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Jane March
Jane March
Jane March
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Jane March Horwood (born 1973)[1][2] is an English film actress and former model.

Key Information

Early life, family and education

[edit]

March's father Bernard Horwood was a design and technology secondary school teacher of English and Spanish ancestry. Her mother Jean, a newsagent, is Vietnamese of Chinese ancestry.[1]

At age 14 and a student at Nower Hill High School in Pinner, north London, she won a Become a Model contest[3] which launched her career.

Career

[edit]

After GCSEs, March moved to an apartment in Wimbledon with friends and continued to model before a call to audition in Paris on her 17th birthday following a cover shoot of Just Seventeen which had attracted the attention of French director Jean-Jacques Annaud's wife, Laurence Duval Annaud.[2] March played the female lead in the 1992 film The Lover, based on a semi-autobiographical novel by Marguerite Duras.[4]

Two years after The Lover, she co-starred with Bruce Willis in the erotic thriller Color of Night (1994), directed by Richard Rush. Maxim magazine ranked her sex scene in the film as "the Best Sex Scene in film history".[5]

Personal life

[edit]

While Color of Night was in production, March began dating the film's co-producer, Carmine Zozzora. The couple married in June 1993, with Willis as the best man and Demi Moore as the maid of honour.[6] According to Color of Night director Richard Rush, March still received many offers from Hollywood studios after the film's release, but Zozzora required the studios to also hire him as the producer for any film in which March would star, a condition most studios rejected.[7] For this reason, March did not star in more films during their marriage.[7]

March and Zozzora separated in 1997 and divorced in 2001. A few years later, March married Steven Waddington. They have one child.[8][9]

Filmography

[edit]
Jane March's film credits
Year Title Role Notes
1992 The Lover The Young Girl
1994 Color of Night Rose/Bonnie/Richie
1996 Never Ever Amanda Murray [10]
1997 Provocateur Sook Hee [11]
1998 Tarzan and the Lost City Jane Porter [12]
2000 Dark Prince: The True Story of Dracula Lidia [13]
2005 Beauty and the Beast (a.k.a. Blood of Beasts) Freya [14]
2006 The Stone Merchant Leda [15]
2009 My Last Five Girlfriends Olive
2010 Clash of the Titans Hestia [16]
2010 Stalker Linda [17]
2011 Perfect Baby Emma [18]
2011 Will Sister Noell
2012 Grimm's Snow White Queen Gwendolyn [19]
2013 Jack the Giant Killer Serena [20]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Jane March

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Jane March (born Jane March Horwood; 20 March 1973) is an English actress and former model best known for her leading role as a young French woman in the erotic drama The Lover (1992), which marked her film debut and brought her international attention at age 18. Born in , , to a father of English and Spanish ancestry who worked as a and a mother of Vietnamese and Chinese descent who managed a , March began her career in modeling at age 14 after winning a local contest organized by the Storm Model Management agency. She transitioned to acting with her breakout performance in The Lover, directed by , where she portrayed a teenager in 1920s engaging in a forbidden affair; the film, adapted from Marguerite Duras's semi-autobiographical novel, earned her a for Best Young Actress in 1992. Following this success, March starred in several Hollywood productions during the 1990s, including the Color of Night (1994) opposite , for which the film received Razzie Award nominations, and the adventure film (1998) as . Her career continued into the and with roles in films such as Dark Prince: The True Story of Dracula (2000), where she played Lidia, and Clash of the Titans (2010) as , alongside more recent appearances in low-budget fantasy projects like (2013) and (2012). March was married to producer Carmine Zozzora from 1993 to 2001; she later married actor , with whom she has one son. She has largely stepped back from acting in recent years, with her last credited role in 2014's Flim: The Movie. Standing at 5 feet 2 inches (1.57 m), she has been noted for her delicate features and exotic appeal, influenced by her mixed heritage, which contributed to her early casting in diverse international roles.

Early life

Family background and childhood

Jane March was born Jane March Horwood on 20 March 1973 in , , . She is the younger of two children, with one older brother. Her father, Bernard Horwood, worked as a teacher of and was of English and Spanish ancestry. Her mother, Jean Horwood, who managed a , is of Vietnamese and Chinese ancestry. March was raised in , where her family's circumstances reflected the stability provided by her parents' professional lives.

