Jessica Hynes

Jessica Hynes

Hynes at the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con
Born Tallulah Jessica Elina Stevenson
(1972-10-30) 30 October 1972
Lewisham, London, England
Occupation Actress, writer
Years active 1993–present
Spouse(s) Adam Hynes (m. 2002)
Children 3

Tallulah Jessica Elina Hynes (née Stevenson; born 30 October 1972) is an English actress and writer. Known professionally as Jessica Stevenson until 2007,[1] she was one of the creators, writers and stars of the British sitcom Spaced and has worked as a writer and actress for over two decades.

Hynes has been nominated for a Tony, a Laurence Olivier Award, four BAFTAs (of which she has won one), and three British Comedy Awards (of which she has won two). She is a celebrity ambassador for the charity Action for Children and organised a fundraising concert for Haiti Kids Kino project with her friend and sometime collaborator Julia Davis which raised £4000 for the charity.

Life and career

Hynes was born in Lewisham, London and grew up in Brighton, where she attended Dorothy Stringer High School. As a teenager Hynes was a member of the National Youth Theatre company, and made her stage début with the company in Lionel Bart's Blitz in 1990.[2] In 1992–3 she played a season at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds. In the same year she appeared in Peter Greenaway's 1993 film The Baby of Mâcon, playing the first midwife. For the first fourteen years of her career, Hynes used her maiden name as a stage name. Early in her career she teamed up with future Spaced co-star Katy Carmichael in a comedy double-act called the Liz Hurleys, appeared in two productions at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre, and played parts on television in the nursing drama Staying Alive (1995–97) and short-lived sketch shows Six Pairs of Pants, (Un)natural Acts and Asylum—where the Spaced team (Stevenson, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright) first assembled. She also guest starred in the first episode of Midsomer Murders in 1997.

From 1998–2000 Hynes played the supporting role of Cheryl in the hit sitcom The Royle Family and reprised the role for special episodes in 2006, 2009 and 2010. Also in 1999, she co-wrote and starred in Spaced. Her London theatre début was in April 2002, playing the tough ex-prisoner "Bolla" in Jez Butterworth's The Night Heron at the Royal Court.[3] In 2004 she played a minor part as Yvonne in horror comedy Shaun of the Dead, again working with Pegg and Wright. In the same year she was also cast as Magda, friend of the titular character, in the Hollywood sequel Bridget Jones' Diary 2 also called Bridget Jones' Diary: The Edge of Reason. In 2005 Hynes took the lead role in the BBC One sitcom According to Bex (which she thought was so bad that she sacked her agent for putting her up for it),[1] and had a starring role in British comedy Confetti alongside Jimmy Carr, Martin Freeman and Mark Heap.

In early 2007, Hynes took a lead role in the film Magicians, starring alongside comic duo David Mitchell and Robert Webb. Later that year she starred in Learners, a comedy drama television movie which she also wrote, on BBC One in November 2007.[4] She also provided the voice of Mafalda Hopkirk in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Hynes played Joan Redfern in the 2007 Doctor Who episodes "Human Nature" and "The Family of Blood". She then appeared in part two of the story "The End of Time", playing a character named Verity Newman, who is Joan's great granddaughter.[5] Hynes has appeared in Big Finish's Eighth Doctor audio adventure "Invaders from Mars", with her Spaced colleague Simon Pegg.

In 2007 she starred in Son of Rambow (credited as Jessica Stevenson), playing Mary Proudfoot opposite the star of the film, Bill Milner.

Hynes co-wrote the pilot Phoo Action, based on the cartoons of Jamie Hewlett, which was transmitted on BBC Three in early 2008.[6]

In the same year Hynes appeared in the film Faintheart and in a revival of Alan Ayckbourn's The Norman Conquests at the Old Vic. In 2009 she made her Broadway début in the play's transfer[7] and was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance.

In 2009 she returned to the Royal Court in The Priory, a new play by Michael Wynne.[8]

In 2008 Hynes stated that she planned to pursue a solo career as a standup comedian[9] and was working on a children's book Ants in the Marmalade.[10]

Hynes appeared as a "right-on" PR person Siobhan Sharpe in the London Olympic centred satire Twenty Twelve, of which the first series screened on BBC4 in 2011, moving to BBC2 in spring 2012. A further series was screened in July 2012. She reprised the role in the 2014 series W1A for which she won a Bafta.

In December 2012 she appeared with co-star Hugh Bonneville in World's Most Dangerous Roads, travelling through Georgia.

Hynes was in the film Nativity 2: The Second Coming, in which she plays competition host Angel Matthews. The film was released in November 2012.

In October 2012 she released a duet with singer Anthony Strong of Slim Gaillard's "Laughing in Rhythm".[11]

