Lucy Griffiths (actress, born 1986)

For the British actress born in 1919, see Lucy Griffiths (actress, born 1919).
Lucy Griffiths
Born Lucy Ursula Griffiths
10 October 1986[1]
Brighton, England, UK
Years active 2006–present

Lucy Griffiths (born 10 October 1986)[1] is an English actress best known for her roles as Lady Marian in the BBC drama series Robin Hood (2006–09) and as Nora Gainesborough, Eric Northman's "sister", in the HBO series True Blood (2012–13).

Life and career

Born in Brighton, Griffiths was educated at Roedean School, Windlesham House School, Dorothy Stringer High School and Varndean College. She is a former member of the National Youth Music Theatre.

She first appeared on television in Sea of Souls and then Sugar Rush, and on stage in The White Devil.

In February 2006 it was announced she would be playing a "feisty", beautiful Marian in the BBC family drama series Robin Hood, alongside Jonas Armstrong. Griffiths has said that her character "has been written as an intelligent, witty, biting character, and that's how I expected her to be."[2]

Griffiths returned as Marian in the second series of Robin Hood in 2007, but her character was killed off in the final episode. Though this decision proved unpopular with fans of the series, it is said on a BBC Nottingham page that she left the show to pursue 'other opportunities'. It has been rumored that she wanted to leave the show to further her career in Hollywood.[3] However, other sources say she was written out to allow the show to be taken in a new direction. She returned in the series finale a year later[4] as a spectral vision of Marian.[5]

In 2009 she made her West End debut in a revival of Arcadia and appeared in the ITV1 drama Collision. On 5 September 2010, she appeared in the ITV drama U Be Dead, playing Bethan Ancell[6] and on 1 November 2010 she starred in ITV drama The Little House.

In January 2011 Griffiths signed a talent holding deal with US television network CBS.[7] It had been announced that she would play Jenna Lestrade, the lead in the CW zombie pilot Awakening,[8][9] however the show did not go ahead.[10]

In November 2011 it was revealed that Griffiths would play Nora, the sister of vampire Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgård), in the fifth season of HBO's True Blood.[10] Nora is not a character in the Southern Vampire Mysteries (the books the TV series is based on) but she has been described as "intelligent, intimidating, cool under pressure and a very good liar" according to TV Line.[10] During November 2011 Griffiths also appeared on stage at the Finborough Theatre, London, in the play Atman by Iain Finlay Macleod.

She voiced Mabel Dobbs in the Big Finish Productions Doctor Who audio drama The Auntie Matter, which was released in January 2013.

She has a diploma in mime from a world famous school in Paris and claims that Marcel Marceau was her greatest influence into the artistry of emotions and actions without words. She also admires performances of Judi Dench, Kate Winslet, and Jennifer Saunders.

Griffiths was originally cast in Constantine as the female lead Liv Aberdine, the daughter of a late friend, who comes to discover that she has the ability of seeing the supernatural world among us. She teams up with Constantine to fight the demons who have targeted her and learn more about her late father.[11] Griffiths was dropped after Goyer and Cerone decided to take the series in a different creative direction.[12] Instead the original comic character Zed will be written in.[12] Angélica Celaya was later announced to fill the role. Some of Griffiths' final scenes from the pilot were reshot, explaining why she doesn't join Constantine in his adventures as it was originally intended.[13]

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
2006 Sea of Souls Rebecca Episode: "Succubus"
2006 Sugar Rush Lettie Episode #2.2
2006–09 Robin Hood Marian 26 episodes
2009 U Be Dead Bethan Ancell TV movie
2009 Collision Jane Tarrant 5 episodes
2010 Lewis Madeline Escher Episode: "Falling Darkness"
2010 The Little House Ruth 2 episodes
2011 Billboard The Ex
2011 Awakening Jenna Lestrade TV movie
2012–13 True Blood Nora Gainesborough Regular role (seasons 5 & 6)
2013 The Numbers Station Meredith
2014 Winter's Tale Young Woman [Peter's mother]
2014 Don't Look Back Nora Clark
2014 Constantine Liv Aberdeen Episode: "Non Est Asylum" (pilot)
2015 Uncanny Joy Andrews In post-production

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lucy Griffiths at the Internet Movie Database
  2. ↑ "Robin Hood given modern makeover". BBC News. 8 September 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-16.
  3. ↑ "They've killed Maid Marian". BBC Nottingham. 31 December 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  4. ↑
  5. ↑ "BBC One – Robin Hood, Series 3, Something Worth Fighting For – Part 2". Bbc.co.uk. 2013-09-28. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
  6. ↑ "U Be Dead" Press Release
  7. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie. "CBS Signs Talent Holding Deal With Young British Actress –". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
  8. ↑ "openbookcastinglive.com" (PDF). openbookcastinglive.com. Retrieved 2014-01-06.
  9. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie. "‘The River’ & ‘Awakening’ Find Their Leads, Two Board ‘Tagged’ & ‘Wonder Woman’ –". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Michael Ausiello (2011-11-02). "True Blood Casts Lucy Griffiths as Nora in Season 5". TVLine. Retrieved 2014-01-06.
  11. ↑ "Lucy Griffiths & Harold Perrineau Join NBC Pilot ‘Constantine’". Deadline. 5 March 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Goldberg, Lesley (10 July 2014). "'Constantine's' Lucy Griffiths Exits NBC Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  13. ↑ Sepinwall, Alan (13 July 2014). "Press Tour: 'Constantine' Hires Angelica Celaya to Replace Lucy Griffiths". HitFix. Retrieved 14 July 2014.

External links