Ella Purnell

Last updated

Ella Purnell
Ella Purnell Serpentine Summer Party 2017 (cropped).jpg
Purnell in 2017
Born
Ella Summer Purnell

(1996-09-17) 17 September 1996 (age 27)
Whitechapel, London, England
OccupationActress
Years active2009–present

Ella Summer Purnell (born 17 September 1996) is an English actress. She began her career as a child actress on the West End and in the films Never Let Me Go (2010), Intruders (2011), and Maleficent (2014). Her other films include Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016), Churchill (2017), and Army of the Dead (2021).

Contents

On television, Purnell has starred in the mystery series Ordeal by Innocence (2018), the historical miniseries Belgravia (2020), the thriller Yellowjackets (2021–2023), and the drama series Fallout (2024). She has also voiced Jinx in Arcane and Gwyndala in Star Trek: Prodigy (both 2021–present).

Early life

Ella Summer Purnell [1] was born in the Whitechapel area of East London on 17 September 1996 and raised in Bethnal Green. [2] She attended Bethnal Green Montessori, Forest School, the City of London School for Girls, and the Young Actors Theatre Islington. [3] She also attended weekly classes at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, studying acting, singing, and dance, and was represented by their in-house talent agency.

Career

Film

In 2008, Purnell beat hundreds of other girls for a role in Oliver! at London's Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. [4] Towards the end of her time in Oliver!, she won the role of Young Ruth (played by Keira Knightley as an adult) in Mark Romanek's Never Let Me Go – a feature film based on the book by Kazuo Ishiguro. [5] It was released in 2010 to positive reviews. She was then cast as Kayleigh in Gustavo Ron's Ways to Live Forever , adapted from the book by Sally Nicholls, [6] and as Mia in the Juan Carlos Fresnadillo film Intruders . [7] Purnell was named by Screen International as one of 10 UK Stars of Tomorrow. [8] She also appeared in the BBC HD film short Candy in June 2011.

In 2013, Purnell appeared in the feature film Kick-Ass 2 as the character Dolce. The following year, she starred in the independent film WildLike , which earned her a number of accolades at film festivals, and played the teenage version of Angelina Jolie's titular character in Disney's Maleficent . In 2016, Purnell starred in Tim Burton's adaptation of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children , based on the novel of the same name, by Ransom Riggs. [9] In 2017, she played Mia in Access All Areas. [10] Later that year, Purnell appeared in the historical drama film Churchill , playing Winston Churchill's secretary Helen Garrett. [11]

Television

In 2018, Purnell appeared as Hester Argyll in the BBC mini-series Ordeal By Innocence , based on the Agatha Christie book of the same name. [12] Later that year, Purnell starred in the leading role of the Starz show Sweetbitter , based on Stephanie Danler's novel of the same name. [13] She played Tess, a naive 22-year-old who moves to New York City to pursue a new life, and gets caught up in the world of fine dining. [14] It was announced in December 2019 that Starz had cancelled the series after two seasons. [15] In 2020, Purnell played Lady Maria Grey in Julian Fellowes's period drama Belgravia , co-produced by ITV and Epix. [16] In 2021, she began starring as Jackie in the Showtime drama series Yellowjackets . [17] Later that year she voiced Gwyn in the animated series Star Trek: Prodigy and Jinx in the Netflix animated series Arcane . In 2024, she starred as Lucy MacLean in the Amazon Prime Video drama series Fallout . [18]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2010 Never Let Me Go Young Ruth
Ways to Live Forever Kayleigh
2011NiceCandyShort film
Intruders Mia
2013 Kick-Ass 2 Dolce
2014 WildLike MacKenzie
Maleficent Teen Maleficent
2016The Journey is the DestinationAmy
The Legend of Tarzan Young Jane Porter Uncredited
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Emma Bloom
2017 Churchill Helen Garrett
Access All AreasMia
2018 UFO Natalie
2021 Army of the Dead Kate Ward

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2015 Cyberbully MeganTelevision film
2018 Ordeal by Innocence Hester ArgyllMiniseries, 3 episodes
2018–2019 Sweetbitter TessMain role, 14 episodes
2020 Belgravia Lady Maria GreyMiniseries, 6 episodes
2021–2023 Yellowjackets Jackie TaylorMain role (season 1), Recurring role (season 2) (12 episodes)
2021–present Star Trek: Prodigy GwynVoice role
Main role, 20 episodes
Arcane Jinx Voice role
Main role, 6 episodes
2024 Invincible JaneVoice role, Episode: "I Thought You Were Stronger"
Fallout Lucy MacLeanMain role
TBA Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas Kate WardVoice role, upcoming series
TBA Sweetpea Rhiannon LewisMain role, upcoming series; also executive producer

Stage

YearTitleRoleNotes
2017 Natives A Southwark Playhouse

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2022 Star Trek Prodigy: Supernova GwynVoice role

