Ava Lavinia Gardner was an American actress and singer. She first signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew critics' attention in 1946 with her performance in Robert Siodmak's film noir The Killers. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1953 for her performance in John Ford's Mogambo, and in 1964 for best actress for both a Golden Globe Award and BAFTA Award for her performance in John Huston's The Night of the Iguana.
