Series/{{Lucifer}} Tom Ellis]] (although in fairness, Creator/NeilGaiman has pointed out that in the comic, his version of Lucifer doesn't actually have a biological sex).
* PlayingAgainstType:
** Phasma is actually a rare female SmugSnake and a FauxActionGirl.
** In ''Series/TopOfTheLake'', she plays a female cop who is neurotic, a bit bumbling, downtrodden by her married boyfriend, and desperately wanting a child, [[spoiler:and is finally ambushed and seriously injured by a suspect without managing to fight back]].
** On ''{{Series/Wednesday}}'', she portrays Principal Larissa Weems as a [[SilkHidingSteel soft-spoken but highly intelligent and dangerous]] woman, a departure from her usual physical and less feminine roles.
* StarMakingRole: Her acclaimed role as Brienne of Tarth in ''Game of Thrones'' made her a household name and led to her getting more prominent roles in films and TV shows (prior to ''Game of Thrones'', she'd done well-received theatre work and had bit parts in a few films).
* TypeCasting: Her portrayal of Brienne of Tarth established her as the go-to actress for brawny, credible {{Action Girl}}s, be it in the ''Franchise/StarWars'' or ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' franchises.
* VitriolicBestBuds: She and Creator/NikolajCosterWaldau, who portrays Jamie Lannister, get along like a house on fire and are never afraid to insult one another.
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