Dakota Blue Richards facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dakota Blue Richards
Richards in 2012
Born	(1994-04-11) 11 April 1994 (age 31) Chelsea, London, England
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2006–present
Partner(s)	Will Thomson
Children	1

Dakota Blue Richards is an English actress born on April 11, 1994. She started acting in movies at age 13. Her first big role was playing Lyra Belacqua in the film The Golden Compass. She also starred as April in Dustbin Baby and Maria in The Secret of Moonacre. In 2011, she joined the cast of the British teen drama Skins as Franky Fitzgerald. Dakota has performed in many television shows, films, and stage plays.

Early Life and School Days

Dakota Blue Richards was born in London, England, on April 11, 1994. Her family later moved to Sussex. She went to Newlands School there. She also attended St Paul's Primary School in Brighton. Later, she studied at Blatchington Mill School in Hove. Dakota also took acting classes at KBis Theatre School in Brighton.

Dakota's Acting Journey

Starring in The Golden Compass

Dakota was inspired to act after seeing a play called His Dark Materials. She really wanted to play the character Lyra. About 10,000 people tried out for the role. Philip Pullman, who wrote the books, said he knew Dakota was the right choice as soon as he saw her. The director, Chris Weitz, agreed.

The Golden Compass, with Dakota as Lyra, came out in December 2007. The movie earned a lot of money worldwide. Critics had different opinions about Dakota's acting. Some called her performance "efficient" or "nicely played." Others said she was "enchanting" and "terrific casting." One reviewer, Roger Ebert, called her "a delightful find." He described her as "pretty, plucky, forceful, and charismatic."

Playing Franky in Skins

Dakota Blue Richards appeared in the fifth and sixth seasons of the TV show Skins. The show started airing on January 27, 2011. She played a character named Franky Fitzgerald. Franky had a unique style and two loving dads. She also had a sad past involving cyber-bullying.

Dakota originally tried out for a different role in Skins. She explained that she became Franky "right at the very end of the audition process." Being part of Skins was a big deal for her. She said it was "crazy to be part of this Skins phenomenon." She felt it was like a "lifestyle choice" because of all the attention it brought.

Other Exciting Roles

Richards (left) as April with Marion (played by Juliet Stevenson) in Dustbin Baby

Richards in Dustbin Baby

Before The Golden Compass was released, Dakota was chosen for another main role. She played Maria Merryweather in The Secret of Moonacre. This film was also based on a book called The Little White Horse. Filming began in October 2007, and the movie came out in February 2009.

In December 2008, Dakota played April Johnson in Dustbin Baby. This was a BBC TV movie based on a book by Jacqueline Wilson. Dakota said April was a challenging character to play. She explained that April was very different from her. April went through tough times, but also normal things like fighting with parents.

In April 2012, Dakota filmed an independent movie called The Fold. She played Eloise, the daughter of a priest. The film was shot in Bristol and Cornwall. It was released in the UK on March 24, 2014. The Fold won awards for best screenplay and best picture at different film festivals.

Dakota also had a main role in the ITV thriller Lightfields. This was a five-part supernatural drama. It told the story of three families living in the same house at different times, sharing it with a ghost.

In 2013, she appeared in a science fiction thriller called The Quiet Hour. In this film, she played a sister trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic England with her brother. She also filmed a short movie called Girl Power that same year.

Dakota made her first stage appearance in 2015. She was part of the play Arcadia by Tom Stoppard. She performed with the English Touring Theatre.

From 2016 to 2018, Dakota played WPC Shirley Trewlove. This was a role in the TV series Endeavour. In 2018, she was cast as Margaret Osborne in the ITV drama Beecham House, which aired in 2019.

Personal Life and Interests

Dakota Blue Richards has shared that she faced bullying in school. This was because of her ginger hair.

Since 2010, Dakota has supported Action for Children. This charity helps young people in the UK. They work to overcome unfairness and hardship. In 2011, she helped promote a new project for the charity.

Dakota also supports The Young Actors Group. This is an acting school in Brighton that opened in 2014. It helps children and teenagers get training for acting professionally.

Dakota enjoys modern and abstract art. She is a fan of photographer Christian Coigny. She also likes artists Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst. She enjoys films from Studio Ghibli.

Dakota announced in March 2025 that she was expecting her first child. She had the child with her longtime partner, Will Thomson, in May 2025.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Stage Performances

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Dakota Blue Richards para niños