Laura Carmichael | |
---|---|
Born | Southampton, Hampshire, England | 16 July 1986
Alma mater | Bristol Old Vic Theatre School |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 2009–present |
Partner | Michael C. Fox (2014–present) |
Children | 1 |
Laura Carmichael (born 16 July 1986) [1] is an English actress, most widely known for her performance as Lady Edith Crawley in the ITV (UK) and PBS (US) television period drama series Downton Abbey . Her other work includes television series Marcella (2016), [2] and the feature film A United Kingdom (2016). [3]
Carmichael was born in Southampton, England. [1] She is the middle of three daughters. Her sister Amy works for a software start-up company and her other sister Olivia is a charity fundraiser with the NHS. [4]
She was educated at Shirley Junior School, The Mountbatten School, [5] and Peter Symonds College. [6] Carmichael attended the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol, graduating in 2007, before spending two years in various odd jobs, including a teaching assistant, receptionist, and nanny while going to tiny auditions in fringe theatres. [7] [8]
Between 2010 and 2015, she played Lady Edith Crawley in Downton Abbey , a role which brought her worldwide recognition. [9] Commenting on gaining the role of Lady Edith, Carmichael says, "I don't know how it happened with Downton; it really was a miracle. I think it was because I had a good drama school on my CV and they had struggled to find someone for Edith, because she had to be quite different from the two other girls Lady Mary and Lady Sybil". Yet, the actress has enjoyed the role, "When I was at drama school I had quite a lot of wet, ingénue parts, so I'm delighted because it is much more fun playing her. It's interesting how one role can make people see you differently". [8]
Other television roles include parts in The Heart of Thomas Hardy, and End of Our Street. [6] In 2011, she appeared in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy , and she played Henriette in the 2014 film of Madame Bovary . [6]
Carmichael starred in the 2015 British black comedy feature film Burn, Burn, Burn, a coming-of-age tale, inspired by the Jack Kerouac novel On the Road published in 1957. The directorial debut of Chanya Button, it follows the fictional story of two girls, Seph (Carmichael) and Alex (Chloe Pirrie), taking a road trip to follow the instructions of their close friend Dan, who has died and given them instructions where to scatter his ashes. The ashes (stored in tupperware in the glove compartment) keep diminishing in quantity as the trip progresses. The film had its World premiere at BFI London Film Festival 2015. [10] [11]
In 2016, Carmichael starred in ITV's new television crime drama series, Marcella , as Maddy Stevenson. Marcella focuses on a British Metropolitan police detective and single mother's return to the murder squad, the first English show by Swedish screenwriter Hans Rosenfeldt, who created the Scandinavian television series The Bridge . [2]
In 2016, Carmichael portrayed Muriel Williams in A United Kingdom , a political yet romantic drama, also starring Rosamund Pike and David Oyelowo. The film saw Carmichael immersing herself in the early days of 1940s apartheid. She played Muriel, the sister of Ruth Williams, the Englishwoman who (in real life) challenged colonial racism to marry Seretse Khama, who would become King of Bechuanaland (now Botswana) in 1948. [3]
From 2020 to 2022, Carmichael had a starring role in The Secrets She Keeps , an Australian psychological thriller drama television series, adapted from Michael Robotham's novel of the same name. [12] She portrayed Agatha Fyfle, a crafty and troubled woman obsessed with pregnancy and babies, who kidnaps an infant. [13]
Carmichael made her West End debut in Uncle Vanya opposite Anna Friel and Samuel West in October 2012. [14] She played Arabella in The Fitzrovia Radio Hour at The Underglobe Theatre in early 2013. [15]
In 2016, Carmichael played Madam in Jamie Lloyd's production of The Maids at the Trafalgar Studios in London's West End, co-starring Uzo Aduba. [16] [17]
Carmichael's previous substantial role was in 2011, in David Hare's Plenty at the Sheffield Crucible Theatre with co-stars Anna Friel as Yelena and Ken Stott as Vanya. [18]
She played Laura in Reasons for Living as part of the 2009 Scratch Festival at Battersea Arts Centre. [19] In late 2009, she played Miranda in a touring production of Shakespeare's The Tempest . [20]
Carmichael lives in Camden, London. [4]
