Jane Seymour

Jane Seymour's parents were survivors of World War II. Her father, a doctor, was stationed in the Royal Air Force in South Africa. At the end of the war, he was sent to Bergen-Belsen, where he was part of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps. Jane's mother, a Dutch native, spent nearly four years in a Japanese internment camp in Indonesia. In 1950, the couple met while vacationing on a beach in France. They married, and Jane was born in London one year later in 1951.

The family lived in a small semi-detached two-bedroom house near Wimbeldon. In less than four years, Jane had two younger sisters. 'We all shared one room,' says Jane. 'When our beds were folded out, there was no space to walk, so we were always crawling over our bedding. My sisters and I were almost like triplets.'

Jane has fond memories of her tiny family home that always seemed to be filled with people. Her mother, who had suffered starvation in the internment camps, was determined to feed as many people as she could. 'We never had to look far to see someone who was worse off than we were,' says Jane. 'My mother taught us from an early age that we should do all we can to help others'even if it was just to listen to their problems or sharing what little we had. In that way, we had purpose. My mother felt the most important thing in life is to have a purpose and to open your heart to others.'

Jane's mother managed a small business from their home, supplying wine, spirits, and tobacco (which she procured from Holland) to the Russian Embassy and the Pakistani Commission. Her father worked as a consulting doctor in three hospitals around London. For three out of four weekends a month, he was required to stay over in the hospital. 'To be able to see him, my sisters and I became Red Cross volunteers and worked as auxiliary nurses one weekend a month,' says Jane. 'We rolled cotton balls, packed operating kits, sewed tabs on operating gowns, and fed newborn babies in the ICU. It was wonderful. We were serving a need and learning some useful skills at the same time. Also, it taught us the importance of volunteering.'

For fun, the family regularly attended scientific lectures and museums. Rather than watching television at night, they usually listened to Jane's father read aloud the Tales of the Greek Heroes. If they took a car trip, it was always in a beat-up car. 'We would stop at the cheapest place we could find, and we girls would sleep on the floor,' says Jane. 'We had a very invigorating, exciting life. It never occurred to us that we didn't have money.'

When it was discovered that Jane had a speech impediment and flat feet, her parents sent her to speech therapy and enrolled her in ballet classes. From the start, she excelled as a dancer. When her teachers encouraged her to go to a professional dance school, Jane needed expensive pointe shoes. Rather than ask her parents to buy them for her, she crocheted clothing items and sold them at the market, which enabled her to buy the shoes.

Jane made her professional debut at the age of 13 with the London Festival Ballet. She then entered the Arts Educational Trust to receive additional instruction. Three years later, after a performance with the Kirov Ballet, Jane, then age 15, suffered knee injuries that effectively ended her dancing career. 'I was devastated by this news,' says Jane. 'I lived and breathed dancing. It was all I wanted to do. I cried for days, but eventually I accepted my fate and decided to switch gears. I had taken a few acting classes at school and I enjoyed them, so I decided I would become an actress.'

Jane's parents encouraged her to become a dance teacher, but for the first time in her life, she told them no. 'I wanted to be a performer,' she says. 'I thought that I would just go to a few auditions and see what happened.'

Jane performed in a Christmas pantomime and was encouraged by the choreographer to try out as a chorus girl in a film called Oh! What a Lovely War, which was Richard Attenborough's debut as a director. Jane got the part and was offered representation by Attenborough immediately. It is said that when he saw the first rushes of the film, Attenborough told his assistant that Jane Seymour was going to be a star.

Jane worked steadily doing the classics in repertoire theater all over England. 'I was happy to be working,' she says, 'but was paid almost nothing. I lived on chicken noodle soup and spaghetti. They were very lean times. But my transition from dancing to acting was one of the first transitions of my life. Since then, I've had several things happen to me, which, at the time, I thought it was the worst possible thing, but I relied on what my mother always told me: 'Open your heart and your mind and maybe there will be an even better opportunity waiting for you.' She was right.'

