Pom Alexandra Klementieff entered the film industry with a minor role in the 2007 French production Après lui, marking the start of a career that eventually spanned independent European cinema and high-profile Hollywood franchises. Born in Quebec City on 3 May 1986, she navigated significant personal losses before securing global visibility as a performer in major superhero and action series.
Early Life and Education
The daughter of a French diplomat and a Korean mother, Klementieff lived in Japan and the Ivory Coast before settling near Paris. Following the death of her father when she was five and her mother's struggle with schizophrenia, she was raised by her paternal uncle and aunt. After a brief, unfulfilling attempt to study law, she enrolled at the Cours Florent drama school in Paris at age 19. Her performance skills were recognized early when she won a theatre competition that provided her with two years of tuition-free classes.
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Her first leading role arrived in the 2009 film Loup, which depicted the lives of reindeer herders in the Siberian mountains. The production required extreme physical endurance in freezing conditions, including working with wolves and reindeer. Seeking broader opportunities, she moved to Los Angeles after her 2013 Hollywood debut in Spike Lee’s Oldboy, where she portrayed the bodyguard Haeng-bok. She prepared for the physical demands of the role through intensive boxing training, which she continued to utilize in later projects like the 2015 independent film Hacker’s Game.
Blockbuster Success
Klementieff gained international prominence through her portrayal of Mantis in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. She reprised the role in 2023 for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Beyond Marvel, she joined the Mission: Impossible franchise as the character Paris, appearing in Dead Reckoning Part One and the 2025 follow-up, The Final Reckoning. Her recent filmography also includes the 2024 thriller The Killer's Game.
Personal Interests and Skills
Beyond her screen work, Klementieff is a practitioner of taekwondo and holds a purple belt. She is also a dedicated skydiver, having completed over 230 jumps as of May 2025. Her interest in the sport was encouraged by Tom Cruise, who gifted her lessons after they worked together on the Mission: Impossible series. She has stated that she acquired proficiency in English by viewing the American sitcom 30 Rock.
Fast facts
- Born: 3 May 1986, Quebec City
- Education: Cours Florent
- Marvel Cinematic Universe role: Mantis
- Mission: Impossible character: Paris
- Taekwondo rank: Purple belt
- Skydiving experience: 233 jumps as of May 2025
- Citizenship: France; South Korea
Questions readers ask
Is Pom Klementieff a Canadian citizen?
No, she is not eligible for Canadian citizenship because her father was a diplomat at the time of her birth.
How did she prepare for her role in Oldboy?
She took daily boxing lessons for two months and helped design her character's wardrobe.
