Born 1970 in Boston
Married to Ethan Hawke; ex-husband Gary Oldman
Uma grew up in a bohemian household. Her Swedish mother was once married to Timothy Leary and her father, Robert A.F. Thurman, has the distinction of being the first American to be ordained a Tibetan Buddhist monk.
She and her three brothers: Dechen, Ganden, and Mipam were named for Hindu deities. Uma'a name means "bestower of blessings."
She started her career as a model and at 16 was cast in a low-budget thriller called Kiss Daddy Good Night . A string of forgettable films followed but Uma was often singled out because of her screen "presence." Her biggest break came when she starred in Dangerous Liaisons with Glenn Close and John Malcovich.
She was nominated for an Academy Award for her portrayl of "Mrs. Mia Wallace" in Pulp Fiction. Since then she's made a handful of so-so movies including Gattaca which co-starred her so-so husband, Ethan Hawke.