Hannah Taylor Gordon
About
Biography
Biography
By the time Hannah Taylor Gordon played "Anne Frank" in the acclaimed 2001 ABC miniseries she was already a veteran with a decade's worth of experience. Petite and wiry, she perfectly embodied the spirit of the young diarist and crafted a heartbreaking turn that won critical praise and brought the teenager a well-deserved Emmy nomination.
At age four, Gordon and her mom answered a casting call for brunettes. Although the role in question was for a 10-year-old, there was something about the tot that impressed the director who recommended an agent. Later that year, she made her acting debut in an episode of the popular British medical drama "Casualty." Two years later, Gordon was cast as the child Blanca (played as a grown-up by Winona Ryder) in "The House of the Spirits." 1994 saw her portray a bridesmaid in the second nuptials of "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and the role of young Elizabeth (portrayed by Helena Bonham Carter as an adult) in "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein." Following her US TV debut in "Buffalo Girls" (CBS, 1995), Gordon was cast once again as the youthful incarnation of the heroine Fanny Price (essayed by Frances O'Connor) in "Mansfield Park" (1999). Later that year, she offered a strong turn as a 10-year-old Jewish girl who escaped from a death train and is sheltered by the title character in "Jakob the Liar." At the time of its release, several critics commented on the young actress' resemblance to Anne Frank, so when it came time to cast the ABC miniseries, Gordon seemed the natural choice and she delivered a memorable performance.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1991
At age four, answered a casting call for brunette actresses; although the production was looking for 10-year-olds, director was impressed and referred her to an agent
1991
TV acting debut in an episode of the popular British TV series "Casualty"
1993
Feature debut as the child Blanca (played as an adult by Winona Ryder) in "The House of the Spirits"
1994
Appeared as a bridesmaid in the second wedding of "Four Weddings and a Funeral"
1994
Cast as the youthful version of Helena Bonham Carter's character in "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein", directed by Kenneth Branagh
1995
American TV debut in the CBS miniseries "Buffalo Girls"
1999
Co-starred with Robin Williams in the Holocaust drama "Jakob the Liar"
1999
Portrayed the heroine Fanny as a child (played by Frances O'Connor as an adult) in "Mansfield Park", helmed by Patricia Rozema
2001
Delivered an outstanding turn as the title character in the ABC miniseries "Anne Frank"; earned an Emmy nomination
Family