Credits

Television

Year Title Role Format Notes
1994 The House of Eliott Charlotte Parker TV series Series 3, episode 1
1995 Six Pairs of Pants Various characters TV series
Tears Before Bedtime Maggie TV series
Crown Prosecutor Jackie South TV series
1996 Mash and Peas Various roles TV series
Asylum Martha & Nurse McFadden TV series
Staying Alive Alice Timpson TV series
1997 Midsomer Murders Judith Lessiter TV series Episode: "The Killings at Badger's Drift"
Armstrong and Miller Various roles TV series Series 1–2
Harry Enfield and Chums TV series Episode: "Harry Enfield and His Yule Log Chums"
1998 Unnatural Acts Various roles TV series Episodes 1, 2, 4, 5
Merry-Go-Round Alice, the Ayatollah's Assistant TV series Episode 1
The Royle Family Cheryl Carroll TV series Episodes: "Bills, Bills, Bills", "Sunday Afternoon", "Dad's Birthday", "Wedding Day", "Pregnancy", "Antony's Birthday", "Decorating", "Funeral", "The Christening", "The Queen of Sheba", "The Golden Egg Cup", "Joe's Crackers"
1999 People Like Us Sarah TV series Episode: "The Estate Agent"
Spaced Daisy Steiner TV series Co-wrote with Simon Pegg
2001 Randall & Hopkirk Felia Siderova TV series Episodes: "Mental Apparition Disorder", "Drop Dead"
Bob & Rose Holly Vance TV series
Comedy Lab Wife TV series Episode: "Knife & Wife"
2002 Dick Whittington The Good Fairy TV film
Black Books Eva TV series Episode: "Hello Sun"
2005 According to Bex Rebecca 'Bex' Atwell TV series
2006 Pinochet in Suburbia Police Guard TV film
The Secret Policeman's Ball Mrs. Peacock Staged show
QI Herself TV series Episode: "Domesticity"
Agatha Christie's Marple Amy Griffith TV series Episode: "The Moving Finger"
2007 Doctor Who Joan Redfern TV series Episodes: "Human Nature", "The Family of Blood"
Learners Bev TV film
Never Mind the Buzzcocks Herself TV series Series 21, episode 1
2010 Doctor Who Verity Newman TV series Episode: "The End of Time, Part Two"
2010 Lizzie and Sarah Various roles TV pilot
2011–12 Twenty Twelve Siobhan Sharpe TV series Won RTS Best Comedy Performance award
2011 Skins Crystal TV series Episode: "Everyone"
The Hour Jane Kish TV series Episode 4
2012 One Night Carol TV series
World's Most Dangerous Roads Herself TV series Episode 2
2013 Blandings Daphne Littlewood TV series
Up the Women Margaret TV series Writer
2014— W1A Siobhan Sharpe TV series
2014 Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled Herself TV series Episode 2
2015 Celebrity Squares Herself TV series Series 2, Episode 2
2015 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Herself TV series To Be Announced

Film

Year Title Role
1993 Swing Kids Helga
The Baby of Mâcon The First Midwife
2000 Born Romantic Libby
2002 Tomorrow La Scala! Victoria
Pure Paramedic
2004 Shaun of the Dead Yvonne
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason Magda
2006 Confetti Sam
2007 Four Last Songs Miranda
Son of Rambow Mary
Magicians Linda
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Mafalda Hopkirk (voice)
2008 Faintheart Cathy
2010 Burke and Hare Lucky
2012 Nativity 2: The Second Coming Angelica Matthews
2014 Pudsey: The Movie Gail
2016 Swallows and Amazons Mrs Jackson
2016 Bridget Jones's Baby Magda

Awards

Year Award Work Result
1999 British Comedy Award for Best Female Comedy Newcomer Spaced and The Royle Family Won[12]
2001 British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actress Spaced Won[13]
2002 British Academy Television Award for Best Situation Comedy Spaced Nominated[14]
2002 RTS Television Award for Best Actor - Female Tomorrow La Scala! Nominated[15]
2003 British Academy Television Award for Best Actress Tomorrow La Scala! Nominated[16]
2003 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role The Night Heron Nominated[17]
2009 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play The Norman Conquests Nominated[18]
2012 British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actress Twenty Twelve Nominated[19]
2013 RTS Television Award for Best Comedy Performance Twenty Twelve Won[20]
2013 British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance Twenty Twelve Nominated[21]
2015 British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance W1A Won[22]

References

  1. 1 2 McLean, Gareth (25 May 2007). "Gareth McLean talks to screen star Jessica Stevenson about feminist history". The Guardian website (London). Retrieved 25 May 2007.
  2. Kilcoyne, Emma (13 February 2008). "Charismatic artistic director of the National Youth Theatre". The Independent. p. 34.
  3. "The Night Heron at The Royal Court Theatre". Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  4. "Press Releases: David Tennant and Jessica Hynes in the driving seat for new BBC One comedy drama Learners.". BBC website. Retrieved 3 April 2007.
  5. Anders, Charlie Jane (23 March 2009). "Discover Both Ends of The "Spectrum of Spock." Plus The Doctor's Worst Nightmare.". io9. Retrieved 18 April 2009.
  6. "Press Releases: Jessica Hynes in Phoo Action". BBC website. Retrieved 3 April 2007.
  7. Archived 18 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  8. "The Priory". Royal Court Theatre. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  9. Hall, Julian (20 June 2008). "Stand Up Get Down Featuring Jessica Hynes & Friends, Madame Jojo's, London". The Independent (London). Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  10. McLean, Gareth (25 May 2007). "I went mainstream. It really wasn't me". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  11. "iTunes Store". itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  12. "British Comedy Awards 1999". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  13. "Skinner crowned TV comedy king". BBC. 16 December 2001. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  14. "Television in 2002". BAFTA. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  15. "Programme Award Winners 2002". Royal Television Society. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  16. "Television in 2003". BAFTA. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  17. "Olivier Winners 2003". Olivier Awards. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  18. "JUST THE LIST: Winners and Nominees of the 2009 Tony Awards". Playbill.com. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  19. "British Comedy Awards: Twenty Twelve to take on The Thick of It". The Telegraph. 2 December 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  20. "RTS Programme Awards 2013". Royal Television Society. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  21. "Television in 2013". BAFTA. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  22. "Television in 2015". BAFTA. Retrieved 19 January 2016.

External links

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