Catherine McCormack Biography

A flawless English beauty with flashing blue eyes, Catherine McCormack quickly rose to prominence after her portrayal of Murron, the doomed sweetheart of William Wallace, in Mel Gibson’s Oscar-winning epic “Braveheart” (1995). This native of Alton trained at the Oxford School of Drama where she began to hone her craft in stage productions of classical and contemporary work. She segued to the small screen where she was featured in Anna Campion’s “In the Woods”. The director chose McCormack for the pivotal role of a neurotic student in the ensemble of “Loaded/Bloody Weekend” (1994; released in the USA in 1996). While her role in “Braveheart” was ornamental at best, McCormack lent charm and charisma to the part. Audiences were impressed by her flowing hair and preternatural attractiveness rather than her acting ability. Similarly, “North Star” (1996), a little-seen adventure in which she played the kidnapped mistress of an Alaskan gold prospector, wasted her talents in an underwritten role where she was required to look good and act feisty.

