Born on October 5, 1933 in Brisbane, Australia
The daughter of Sir Ralph West Cilento, a world-renowned authority on tropical medicine and a distinguished attorney, and Lady Cilento, a gynecologist, she attended New York’s American Academy of Dramatic Arts, then London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), before making her screen debut in 1952 and her stage debut the following year.
Cilento subsequently appeared in many London and some Broadway stage productions and played leads in British and some Hollywood films.
She was nominated for a Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance in Tom Jones (1963), which won the Best Picture and Best Directors awards.
Formerly (1962-1973) married to actor Sean Connery, she is the mother of actor Jason Connery.
She is the author of the novels “The Manipulator” and “Hybrid.”
Oscar Alert
In 1963, Diane Cilento competed for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar with Edit Evans and Joyce Redman, both nominated for “Tom Jones,” Margaret Rutherford (who won) in “The V.I.P.,” and Lilia Skala in “Lilies of the Field.”