Carmichael has been in a relationship with her Downton Abbey co-star Michael C. Fox since 2014, making it public in 2016. [21] They have a son together. [22]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy | Sal | |
2014 | Madame Bovary | Henrietta | |
2015 | Burn Burn Burn | Seph | |
2016 | A United Kingdom | Muriel Williams | |
2019 | Downton Abbey | Edith Pelham, Marchioness of Hexham | |
2022 | Downton Abbey: A New Era | ||
2025 | Untitled Downton Abbey: A New Era sequel | Filming |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2009 | House at the End of Our Street | Yvonne | Television film [23] |
2010 | The Heart of Thomas Hardy | Hardy's Maid | Television film [24] |
2010–2015 | Downton Abbey | Lady Edith Crawley | Main role |
2016 | Marcella | Maddy Stevenson | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
2017 | Man in an Orange Shirt | Daphne Talbot | Episode #1.1 |
2019–2020 | The Spanish Princess | Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury | Main role |
2020–2022 | The Secrets She Keeps | Agatha | Main role |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2009 | Reasons for Living | Laura | BAC |
The Tempest | Miranda/Ariel | UK tour | |
2011 | Plenty | Louise/Dorcas | Sheffield Crucible Theatre |
2012 | Uncle Vanya | Sonya | Vaudeville Theatre |
2013 | The Fitzrovia Radio Hour | Arabella | Underglobe Theatre |
2016 | The Maids | Madam | Trafalgar Studios |
2017 | Apologia | Trudi | Trafalgar Studios |
Dame Margaret Natalie Smith is an English actress. Known for her wit in comedic roles, she has had an extensive career on stage and screen over seven decades and is one of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actresses. She has received numerous accolades including two Academy Awards, five BAFTA Awards, four Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and a Tony Award as well as nominations for six Laurence Olivier Awards. Smith is one of the few performers to earn the Triple Crown of Acting.
Anna Louise Friel is an English actress. She first achieved fame as Beth Jordache in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside (1993–1995), later coming to international prominence with her role as Charlotte "Chuck" Charles on ABC's Pushing Daisies (2007–2009), for which she received a nomination for the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy Series. In 2017, she won the International Emmy for Best Actress for her portrayal of the title character in the ITV/Netflix mystery drama series Marcella (2016–2021). Her other accolades include a Drama Desk Award, an honorary degree, and a BAFTA nomination.
Elizabeth Lee McGovern is an American actress. She has received many awards, including a Screen Actors Guild Award, three Golden Globe Award nominations, and one Academy Award nomination.
Samantha Jane Bond is an English actress. She played Miss Moneypenny in four James Bond films during the Pierce Brosnan era, and appeared in Downton Abbey as the wealthy widow Lady Rosamund Painswick, sister of Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham. On television, she played "Auntie Angela" in the sitcom Outnumbered and the villain Mrs Wormwood in the CBBC Doctor Who spin-off, The Sarah Jane Adventures. She also originated the role of "Miz Liz" Probert in the Rumpole of the Bailey series. She is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Dame Imelda Mary Philomena Bernadette Staunton is an English actress and singer. After training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Staunton began her career in repertory theatre in 1976 and appeared in various theatre productions in the United Kingdom. Over her career, she has received several awards including a British Academy Film Award, and four Laurence Olivier Awards as well as nominations for an Academy Award, three British Academy Television Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and two Primetime Emmy Awards.
Niamh Cusack is an Irish actress. Born to a family with deep roots in the performing arts, she has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Royal National Theatre, and many others. Her most notable television role was as Dr. Kate Rowan in the UK series Heartbeat (1992–1995). Other TV and film credits include Always and Everyone (1999–2002), The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends (1992–1995), The Closer You Get (2000), Agatha Christie's Marple, Midsomer Murders (2008), A Touch of Frost (2010), In Love with Alma Cogan (2011), Testament of Youth (2014), Departure (2015), Chick Lit, The Ghoul (2016), The Virtues (2019), Death in Paradise (2021), The Tower (2023). She has been nominated at IFTA for her performance in Too Good to be True (2004).
