Laura Carmichael

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Laura Carmichael
Laura Carmichael (48755229068) (cropped).jpg
Carmichael in 2019
Born
Laura Elizabeth Carmichael

(1986-07-16) 16 July 1986 (age 35)
Southampton, Hampshire, England
Alma materBristol Old Vic Theatre School
OccupationActress
Years active2010–present
Partner(s)Michael C. Fox (2016–present)

Laura Elizabeth Carmichael (born 16 July 1986)[1] is an English film and television actress, most widely known for her performance as Lady Edith Crawley in the ITV (UK) and PBS (US) television period drama series Downton Abbey. Her other work includes television series Marcella (2016),[2] and the feature film A United Kingdom (2016).[3]

Early life[]

Carmichael was born in Southampton, England.[1] She is the middle of three daughters. Her sister Amy works for a software start-up company and her other sister Olivia is a charity fundraiser with the NHS.[4]

She was educated at Shirley Junior School, The Mountbatten School,[5] and Peter Symonds College.[6] Carmichael attended the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol, graduating in 2007, before spending two years in various odd jobs, including a teaching assistant, receptionist, and nanny while going to tiny auditions in fringe theatres.[7][8]

Career[]

Film and television[]

Between 2010 and 2015, she played Lady Edith Crawley in Downton Abbey, a role which brought her worldwide recognition.[9] Commenting on gaining the role of Lady Edith, Carmichael says, "I don't know how it happened with Downton; it really was a miracle. I think it was because I had a good drama school on my CV and they had struggled to find someone for Edith, because she had to be quite different from the two other girls Lady Mary and Lady Sybil". Yet, the actress has enjoyed the role, "When I was at drama school I had quite a lot of wet, ingénue parts, so I'm delighted because it is much more fun playing her. It's interesting how one role can make people see you differently".[8]

Other television roles include parts in The Heart of Thomas Hardy, and End of Our Street.[6] In 2011, she appeared in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and she played Henriette in the 2014 film of Madame Bovary.[6]

Carmichael starred in the 2015 British black comedy feature film Burn, Burn, Burn, a coming-of-age tale, inspired by the Jack Kerouac novel On the Road published in 1957. The directorial debut of Chanya Button, it follows the fictional story of two girls, Seph (Carmichael) and Alex (Chloe Pirrie), taking a road trip to follow the instructions of their close friend Dan, who has died and given them instructions where to scatter his ashes. The ashes (stored in tupperware in the glove compartment) keep diminishing in quantity as the trip progresses. The film had its World premiere at BFI London Film Festival 2015.[10][11]

In 2016, Carmichael starred in ITV's new television crime drama series, Marcella, as Maddy Stevenson. Marcella focuses on a British Metropolitan police detective and single mother's return to the murder squad, the first English show by Swedish screenwriter Hans Rosenfeldt, who created the Scandinavian television series The Bridge.[2]

In 2016, Carmichael portrayed Muriel Williams in A United Kingdom, a political yet romantic drama, also starring Rosamund Pike and David Oyelowo. The film saw Carmichael immersing herself in the early days of 1940s apartheid. She played Muriel, the sister of Ruth Williams, the Englishwoman who (in real life) challenged colonial racism to marry Seretse Khama, who would become King of Bechuanaland (now Botswana) in 1948.[3]

Theatre[]

Carmichael made her West End debut in Uncle Vanya opposite Anna Friel and Samuel West in October 2012.[12] She played Arabella in The Fitzrovia Radio Hour at The Underglobe Theatre in early 2013.[13]

In 2016, Carmichael played Madam in Jamie Lloyd's production of The Maids at the Trafalgar Studios in London's West End, co-starring Uzo Aduba.[14][15]

Carmichael's previous substantial role was in 2011, in David Hare's Plenty at the Sheffield Crucible Theatre with co-stars Anna Friel as Yelena and Ken Stott as Vanya.[16]

She played Laura in Reasons for Living as part of the 2009 Scratch Festival at Battersea Arts Centre.[17] In late 2009, she played Miranda in a touring production of Shakespeare's The Tempest.[18]

