Scarlett's Four Weddings Exit Explained

Charlotte Coleman, who played Scarlett in Four Weddings and a Funeral, died in 2001 at the age of 33. Coleman suffered a fatal asthma attack at her home in London. Coleman's father, former producer Francis Coleman, said she had been in great spirits the night before her death. Coleman is best known for her role as Scarlett, Charles' (Hugh Grant) eccentric roommate. She received a BAFTA nomination for the role.

Charlotte Coleman's death

Charlotte Coleman, the actress who played Scarlett in Four Weddings and a Funeral, died suddenly in 2001 at the age of 33. Coleman was found dead in her London flat after leaving her parents' house, complaining of feeling unwell. The cause of death was a massive asthma attack.

Coleman's death was a tragic end to a short but rebellious life. She was born into a theatrical family in 1968 and landed her first role at the age of eight as Sue in the long-running TV series Worzel Gummidge. However, it was her portrayal of the teenage rebel Marmalade Atkins that won her recognition. She caused havoc at school and horrified her parents with her outrageous antics in Educating Marmalade and Marmalade at Work, between 1982 and 1984.

Coleman's personal life was marked by tragedy. In 1987, her boyfriend, Jonathan Laycock, was killed in a cycling accident when she was just 19 years old. This sent her into a spiral of eating disorders and depression, and she struggled with anorexia and bulimia. Despite these challenges, she continued to pursue her acting career and, at 25, landed the role of Scarlett in Four Weddings, receiving a BAFTA nomination for her performance.

On November 14, 2001, Coleman spent the evening with her parents but left early, feeling unwell. The following morning, she was found in her Islington flat and rushed to Whittington Hospital in north London, where she was pronounced dead. Her death shocked and saddened her family, friends, and the entertainment industry, leaving a lasting impact on those who knew and admired her.

Coleman's career

Charlotte Ninon Coleman (3 April 1968 – 14 November 2001) was an English actress, best known for her roles as Scarlett in Four Weddings and a Funeral, Jess in Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, and Sue in Worzel Gummidge.

In 1990, Coleman appeared in the BBC television drama Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, based on the novel by Jeanette Winterson. Her portrayal of Jess, a young lesbian character, won her a Royal Television Society Best Actress Award and a BAFTA nomination. This role put her on the map and led to her being cast in Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), alongside Hugh Grant, Simon Callow, and Kristin Scott Thomas. Coleman received a BAFTA nomination for her performance in the film but lost to her co-star, Scott Thomas.

Coleman continued to act in films throughout the 1990s, with notable appearances in The Young Poisoner's Handbook (1995), Beautiful People (1999), and Faeries (1999). She also had roles in several television series, including The Bill, Inspector Morse, and How Do You Want Me? (1998-2000). Her final television appearance was in the adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson's Double Act, where she played Miss Debenham, the twins' teacher.

Scarlett's character

Charlotte Coleman, who played Scarlett in Four Weddings and a Funeral, was the daughter of actress Ann Beach and Canadian-born television producer Francis Coleman. She was born in Islington, London, in 1968 and began acting at the age of eight. She had a turbulent childhood and was expelled from the Camden School for Girls at 14. She then attended a progressive boarding school in Devon and later, a cookery school.

Coleman's first major television role was as Sue in Southern Television's Worzel Gummidge, which ran from 1978 to 1981. She then played the teenage rebel Marmalade Atkins in Marmalade Atkins in Space, Educating Marmalade, and Danger: Marmalade at Work, all written by Andrew Davies for Thames Television. In 1987, Coleman's boyfriend, Jonathan Laycock, was killed in a cycling accident. She struggled with her mental health in the aftermath and developed eating disorders.

In 1990, Coleman won a Royal Television Society Best Actress Award and was nominated for a BAFTA for her portrayal of a young lesbian character in the BBC television drama Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, based on Jeanette Winterson's novel. This role put her on the map and led to her being cast in Four Weddings and a Funeral in 1994. She received a BAFTA nomination for this performance, losing to her co-star Kristin Scott Thomas.

Coleman's character, Scarlett, is Charles (Hugh Grant)'s eccentric and chaotic flatmate. In the film's opening sequence, which is considered one of the most iconic in British cinema, Scarlett and Charles swear profusely as they rush to a wedding. Scarlett is known for her wit and memorable one-liners.

After Four Weddings and a Funeral, Coleman continued to act in films throughout the 1990s, with her last major film being Jasmin Dizdar's Beautiful People in 1999. Tragically, in November 2001, Coleman died at the age of 33 from a severe asthma attack at her home in London.

Coleman's early life

Charlotte Ninon Coleman was born on 3 April 1968 in Islington, London, England. She was the first of two daughters born to actress Ann Beach and Canadian-born television producer Francis Coleman. Her younger sister, Lisa Coleman, is also an actress. Coleman attended St Michael's primary school in Highgate, London, and then Camden School for Girls, from which she was expelled for smoking and drinking. Outside of school, she attended acting classes at the Anna Scher Theatre School in Islington, as she considered herself "too cool" for the Brownies.

At 15, Coleman decided to enrol at Dartington Hall School in Devon, a very progressive school where pupils were not required to attend lessons. She later attended cookery school. Coleman's first major television role was as Sue in Southern Television's Worzel Gummidge, which ran from 1978 to 1981. She also had early roles in A Choice of Evils (1977) and Two People (1979), where she played Emma Moffatt and had a crush on her co-star, Stephen Garlick.

Coleman's early career was marked by her portrayal of characters outside the mainstream, often kicking against authority. She gained recognition for her role as the teenage rebel Marmalade Atkins in Marmalade Atkins in Space (1981), and subsequent appearances in Educating Marmalade (1982-1983) and Danger: Marmalade at Work (1984).

Coleman's personal life

Charlotte Ninon Coleman, who played Scarlett in Four Weddings and a Funeral, was born on 3 April 1968 in Islington, London, England. She was the first of two daughters born to actress Ann Beach and Canadian-born television producer Francis Coleman. Her younger sister, Lisa Coleman, is also an actress.

Coleman's early life was turbulent. She started acting at the age of eight and landed starring roles in British children's series, but early fame took its toll. She was expelled from the prestigious Camden School for Girls at the age of 14 and later described her upbringing as "too liberal", as her parents "didn't believe in restraint". She then attended Dartington Hall School in Devon, a very progressive school where pupils "didn't have to go to any lessons". After this, she attended cookery school.

In 1987, Coleman's boyfriend, Jonathan Laycock, was killed in a cycling accident aged 23. His death had a profound impact on her, and she suffered from periods of depression and eating disorders. She told Time Out in 1996: "I thought I could do anything, and what I needed were some boundaries... I had my bottom tattooed at 14 and I sprayed the house with graffiti".

Coleman died on 14 November 2001, aged 33, from a severe asthma attack at her flat in London. Her mother, Ann Beach, found her dead in an upstairs room, with her Ventolin inhaler reportedly discovered downstairs.

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