Phyllis Logan is a Scottish actress, widely known for her roles as Lady Jane Felsham in Lovejoy (1986–1993) and Mrs Hughes in Downton Abbey (2010–2015). She won the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer for the 1983 film Another Time, Another Place. Her other film appearances include Secrets & Lies (1996), Shooting Fish (1997), Downton Abbey (2019) and Misbehaviour (2020).
My Anna Margaretha Buring Rantapää, known professionally as MyAnna Buring, is a Swedish-born British actress. Her films include The Descent (2005), Kill List (2011), and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (2011) and Part 2 (2012). On television, she is known for her roles in the BBC series Ripper Street (2012–2016) and the Netflix series The Witcher (2019–2023).
Raquel Cassidy is an English actress. She played the role of Phyllis Baxter in the television series Downton Abbey (2013–2015), winning a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. She has reprised the role for both the 2019 feature film of the same name and its 2022 sequel.
Michelle Suzanne Dockery is an English actress. She is best known for starring as Lady Mary Crawley in the ITV television period drama series Downton Abbey (2010–2015), for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and three consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. She reprised her role in the films Downton Abbey (2019) and Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022).
Lesley Nicol is an English actress, a three-time SAG Award winner in the Best Cast in a Drama Series category for her role as Beryl Patmore in the ITV and PBS drama TV series Downton Abbey. She also starred in the 2019 feature film adaptation of the series and its 2022 sequel.
Joanne Froggatt is a British actress. From 2010 to 2015, she portrayed Anna Bates in the ITV period drama series Downton Abbey, for which she received three Emmy nominations and won the 2014 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress. From 2017 to 2020, she starred as Laura Nielson in the ITV/Sundance drama series Liar.
Siobhan Margaret Finneran is an English actress. She made her screen debut in the 1987 independent film Rita, Sue and Bob Too, and subsequently worked consistently in television drama including roles in Coronation Street (1989–1990), Clocking Off (2000–2002) and The Amazing Mrs Pritchard (2006). In 2005, Finneran originated the lead female role in the stage play On the Shore of the Wide World and was awarded the Manchester Evening News Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Also a comedy performer, Finneran appeared as Janice Garvey, a leading character in the first seven series of ITV sitcom Benidorm (2007–2015).
Jayne Houdyshell is an American actress. Known for being a prolific character actor in theater, film, and television, Houdyshell has received numerous accolades including a Tony Award, two Obie Awards, and a Drama Desk Award.
Downton Abbey is a British historical drama television series set in the early 20th century, created and co-written by Julian Fellowes. It first aired in the United Kingdom on ITV on 26 September 2010 and in the United States on PBS, which supported its production as part of its Masterpiece Classic anthology, on 9 January 2011. The show ran for six series and fifty-two episodes, including five Christmas specials.
Sophie McShera is an English actress known for her roles as Ros McCain in the fifth series of the BBC television series Waterloo Road, as Daisy Mason in the ITV television series Downton Abbey, and as Drizella Tremaine in the 2015 Disney film Cinderella.
Jessica Rose Brown Findlay is an English actress. She played Lady Sybil Crawley in the ITV television period drama series Downton Abbey and Emelia Conan Doyle in the 2011 British comedy-drama feature film Albatross.
Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson, known professionally as Lily James, is an English actress. She studied acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and began her career in the British television series Just William (2010). Following a supporting role in the period drama series Downton Abbey (2012–2015), her breakthrough was the title role in the fantasy film Cinderella (2015).
Harry Frederick Gerard Hadden-Paton is a British actor. He is perhaps best known for his television roles as Herbert "Bertie" Pelham, 7th Marquess of Hexham, in the television series Downton Abbey and Martin Charteris in The Crown.
Downton Abbey is a 2019 historical drama film written by Julian Fellowes, series creator and writer of the television series of the same name, and directed by Michael Engler. The film was produced by Carnival Films and Perfect World Pictures and it continues the storyline from the series, with much of the original cast returning. The film, set in 1927, depicts a royal visit to the Crawley family's stately home in Yorkshire. As royal staff members descend on Downton, an assassin has also arrived and attempts to kill the monarch. The Crawleys and their servants are pitted against the royal entourage, including the queen's lady-in-waiting, who has fallen out with the Crawley family, especially the Dowager Countess, over an inheritance issue.