Personal life[]

Carmichael lives in Camden, London.[4]

Carmichael has been in a relationship with her Downton Abbey co-star Michael C. Fox since 2016.[19]

Filmography[]

Year Title Role Notes
2009 House at the End of Our Street Yvonne
2010 The Heart of Thomas Hardy Hardy's maid
2010–2015 Downton Abbey Lady Edith Crawley Main cast; 52 episodes
2011 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Sal
2014 Madame Bovary Henrietta
2015 Burn Burn Burn Seph
2016 A United Kingdom Muriel Williams
2016 Marcella Maddy Stevenson Recurring role; 4 episodes
2017 Man in an Orange Shirt Daphne Talbot Recurring role; episode 1
2019–2020 The Spanish Princess Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury Main cast; 16 episodes
2019 Downton Abbey Edith Pelham, Marchioness of Hexham
2020 The Secrets She Keeps Agatha Main role; 6 episodes
2022 Downton Abbey: A New Era Edith Pelham, Marchioness of Hexham

Theatre[]

Year Title Role Notes
2009 Reasons for Living Laura BAC
2009 The Tempest Miranda/Ariel UK tour
2011 Plenty Louise/Dorcas Sheffield Crucible Theatre
2012 Uncle Vanya Sonya Vaudeville Theatre
2013 The Fitzrovia Radio Hour Arabella Underglobe Theatre
2016 The Maids Madam Trafalgar Studios
2017 Apologia Trudi Trafalgar Studios

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Laura Carmichael profile". TV Guide. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Association, Press (5 November 2015). "Anna Friel and Laura Carmichael to star in ITV crime drama Marcella". The Guardian.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Canada, HELLO!. "Laura Carmichael on leaving Lady Edith behind and her new film 'A United Kingdom'". Hello.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Woods, Judith (19 December 2015). "Downton Abbey's Laura Carmichael: 'Who's to say a husband constitutes a happy ending?'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  5. ^ "My Inspirational Teacher: by Downton Abbey star Laura Carmichael". aworldatschool.org. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c "The Jamie Lloyd Company (The Maids): Laura Carmichael biography". thejamielloydcompany.com. Archived from the original on 3 July 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  7. ^ "Laura Carmichael interview: 'I don't seek out hopeless girls to play'".
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b "Laura Carmichael: 'Downton was a miracle'". 27 October 2015.
  9. ^ "Downton Abbey: Laura Carmichael on Lady Edith". Radio Times. 29 October 2011.
  10. ^ "Laura Carmichael's Swear-y Screen Role Might Surprise Her Downton Fans". 28 October 2016.
  11. ^ Film, British Council. "British Council Film: Burn Burn Burn". film.britishcouncil.org.
  12. ^ "Downton Abbey Star Laura Carmichael Joins Cast of West End's Uncle Vanya". Playbill. 31 August 2012.
  13. ^ "United Agents: Laura Carmichael". unitedagents.co.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  14. ^ http://feastcreative.com, Feast Creative. "The Maids – Projects – The Jamie Lloyd Company". thejamielloydcompany.com.
  15. ^ Mayo, Doug. "Jamie Lloyd to direct Uzo Aduba, Zawe Ashton and Laura Carmichael in The Maids". britishtheatre.com. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  16. ^ "Sheffield Theatres Announce Casting for The David Hare Season".
  17. ^ "Scratch Festival, by Various at Battersea Arts Centre – Lavender Hill, Battersea London SW11 5TN – London UK – more on OffWestEnd.com – Listings and showtimes for over 80 Off West End theatres in London UK". offwestend.com.
  18. ^ Connolly, Annaliese (1 December 2009). "Review of Shakespeare's The Tempest (directed by Janice Honeyman) at the Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon and on tour, February–April 2009". Shakespeare. 5 (4): 462–464. doi:10.1080/17450910903370558.
  19. ^ Downton's Michael Fox on Filming With His Girlfriend Laura Carmichael | This Morning, retrieved 21 August 2021

External links[]

Retrieved from ""