# Lysette Anthony
**Lysette Anthony** (born Lysette Anne Chodzko, 1963) is an English actress and model whose screen career began in the early 1980s with the fantasy film *Krull* and includes [Woody Allen](https://www.edgepedia.org/woody-allen)'s *Husbands and Wives*, Mel Brooks's *[Dracula: Dead and Loving It](https://www.edgepedia.org/dracula-dead-and-loving-it)*, and the NBC revival of *Dark Shadows*.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1963, Fulham, London, England; birth name Lysette Anne Chodzko[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000771/bio/) |
| Parents | The actors Michael Anthony and Bernadette Milne[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963) |
| Modeling | Chosen at 16 by photographer David Bailey as "the face of the Eighties"[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000771/bio/) |
| Film debut | Princess Lyssa in *Krull* (Columbia, 1983)[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963) |
| Notable roles | Angelique Bouchard in *Dark Shadows* (NBC, 1991); Sam in *Husbands and Wives* (1992); Lucy Westenra in *Dracula: Dead and Loving It* (1995)[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963) • [3](https://www.fandango.com/people/lysette-anthony-19864/biography) |
| Production company | Barnaby Pictures, founded in the mid-1990s; produced *Prince of Lies* (1996) and *Desert Flower* (1999)[4](https://www.mymovies.it/persone/lysette-anthony/22722/) |
| Marriage | Married Luc Leestemaker (1991–1995), David F. Price (1999–2003), and Simon Boswell[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963) |
## Early life and modeling
Anthony was born into a theatrical family. Her father, Michael Anthony, and her mother, Bernadette Milne, were both actors, and she debuted in her parents' company, the Stage Arts Players, in 1973[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963). She appeared as the kitten in *Pinocchio* at the Cambridge Theatre in London that year, and an Italian film reference records a television appearance in the series *[Crossroads](https://www.edgepedia.org/crossroads-british-tv-series)* when she was one year old[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963) • [4](https://www.mymovies.it/persone/lysette-anthony/22722/). At 14 she joined the [National Youth Theatre](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-youth-theatre), where she was the youngest member[3](https://www.fandango.com/people/lysette-anthony-19864/biography).
Her modeling career began around 1979[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963). At 16 the fashion photographer [David Bailey](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-bailey) singled her out as "the face of the Eighties"[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000771/bio/). She appeared in [Bryan Adams](https://www.edgepedia.org/bryan-adams)'s music videos, including "Run to You," "Heaven," "Summer of '69," and "Somebody"[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963). According to her own account as repeated in press biographies, she invested her modeling earnings in acting lessons and left modeling when acting roles arrived in force[3](https://www.fandango.com/people/lysette-anthony-19864/biography). In 1988 she posed for *Playboy*, saying she wanted to shed her "English Rose" typecast and appeal to Hollywood casting directors[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000771/bio/).
## Screen career
**Early television.** Her first screen roles came in television remakes of literary classics: Lady Rowena in *Ivanhoe* and Oliver's mother in *Oliver Twist*, both CBS, 1982, followed by Lady Sarah in the NBC miniseries *Princess Daisy* (1983) and Florence Dombey in the BBC's *Dombey & Son* (1983)[3](https://www.fandango.com/people/lysette-anthony-19864/biography) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963). A columnist writing in 2023 recalled her Florence Dombey, broadcast in Sunday-night installments, as a defining image for viewers of her generation[5](https://www.perspectivemedia.com/lysette-anthony/).
**Film.** Her film debut was as Princess Lyssa in the science-fantasy *Krull* (Columbia, 1983)[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963). She played the fake Leslie in the [Sherlock Holmes](https://www.edgepedia.org/sherlock-holmes) comedy *Without a Clue* (1988) and Liz in [Blake Edwards](https://www.edgepedia.org/blake-edwards)'s *Switch* (1991)[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963). Her part as Sam, Sydney Pollack's aerobics-instructor girlfriend in Woody Allen's *Husbands and Wives* (1992), was received well by critics, and she followed it as the second lead in *Look Who's Talking Now* (1993)[3](https://www.fandango.com/people/lysette-anthony-19864/biography). In 1995 she appeared in two parodies of classic tales, *Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde* and [Mel Brooks](https://www.edgepedia.org/mel-brooks)'s *Dracula: Dead and Loving It*, in which she played Lucy Westenra[3](https://www.fandango.com/people/lysette-anthony-19864/biography) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963). Later genre credits include *Tale of the Mummy* (1998), *Beneath Loch Ness* (2001), and *Strippers vs Werewolves* (2012)[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/lysette_anthony).
**Television.** She played Angelique Bouchard in NBC's 1991 revival of *Dark Shadows* and Miss Scarlett in the ITV game show *Cluedo* the same year[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963). She led two 1994 television movies, *The Hard Truth* (HBO) and *Target of Suspicion* ([USA Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/usa-network))[3](https://www.fandango.com/people/lysette-anthony-19864/biography). In the soap *Night & Day* (ITV, 2001) she played Roxanne Doyle-Wells, earning a British Soap Award nomination for sexiest female in 2002[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963). Later episodic work included Veronica Cray in the *Poirot* episode "The Hollow" (2004) and Rachel Heath in *The Bill* (2003–2004)[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963). She also appeared in the Channel 5 series *Hotel* (2001) as the spy Amanda Brown, a part she described as insane comedy requiring her to "say goodbye to self-dignity"[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000771/bio/).
## Producing and stage work
In the mid-1990s Anthony founded the production company Barnaby Pictures, through which she produced *Prince of Lies* (1996) and *Desert Flower* (1999)[4](https://www.mymovies.it/persone/lysette-anthony/22722/). Her behind-the-camera credits also include associate producer on *Dead Cold* (1995) and *Man of Her Dreams* (1997)[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963). On stage she played Jackie Kennedy Onassis in *Jackie* at the Queens Theatre, London (1998), and appeared at the [Bristol Old Vic](https://www.edgepedia.org/bristol-old-vic) between 1988 and 1990[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963) • [7](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-International-Television-Almanac/2008/International-Television-Almanac-2008-Whos-Who.pdf).
## Personal life
Anthony married the painter and actor Luc Leestemaker in 1991 (divorced 1995) and the director, producer, actor, and writer David F. Price in April 1999 (divorced 2003); she later married the composer Simon Boswell[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963). She has two sons, James Anthony Boswell and Jack Boswell[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000771/bio/).
In October 2023 she gave an interview describing the repercussions of publicly accusing [Harvey Weinstein](https://www.edgepedia.org/harvey-weinstein) of repeatedly assaulting her as a young woman; she was one of the women whose allegations contributed to the criminal proceedings against him[5](https://www.perspectivemedia.com/lysette-anthony/).
## References
1. [Lysette Anthony – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000771/bio/)
2. [Anthony, Lysette 1963–, Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/anthony-lysette-1963)
3. [Lysette Anthony Biography, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/lysette-anthony-19864/biography)
4. [Lysette Anthony – biografia, MYmovies.it](https://www.mymovies.it/persone/lysette-anthony/22722/)
5. [Lysette Anthony: the actress on outing Harvey Weinstein, Perspective Media (Rowan Pelling, 30 October 2023)](https://www.perspectivemedia.com/lysette-anthony/)
6. [Lysette Anthony – Filmography, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/lysette_anthony)
7. [Anthony, Lysette, International Television Almanac 2008 – Who's Who](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-International-Television-Almanac/2008/International-Television-Almanac-2008-Whos-Who.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › English actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames A to B*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license