Esther Smith

Last updated

Esther Smith
Born (1986-09-28) 28 September 1986 (age 37) [1]
OccupationActress
Years active2010–present

Esther Smith is an English actress best known for her work in the television series Uncle , Cuckoo and Trying . She is also known for originating the role of Delphi Diggory in the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child .

Contents

Early life

Smith was raised in Stourbridge, West Midlands. Her parents are teachers, and she has a sister, Rachel. [2] [3] Smith began dancing when she was three and was active in her local pantomime company. [3] [4] She studied ballet and contemporary dance at King Edward VI College in Stourbridge, where she began acting, before moving to the Guildford School of Acting at the urging of a teacher. [2] [5]

Career

Shortly after leaving drama school, Smith rose to prominence in 2010 for her role as Trish in Material Girl . [3] She has since had guest appearances on Skins and The Midnight Beast .

In 2014, she replaced Tamla Kari as Rachel for the second series of Cuckoo on BBC Three. [2] She also starred in the ITV2 comedy Cockroaches and had a recurring role on another BBC Three sitcom, Uncle, as Melodie. [5] [6]

In April 2015, Smith starred in Channel 4 show Ballot Monkeys , as assistant to the Liberal Democrats candidate. [7] In February 2016, she appeared in Siblings as Holly, an old flame of Dan's from Circus School.

She was part of the original cast of Harry Potter play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , portraying Delphi Diggory. In October 2017 she appeared in Parliament Square as Kat at the Royal Exchange, Manchester.

In May 2020, Smith began appearing in Apple TV+ original Trying in the lead role of Nikki. Season 2 premiered on 21 May 2021. Season 3 premiered on 22 July 2022.

Filmography

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2010 Material Girl TrishMain role
2013 Skins Emma2 episodes
2013 Holby City Roxanne GregsonEpisode: "All at Sea"
2014–2017 Uncle Melodie10 episodes
2014 The Midnight Beast Ronnie4 episodes
2014 The Smoke Mother1 episode
2014–2019 Cuckoo RachelMain role (27 episodes); replaced Tamla Kari
2014 Black Mirror MadgeEpisode: "White Christmas"
2015CockroachesSuze
2015 Ballot Monkeys Charlotte Guthrie
2016 Zapped GwendolynEpisode: "Barrel"
2016 Siblings HollyEpisode: "Baby Sack"
2020–present Trying Nikki NewmanMain role

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2015Funny Valentines: Elephant (Nick Helm)"Her"Short film (BBC iPlayer)
2017New YearAliceShort film
2017ConfectionMs. KrippsShort film
2018F*ckSarahShort film

Theatre credits

YearTitleRoleTheatreNotes
2009The AuthorEsther Royal Court Theatre
2010 Romeo and Juliet Juliet Capulet Mosaica @ The Chocolate Factory
2010The AuthorEsther North Wall Arts Centre
Northern Stage
Warwick Arts Centre
Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Royal Exchange
Un­knownLimbs (Present Tense)WomanNabokov Theatre
2011Many MoonsJuniper Jessops Theatre503
Un­knownCarrotMichelle Theatre503
Un­knownWhen it FallsGillian Soho Theatre
2012The Honey ManMistyGuildhall Theatre
Terry O'Toole Theatre
Kirkgate Centre
2012NSFWCharlotte Royal Court Theatre
2016–2017 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Delphi Diggory Palace Theatre
2017–2018Parliament SquareKat Royal Exchange
Bush Theatre

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. K. Rowling</span> British author and philanthropist (born 1965)

Joanne Rowling, better known by her pen name J. K. Rowling, is a British author and philanthropist. She wrote Harry Potter, a seven-volume fantasy series published from 1997 to 2007. The series has sold over 600 million copies, been translated into 84 languages, and spawned a global media franchise including films and video games. The Casual Vacancy (2012) was her first novel for adults. She writes Cormoran Strike, an ongoing crime fiction series, under the alias Robert Galbraith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hermione Granger</span> Fictional character from the Harry Potter literature series

Hermione Jean Granger is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. She first appears in the novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (1997), on the Hogwarts express as a first year student on her way to Hogwarts. After Harry and Ron save her from a mountain troll in the girls' restroom, she becomes best friends with them and often uses her quick wit, deft recall, and encyclopaedic knowledge to lend aid in dire situations. Rowling has stated that Hermione resembles herself as a young girl, with her insecurity and fear of failure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dumbledore's Army</span> Fictional student organisation in J. K. Rowlings Harry Potter series

Dumbledore's Army is a fictional student organisation in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series that is founded by the main characters, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, to stand up against the regime of Hogwarts High Inquisitor Dolores Umbridge, as well as to learn practical Defence Against the Dark Arts. It was founded in the fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Potter (character)</span> Protagonist of the Harry Potter literature series

Harry James Potter is a fictional character and the titular protagonist in J. K. Rowling's series of eponymous novels. The majority of the books' plot covers seven years in the life of the orphan Harry, who, on his eleventh birthday, learns he is a wizard. Thus, he attends Hogwarts to practise magic under the guidance of the kindly headmaster Albus Dumbledore and other school professors along with his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Harry also discovers that he is already famous throughout the novel's magical community, and that his fate is tied with that of Lord Voldemort – the internationally feared Dark Wizard and murderer of his parents, James and Lily Potter. The book and film series revolve around Harry's struggle to adapt to the wizarding world and defeat Voldemort.

<i>Harry Potter</i> Fantasy literature series by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The main story arc concerns Harry's conflict with Lord Voldemort, a dark wizard who intends to become immortal, overthrow the wizard governing body known as the Ministry of Magic, and subjugate all wizards and Muggles.

