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Jessica Hynes

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Jessica Hynes
Hynes in 2008
Born
Jessica Stevenson

Lewisham, London, England
Occupations
  • Actress
  • director
  • writer
Years active1993–present
Spouse
Adam Hynes
​
(m. 2002)​
Children3

Jessica Hynes (née Stevenson) is a British actress, director and writer. She is best known as one of the creators, writers and stars of the British sitcom Spaced.

Hynes has been nominated for two International Emmys a Tony, a Laurence Olivier Award, five BAFTAs (winning two) three Royal Television Society Awards (winning two) and three British Comedy Awards (winning two).

Early life

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Hynes was born in Lewisham, London, and grew up in Brighton, where she attended St Luke's Infant and Junior Schools and Dorothy Stringer High School.[1] After her parents split up, she was raised by her mother. She moved back to London as a young adult.[2] Her maternal grandmother came from the village of Llanelian, north Wales, where her uncle also ran a farm. Her mother is a fluent Welsh speaker who later moved back to north Wales. In 2023, Hynes took part in the S4C series Iaith ar Daith where she began to learn the Welsh language; she cited being able to speak Welsh to her mother as a reason why she wanted to take part in the programme.[3]

Career

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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.[4] In 1991 she appeared in Disneys 'Swing Kids' alongside Frank Whaley and Robert Sean-Leonard. In the same year she appeared in Peter Greenaway's film 'The baby of Macon' playing 'The first Midwife'. Between 1992–1993, she played a season at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds. In 1994, Hynes appeared as an uncredited extra in the first episode of The Day Today in the Attitudes Night segment, a parody of the UK's changing attitudes.

Early in her career, Hynes 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 acted for television shows including Staying Alive, Six Pairs of Pants, (Un)natural Acts, and Asylum (on which the Spaced team of Hynes, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright first assembled). From 1998 to 2000, she played the supporting role of Cheryl in the hit sitcom The Royle Family; she reprised the role for special episodes in 2006, 2009 and 2010. In 1999, she co-wrote and starred in Spaced. For which she won two comedy awards and was nominated for an International Emmy and a Bafta for writing and creating the show alongside Simon Pegg.

Hynes' London theatre début was in April 2002, playing the tough ex-prisoner "Bolla" in Jez Butterworth's The Night Heron at the Royal Court for which she was nominated for a Lawrence Olivier Award [5] 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 early 2007, Hynes took a lead role in the film Magicians, starring alongside comic duo David Mitchell and Robert Webb. She provided the voice of Mafalda Hopkirk in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. She 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.[6] Hynes appeared in Big Finish's Eighth Doctor audio adventure "Invaders from Mars", with her Spaced colleague Simon Pegg. She starred in Son of Rambow (credited as Jessica Stevenson), playing Mary Proudfoot opposite the star of the film, Bill Milner. In November 2007, BBC One released Learners, a comedy drama television movie which Hynes starred in and wrote.[7]

In 2008 she appeared 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[8] and was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance. The show itself won a Tony for best revival that year.

Hynes appeared as a "right-on" PR person, Siobhan Sharpe, in the London Olympics centred satire Twenty Twelve, of which the first series screened on BBC Four in 2011, moving to BBC Two 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 2017 , she directed her first feature film, The Fight, produced by Jamie Adams and Unstoppable media. In 2018, she played the role of a mother in the BBC Four programme There She Goes. She stars alongside David Tennant, raising a daughter with a severe learning disability. It is based on the real life of writer Shaun Pye and his wife Sarah Crawford whose daughter was born with a chromosomal disorder. She won a Bafta for her role in the series and was nominated for an International Emmy for her role in '414' the special made in 2023. [9] In 2019, she starred in the BBC and HBO production Years and Years for which she won a Royal Television Society award.

Personal life

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Hynes is married to Adam Hynes, a sculptor. The couple have been together since they were 18 years old, but only married in 2002, when she officially changed her surname from her birth name of Stevenson – including for screen credits.[10][2] They have three children together, and live in Folkestone, Kent.[2][11]

She has six siblings and her sister Zoe runs her own fashion label Tallulah and Hope.

Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1994 The House of Eliott Charlotte Parker Guest role, series 3, episode 1
1995 Six Pairs of Pants Various characters
Tears Before Bedtime Maggie
Crown Prosecutor Jackie South
1996 Mash and Peas Various roles
Asylum Martha & Nurse McFadden
1996–1997 Staying Alive Alice Timpson
1997 Midsomer Murders Judith Lessiter Episode: "The Killings at Badger's Drift"
Armstrong and Miller Various roles Series 2, episode 1
Harry Enfield and Chums Episode: "Harry Enfield and His Yule Log Chums"
1998 Unnatural Acts Various roles Main cast
Alexei Sayle’s Merry-Go-Round Alice, the Ayatollah's Assistant Episode 1
1998–2010 The Royle Family Cheryl Carroll Recurring role
1999 People Like Us Sarah Episode: "The Estate Agent"
1999–2001 Spaced Daisy Steiner Also co-wrote with Simon Pegg
2001 Randall & Hopkirk Felia Siderova Episodes: "Mental Apparition Disorder", "Drop Dead"
Bob & Rose Holly Vance
Comedy Lab Wife Episode: "Knife & Wife"
2002 Dick Whittington The Good Fairy Television film
Black Books Eva Episode: "Hello Sun"
2005 According to Bex Rebecca 'Bex' Atwell
2006 Pinochet in Suburbia Police Guard Television film
The Secret Policeman's Ball Mrs. Peacock Recording of staged show
QI Herself Episode: "Domesticity"
Agatha Christie's Marple Aimee Griffith Episode: "The Moving Finger"
2007 Doctor Who Nurse Joan Redfern Episodes: "Human Nature", "The Family of Blood"
Learners Beverly Television film
Never Mind the Buzzcocks Herself Series 21, episode 1
2010 Doctor Who Verity Newman Episode: "The End of Time, Part Two"
Lizzie and Sarah Various roles Television pilot
2011–2012 Twenty Twelve Siobhan Sharpe Main cast, won RTS Best Comedy Performance award
2011 Skins Crystal Episode: "Everyone"
The Hour Jane Kish Episode 4
2012 One Night Carol
World's Most Dangerous Roads Herself Episode 2
2013 Blandings Daphne Littlewood
Up the Women Margaret Also writer
Crackanory Storyteller Read "My Former Self" by Holly Walsh
2014 Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled Herself Episode 2
2014–2017 W1A Siobhan Sharpe
2015 Celebrity Squares Herself Series 2, episode 2
8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Herself
2016 The Keith Lemon Sketch Show Manager Series 2: "The Cartoon Job Centre" sketch
Jack and Dean of All Trades Marv Web series
Hooten & the Lady Ella Bond
2017 The Crystal Maze The Knight
2018–2020, 2023 There She Goes Emily Yates Main cast
2019 Years and Years Edith Lyons
2022 Mood Laura
The Witchfinder[12] Old Myers
Inside No. 9 Helen Episode: “A Random Act of Kindness”
Life After Life Mrs. Glover [13]
Am I Being Unreasonable? Becca
Outsiders Herself Main cast (Series 2)
2023 The Great Stand Up to Cancer Bake Off Herself / Contestant Star Baker[14]
2024 The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin The Reddlehag
The Franchise Steph Main cast
TBA Miss Austen Mary In-production[15]

Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1993 Swing Kids Helga Credited as Jessica Stevenson
The Baby of Mâcon The First Midwife Credited as Jessica Stevenson
2000 Born Romantic Libby Credited as Jessica Stevenson
2002 Tomorrow La Scala! Victoria Credited as Jessica Stevenson
Pure Paramedic Credited as Jessica Stevenson
2004 Shaun of the Dead Yvonne Credited as Jessica Stevenson
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason Magda Credited as Jessica Stevenson
2006 Confetti Sam Credited as Jessica Stevenson
2007 Four Last Songs Miranda Credited as Jessica Stevenson
Son of Rambow Mary Credited as Jessica Stevenson
Magicians Linda Credited as Jessica Stevenson
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Mafalda Hopkirk Voice only
Credited as Jessica Stevenson
2008 Faintheart Cathy
2010 Burke and Hare Lucky
2012 Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger Angel Matthews
2014 Pudsey: The Movie Gail
2016 Swallows and Amazons Mrs Jackson
Bridget Jones's Baby Magda
2017 The Fight Tina Also writer/director
Paddington 2 Miss Kitts
2018 Alright Now Sara
Nativity Rocks! Angel Matthews
2020 Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse Sofie Dahl TV film
2024 Seize Them! Leofwine [16]
Paddington in Peru Miss Kitts Cameo
2025 Death of a Unicorn TBA Post-production[17]

