A multiple Emmy and Golden Globe winner, recipient of the Officer of the British Empire (OBE) in the year 2000, which was bestowed upon her by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, Jane Seymour has proven her talents in virtually all media, the Broadway stage, motion pictures and television. Her love of art and color has led to her great success as a painter in watercolors and oils and as a designer.
In 2014, Seymour served as an executive producer on the documentary film Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me, which told the touching story of musician Glen Campbell’s farewell tour while dealing with the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. Her film Bereave, in which she co-stars with Malcolm McDowell as well as produces, has been lauded at Film Festivals around the world and tells the story of a fatally ill man who thinks he has figured out how to die but when his beloved wife goes missing, he must live to save her. Later this year Seymour returns to her dance roots when High Strung, in which she portrays a tough modern dance teach who strives to push a ballerina past her limits, makes its theatrical debut. Seymour also serves as an Executive Producer on that film.
This fall teams Seymour with comedic force Marlon Wayans to film “50 Shades of Black”, a highly anticipated spoof of the ever popular “50 Shades of Grey” and set to be released in early 2016. Her now classic turn in “The Wedding Crashers” paired her with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson playing the sexually charged wife of Christopher Walken and changed the industry landscape for Seymour, showcasing her comedy skills to a broad audience that quickly embraced the range that Seymour exhibited. Suddenly she became a go star in memorable guesting spots on top shows like “How I Met Your Mother” and most recently “Jane The Virgin.”
Seymour teamed with Kay Jewelers in early 2008 to design a special jewelry collection called "Open Hearts by Jane Seymour". Inspired by one of Seymour’s original paintings of two hearts connected and open at either end, the exclusive designs symbolize that love has no boundaries and flows unconditionally. The open heart design reminds us that if we keep our hearts open, love will always find its way in. It has become a universal symbol for giving and receiving love and to date has become the most successful line of jewelry currently on the market. Open Hearts features over 400 unique items, available in 14k Gold or Sterling Silver, with and without diamonds and is additionally available through Peoples in Canada and H. Samuel in the United Kingdom.
In 2009 Seymour’s Open Hearts, the first book in a series of four, was published. Open Hearts reflects life’s joys, heartaches, and inspirations and symbolizes that only when you can love yourself and keep your heart open are you able to give and receive love. This theme is celebrated in the book through a collection of poems, essays and quotes and illustrated with a selection of her art. Subsequent books in the series were released Among Angels in 2010, Open Hearts Family in 2012 and most recently The Wave in 2014. Seymour released her book, “Making Yourself at Home”, a style book featuring her home and lifestyle tips in 2007. In 2002, Jane Seymour penned an autobiographical book, “Remarkable Changes”, profiling her own and 20 personal stories of others who have experienced positive transformation in the face of life-changing crisis. In addition, Jane Seymour co-authored a series of exceedingly successful children’s books entitled “This One and That One”, inspired by her highly and delightfully altered life since the actress gave birth to twins in late 1995. She is also the author of “Two at a Time: A Journey through Twin Pregnancy and Birth”.
Awarded a Golden Globe for her role as “Dr. Quinn,” Seymour made history with her six season “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” series, blazing a trail for family-worthy programming to return to series TV. The program fostered such a devoted audience and such a wide audience demand for fulfilling, informative drama that parents could share and enjoy with their children that a national in fact, international, furor was occasioned by the series’ cancellation even though it had always won its slot in every season. Her television movie, the second made for TV movie of that cancelled series, “Dr. Quinn: The Heart Within” aired during May Sweeps 2001 in its original timeslot and handily surpassed its Saturday night competition going on to win the ratings war on Saturday night, again proving the fans’ loyalty to Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, one of the most beloved characters to grace the small screen.
Seymour has reached success with a star career encompassing international movie stardom with such films as "Somewhere in Time" and "Live and Let Die", Broadway and London stage acclaim including creating the role of Constanza in "Amadeus" and television achievements in “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” “War and Remembrance” and “East of Eden” in addition to a number of highly-regarded and rated movies and mini-series.
The artist has also emerged as a significant producer of distinguished projects. Through her production company she has produced and starred in programs as "Sunstroke", "A Passion for Justice", “Praying Mantis", "The Absolute Truth", “Enslavement: The Fanny Kemble Story”, “Murder in the Mirror”, “Dr. Quinn, The Movie”, “A Marriage of Convenience” and "Blackout". All of these television films brought both hot reviews and high audience numbers.
Daughter of a British obstetrician and his Dutch wife, Jane was born in Hillingdon, England and raised in Wimbledon. She began training in dance at an early age, and was just thirteen when she made her professional debut with the London Festival Ballet. That same year, she entered the Arts Educational Trust for dance, music and theatre training and danced with the visiting Kirov Ballet at Covent Garden.
After an injury she then turned to acting, dedicating herself to that craft with the same commitment she had given her ballet. Her film debut was as a chorus girl in Richard Attenborough's "Oh, What a Lovely War," which resulted in her being discovered by the top agent in the United Kingdom.
She played roles in a range of classical plays and performed in radio dramas. But it was as Winston Churchill's first love, Pamela Powden, in the Carl Foreman motion picture, "Young Winston," that Jane attracted the attention of top producers.
Her first (and only other) television series was the BBC-TV project, "The Onedin Line," and this led to her casting in the starring role of Solitaire in one of the most popular James Bond films, "Live and Let Die." This attracted Hollywood interest, but Seymour opted to return to the boards of English repertory theatres to tackle such classic leading ladies as Shakespeare's Ophelia and Lady Macbeth, and Ibsen's Nora in "A Doll House."
