Helen Griffin facts for kids

Helen Griffin (born 1958 – died 29 June 2018) was a talented actress, writer, and screenwriter from Wales. She was born in Swansea, Wales. Helen often performed in plays and on television in Wales. She also wrote and starred in the 2005 film Little White Lies. Many people might know her from the 2006 Doctor Who episodes "Rise of the Cybermen" and "The Age of Steel".

Before becoming an actress, Helen studied nursing. She even went to nursing college with the famous comedian Jo Brand. Helen worked as a psychiatric nurse until 1986. After that, she decided to follow her dream of acting. She lived in her hometown of Swansea for most of her life.

Helen Griffin's Acting Career

Helen Griffin acted in many plays, TV shows, and films. She performed all over the United Kingdom.

TV Shows and Films

On television, she was in popular shows like Satellite City, Holby City, and Coronation Street. She also appeared in Gavin & Stacey and Getting On.

Helen's film roles included Twin Town, Human Traffic, and Under Milk Wood.

Special Performances

In 2003, Helen performed a special one-woman show called Caitlin. This play was about the life of Caitlin Macnamara. She was the wife of the famous Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. Critics praised Helen's performance. She brought the show back in 2014 to celebrate 100 years since Dylan Thomas was born.

Her Role in Little White Lies

In 2005, Helen played the character Karen in the film Little White Lies. She also wrote the script for this movie. Her acting in the film was so good that she won the Best Actress award at the 2005 BAFTA Cymru awards. She even beat Billie Piper, who was nominated for her role as Rose Tyler in Doctor Who.

Joining Doctor Who

Helen often helped out with Doctor Who by standing in for other actors. This led to her being cast in the episodes "Rise of the Cybermen" and "The Age of Steel". The production team was so impressed with her that they changed the script. They made her character survive longer than they had first planned!

Other Notable Roles

Helen also appeared in the final episode of the second series of Gavin & Stacey. She played Rita, the toll woman. She was a social worker in five episodes of Coronation Street. Helen also appeared in all three series of the award-winning comedy Getting On. In 2016, she starred in its spin-off show, Going Forward. In this show, she played a different character.

In 2012, Helen starred in another one-woman play she co-wrote. It was called Who's Afraid of Rachel Roberts. This show was about the life of Welsh actress Rachel Roberts. The play was performed at the Edinburgh Festival in 2013.

Helen Griffin's Writing Career

Helen Griffin was also a talented writer. She wrote many plays and screenplays.

Early Plays

Her first short play was Killjoy. It was performed in 1993 for Theatre West Glamorgan. She wrote two more short plays, The Change and A Generation Arises, in 1994.

In 1997, Helen worked with comedian Jo Brand on a short play called Mental. This play was based on their shared experiences as psychiatric nurses. They performed an updated version of it at the 2003 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Full-Length Plays

Helen's first full-length play was Flesh and Blood. This play explored the topic of racism in Welsh society. It first opened at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff in 2000. Later, it moved to the Hampstead Theatre in London. In 2002, another of Helen's plays, I Love You Superstar, was performed in Newport.

Helen later turned her play Flesh and Blood into the screenplay for the film Little White Lies. The movie was filmed in Cardiff and Swansea. It first showed in the UK on January 10, 2006.

Helen Griffin's Activism

Helen Griffin was very active in causes she believed in. She supported anti-war efforts, anti-racism movements, and women's rights.

Promoting Inclusivity

During the making of her play Flesh and Blood, Helen said that Welsh people should be proud of a multicultural Wales. She believed that everyone should be included.

Protests and Politics

In 2003, Helen protested against the Iraq War in Swansea. She spoke for the Swansea Coalition Against the War. In 2004, she ran as a candidate for the European Parliament. She was part of the RESPECT Coalition party.

In 2006, Helen was arrested during a protest. She used red paint on the National Museum of Wales. This was part of a protest against Israel's actions in Lebanon. She was held for ten hours and then released.

Helen Griffin's Legacy

Helen Griffin passed away on June 29, 2018. She was 59 years old. She died after battling lung cancer, surrounded by her family and friends.

Her agent described her as "a beautiful, talented, funny, clever and an inspirational woman." Many people who knew her loved and missed her greatly.

Eve Myles, who acted with Helen in Keeping Faith, shared a touching memory. She said that when she was 22, she named Helen Griffin as her favorite actor. She added, "It will always be my answer." Kai Owen, another actor, called Helen "a wonderful, wise and inspiring woman." He said that "Wales has lost a powerhouse."

Helen was remembered as an "intuitive, unselfish and very clever actor."

Filmography