British Actress Found Dead

French police found young British actress Lucy Gordon dead in her Paris apartment on Wednesday after an apparent suicide, People magazine reports. Her boyfriend was asleep in the apartment at the time of the suicide and an autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.

She apparently hanged herself, according to police, though no motive is known.

Born in Oxford, Gordon modeled before becoming and actress and has since starred in over a dozen films, including Spider-Man 3 and The Four Feathers, and was considered one of Britain's most promising young actresses.

Most recently, Gordon played Jane Birkin in a Joann Sfar biopic, Serge Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life. The film is set for release next year, BBC News reports. Gordon's father, Richard Gordon, said his daughter greatly enjoyed her most recent role and that her suicide came as a devastating shock to the entire family.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the 28-year-old actress would have turned 29 on Friday.