Awards and nominations

YearWorkOrganizationsCategoryResult
2015 WildLike Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Best ActressWon
Hill Country Film Festival Best ActressNominated
Gasparilla International Film Festival Best Female PerformanceWon
Naperville Independent Film Festival Best ActressNominated
Twister Alley International Film Festival Best Actress – Feature FilmWon
Myrtle Beach International Film Festival Best ActressWon
Richmond International Film Festival Best ActressWon
2021 Arcane Annie Awards Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production Won
2023 Yellowjackets Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards Best Guest Actress in a Drama SeriesNominated

Related Research Articles

<i>Ordeal by Innocence</i> 1958 novel by Agatha Christie

Ordeal by Innocence is a work of detective fiction by British writer Agatha Christie, first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club on 3 November 1958 and in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company the following year. The UK edition retailed at twelve shillings and sixpence (12/6) and the US edition at $2.95.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tika Sumpter</span> American actress (born 1980)

Euphemia LatiQue"Tika" Sumpter is an American actress and producer. Sumpter began her career as the host of Best Friend's Date. From 2005 to 2010, she appeared in the daytime soap opera One Life to Live. In 2010, she made her film debut in Stomp the Yard: Homecoming and later featured in supporting roles for What's Your Number? (2011), Sparkle (2012), and A Madea Christmas (2013).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesley Manville</span> British actress (born 1956)

Lesley Ann Manville is an English actress known for her frequent collaborations with Mike Leigh, appearing in the films Grown-Ups (1980), High Hopes (1988), Secrets & Lies (1996), Topsy-Turvy (1999), All or Nothing (2002), Vera Drake (2004), Another Year (2010), and Mr. Turner (2014). She has been nominated for two British Academy Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her roles in Another Year (2010) and Phantom Thread (2017), with her performance in the latter earning her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moisés Arias</span> American actor (born 1994)

Moisés Arias is an American actor. He portrayed Rico in the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana, Biaggio in the 2013 Sundance film The Kings of Summer, Cokestraw in the 2019 SXSW comedy-drama The Wall of Mexico, Bigfoot in the Colombian war drama Monos, and Norm MacLean in the Amazon Prime Video drama series Fallout. He has also appeared in Pitch Perfect 3, Five Feet Apart, Ender's Game, The Stanford Prison Experiment, Jockey, The Perfect Game, and The King of Staten Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Cooke</span> English actor (born 1987)

Christian Louis Cooke is an English actor. He is known for playing Luke Kirkwall in Where the Heart Is, Luke Rutherford in Demons, Dorian Gaudain in Trinity, Freddie Taylor in Cemetery Junction and Len Matthews in the Channel 4 mini series The Promise. Cooke's most recent roles include ex-soldier Graham Connor in Crackle's original drama The Art of More and Mickey Argyll in BBC's three-part adaptation of Agatha Christie novel Ordeal by Innocence.

<i>Maleficent</i> (film) 2014 film directed by Robert Stromberg

Maleficent is a 2014 American fantasy film starring Angelina Jolie as Maleficent in a live-action retelling of her villainous role in Walt Disney's 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty, itself an adaptation of Charles Perrault's 1697 fairy tale. The film is directed by Robert Stromberg from a screenplay by Linda Woolverton. It also stars Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, and Lesley Manville in supporting roles.

Caitlin FitzGerald American actress and filmmaker

Caitlin FitzGerald is an American actress and filmmaker. She is known for her roles as Libby Masters in the Showtime drama Masters of Sex (2013–2016) and Simone in Starz series Sweetbitter (2018–2019).

<i>Sweetbitter</i> Novel by Stephanie Danler

Sweetbitter is a 2016 novel by American writer Stephanie Danler, published by Alfred A. Knopf. It is Danler's first published book. It was written over a seven-year period, and, despite glowing press before its release, received mixed reviews.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evan Jonigkeit</span> American actor (born 1983)

Evan Jonigkeit is an American actor known for his roles in X-Men: Days of Future Past, Bone Tomahawk, and Easy.

<i>Howards End</i> (TV series) 2017 British-American television drama

Howards End is a British-American drama television series based on the 1910 novel of the same name by E. M. Forster. The series was adapted by Kenneth Lonergan, directed by Hettie MacDonald, and stars Hayley Atwell. The four-part series is a co-production between British network BBC One and American network Starz. It premiered on 12 November 2017 in the United Kingdom and 8 April 2018 in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ella Hunt</span> English actress and singer (born 1998)

Ella Hunt is an English actress and singer. She was nominated for a Scottish BAFTA for her performance in the film Anna and the Apocalypse (2017). On television, she is known for her roles as Ellie Marsden in the ITV comedy-drama Cold Feet (2016–2017) and Sue Gilbert in the Apple TV+ series Dickinson (2019–2021).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Cree</span> Scottish actor

Steven Cree is a Scottish film, television and theatre actor. He is best known for his role as Ian Murray in the Starz television series Outlander. His other work includes the films Brave (2012), 300: Rise of an Empire (2014), Maleficent (2014), 51 Degrees North (2014), Churchill (2017), and the television series Lip Service.

Sweetbitter is an American drama television series, based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Stephanie Danler and inspired by her time working in New York’s well-known restaurant Union Square Café. The show premiered on May 6, 2018, on Starz. In July 2018, it was announced that Starz had renewed the series for a second season, which premiered on July 14, 2019. In December 2019, the series was canceled after two seasons.

