Rare Details About Jean Simmons' Life Prove She Was Even More Intense Offscreen

After beginning her film career with smaller roles, Jean Simmons' portrayal of Ophelia in Hamlet (1948) propelled her into the limelight and earned her a much-coveted Oscar nomination. Dozens more credits in film, TV, and theater, as well as awards and nominations, followed. Critics and fans praised her intrinsic charm and luminosity — as well as her intensity in dramatic roles. But drama wasn’t just a career for Simmons; her personal life often reflected the same turbulence she embodied for the camera.

London Beginnings

With such an illustrious career in Hollywood, some fans may not realize that Jean Simmons had her start in London. Born in 1929, Simmons was the youngest of four kids. As WWII escalated during her childhood, the Simmons family had to evacuate from their home to Somerset.

Aspiring to Dance

Her father won a bronze medal in gymnastics at the 1912 Summer Olympics, but died when Simmons was only sixteen. Because of his influence, she had dreams of becoming an acrobatic dancer. So, when her family returned to London, she enrolled at the Aida Foster School of Dance.

Opportunity Knocked

It was not long until Simmons experienced what so many aspiring actors pray for: she was discovered — and as a kid! A prolific screenwriter and director named Val Guest took note of the young Simmons and cast her in the comedy Give Us the Moon.

A Working Actress

Though the war was still ongoing, the film was set in peacetime. Alongside star Margaret Lockwood (below), Simmons played a quick-witted, cigarette-smoking 11-year-old named Heidi. This was just the start of a series of small supporting roles for Simmons over the next few years.