Laura Carmichael (born 16 July 1986)[1] is an English 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]
Laura Carmichael | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Carmichael in 2019 | |
| Born | 16 July 1986 Southampton, Hampshire, England |
| Alma mater | Bristol Old Vic Theatre School |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Partner | Michael C. Fox (2014–present) |
| Children | 1 |
Early life
editCarmichael 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
editFilm and television
editBetween 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]
From 2020 to 2022, Carmichael had a starring role in The Secrets She Keeps, an Australian psychological thriller drama television series, adapted from Michael Robotham's novel of the same name.[12] She portrayed Agatha Fyfle, a crafty and troubled woman obsessed with pregnancy and babies, who kidnaps an infant.[13]
Theatre
editCarmichael made her West End debut in Uncle Vanya opposite Anna Friel and Samuel West in October 2012.[14] She played Arabella in The Fitzrovia Radio Hour at The Underglobe Theatre in early 2013.[15]
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.[16][17]
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.[18]
She played Laura in Reasons for Living as part of the 2009 Scratch Festival at Battersea Arts Centre.[19] In late 2009, she played Miranda in a touring production of Shakespeare's The Tempest.[20]
Personal life
editCarmichael lives in Camden, London.[4]
Carmichael has been in a relationship with her Downton Abbey co-star Michael C. Fox since 2014, making it public in 2016.[21] They have a son together.[22]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy | Sal | |
| 2014 | Madame Bovary | Henrietta | |
| 2015 | Burn Burn Burn | Seph | |
| 2016 | A United Kingdom | Muriel Williams | |
| 2019 | Downton Abbey | Edith Pelham, Marchioness of Hexham | |
| 2022 | Downton Abbey: A New Era | ||
| 2025 | Untitled Downton Abbey: A New Era sequel | Filming |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | House at the End of Our Street | Yvonne | Television film[23] |
| 2010 | The Heart of Thomas Hardy | Hardy's Maid | Television film[24] |
| 2010–2015 | Downton Abbey | Lady Edith Crawley | Main role |
| 2016 | Marcella | Maddy Stevenson | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
| 2017 | Man in an Orange Shirt | Daphne Talbot | Episode #1.1 |
| 2019–2020 | The Spanish Princess | Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury | Main role |
| 2020–2022 | The Secrets She Keeps | Agatha | Main role |
Theatre
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Reasons for Living | Laura | BAC |
| 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
edit- ^ a b "Laura Carmichael profile". TV Guide. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
- ^ a b "Anna Friel and Laura Carmichael to star in ITV crime drama Marcella". The Guardian. Press Association. 5 November 2015.
- ^ a b Douglas, Clare (25 February 2017). "Laura Carmichael on leaving Lady Edith behind and her new film 'A United Kingdom'". Hello Magazine. Archived from the original on 26 February 2017.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Watt, Ewan (25 February 2015). "My Inspirational Teacher: by Downton Abbey star Laura Carmichael". Theirworld. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Rees, Jasper (25 October 2012). "Laura Carmichael interview: 'I don't seek out hopeless girls to play'". The Telegraph.
- ^ a b Gilbert, Gerard (27 October 2015). "Laura Carmichael: 'Downton was a miracle'". Independent.co.uk.
- ^ "Downton Abbey: Laura Carmichael on Lady Edith". Radio Times. 29 October 2011.
- ^ Frost, Caroline (28 October 2016). "Laura Carmichael's Swear-y Screen Role Might Surprise Her Downton Fans". Huffington Post.
- ^ Film, British Council. "British Council Film: Burn Burn Burn". film.britishcouncil.org.
- ^ Whitehead, Mat (19 May 2019). "TV Adaptation Of Bestselling Mummy Blog Drama 'The Secrets She Keeps' Coming To 10". 10 Daily. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- ^ Chappet, Marie Claire (15 August 2022). "Laura Carmichael on life post Downton Abbey and the complex new role she had been "wishing for"". Harper's Bazaar. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
- ^ Shenton, Mark (31 August 2012). "Downton Abbey Star Laura Carmichael Joins Cast of West End's Uncle Vanya". Playbill. Archived from the original on 23 January 2013.
- ^ "United Agents: Laura Carmichael". unitedagents.co.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "The Maids – Projects". The Jamie Lloyd Company. Archived from the original on 9 March 2017.
- ^ Mayo, Doug (6 November 2015). "Jamie Lloyd to direct Uzo Aduba, Zawe Ashton and Laura Carmichael in The Maids". britishtheatre.com. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "Sheffield Theatres Announce Casting for The David Hare Season". Broadway World. 10 December 2010. Archived from the original on 23 October 2017.
- ^ "Scratch Festival". Off Westend. Archived from the original on 9 September 2009.
- ^ 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. S2CID 192015006.
- ^ This Morning, Downton's Michael Fox on Filming With His Girlfriend Laura Carmichael, retrieved 21 August 2021
- ^ Crosbie, Eve (4 May 2022). "Downton Abbey stars Laura Carmichael and Michael C Fox welcome first baby together". hellomagazine.com. Hello Magazine. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ Shenton, Mark (31 August 2012). ""Downton Abbey" Star Laura Carmichael Joins Cast of West End's Uncle Vanya". playbill.com. Playbill. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ Mather, Rachel (7 March 2022). "Laura Carmichael: Hampshire and Downton Abbey's Lady Edith and her surprising career before big breakthrough". hampshirelive.news. Hampshire Live. Retrieved 20 August 2024.