She returned to film with "Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger," followed by a string of America-bound British television specials including "Frankenstein: The True Story," Dickens' "Our Mutual Friend," and "King David." Able to convey virtually any accent with accuracy, she demonstrated this with her first Hollywood starring role in the six-hour television mini-series, "Captains and Kings." Her portrayal of a proper Bostonian brought her the first of many Emmy nominations.
Jane was soon cast opposite Christopher Reeve in "Somewhere in Time," a favorite romantic film for many. She then starred with Chevy Chase in "Oh! Heavenly Dog," followed by the highly acclaimed ABC-TV adaptation of John Steinbeck's "East of Eden," for which she won the Golden Globe Best Actress Award as Cathy/Kate.
On the Broadway stage, she originated the role of Constanza Weber, wife of Mozart in the Broadway hit "Amadeus." Television mini-series also proved to be a favorable medium for Jane's talents. She won recognition for her work in "Jack, The Ripper," and "War and Remembrance," and for the latter, she was nominated on two successive years in the Best Actress category for both the Emmy and Golden Globe Awards.
She won the Emmy Award as Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her portrayal of Maria Callas in ABC-TV's "The Richest Man Alive," based on the life of Aristotle Onassis, and was nominated for a Golden Globe Best Actress Award for her performance as the Duchess of Windsor in the CBS-TV movie "The Woman He Loved."
Actively involved in numerous charitable causes, Jane is a member of the American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet. Her work with the Red Cross includes a trip to Africa that was captured on film for an award-winning documentary “Disease of the Wind” which won the Lionel Rogosin Documentary Award and Audience Award Best Documentary at the Dallas Film Festival. The film tells the story of Seymour and eight inner-city children from Los Angeles traveling with the Red Cross to Kenya to participate in the vaccination of 13 million children against measles which kills over one million children a year.
Additionally Seymour works with Childhelp a national organization dedicated to the research, treatment and prevention of child abuse, as International Ambassador. The organization's "Woman of the World" award is one of many honors she has won for her social and charitable achievements. In 2008, Seymour was introduced to Camp Soaring Eagle, a medically based residential camp for children suffering with serious illnesses in Sedona, Arizona. She is now a spokesperson for Camp Soaring Eagle and is assisting in raising awareness and funding to build what will be the only year-round, completely dedicated medical camp in the Southwest.
In addition to the charitable work that Seymour does with these notable organizations, in 2010 she launched the Open Hearts Foundation. The Foundation’s mission is based upon selfless giving even in the face of adversity, into communities worldwide. The Foundation provides funds to charitable organizations in the areas of Health, Arts, Education, Sports, and honors individuals that exemplify the Open Heart Philosophy in their service to others.
As busy as Seymour is, she still finds time to make several appearances around the country each year as a motivational and public speaker. Topics for her speeches range from her Open Hearts Philosophy and health related topics to being a devoted mother and grandmother.
Seymour has launched the Jane Seymour Designs – a national lifestyle brand inspired by her homes, art and family-centered lifestyle. JSD’s initial collaboration is with esteemed furniture designer Michael Amini and his team at AICO which continues to show at the Las Vegas and Highpoint Furniture Market to rave reviews. Amini and Seymour have collaborated on several unique collections that continue to be top sellers for AICO. Additional associations for JS home décor are lines with companies such as Style Craft for portable lighting and accessories, Victoria Classics for fashion bedding and bath, Winward International Inc. for permanent botanicals, Langley Empire for home fragrance, Guthy-Renker for skincare and Prestige Art for wall décor with several more in development.
In recent years, Seymour and her art company, Coral Canyon Publishing, have partnered with FOTIOU, a luxury international moulding manufacturer, to launch the Jane Seymour Moulding Collection offering a wide selection of fashion forward picture frame moulding designs, table top frames and framed mirrors nationwide to great success.
Whether it is product that range from jewelry to skincare or from silk florals, furniture or candles, business associations with Seymour achieve hundreds of millions of dollars in retail sales each year.
Seymour began painting nearly twenty five years ago prompted by a period of personal challenge, her art became the expression of a very private healing process. She emerged from this experience as an accomplished, passionate painter. Today, Seymour sketches and paints at her Malibu studio, on movie sets and on her travels. Over the past twenty five years has created an intimate world of delicate watercolors and colorful vibrant oil paintings, and has accepted select private commissions.
Her talents as an established fine artist have led way to the artist being asked to create costume and set designs for the Houston Ballet’s production of “Five Poems” in 2001, the mounting of her first one woman museum exhibition in 2004 at the Butler Institute of American Art, as well as being selected as one of the official painters of the 2005 Torino Winter Olympics, and the official artist of the 2006 Naples Winter Wine Festival, and the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. The artist has exhibited her work at fine art galleries across the nation during the past fifteen years and continues to reach new artistic levels by continually developing her technique, style and subject matter.
The artist has exhibited her work at fine art galleries across North America during the past fifteen years and continues to reach new artistic levels by continually developing her technique, style and subject matter. In recent years, Seymour and her art company, Coral Canyon Publishing, have partnered with Fotiou Frames, a luxury international moulding manufacturer, to launch the JS Moulding Line to offer a wide selection of beautiful and elegant moulding designs to quality framers nationwide to great success.
Most importantly, Seymour continues to raise much needed funds and gives through donations of her artwork to numerous local and national charities which help children in need, raising awareness for women’s heart health and various other important issues dear to her heart.
Seymour resides in Malibu, is mother to six adult children and a grandmother of five.