Entry into modeling and education

At the age of 14 in 1987, Jane March won a local "Become a Model" contest while attending Nower Hill High School in , . This victory marked her entry into the professional modeling world, leading to her signing with the prestigious Storm Model Management agency shortly thereafter. She adopted her middle name, March—coinciding with her birth month—for her professional identity and began securing print modeling assignments, including photoshoots for magazines that showcased her youthful, exotic features influenced by her mixed English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese heritage. These early modeling opportunities had a profound impact on her personal development, thrusting her from a relatively private teenage life into the public eye and requiring her to navigate the demands of a competitive industry at a young age. As a working model, she balanced schoolwork with travel and shoots, but the experience brought challenges, such as managing newfound attention and scrutiny as a teenager. March later reflected on this period, stating, "You really find out who your friends are and who you can trust. That definitely toughens you." By age 16, after completing her examinations, March chose to leave school, opting instead to prioritize her burgeoning modeling career full-time. This decision allowed her to move to an apartment in Wimbledon with friends, where she pursued more advanced assignments and further honed her professional skills amid the fast-paced environment of international modeling. Her family provided support for these early career choices, enabling her transition from student to independent professional.

Career

Breakthrough with The Lover

Jane March was cast at the age of 17 in the 1992 film The Lover, an adaptation of Marguerite Duras's semi-autobiographical novel directed by . March, who had prior experience as a model starting at age 14, portrayed the , a 15-year-old French schoolgirl in colonial Indochina who embarks on a forbidden erotic affair with a wealthy older Chinese man played by . The role required March to perform extensive nude scenes, some of which utilized body doubles, amid a significant age gap between her character and Leung's, who was approximately 29 during filming while March turned 18 shortly after production began. Filming presented notable challenges for March, including the physical and emotional demands of the explicit content, which Annaud approached with a voyeuristic style that later drew criticism for exploiting the young actress. The production emphasized the affair's intensity through graphic intimacy scenes, where March's was prominently featured while Leung's was strategically obscured, highlighting disparities in on-screen vulnerability. Rumors circulated that the sex scenes involved real intercourse, which Annaud allegedly encouraged for publicity, though March has since described the experience as exploitative. Upon its release in 1992, The Lover grossed nearly $5 million and over $5 million worldwide, achieving modest commercial success despite its arthouse appeal. The film garnered significant media attention, particularly in March's native , where tabloids sensationalized its erotic elements and her underage status during casting, sparking controversies over the depiction of a minor in explicit scenarios and leading to rating cuts in several markets. The debut propelled March into sudden international fame, earning her a for Best Young Actress in , marking her transition from modeling to but also raising personal concerns about being typecast as a due to the 's provocative nature. In interviews, she reflected on the intense scrutiny as both an initiation and a burden, shaping her early career trajectory amid the backlash.

Subsequent film and television roles

Following her breakthrough in The Lover (1992), Jane March transitioned to a series of roles in erotic thrillers and adventure films during the mid-1990s, often portraying enigmatic or seductive characters that echoed the sensual intensity of her debut. In 1994, she starred opposite in Color of Night, directed by , where she played , a mysterious entangled in a psychologist's investigation into a colleague's ; the film featured explicit scenes that drew significant attention but was widely panned for its convoluted plot and over-the-top , earning a 22% approval rating on and a Razzie nomination for Worst Picture. March's performance was noted for its vulnerability amid the thriller's excesses, though critics like described the overall production as imaginatively misguided. By the late , March continued in genre fare with international co-productions, including the 1997 spy thriller Provocateur, directed by Jim Donovan, in which she portrayed Miya/Sook Hee, a North Korean operative posing as a housekeeper in a U.S. military family in ; the role required her to balance intrigue with a forbidden romance, but the release received mixed reviews for its clichéd narrative and dated production values, with some praising March's charismatic presence as a highlight. That same year, she appeared in Charles Finch's Never Ever as , a woman navigating emotional turmoil in a Paris-set , further showcasing her in introspective, relationship-driven stories. In 1998, March took on the iconic role of in the adventure film , opposite , depicting a spirited accompanying her fiancé to amid threats; the low-budget production, which blended action with , was criticized for weak effects and scripting but commended for its exotic locations and March's spirited portrayal of the classic character. Entering the 2000s, March shifted toward supporting roles in television and fantasy projects, reflecting a move to more ensemble-driven narratives. She guest-starred as Suzanne in an episode of the adventure series in 2000, playing a treasure-seeking ally to the lead character. That year, she also appeared in the TV movie Dark Prince: The True Story of Dracula as Lidia, a in the life of , contributing to the film's atmospheric retelling of the legend. Later projects included a supporting turn as Freya in the 2005 fantasy (also known as Blood of Beasts), a modern adaptation where she embodied a mythical allure in a tale of captivity and redemption. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, March's role selections frequently gravitated toward period dramas and international co-productions, such as the South African-filmed and the Korean-American Provocateur, often highlighting her in physically demanding or romantically charged parts that capitalized on her modeling background for visual appeal. While few achieved major commercial success— bombed at the despite its $40 million budget—her work sustained a niche presence in genre cinema, blending sensuality with adventure elements influenced by the dramatic opportunities opened by The Lover.

