Fritha Jane Goodey (23 October 1972 – 7 September 2004) was a British stage, radio and film actress known for her performance in the film '' About a Boy'' (2002), in which she played one of

Hugh Grant Hugh John Mungo Grant (born 9 September 1960) is an English actor. He established himself early in his career as a charming and vulnerable romantic leading man, and has since transitioned into a character actor. He has received List of awards ...

's character's former girlfriends.

Early life

Goodey was born in

Kingston upon Thames Kingston upon Thames, colloquially known as Kingston, is a town in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, south-west London, England. It is situated on the River Thames, south-west of Charing Cross. It is an ancient market town, notable as ...

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

, and trained at the

London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) is a drama school located in Hammersmith, London. Founded in 1861, it is the oldest specialist drama school in the British Isles and a founding member of the Federation of Drama Schools. In ...

Career

Goodey's stage work, most notably with Max Stafford-Clark's Out of Joint touring company, included Nadia in ''Some Explicit Polaroids'' (1999), Odette in '' Remembrance of Things Past'' (2000), Constance Neville in ''She Stoops to Conquer'' (2002) and Mrs. Garrick in ''A Laughing Matter''. She had recently won a coveted role in a revival staging of

Terence Rattigan Sir Terence Mervyn Rattigan (10 June 191130 November 1977) was a British dramatist and screenwriter. He was one of England's most popular mid-20th-century dramatists. His plays are typically set in an upper-middle-class background.Geoffrey Wan ...

's '' Man and Boy''. Her radio works include '' The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'' episode '' The Determined Client'' and Helena Justina in the serialisation of the Falco novel '' The Silver Pigs''.

Death

Having struggled with

anorexia Anorexia nervosa (AN), often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by Calorie restriction, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin. Individuals wit ...

for years, on 7 September 2004 Goodey took her own life in

Notting Hill Notting Hill is a district of West London, England, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Notting Hill is known for being a wikt:cosmopolitan, cosmopolitan and multiculturalism, multicultural neighbourhood, hosting the annual Notting ...

, in the

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (often known by its initialism as RBKC) is an Inner London, Inner London borough with Royal borough, royal status. It is the List of English districts by area, smallest borough in London and the secon ...

, by stabbing herself in the chest. She was 31 years old. Her funeral was at the West London Crematorium,

Kensal Green Kensal Green, also known as Kensal Rise, is an area in north-west London, and along with Kensal Town, it forms part of the northern section of North Kensington, London, North Kensington. It lies north of the canal in the London Borough of Brent ...

Filmography

*''Bookcruncher'' (2002) *'' About a Boy'' (2002) *''She Stoops to Conquer'' (2003)

Television

*'' Dr Willoughby'' (1999) *'' Randall and Hopkirk'' (1 episode, 2000) *''The Red Phone: Manhunt'' (2001) *''Table 12'' (1 episode, 2001) *''Sherlock'' (2002) *'' The Lost Prince'' (2003) *''The Red Phone: Checkmate'' (2003) *'' When I'm 64'' (2004)

References

External links

*
''Internet Accuracy Project''
1972 births 2004 deaths Actors from the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Alumni of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art Deaths from anorexia nervosa English film actresses English radio actresses English stage actresses Suicides by sharp instrument in England Suicides in Kensington 2004 suicides People from Kingston upon Thames {{England-actor-stub