Bea Moritz

           

           The inspirational woman I chose was Grace Kelly. Grace Kelly was born on November 12, 1929 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Grace was born  into a wealthy family. Her father, John Brendan Kelly, was a three time Olympic Gold Medalist and started one of the most successful brick businesses on the East Coast. Her mother, Margaret Katherine Majer, was the first coach of  the women's athletic teams at the University of Pennsylvania. Grace was the third of four children. She was encouraged to pursue acting by her uncle George Kelly. Her parents however were not supportive of her acting. In fact,  her father thought it was "a slim cut above streetwalker". Despite her parents concerns Grace enrolled in the American Academy for Dramatic Arts. After graduating she moved to Hollywood to try to get more roles in movies.  Her first film Fourteen Hours in 1951. Grace was put further into the spotlight  by her 1953 role in Mogambo, where she was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. After this, Kelly signed a seven year contract with MGM. This allowed her to work with one of the most famous directors of all time Alfred Hitchcock. She starred in three Hitchcock films including Dial M for Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954), and To Catch a Thief (1955). Also in 1954, Grace Kelly won the Best Actress Oscar for her role as Georgie Elgin in The Country Girl. For her oscar she beat out Judy Garland in A Star is Born. Her last film High Society opened in 1956 just before her wedding to Prince Rainier the lll of Monaco. Their wedding took place on April 19, 1956. To become Princess, Grace had to give up acting and her American citizenship. The couple had three children together Princess Caroline, Prince Albert and Princess Stéphanie. As Princess, Grace was in many cultural and charitable organizations. Grace was killed on September 13,1982 when she had a stroke while driving along the steep cliffs of the Côte d'Azur with her youngest daughter Princess Stéphanie. Her daughter survived the crash with a hairline fracture but Grace was sent into a coma before eventually being taken off life support. 

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             I chose Grace Kelly for my art project because she is one of my biggest role models. She was one of the highest payed women in an industry that was dominated by men. She was also incredibly smart and that was reflected in all of her acting roles. Grace Kelly's characters were all smart and successful women who knew what they wanted.  I first saw her in Rear Window where she plays Lisa a clever and  confident fashion director. I admire her confidence and grace because she always stood up for what she wanted. One of the biggest reasons I look up to her is her role in Dial M for Murder which is my favourite movie of all time. Her character in that movie is the reason I like that movie so much. She is compelling and brave even when she is being wrongly accused of murder.  But, if I had to pick the biggest reason I admire her is that she inspired everyone she met with her engaging personality and touched people's lives with her activism starting several scholarships and charities to help young people achieve their dreams.

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