In 1973, when Jane was 20, she achieved international fame in her role as Bond girl Solitaire in the James Bond film Live and Let Die. The performance earned her continual TV and film work. Her performance in the 1976 miniseries Captains and the Kings earned her an Emmy nomination for best actress. In 1981, she won a Golden Globe for East of Eden. From 1993 to 1998, she held the title role on the TV series Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman, for which she garnered two more Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe. In 1998, she won her first Emmy (outstanding supporting actress in a miniseries or a special) for her performance in the TV movie Onassis: The Richest Man in the World. Jane Seymour has appeared in more than 100 films and television shows, including one of her most beloved movies, Somewhere in Time with Christopher Reeve. Her acting career remains vibrant, and she has also emerged as a significant producer.

In 2002, Jane's skills as a writer emerged when she penned an autobiographical book, Remarkable Changes, which explores the idea that life's challenges can bring rewarding opportunities. In 2009, she published Open Hearts, the first book in a series of four. Open Hearts reflects life's joys, heartaches, and inspirations and symbolizes that only when you can love yourself and keep your heart open are you able to give and receive love. Subsequent books in the series were released: Among Angels in 2010, Open Hearts Family in 2012, The Wave in 2014, and most recently The Road Ahead: Inspirational Stories of Open Hearts and Minds in 2017.

Jane teamed with Kay Jewelers in early 2008 to design a special jewelry collection called Open Hearts by Jane Seymour, which was inspired by one of Jane's original paintings of two hearts connected and open at either end. 'The design,' says Jane, 'reminds us that if we keep our hearts open, love will always find its way in. When I had a very personally challenging time in my life, which included divorce and near bankruptcy due to my then-husband's'who was also my manager'mismanagement of funds, I healed myself through art. I was deeply injured emotionally, and it was my mother who told me I had to open my heart and reach out to others who were in need. I heeded her advice and in doing so found my purpose.' Jane's open-heart design has become a universal symbol for giving and receiving love, and to'date it has become the most successful line of jewelry currently on the market.

In 1988, Jane had a near-death experience. She had been filming in Spain when she became sick with bronchitis. She was given a massive dose of antibiotics intravenously and then went into anaphylactic shock. 'My heart stopped, I saw the white light, and I left my body,' says Jane. 'I could see the doctor working furiously to resuscitate me, which obviously he did. But when I recovered and thought about my experience, I realized that the only thing you leave behind when you die is the love you gave to others and the difference you made in others' lives. That is when I became even more involved in philanthropy.'

Jane has long served as a celebrity ambassador for Childhelp, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping victims of abuse and neglect. In 2010, she created the Open Hearts Foundation, which supports arts, education, health, and sports charities. The Foundation is a social impact accelerator that is committed to empowering emerging and growing nonprofit organizations. 'Open Hearts,' says Jane, 'has fulfilled my dream of building a legacy dedicated to serving others, and empowering people to turn adversity into opportunity based on the open-hearted philosophy I learned from my mother.'

In 2017, the Young Hearts volunteerism program of the Open Hearts Foundation was created with the vision of Jane's daughter, Katie Flynn, along with her friends and cochairs Ella Freyinger and Adee Zach. The program organizes one-day service projects that combine the time, talent, and resources of people who serve with an Open Hearts support charitable organization.

Recognized for her artistic talents and philanthropy, Jane received the Order of the British Empire in 2000. She is also a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Proud and excited about her Horatio Alger Award, Jane says, 'I was so proud when I became an American citizen, but this award is truly an honor. I have so much respect for the Members and the difference they have made in so many lives. I see my membership as an opportunity to use my visibility to amplify the Association's mission, which I fully support.'

Looking back on her life, Jane says that her ability to turn a challenge into an opportunity for growth is what has made her the person she is today. 'When I offer advice to young people, I encourage them to do their best, be their authentic self, and never give up. I also believe it's important to find your passion in life, go for it, and make a difference in this world.'