Celia Daisy Morna Haggard is a British actress and writer. She is known for her roles in the BBC sitcoms Uncle and Episodes. Haggard stars in BBC Three’s comedy-drama, Back to Life, which she also created and co-wrote with Laura Solon. Since 2020, she has appeared alongside Martin Freeman as Ally in the FX series Breeders, a role for which she was nominated for the BAFTA Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taylor Lautner</span> American actor

Taylor Daniel Lautner is an American actor. He is best known for playing werewolf Jacob Black in The Twilight Saga film series (2008–2012).

Sonia Friedman is a British West End and Broadway theatre producer. On 27 January 2017, Friedman was named Producer of the Year for the third year running at The Stage Awards, becoming the first person to win the award three times. In 2018, Friedman was featured in "TIME100", Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2018 and was named Broadway Briefing's Show Person of the Year. In 2019, Sonia Friedman Productions was ranked The Stage 's most influential theatre producer in The Stage 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ginny Weasley</span> Fictional character in J. K. Rowlings Harry Potter series

Ginevra Molly "Ginny" Weasley is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter novel series. Ginny is introduced in the first book Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as the youngest sibling and only daughter of Arthur and Molly Weasley. She becomes Harry's main love interest and eventually marries him at the end of the series. She is portrayed by Bonnie Wright in all eight Harry Potter films.

Robin French is an English playwright, film and television writer and songwriter.

<i>Cuckoo</i> (TV series) British-Irish sitcom

Cuckoo is a British sitcom that began airing on BBC Three on 25 September 2012, repeating on BBC One, and in 2016 began airing worldwide on Netflix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karen Iwata</span> Japanese singer

Karen Iwata is an actress and former member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48 under Team A.

Susan Heyward is an American actress. She starred in the PlayStation Network original series Powers (2015–16) and HBO period drama Vinyl (2016). From 2018 to 2019, Heyward had a recurring role as Tamika Ward in the Netflix comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black. On stage, she made her Broadway debut in the 2013 production of The Trip to Bountiful and in 2018-2019 played Rose Granger-Weasley in the Broadway production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

<i>Harry Potter and the Cursed Child</i> 2016 play by Jack Thorne

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a play written by Jack Thorne, based on an original story written by J. K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Thorne. The story is set nineteen years after the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It follows Albus Severus Potter, son of Harry Potter, who is now Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Magic. When Albus arrives at Hogwarts, he gets sorted into Slytherin, and fails to live up to his father's legacy, making him resentful of his father. Rowling has referred to the play as "the eighth Harry Potter story".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wizarding World</span> Shared fictional universe

The Wizarding World is a fantasy media franchise and shared fictional universe centred on the Harry Potter novel series by J. K. Rowling. A series of films have been in production since 2000, and in that time eleven films have been produced—eight are adaptations of the Harry Potter novels and three are part of the Fantastic Beasts series. The films are owned and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The series has collectively grossed over $9.6 billion at the global box office, making it the fourth-highest-grossing film franchise of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neville Longbottom</span> Fictional character in the Harry Potter universe

Neville Longbottom is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter book series. He is described as a round-faced Gryffindor student in the central character Harry Potter's year. Throughout the series, Neville is often portrayed as a bumbling and disorganised character, and a rather mediocre student, though he is highly gifted at Herbology. However, the character's personality appears to undergo a transition after he joins Dumbledore's Army in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The encouragement he receives gives him confidence in his magical abilities, turning him into a more competent wizard. Eventually, Neville becomes the leader of Dumbledore's Army during Harry, Ron and Hermione's absence searching for Horcruxes. Neville is instrumental in the downfall of Lord Voldemort and eventually destroys the final Horcrux, which allows Harry to defeat The Dark Lord once and for all. Neville is portrayed in the film adaptations by Matthew Lewis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cedric Diggory</span> Fictional character from Harry Potter

Cedric Diggory is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. He is one of the main characters in the fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, as he represents Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Triwizard Tournament, alongside Harry Potter. Cedric is murdered by Peter Pettigrew on Lord Voldemort's orders during Voldemort's resurrection in Little Hangleton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minerva McGonagall</span> Fictional character in the Harry Potter series universe

Professor Minerva McGonagall is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. Professor McGonagall is a professor at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, the head of Gryffindor House, the professor of Transfiguration, the Deputy Headmistress under Albus Dumbledore and a member of the Order of the Phoenix. Following Lord Voldemort's defeat at the hands of her student Harry Potter and the deaths of Headmasters Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape, McGonagall takes the position of Headmistress. McGonagall was originally portrayed in the film adaptations by actress Maggie Smith, and later by Fiona Glascott in the Fantastic Beasts prequel films The Crimes of Grindelwald and The Secrets of Dumbledore.

References

  1. "37 🎈". Instagram. 28 September 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Laws, Roz (4 August 2014). "Esther goes Cuckoo with Twilight star Taylor Lautner". Birmingham Mail . Reach plc . Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 Holder, Bev (9 February 2010). "Stourbridge actress strikes a pose in new fashion drama". Dudley News . Newsquest Ltd. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  4. Falconer, Daniel (11 August 2014). "Esther Smith exclusive interview – Cuckoo, Taylor Lautner's dropped towel & more". Female First. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Cockroaches Interview with Daniel Lawrence Taylor and Esther Smith". Student Rag. 10 November 2014. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  6. Dessau, Bruce (9 February 2015). "TV Review, Uncle, Series 2, BBC3". Beyond The Joke. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  7. Shennan, Paddy (24 April 2015). "Election 2015: New sitcom is making monkeys out of politicians". Liverpool Echo . Reach plc . Retrieved 24 April 2015.