Gina McKee facts for kids

Georgina McKee (born on April 14, 1964) is a talented English actress. She is well-known for her roles in many TV shows and movies.

Gina won a big award, the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress, in 1997. This was for her amazing performance in the TV drama Our Friends in the North. She was also nominated for other awards for her work in The Lost Prince (2003) and The Street (2007).

You might have seen her in popular TV series like The Forsyte Saga (2002). She also played the powerful character Caterina Sforza in The Borgias (2011). Her movie roles include Notting Hill (1999) and Phantom Thread (2017). More recently, she appeared in My Policeman (2022).

On stage, Gina has been nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. This was for her roles in plays like King Lear (2011), Dear England (2024), and The Years (2025).

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Gina McKee was born in Peterlee, County Durham, England, in 1964. Her father worked as a coal miner. She grew up in Peterlee and nearby towns like Easington and Sunderland.

Gina's first experience with acting was in primary school. Her teacher would end the week with fun improvisation games. Later, she saw a poster for a new youth drama group. Gina and her friends decided to join, mostly for fun at first. But soon, she became very excited about acting. This led to her first professional acting job. She worked on a children's TV series called Quest of Eagles for ITV Tyne Tees.

When she was 15, Gina spent three summers in London. She was part of the National Youth Theatre, which helps young people learn about acting. After finishing her high school studies at East Durham College, she wanted to go to drama school. Her parents supported her choice. However, she was not accepted into some of the drama schools she applied to.

Gina McKee's Acting Journey

Gina McKee started her acting career on television. She had small roles in shows like The Lenny Henry Show. Her first movie role was in 1988 in The Lair of the White Worm.

A very important role for Gina was playing Mary in the BBC drama Our Friends in the North in 1996. Her performance was so good that she won three "Best Actress" awards in 1997. These included the British Academy Television Award, the Royal Television Society Award, and the Broadcasting Press Guild Award. She also appeared as reporter Libby Shuss in the comedy show Brass Eye.

Stage Performances

Gina has also performed in many plays. She acted in Harold Pinter's plays The Lover and The Collection in London. In 2008, she was in a play called Ivanov.

In 2010, she played Goneril in a new version of Shakespeare's King Lear. For this role, she was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Recent TV and Film Roles

Gina played the mother of a deaf teenager in the BBC TV thriller The Silence. In 2018, she was in the popular BBC/Netflix drama series Bodyguard. She played Commander Anne Sampson in the show.

Personal Life

Gina McKee has been married to Kez Cary since 1989. They live in East Sussex, England. She has been a vegetarian since 1982.

In 2002, the University of Sunderland gave Gina an Honorary Doctorate of Arts. This is a special award that recognizes her achievements. In 2025, she received another special award, an Honorary Doctorate of Letters, from Durham University.

Acting Credits

Gina McKee has had many roles in films and television. Here are some of her notable appearances:

Film Roles

• 1988: The Lair of the White Worm as Nurse Gladwell
• 1999: Notting Hill as Bella
• 1999: Wonderland as Nadia
• 2000: There's Only One Jimmy Grimble as Donna
• 2002: Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood as Genevieve
• 2007: Atonement as Sister Drummond
• 2009: In the Loop as Judy Molloy
• 2017: Phantom Thread as Countess Henrietta Harding
• 2022: My Policeman as Older Marion Taylor
• 2023: The End We Start From as F

Television Roles

• 1979: Quest of Eagles as Jane (Miniseries)
• 1996: Our Friends in the North as Mary Cox (Miniseries)
• 1997: Brass Eye as Libby Shuss / Vivian Banch (3 episodes)
• 2002–2003: The Forsyte Saga as Irene Forsyte (Miniseries)
• 2003: The Lost Prince as Lalla (Television movie)
• 2007: The Street as Jan Parr (2 episodes)
• 2010: The Silence as Anne (Miniseries)
• 2011–2013: The Borgias as Caterina Sforza (Main cast)
• 2012: Line of Duty as Jackie Laverty (3 episodes)
• 2012–2013: Hebburn as Pauline (12 episodes)
• 2018: Bodyguard as Commander Anne Sampson (Main cast)
• 2019: Catherine the Great as Countess Bruce (Miniseries)

Theatre Roles

• King Lear as Goneril; Donmar Warehouse, London
• Ivanov as Anna Petrovna; Donmar Warehouse, London
• The Lover and the Collection; Comedy Theatre, London
• Dear England; National Theatre (Olivier), London
• The Years; Harold Pinter Theatre, London

See also

In Spanish: Gina McKee para niños