<i>Vida</i> (TV series) 2018 American drama television series

Vida is an American drama television series created by Tanya Saracho and inspired by the short story "Pour Vida" by Richard Villegas Jr. The series stars Melissa Barrera, Mishel Prada, Ser Anzoategui, Chelsea Rendon, Carlos Miranda, Maria-Elena Laas, and Roberta Colindrez. Vida tells the story of two Mexican American sisters who move back to their childhood home in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles after the death of their mother.

<i>Ordeal by Innocence</i> (TV series) TV series

Ordeal by Innocence is a three-part television drama series that was first broadcast in April 2018 on BBC One. It is based on the Agatha Christie novel of the same name and is the third English-language filmed version to be broadcast. The drama stars Morven Christie, Bill Nighy, Anna Chancellor, Alice Eve and Eleanor Tomlinson amongst others.

<i>Belgravia</i> (TV series) British television series

Belgravia is a British Regency and Victorian-era historical drama television series, set in the 19th century, based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Julian Fellowes—both named after Belgravia, an affluent district of London. The limited series, a co-production between Carnival Films and American cable network Epix, is adapted by Fellowes from his novel, and reunites the production team behind Downton Abbey with Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant executive producing alongside Liz Trubridge and Fellowes. Belgravia is directed by John Alexander, and produced by Colin Wratten.

<i>Fallout</i> (American TV series) 2024 American television series

Fallout is an American post-apocalyptic drama television series created by Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet for Amazon Prime Video. Based on the role-playing video game franchise created by Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky, the series stars Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, Kyle MacLachlan, Moisés Arias, Xelia Mendes-Jones, and Walton Goggins.

Stephanie Danler is an American author. Her debut novel, Sweetbitter (2016), was a New York Times bestseller and was adapted into a television show by the same name. She released a memoir, Stray, in 2020.

Yellowjackets is an American thriller drama television series created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson. It stars an ensemble cast led by Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, Liv Hewson, and Courtney Eaton as a group of teenagers involved in a plane crash in 1996, with Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci, Lauren Ambrose, and Simone Kessell playing their adult counterparts in 2021. Ella Purnell, Steven Krueger, Warren Kole, and Kevin Alves also star.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Moten</span> American actor (born 1989)

Aaron Clifton Moten is an American actor. He began acting as a youth, playing in his school theatre program. After graduating from the Juilliard School, he began professionally acting in New York City, playing in the main cast of the Netflix television sitcom Disjointed (2017–2018). In the 2020s, Moten went on to play in the series Next (2020), Father Stu (2022), Emancipation (2022), and Fallout (2024).

References

  1. "Ella Summer PURNELL". Companies House service. Archived from the original on 11 July 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  2. Nugent, Annabel (23 April 2022). "Yellowjackets' Ella Purnell". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  3. "Asa Butterfield and Ella Purnell Interview at Young Actors Theatre Islington – YouTube". YouTube . 8 April 2017. Archived from the original on 8 April 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  4. "Ella Purnell | Screen". Screendaily.com. 6 July 2010. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  5. "First trailer for 'Never Let Me Go' with Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan". Moviejungle.com. 16 June 2010. Archived from the original on 19 June 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  6. "Ways to live forever – The Movie". Waystoliveforever.com. 23 December 2009. Archived from the original on 1 August 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  7. Cooper, Sarah (14 July 2010). "Fersnadillo starts shooting thriller Intruders in London". Screendaily.com. Archived from the original on 4 December 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  8. "Stars of Tomorrow 2010". Screenterrier.blogspot.com. Archived from the original on 3 October 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  9. "Two teenage British stars are set to join Eva Green". Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  10. Clarke, Cath (19 October 2017). "Access All Areas review – Hollyoaks goes Bestival in a teen music festival caper". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 September 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  11. "'Churchill' shoot begins; cast revealed". Screen. Archived from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  12. Billen, Andrew (31 March 2018). "Ordeal by Innocence: the Christie Mystery that almost got away". The Times. No. 72497. Saturday Review. pp. 4–5. ISSN   0140-0460.
  13. Petski, Denise (6 October 2017). "'Sweetbitter': Ella Purnell To Star In Starz Drama Series Based On Book". Deadline. Archived from the original on 7 October 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  14. "Ella Purnell on the Starz Series 'Sweetbitter' and Her Disastrous Audition". Collider. 3 May 2018. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  15. "'Sweetbitter' Canceled at Starz (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. 20 December 2019. Archived from the original on 6 March 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  16. Bahr, Robyn (10 April 2020). "'Belgravia': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 27 March 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  17. Haylock, Zoe (17 January 2022). "Ella Purnell on Surviving Yellowjackets as 'Queen Bee' Jackie". Vulture. Archived from the original on 17 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  18. Davis, Clayton (10 April 2024). "'Fallout' Sets Emmys Campaign: Walton Goggins and Ella Purnell Go for Lead Drama, Aaron Moten Submits for Supporting (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved 14 April 2024.