Martina Laird facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Martina Laird
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| Born | 1971 (age 53–54) |
| Nationality | Trinidadian |
| Education | University of Kent at Canterbury; Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art |
| Occupation | Actress, director, acting teacher |
| Years active | 1993–present |
Martina Laird is a talented actress from Trinidad and Tobago. She was born in 1971. Martina is known for her work in plays, movies, and TV shows. She has acted in many popular British TV series.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Martina Laird was born in 1971 in Port of Spain, Trinidad. She loved drama from a very young age, starting when she was just seven. By the time she was 13, she was learning from famous local artists like Beryl McBurnie. She also often went to plays at the Little Carib Theatre.
When Martina was 17, she moved to the United Kingdom. She had won a special scholarship to study French at the University of Kent at Canterbury. Drama was also a part of her studies there. At 20, she told her parents she wanted to be an actress. A family friend, Derek Walcott, advised her to go to acting school. So, Martina attended the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.
Acting Career
Martina Laird started her acting journey on stage in plays. Later, she got a big role in the BBC TV drama series Casualty. She played the character Comfort for many years, which made her very well-known. She also appeared in other popular TV shows like Holby City and EastEnders.
Stage Performances
Martina has performed in many important plays. In 2012, she played Sophia in Errol John's Moon on a Rainbow Shawl at the Royal National Theatre. She also acted in Marcus Gardley's The House that Will Not Stand in 2014.
She is also a big fan of Shakespeare. In 2016 and 2017, she performed in seven of his plays. These included The Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, and Julius Caesar.
In 2019, Martina acted alongside Lenny Henry in the play King Hedley II. This play was shown at Stratford East. More recently, in October 2023, she was in a new version of Mustapha Matura's play Meetings. This play was performed at the Orange Tree Theatre.
Awards and Recognition
Martina Laird has received special awards for her acting. She won a Screen Nation Award. She also received a Michael Elliot Trust Award. These awards celebrate her talent and hard work in the entertainment world.
Film and TV Roles
Martina Laird has appeared in many films and TV shows. Here are some of her roles:
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | EastEnders | Court Clerk | Episode: 14th Jan 1993 Trial of Nick Cotton |
| 1993 | Harry | Friend | Series 1, Episode 5 |
| 1993–1999 | The Bill | Sandra Newton / Marlene Franklin / Marcia Walsh | 3 episodes |
| 1995 | The Governor | Zania | 3 episodes |
| One for the Road | Ruth | Episode: "Prague" | |
| 1995–2006, 2016 | Casualty | Comfort Jones / Comfort Newton / Darleen Devern | 207 episodes |
| 1996 | The Knock | Nadine Charles | Series 2, Episode 2 |
| Thief Takers | Ruth | Episode: "Wasteland" | |
| Dangerfield | WPC | Episode: "Inside Out" | |
| 1998 | Peak Practice | Dr. Toray | |
| Jonathan Creek | Bridget | Episode: "Danse Macabre" | |
| 1999 | Wing and a Prayer | Dee Dee Bastiani | 3 episodes |
| 1999–2000 | A Touch of Frost | Miriam Madikane | Episodes: "Line of Fire (Parts 1&2)" |
| 1999–2005 | Holby City | Comfort Newton / Darleen Devern | 3 episodes |
| 2000, 2011 | My Family | Darci / Doctor Kelly | |
| 2003 | Children in Need | Comfort | Series 1, Episode 4 |
| 2005 | Casualty@Holby City | Comfort Newton | 5 episodes |
| 2007 | Deadbeat | Detective Clayderman | |
| 2009 | Free Agents | Series 1, Episode 6 | |
| Monday Monday | |||
| 2010 | Shameless | Michelle | 2 episodes |
| Missing | Pamela Rutter | Series 2, Episode 3 | |
| Doctors | Kathy Nicholls | Episode: "Like Mothers, Like Daughters" | |
| Forget Me Not | Doctor | ||
| 2011 | Coronation Street | Colette Hankinson | |
| Blitz | Forensic Officer | ||
| London's Burning | Rachel | Television film | |
| 2013 | Feds | Coach McKenzie | |
| 2015 | The Dumping Ground | Mrs Underwood | |
| 2016 | Jericho | Epiphany | 8 episodes |
| EastEnders | DC Angie Rice | 8 episodes | |
| 2017 | Padlock | Natasha | Short film |
| 2017–2018 | The Donmar Warehouse's All-Female Shakespeare Trilogy | Alonso / Worcester / Gadshill / Cassius | |
| 2019 | Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators | Claudia Farrel | |
| Great Performances | Cassius | ||
| The Bay (TV series) | Bernie Chambers | TV series | |
| 2020 | Summerland | Older Vera | |
| 2021 | Boxing Day | Janet | |
| Still We Thrive | Short film | ||
| 2023 | Unforgotten | Ebele Falade | Series 5, episode 1 |
| The Little Mermaid | Lashana | ||
| 2023 | Dreamland | Diane | TV series |
Theatre Productions
Martina Laird has performed in many plays over the years. Here are some of them:
- The White Devil, Royal Shakespeare Company, 1996
- Three Hours After Marriage, Royal Shakespeare Company, 1996–1997
- Troilus and Cressida, Royal Shakespeare Company, 1996–1997
- Breath Boom, Royal Court Theatre, 2000
- The Five Wives of Maurice Pinder, Royal National Theatre, 2007
- Bianca in Othello, Donmar Warehouse, London, 2007–2008
- Moon on a Rainbow Shawl, Royal National Theatre, 2012
- The House that Will Not Stand, Tricycle Theatre, 2014
- All's Well That Ends Well, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, 2018
- Shebeen, Stratford East, 2018
- King Hedley II, Stratford East, 2019
- 15 Heroines, Jermyn Street Theatre, 2020
- Meetings, by Mustapha Matura, Orange Tree Theatre, 2023.
See also
In Spanish: Martina Laird para niños
