Anna Friel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anna Friel
Friel in 2015
Born	Anna Louise Friel (1976-07-12) 12 July 1976 (age 49) Rochdale, England
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1990–present
Partner(s)	David Thewlis (2001–2010) Rhys Ifans (2011–2014)
Children	1

Anna Louise Friel (born 12 July 1976) is an English actress. She first became well-known for her role as Beth Jordache in the TV show Brookside from 1993 to 1995. Later, she gained international fame as Charlotte "Chuck" Charles in the ABC series Pushing Daisies (2007–2009). For this role, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

In 2017, Anna Friel won an International Emmy Award for her role in the mystery drama series Marcella (2016–2021). She has also received a Drama Desk Award and an honorary degree. She was also nominated for a BAFTA Award.

Friel started her film career in 1998 with a main role in The Land Girls. She has appeared in many other films, including A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999), Limitless (2011), and Charming the Hearts of Men (2021). On stage, she has performed in plays like Closer (Broadway, 1999) and Breakfast at Tiffany's (West End, 2009).

Early Life and Acting Start

Anna Louise Friel was born on 12 July 1976 in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England. Her mother, Julie Bamford Friel, is a special needs teacher. Her father, Desmond "Des" Friel, was born in Belfast, Ireland. He was a French teacher and folk guitarist, and now owns a web design company. Anna has a brother named Michael, who is a doctor.

Anna went to Crompton House CE Secondary School and later Holy Cross College. She began learning to act at the Oldham Theatre Workshop.

Anna Friel's Acting Journey

Early TV Roles and First Films

Anna Friel started her professional acting career at 13 in the TV miniseries G.B.H. in 1991. This led to small parts in the TV shows Coronation Street and Emmerdale. The next year, she was cast as Beth Jordache in the Channel 4 show Brookside. She played this role for two years. Her character was part of some very famous storylines, including one about her character's father.

A scene from Brookside featuring her character was shown during a montage at the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. This moment was broadcast around the world. In 1995, Friel won a National Television Award for "Most Popular Actress" for her work on Brookside.

After leaving Brookside, Friel appeared in an episode of Tales from the Crypt. She also had a main role in the TV film The Tribe (1998). She then played main roles in TV versions of Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens and St. Ives by Robert Louis Stevenson (both 1998). She also co-starred in British films like The Land Girls (1998) and Rogue Trader (1999).

Next, she played Hermia in the 1999 film A Midsummer Night's Dream. She later said this role helped her career, especially in America, because she worked with famous actors like Kevin Kline and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Around the same time, Friel made her Broadway debut in the play Closer in New York in 1999. Critics praised her performance as Alice. For this role, Friel won the Drama Desk Award that year.

Stage, Film, and Pushing Daisies Success

Friel had main roles in the films An Everlasting Piece and Sunset Strip (both 2000). The next year, she starred in the Canadian film The War Bride and was nominated for a Genie Award. She also co-starred in the drama Me Without You with Michelle Williams.

From March to May 2001, Friel appeared in the play Lulu at the Almeida Theatre. This was her first time performing in London's West End. Critics noted her calm and clever portrayal of Lulu. The play later moved to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Friel's next roles were in the Irish TV film Watermelon (2003) and the adventure film Timeline (2003). She then played Attorney Megan Delaney in The Jury, an American legal drama series in 2004. Critics called the show "clever" and praised Friel's character. Friel later said this job was very challenging due to the fast pace.

Next, she played nurse Roz in the sports drama Goal! (2005), a role she played again in its sequel. She also appeared in Niagara Motel (2006). In November 2006, she received an honorary doctorate from the University of Bolton for her contributions to acting.

In 2007, Friel was cast as Charlotte "Chuck" Charles in Pushing Daisies. This American comedy-drama series aired on ABC. The show was well-liked, and Friel's performance as Charles, a character who comes back to life, was a highlight. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 2008 for this role.

