Ashley Jensen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ashley Jensen
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Jensen in 2016
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| Born | 11 August 1969 Annan, Dumfriesshire, Scotland
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| Occupation | Actress and narrator |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Terence Beesley
(m. 2007; died 2017)Kenny Doughty
(m. 2023) |
| Children | 1 |
Ashley Jensen (born August 11, 1969) is a talented Scottish actress and narrator. She is well-known for playing many different characters on TV. Some of her most famous roles include Maggie Jacobs in Extras, Christina McKinney in Ugly Betty, Agatha Raisin in Agatha Raisin, and DI Ruth Calder in Shetland.
For her role in Extras, Ashley Jensen was nominated for a special award called the Primetime Emmy Award in 2008. This award is given to actors who do an amazing job in TV shows.
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Ashley Jensen's Acting Journey
Ashley Jensen started her acting journey by joining the UK’s National Youth Theatre. This is a special group for young people who love acting. After that, she went to Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh to study drama.
Early TV Roles
Her first big TV role was in 1993. She played Clare Donnelly in a BBC drama called Down Among the Big Boys. Clare was the daughter of a character played by Billy Connolly. In 1994, she appeared in the comedy May to December as a quirky secretary named Rosie McConnichy. She also played Heather in Roughnecks, a show about people working on an oil platform in the North Sea. Ashley also had a small part in Dangerfield and later appeared in EastEnders.
Becoming Famous with Extras
Ashley Jensen became very famous when she starred with Ricky Gervais in the TV show Extras. She played Maggie Jacobs, a character who was a bit awkward but very funny. For her work on Extras, she won awards like Best Television Comedy Actress and Best Newcomer at the British Comedy Awards in 2005. She also received a nomination for a BAFTA award and an Emmy Award for her role.
Moving to American TV
In 2006, Ashley got a big role on American television. She joined the ABC series Ugly Betty as Christina McKinney. Her character was originally supposed to be American. But when the show's creators met Ashley, they loved her Scottish accent. So, they changed the character to be Scottish, just like Ashley! The show later moved its filming location, and Ashley had to leave in 2009. However, she came back for a guest appearance in 2010.
Other Notable Roles
Ashley Jensen has also narrated many TV shows and adverts. She was the narrator for Embarrassing Illnesses and Embarrassing Bodies, which are shows about health. She also lent her voice to adverts for Bank of Scotland and Persil detergent.
From 2009 to 2010, she was in the sitcom Accidentally on Purpose. In 2009, she starred in the BBC comedy movie Nativity! as Jennifer Lore. She played a Hollywood producer's secretary and the love interest of Paul Maddens, played by Martin Freeman.
In 2011, she voiced Nanette the frog in the animated movie Gnomeo & Juliet. She also appeared in the ITV drama The Reckoning.
In 2014, Ashley took on the lead role of Agatha Raisin in the TV film Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death. This was based on a book by M. C. Beaton. She continued to play Agatha Raisin in a TV series that started in 2016.
From 2015 to 2019, Ashley was in Catastrophe, a comedy series for Channel 4. In 2017, she starred in Love, Lies & Records, a BBC TV series about people working in a registry office.
In 2019, Ashley reunited with Ricky Gervais in the Netflix series After Life. She played a nurse named Emma in all three series of the show. She also voiced Jacqueline in the 2019 movie Lady and the Tramp.
In November 2022, it was announced that Ashley would be the new lead actress in the BBC drama Shetland. She started playing DI Ruth Calder in 2023. She also appeared in the 2022 Christmas movie Christmas On Mistletoe Farm for Netflix.
Ashley Jensen's Life Outside of Acting
Ashley Jensen was born in Annan, Scotland. Her parents, Ivar and Margaret Jensen, were both from Glasgow. Her family background includes both Danish and Scottish heritage.
Ashley has one son from her marriage to actor Terence Beesley. They met in 1999 while working on a play called King Lear. Sadly, her husband passed away in November 2017.
In 2023, Ashley Jensen married actor Kenny Doughty.
See also
In Spanish: Ashley Jensen para niños
