British actress Joanne Whalley has been seen on a rare public outing in Los Angeles while walking her dog alongside a friend.
The 65-year-old star braved hot temperatures in Southern California for the walk, opting for a comfortable all-black look consisting of a T-shirt, three-quarter-length leggings and Adidas sneakers.
Whalley went makeup-free for the casual outing, letting her natural evergreen looks shine while keeping her brunette hair pulled back in a ponytail.
Early Life and Television Breakthrough
Whalley boasts more than 90 credits to her name across a career spanning over five decades. Before shifting over to feature films in the United States, she was a regular fixture on British television.
She came to fame with her appearance in the 1985 British television drama series Edge of Darkness. Her performance in the project earned her a BAFTA TV nomination for Best Actress.
Rise to Fame and Marriage to Val Kilmer
Whalley reached worldwide fame after starring in the 1988 classic sci-fi fantasy film Willow, directed by Ron Howard and executive produced by George Lucas. She played warrior Sorsha, who falls in love with mercenary swordsman Madmartigan, played by Val Kilmer.
The adventure film also starred Warwick Davis in the titular role alongside Jean Marsh, Patricia Hayes, Kevin Pollak, Bill Barty and Pat Roach. Produced on a budget of $35 million, Willow grossed $137 million worldwide.
The film led to a high-profile marriage between Whalley and Kilmer, which lasted from 1988 to 1996. Kilmer famously had a vision that he would marry Whalley days before he laid eyes on her for the first time.
In 1985, the Top Gun actor followed Whalley from London's West End to an after-party at a pub after becoming enamored by her beauty and talent while watching her in a play. Kilmer was rendered speechless and left the pub that night without saying goodbye.
Two years later in 1987, the two actors came face-to-face onscreen for the first time when they were introduced as love interests in Willow. Their whirlwind romance led to an eight-year marriage that produced two children: son Jack, now 30, and daughter Mercedes, now 34.
The relationship ultimately ended in divorce after Whalley ended their relationship, with Kilmer famously quipping that their split was "the second most expensive" divorce in New Mexico. Despite their separation, the former couple continued to co-parent their children in the years leading up to Kilmer's death on April 1 last year from pneumonia following a battle with cancer.
Acclaimed Screen Roles and Recent Projects
Whalley is also known for her role as Christine Keeler in the 1989 movie Scandal, which centered on the infamous John Profumo affair that rocked Britain in the early 1960s.
Throughout her career, Whalley has been cast as a number of historical and fictional figures. Her credits include playing Scarlett O'Hara in Scarlett in 1994, Jackie Kennedy in Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis in 2000, Queen Mary I in The Virgin Queen in 2005, and Catherine of Aragon in Wolf Hall in 2015.
Whalley remains active in her acting career. She last starred as Sophia in the unconventional documentary Every Moon Is Atrocious, released earlier this year, and appeared in all five episodes of the British television series The Rumour, which was released last year.