For her role as the main character in Bathory, a 2008 historical drama, Friel was nominated for a Czech Lion Award. This film was very expensive for central Europe and broke box-office records in Slovakia. Her next project was the science fiction adventure film Land of the Lost (2009), where she co-starred with Will Ferrell.

Friel returned to the stage in late 2009 in Breakfast at Tiffany's. She played Holly Golightly, one of her favorite characters. Critics praised her performance, calling her "infectious" and a "bewitching stage presence." In November 2009, Friel won an RTS Award for "Best Performance in a Drama Series" for her work in BBC One's The Street.

Marcella and Other Key Roles

In 2010, Friel had important roles in three films: You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, Limitless, and London Boulevard. The next year, she played a fictional version of herself in Come Fly with Me. She also starred as a pirate in Neverland on the Syfy channel, a story before Peter Pan. She also received strong reviews for her performance in the mystery drama series Without You.

She then returned to the West End in a new version of Uncle Vanya from 2012 to 2013, earning praise for her role as Yelena. Next, she appeared in the BBC crime drama Public Enemies (2012). She also starred in two British films: The Look of Love, a film about the life of Paul Raymond, and the comedy-drama Having You (both 2013).

In 2015, Friel was cast as Sgt. Odelle Ballard, a special operations soldier, in the thriller series American Odyssey. The show ran for one season, and Friel's performance was highly praised. That same year, she starred in the Norwegian miniseries The Heavy Water War and the drama film Urban and the Shed Crew. Her next film projects included The Cleanse, I.T. (both 2016), and Tomato Red (2017).

Friel began playing Marcella Backland in the British detective series Marcella in 2016. She plays a former policewoman who returns to work to investigate an unsolved case. In 2019, Friel won the International Emmy Award for Best Actress for her role as Marcella. Critics called her performance "extraordinary." Marcella had its third and final season on Netflix in 2020.

In the second season of The Girlfriend Experience (2017), Friel played Erica Myles, a financier. Her performance was described as "outstanding" and "fantastic." That same year, she was nominated for a BAFTA Award for her role in the BBC drama Broken.

In the ITV drama series Butterfly (2018), Friel starred as Vicky, the parent of a transgender child. Critics called the show "important" and "truthful." Friel said she and the show's creators felt a great responsibility to make it as realistic as possible. The following year, Friel starred in the miniseries Deep Water.

Recent Work (2020–Present)

In the 2020 horror film Books of Blood, Friel played Mary, a mother dealing with loss. Critics noted Friel's strong performance. Her next project was the main role of Sharon Pici, a detective, in the psychological thriller The Box (2021). The following year, she co-starred in the Fox musical drama series Monarch with Susan Sarandon. Friel played Nicolette "Nicky" Roman, a singer-songwriter. Critics praised her performance, noting her singing and acting skills. Friel performed all the songs her character sang. The series was cancelled after one season in December 2022.

In the period drama film Charming the Hearts of Men (2021), Friel played Grace Gordon, a woman fighting for civil rights in the 1960s. Her work received praise. She then appeared as Nurse Mackenzie in the British psychological thriller Locked In (2023).

Other Activities

Anna Friel has appeared in advertisements for brands like Reebok, Virgin Atlantic, Mulberry, and Marks & Spencer.

In 2010, she was in the music video for the Manic Street Preachers' song "(It's Not War) Just the End of Love" with Michael Sheen.

Friel is also an ambassador for the WWF wildlife charity.

Personal Life

In 2001, Anna Friel began a relationship with actor David Thewlis. They met on a flight to Cannes. Later that year, Friel had a health issue that made it difficult to have children. Despite this, she became pregnant and gave birth to her daughter, Gracie Ellen Mary Friel, on 9 July 2005. Gracie was named after Gracie Fields and Anna's grandmothers. In December 2010, Friel and Thewlis separated. Friel dated actor Rhys Ifans from 2011 to 2014.

Awards and Nominations

Filmography

Films

Television Shows

Voice Acting

Music Videos

Theatre Performances

See also

In Spanish: Anna Friel para niños