Awards

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Year Award Work Result
1999 British Comedy Award for Best Female Comedy Newcomer Spaced and The Royle Family Won[18]
2001 British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actress Spaced Won[19]
2002 British Academy Television Award for Best Situation Comedy Spaced Nominated[20]
2002 RTS Television Award for Best Actor – Female Tomorrow La Scala! Nominated[21]
2003 British Academy Television Award for Best Actress Tomorrow La Scala! Nominated[22]
2003 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role The Night Heron Nominated[23]
2009 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play The Norman Conquests Nominated[24]
2012 British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actress Twenty Twelve Nominated[25]
2013 RTS Television Award for Best Comedy Performance Twenty Twelve Won[26]
2013 British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance Twenty Twelve Nominated[27]
2015 British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance W1A Won[28]
2019 British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance There She Goes Won

References

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  1. ^ Graham, Jamie. "Jessica Hynes interview: The Royle Family and W1A star on why she's spoiling for the Fight".
  2. ^ a b c "Jessica Hynes - The 'totally amazeballs' actress who won the Olympics". The Independent. 24 November 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  3. ^ [1] Yr actores Jessica Hynes 'am wneud ei mam yn hapus' drwy siarad Cymraeg
  4. ^ Kilcoyne, Emma (13 February 2008). "Charismatic artistic director of the National Youth Theatre". The Independent. p. 34.
  5. ^ "The Night Heron". The Royal Court Theatre. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  6. ^ Anders, Charlie Jane (23 March 2009). "Discover Both Ends of The "Spectrum of Spock." Plus The Doctor's Worst Nightmare". io9. Archived from the original on 16 October 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2009.
  7. ^ "Press Releases: David Tennant and Jessica Hynes in the driving seat for new BBC One comedy drama Learners". BBC. Retrieved 3 April 2007.
  8. ^ "Tickets on sale for Alan Ayckbourn's 'The Norman Conquests'". Broadway.com. Archived from the original on 27 May 2009. Retrieved 5 March 2009.
  9. ^ Hodges, Michael (16 October 2018). "David Tennant felt 'huge responsibility' starring in new BBC comedy There She Goes". Radio Times. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  10. ^ McLean, Gareth (25 May 2007). "Gareth McLean talks to screen star Jessica Stevenson about feminist history". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 25 May 2007.
  11. ^ "Jessica Hynes: 'What was your most embarrassing moment? I've got so many, it's hard to choose.'". The Guardian. 13 August 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2023. [note: article as updated 3 June 2021]
  12. ^ "First look image and casting confirmed for new BBC comedy The Witchfinder". bbc.co.uk/mediacentre. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  13. ^ Kanter, Jake (20 April 2021). "Thomasin McKenzie & Sian Clifford To Lead Cast For BBC Adaptation Of Kate Atkinson's 'Life After Life'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  14. ^ "The Great British Bake Off crowns another winner in SU2C special". uk.news.yahoo.com. 26 March 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  15. ^ Rice, Lynette (7 December 2023). "'Miss Austen': Keeley Hawes & Rose Leslie Join TV Adaptation For Masterpiece". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  16. ^ Long, Lacy (21 March 2022). "'Seize Them!': Nicola Coughlan, Aimee Lou Wood, and Lolly Adefope Join Dark Ages Comedy Film". Collider. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  17. ^ Grobar, Matt (1 November 2023). "A24's 'Death Of A Unicorne' Adds Richard E. Grant, Téa Leoni, Will Poulter, Anthony Carrigan, Sunita Mani & More; Paul Rudd And Jenna Ortega Set To Star". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  18. ^ "British Comedy Awards 1999". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  19. ^ "Skinner crowned TV comedy king". BBC. 16 December 2001. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  20. ^ "Television in 2002". BAFTA. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  21. ^ "Programme Award Winners 2002". Royal Television Society. 14 March 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2016.[permanent dead link‍]
  22. ^ "Television in 2003". BAFTA. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  23. ^ "Olivier Winners 2003". Olivier Awards. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  24. ^ "JUST THE LIST: Winners and Nominees of the 2009 Tony Awards". Playbill. 8 June 2009. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  25. ^ "British Comedy Awards: Twenty Twelve to take on The Thick of It". The Daily Telegraph. 2 December 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2016.[dead link‍]
  26. ^ "RTS Programme Awards 2013". Royal Television Society. 19 March 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  27. ^ "Television in 2013". BAFTA. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  28. ^ "Television in 2015". BAFTA. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
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