Career decline and retirement

Following the peak of her early career, Jane March's professional output diminished significantly after 2005, with roles becoming sparse and often in lower-profile productions. She appeared in the 2005 fantasy film as Freya, followed by the lead role of Leda in the 2006 Italian drama The Stone Merchant. Over the next several years, her credits included supporting parts in (2009), Clash of the Titans (2010) as the goddess , the TV movie Will (2011), (2012) as Queen Gwendolyn, (2013) as Lana, and (2013) as Serena. Her final credited role was a as herself in the 2014 documentary Flim: The Movie. March has had no acting credits since 2014, marking an effective from film and television. In a biographical profile, she is noted as having chosen to take a break after a series of less successful projects, focusing instead on a more private existence away from the spotlight. As of November 2025, she resides privately in the with no announced plans for a professional return, despite occasional fan speculation about potential comebacks.

Personal life

Relationships and marriage

During the filming of The Lover in 1991 and 1992, rumors surfaced in the British tabloid press that the film's explicit erotic scenes depicted a real affair between Jane March and her co-star Tony Leung, largely inspired by director Jean-Jacques Annaud's ambiguous comments to promote the film. March publicly dismissed the speculation as baseless and "stupid," while Annaud clarified that all intimate scenes were simulated using body doubles and camera techniques. The controversy caused significant distress to March and her family. March met producer Carmine Zozzora during the production of the 1994 film , where he served as co-producer, and the two began dating shortly thereafter. They married in June 1993 in a brief 11-minute ceremony at the Dream-Maker wedding chapel in , , with actor as best man and actress as matron of honor. The couple settled in , where March balanced her acting pursuits with private life alongside Zozzora, though no children were born from the marriage. March and Zozzora separated in 1997 after four years together and finalized their divorce in 2001. Following her divorce, March began a relationship with British actor , whom she met on the set of in 1998. The pair married in the early 2000s and have one son together; they have maintained a low public profile regarding their family life. As of 2025, no other romantic relationships involving March have been publicly confirmed, reflecting her preference for privacy in personal matters. The fame from her breakthrough role in The Lover occasionally complicated her romantic partnerships due to persistent media intrusion.

Later years and privacy

Since her final acting role in the 2014 film Flim: The Movie, March has led a notably private life in the UK, eschewing and public appearances. She has given rare interviews, with her most recent notable one occurring in 2013 to discuss an project. No public records indicate involvement in philanthropy, activism, or other high-profile pursuits. As of 2025, at age 52, March continues to prioritize and time amid minimal media attention, though fan communities occasionally reference her past work online.

