Lara Belmont
Born in Oxford in 1980, Lara Belmont is a British actress whose career spans film and television across more than two decades. She came to prominence in remarkable circumstances, having been spotted on the street by a casting director before going on to make a significant mark on British cinema.
Rise of the Footsoldier
Belmont appears in the original and iconic Rise of the Footsoldier (2007), playing the role of Karen. The film remains one of the most celebrated British crime dramas of its era, and her involvement places her firmly within that celebrated chapter of UK filmmaking.
Breakthrough and Early Career
Belmont’s breakthrough came with the role of Jessie in the unflinching drama The War Zone (1999), a performance that established her as a serious talent in British film. The role remains the work she is most widely recognised for.
She had previously worked as a model before her transition into acting, making her discovery on the street by a casting director all the more striking a beginning to her screen career.
Film and Television Work
Following The War Zone, Belmont built a varied body of work across both film and television. Film credits include Bread and Roses (2000), Crime and Punishment (2002), Long Time Dead (2002), Ashes and Sand (2003), Killing Hitler (2003), Oh Marbella! (2003), Someone Else (2006), and Horror Anthology Volume 1 (2022).
On television, she took on the role of Sonya Marmeladova in Crime and Punishment, and appeared as Mary Tudor, the eldest daughter of Henry VIII, in ITV’s lavish costume drama Henry VIII. She also had a credit on long-running police series The Bill.
Her range across period drama, crime thriller, and horror demonstrates a consistent willingness to take on diverse and challenging material throughout her career.