Actress. She grew up in Copenhagen in very poor circumstances. In 1820 she was admitted into the ballet school at The Royal Theatre, and her first public appearance on stage in 1825 inspired  author and critic Johan Ludvig Heiberg to write the first of many plays with leading parts for her.  She soon became the great diva of the theatre, and the greatest dramatists of that time, including Hans Christian Andersen, wrote parts for her. In 1831 she became Heiberg’s wife, and in 1849 he became head of The Royal Theatre. After his death in 1860 she continued her acting career until 1864, and then continued in the theatre as a director and occasional playwright. Her most lasting literary achievement is her memoirs,  published from 1891 to 1892. She is portrayed on the Danish 200 Kroner bill. (bio by: Erik Skytte)