Holly Valance Biography

Holly Valance is a Australian-born ARIA nominated actress and singer. Holly is related to the late British comedian Benny Hill — Hill's cousin was her grandfather (i.e., they are cousins twice removed). She was educated at the Star of the Sea College, a Roman Catholic high school located in Melbourne, but she is not known to be Catholic herself.

Biography

Holly Valance's big break came when she landed the role of Felicity "Flick" Scully in Neighbours. Holly's first single as a recording artist was Kiss Kiss (based on Turkish singer Tarkan's hit single Şımarık), released in 2002. The video for Kiss Kiss was notable for the impression that she was dancing naked, with her nudity only concealed by strategically placed lighting. In fact she was dancing wearing flesh-coloured underwear, and the footage of her dancing was then digitally retouched to create the illusion. [She insists on a 'no-nudity clause' in all her movies.] Her début album Footprints went on sale at the end of that year.

Kiss Kiss debuted at #1 in both the Australia ARIA charts and UK Singles Charts in (April-May 2002). Kiss Kiss scored Holly 4 ARIA nominations. Her next single, Down Boy peaked at #2 in the UK and at #3 in Australia, while her album Footprints debuted and peaked at #9 in the UK and at #15 in Australia. Her third single Naughty Girl peaked at #3 in Australia and at #16 in the UK. The first single State of Mind from her next album of the same name debuted and peaked at #8 in the UK and at #14 in Australia, but the album didn't get into the top 50 of either country.

She signed a £3m deal with Schwarzkopf Live to front the new line aimed at an early teen to early 20s market. Valance was seen modelling Cosmic Blue, Sahara True Blonde, Hypnotic Red as well as XXL Red and XXL Purple (each colour has a strapline which referenced other popular culture artists). The adverts could be seen across the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland at bus stops, shopping malls, on buses and in magazines. It was released that if the adverts proved to be a hit then they would be expanded internationally. However this was never the case.

It was later reported that Valance was dropped from her record label following legal problems with her manager/boyfriend, and poor sales from the album "State of Mind". However, the webmaster of her official website stated:

"Holly has parted on good terms with London Records. She's recording in LA and reading scripts for movies too. She'll be releasing more music at the beginning of next year, under a new record label."

It was expected the new material would appear in 2005, however Holly Valance is said to be close to completing a new album now. See more below.

In 2002 she won the British GQ Award for "Woman of the Year".

In 2004 Valance returned to acting, this time in the United States, appearing in episodes of the television series CSI: Miami and Entourage, and in 2005 she appeared in an episode of CSI: NY. She also starred in three episodes of Prison Break. She will soon appear in the National Lampoon comedy Pledge This! and DOA: Dead or Alive, an adaptation of the popular video game Dead or Alive, where she will play Christie.

Holly Valance will continue her role of Nika in US hit drama Prison Break for Season 2. Holly will also be starring in a UK-based horror film 'Grey Sword' formerly known as 'Dark Castle' which is to be released 31st October 2007.

She will also be playing a a Bosnian Muslim in a new movie titled 'The Tourist', a true story set in the Balkan war.

Holly Valance also served as the promotional face of Australian collect call company 1800-Reverse and the UK equivalent.

In 2003 Holly Valance fired her then-manager Scott Michaelson (who owns Biscayne Partners Pty Ltd) by fax, 15 months before her contract was due to expire. Biscayne Partners Pty. Ltd. sued Valance Corp., won their case and were awarded damages by the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

During the trial Valance's mother, Rachel Stevens, claimed that Michaelson was negligent in his duties as a manager, which forced her to take over from his role as manager. Former Neighbours co-star Kym Valentine also gave evidence that Valance "said she was feeling bad, a bit stressed out, because she was leaving Scott" and that "she said the solicitors for her record company would get her out of the contract and would be faxing him the paper work (from the UK) to do so."Holly Valance denied that she told Valentine this conversation in court, even though she had signed an affidavit where she stated she had no recollection of the conversation.

Justice Clifford Einstein said, "I have given close consideration to the question of whether or not the circumstances presently before the Court which do, it seems to me, show a calculated disregard of the rights of Biscayne as well as a cynical pursuit of benefit". The court subsequently ordered Valance Corp. pay $350,000 to Biscayne Partners Pty. Ltd. Of this amount, $47,264.56 was "from shares Ms Valance and Mr Michaelson had bought together on the London Stock Exchange",  though the court did not award in favor of Biscayne getting a percentage of sales of her album, State of Mind.

Holly Valance is set for a music comeback after Madonna penned a new track for her entitled System Overload. "I'm a huge fan of Madonna, always have been," Valance said. "I just hope the fans like what they hear, I've grown up."

Holly Valance has been recording the new album in L.A. The album will be out later this year. It is not yet known which record company she has signed with.