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Vanessa Lynn Branch (born March 21, 1973) is an English-born American actress and model. Holding dual citizenship in the United States and the United Kingdom, she is a multilingual talent and is fluent in French and Mandarin Chinese. Having graduated at Mercersburg Academy and with a double major in French and Theatre from Middlebury College in 1994, Vanessa Branch won the Miss Vermont title and eventually pursued an acting career after featuring in international publications such as Elle and Harper's Bazaar. Branch is known for her role as Naomi Wildman in Star Trek: Voyager and as the quirky British spokesperson in Wrigley's Orbit Gum campaign, where she appeared in 45 Orbit ads from 2006 to 2010, using the catchphrase "Fabulous!" She also appeared in television series such as Entourage, Lost, Gilmore Girls, CSI: Miami, and starred in the Syfy television movie 51.

For the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Vanessa Branch portrayed the wench Giselle. She first appeared in the 2003 film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, then returned for the back-to-back sequels released in 2006-2007, Dead Man's Chest and At World's End. Branch appeared in the short film Tales of the Code: Wedlocked, first released in 2011 through the Pirates of the Caribbean: Four-Movie Collection.

Biography[]

Early life and career[]

Vanessa Branch was raised in England and the United States. Branch attended Middlebury College, where she majored in theatre and Chinese, and graduated in 1994. She developed a fascination with languages and set her sights on French and Mandarin, both of which she now speaks fluently.[1] Vanessa Branch won the Miss Vermont title in 1994, competed in the Miss America 1995 pageant, and eventually resided in Los Angeles to pursue an acting career after featuring in international publications such as Elle and Harper's Bazaar.

In the United States, Vanessa Branch is perhaps best known as the quirky British spokesperson in Wrigley's Orbit Gum for its 2002 to 2010 television marketing campaign. She appeared in 45 Orbit ads from 2006 to 2010, using the catchphrases "Fabulous!" and "No Matter What."

Vanessa Branch POTC3AWE Premiere

Vanessa Branch at the premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End at Disneyland on May 19, 2007.

After completing her fourth consecutive year as the campaign spokesperson for Orbit Gum, Vanessa Branch went to reprise her role as Giselle in the Pirates of the Caribbean short film, Tales of the Code: Wedlocked. She was also cast as the supporting lead as a sexy British book publisher in the feature film Suburban Girl opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alec Baldwin. In 2007, Branch returned from China where she completed the feature film, Milk and Fashion, shot entierly in Mandarin in which she played the starring role. Branch then flew to Kansas City, Missouri, where she shot the feature film All Roads Lead to Home opposite Peter Coyote and Jason London.

In addition to her busy feature film schedule, Branch had a recurring role on the hit television series Gilmore Girls and has appeared on television in numerous guest-starring roles in Entourage, Lost, Monk, Andy Barker P.I., and CSI: Miami. She is also known for her role as Naomi Wildman in Star Trek: Voyager and starring in the Syfy television movie 51.

Pirates of the Caribbean[]

Vanessa Branch portrayed Giselle, one of Captain Jack Sparrow's favorite Tortuga wenches in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. Along with Lauren Maher (Scarlett), who became one of her best friends, she first appeared in the 2003 film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Gore Verbinski. The characters Scarlett and Giselle were originally not supposed to have speaking parts in The Curse of the Black Pearl, until someone noticed that both Branch and Maher were quite capable actresses, so they ended up having speaking roles.[2] Following the unexpected success of The Curse of the Black Pearl, Branch returned for the back-to-back sequels, Dead Man's Chest and At World's End.[3][1]

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Vanessa Branch and Lauren Maher at the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides premiere held at Disneyland May 7, 2011.

Although Vanessa Branch did not return for the fourth film, On Stranger Tides, she did make an appearance during the Pirates Marathon at El Capitan Theatre in 2011. When she was asked to tell something brief about her experience on the Pirates films to fans present at the event, Branch mentioned how she and Lauren Maher became one of her best friends along with one morning with Johnny Depp greeting the two actresses in the makeup trailer. "One of the best parts, for sure, about working on this, which was an amazing experience."[4]

When storyboard artist James Ward Byrkit asked screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio if they had an idea for a short film, they thought that Branch and Maher should have their own story and started writing Tales of the Code: Wedlocked shot in late 2006 with sets constructed at Walt Disney Studios that were fresh from shooting At World's End.[5] Byrkit believed that Wedlocked was a chance for the wenches to have their own wacky moment and hinted at a whole world of possibility between them, and that both Branch and Maher turned in leading lady performances.[6] Byrkit said that the best thing about the short was working with Branch and Maher, stating that they turned out to be great actresses, totally committed and game for anything. He thought the two actresses could be cast as leading women in anything and thought they could have their own spinoff TV series.[2] Around March 2011, Vanessa Branch teased the Pirates-related project intended to be released in Fall 2011.[7] Despite it being worked on after At World's End wrapped filming, around early December 2006, Tales of the Code: Wedlocked wasn't announced until about a month after the release of the fourth film, On Stranger Tides, in 2011. Wedlocked first released through the Pirates of the Caribbean: Four-Movie Collection.

In 2013, Vanessa Branch would join Lauren Maher, Martin Klebba (Marty), David Bailie (Cotton), Kevin McNally (Joshamee Gibbs), and Lee Arenberg (Pintel) at the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo at McCormick Place on April 28, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois.[8][9]

Appearances[]

Trivia[]

  • Vanessa Branch's bio featured in the Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End presskit states, "After completing her fourth consecutive year as the campaign spokesperson for Wrigley's Orbit Gum, she flew to the Caribbean to reprise her role as Giselle, one of Captain Jack Sparrow's favorite wenches, in PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END."[1] However, given the timeline since Vanessa Branch's career with Orbit began in 2002, and the scheduled scene shot for At World's End having happened in early 2005, it's likely the description was mistaking Branch's reprisal for her involvement in Tales of the Code: Wedlocked, which was filmed late 2006.

External links[]

Notes and references[]

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