Legacy

Critical reception

Jane March's debut in The Lover (1992) garnered praise for her natural vulnerability and captivating screen presence, positioning her as a fresh talent in cinema despite the 's over its depiction of a teenage . Critics appreciated her ability to embody the character's emotional complexity amid the story's sensual tone, with describing her as a "decidedly sultry and naturally photogenic presence" that enhanced the 's exotic allure. Variety acknowledged her appeal, noting she "pouts to perfection," though it critiqued her for not fully capturing the protagonist's jaded demeanor. The movie earned a 28% critics' score on but resonated more with audiences, achieving a 79% approval rating and modest earnings of approximately $5 million worldwide, fostering a for its bold eroticism and visual style. March's subsequent performances received mixed reviews, with acclaim in some projects for her emotional range but frequent criticisms of in sensual or provocative roles. In The Heart of Me (2002), her portrayal of a supporting character in the period drama was highlighted for adding emotional depth to the ensemble, contributing to the film's 50% score amid praise for its atmospheric storytelling. Similarly, Color of Night (1994) drew sharp rebukes, with awarding it 1.5 stars and decrying its lack of substance, further entrenching perceptions of in steamy thrillers. Throughout her career, March was regarded as a promising talent whose early breakout overshadowed later opportunities, often attributed to the notoriety of her debut leading to limited role diversity. Audience reception mirrored this, with The Lover maintaining enduring popularity through and streaming, evidenced by its sustained viewer engagement on platforms like , while her overall output reflected the challenges faced by young actresses navigating in the industry.

Cultural impact and influence

Jane March's breakthrough role in The Lover (1992) has cemented the film as an erotic , praised for its visual sensuality while sparking debates on the boundaries of on-screen intimacy in mainstream cinema. Directed by , the adaptation of Marguerite Duras's semi-autobiographical novel features March as a young French woman in colonial Indochina engaging in a taboo romance, with scenes that pushed the envelope on explicit for a major release at the time. This portrayal contributed to broader conversations about female vulnerability and eroticism in coming-of-age narratives. March's mixed Chinese-Vietnamese and English heritage lent an exotic dimension to her screen presence, marking one of the earlier instances of a mixed-race actress embodying a complex identity in Western erotic drama during the early . Born to a Vietnamese-Chinese and an English-Spanish father, her subtle Eurasian features enhanced the film's colonial setting, subtly challenging monochromatic representations prevalent in Hollywood at the era's outset. In retrospectives, this aspect has fueled discussions on diversity in period pieces, highlighting how March's casting bridged Eastern and Western aesthetics amid limited opportunities for actors of mixed Asian descent. The enduring fan interest in March and The Lover underscores her as an emblem of fleeting yet fervent , with the film maintaining a dedicated following through and digital availability in the . Online forums and viewer communities continue to revisit her performance, positioning it as a touchstone for explorations of forbidden desire and cultural in cinema.

References

  1. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001506/bio/
  2. https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/30/movies/review-film-a-french-girl-a-chinese-lover-and-colonial-days-in-old-vietnam.html
  3. https://www.fandango.com/people/jane-march-419803/biography
  4. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001506/awards/
  5. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001506/trivia/
  6. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001506/
  7. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jane_march
  8. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/jane-march-43947.php
  9. https://ethnicelebs.com/jane-march
  10. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-10-31-ca-685-story.html
  11. https://www.bellazon.com/main/topic/87119-jane-march/
  12. https://itpworld.online/2022/01/25/lamant-the-lover-france-uk-1992/
  13. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-lover-1992
  14. https://sonic-cinema.com/wordpress/movie/the-lover/
  15. https://newspapers.bc.edu/?a=d&d=bcheights19921123.2.82
  16. https://www.nytimes.com/1992/11/01/archives/film-shes-bare-hes-covered-is-there-a-problem.html
  17. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0101316/
  18. https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-original-sinner-6966382.html
  19. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/color-of-night-1994
  20. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/color_of_night
  21. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0134912/
  22. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/provocateur
  23. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120856/
  24. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tarzan_and_the_lost_city
  25. https://www.themoviedb.org/person/21817-jane-march
  26. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1278027/
  27. https://www.nytimes.com/1992/11/01/style/egos-ids-crazy-for-birds-but-no-birdy.html
  28. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-17-ca-3821-story.html
  29. https://kids.kiddle.co/Jane_March
  30. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCLli70FXng
  31. https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/lover-review/
  32. https://variety.com/1991/film/reviews/the-lover-1200429206/
  33. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lover
  34. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_heart_of_me
  35. https://us.underthemilkyway.com/movie/lamant-us/
  36. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lover/reviews?type=user
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