Philippa Elaine Fanti Bennett-Warner (born 23 July 1988) is a British actress.[1] She began her career as a child actress, playing young Nala in the original West End production of The Lion King (1999). She went on to earn WhatsOnStage and Ian Charleson Award nominations for her roles in the musical Caroline, or Change (2006) and Michael Grandage's King Lear (2010) respectively.[2]
Pippa Bennett-Warner | |
|---|---|
 Bennett-Warner in 2022 | |
| Born | Philippa Elaine Fanti Warner 23 July 1988 Banbury, Oxfordshire, England |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1999–present |
On television, Bennett-Warner starred in the Sky Atlantic crime drama Gangs of London (2020–present) and the BBC thrillers Roadkill (2020) and Chloe (2022).
Early life
editBennett-Warner was brought up in Buckinghamshire, and was educated at St Edward's School in Oxford, and Lucie Clayton Charm Academy. She is of Jamaican and Kittitian descent, and has a sister, Georgina, who is three years older.[3]
Career
editEarly work (1999–2009)
editShe started her acting career in Julie Taymor's 1999 London production of The Lion King, as one of the original young Nalas.[4]
In 2006, she got a place at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and the role of Emmie Thibodeaux in the musical Caroline, or Change, for which she was nominated for the Whatsonstage.com Stuart Phillips London Newcomer of the Year award 2007, alongside Andrew Garfield. She went on to star in the lead role in Athol Fugard's UK premiere of Victory for the Peter Hall Company and then went to RADA in September 2007.
Bennett-Warner graduated from RADA in 2010, but left early to take on the role of Sophie in Lynn Nottage's Ruined at the Almeida Theatre. Before completing the course she was awarded the prestigious Carleton Hobbs Radio Award. However, due to another job commitment she was unable to join the radio rep.[clarification needed]
After finishing Ruined, a two-hander (Crocodile, written by Frank McGuinness) with Sinéad Cusack for Sky Arts followed. During this time Bennett-Warner was cast in Michael Grandage's award-winning King Lear as Cordelia, with Derek Jacobi in the title role.[4] Before rehearsals started for King Lear in October, she filmed small parts in Come Fly With Me with David Walliams and Ashley Lucas and also in Case Histories alongside Jason Isaacs.
Breakthrough (2010–present)
editBennett-Warner received an Ian Charleson commendation for King Lear. She then took the role of Denise in D. C. Moore's new play The Swan — in a role that had been written for her – at the National Theatre[5] followed by playing Queen Isabel in Michael Grandage's swan song Richard II at the Donmar Warehouse with Eddie Redmayne in the title role and Andrew Buchan as Bolingbroke in 2010.[6] She received positive reviews from the critics, with Kate Bassett from The Independent saying: "Both of them (Redmayne and Buchan) are, in fact, outshone by Pippa Bennett-Warner in the cameo role of Isabel, Richard’s devoted, fiery queen."[7]
In 2012, she played the lead role in Vivienne Franzmann's second play The Witness, at the Royal Court Theatre.[4] She received rave reviews with Susannah Clapp from The Observer stating, "Always thought Pippa Bennett-Warner had big future. Now she is having it in 'The Witness' at Royal Court...There are actresses (even actors) who are more flashy, who more obviously inflect every detail of a speech. PBW is completely natural. Audiences of course admire her: but they do something else, which is not always the same thing: they believe her". Bennett-Warner went on to secure a nomination for Best Actress at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2012, alongside Cate Blanchett and Dame Eileen Atkins and was named as one of the 1,000 Most Influential Londoners in 2012 in the category "Generation Next" by The Evening Standard.
In 2016, she narrated Zadie Smith's book Swing Time. From 2018 to 2019 she played the title role in The Maya Angelou Autobiographies for BBC Radio 4. In 2020, she narrated Bernardine Evaristo's Girl, Woman, Other for the BBC.
Personal life
editShe is an Ambassador for The Theatres Trust.[8]
Bennett-Warner is good friends with Jonathan Bailey who she appeared with in Doctor Who's "Time Heist" episode in 2014.[9] Bailey also photographed her for a profile for Rose & Ivy magazine in 2021.[10]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Patient Zero | Linda | |
| Wakefield | Emily | ||
| 2017 | The Foreigner | Marissa Levitt | |
| 2018 | Johnny English Strikes Again | Lesley | |
| 2020 | Real | Jamie | [11] |
| 2021 | Open | Naomi | |
| 2022 | See How They Run | Ann Saville | |
| A Bit of Light | Bethan | ||
| 2024 | Magpie | Esther | |
| TBA | The Magic Faraway Tree | Hannah | Filming |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Holby City | Gemma Webber | Episode: "Leopard Spots" |
| 2003 | Lenny Henry in Pieces | Jessica | |
| 2010 | Crocodile | Girl | TV film |
| 2011 | National Theatre Live | Cordelia | Episode: "King Lear" |
| Come Fly With Me | Lisa | 2 episodes | |
| Case Histories | Emma Drake | Episode: "Case Histories, Part 1 and 2" | |
| 2012 | Lewis | Nina Clemens | Episode: "The Indelible Stain" |
| Inspector George Gently | Delores Kenny | Episode: "Gently Northern Soul" | |
| Agatha Christie's Marple | Victoria | Episode: "A Caribbean Mystery" | |
| Southcliffe | Susannah | TV mini-series | |
| 2013 | Vera | Manda/Sister Claire | Episode: "Young Gods" |
| Death in Paradise | Rosie Curloo | ||
| 2014 | The Smoke | Ziggy Brown | 8 episodes |
| Law & Order: UK | Zana Washington | Episode: "Repeat to Fade" | |
| The Secrets | Lorna | TV mini-series | |
| Doctor Who | Saibra | Episode: "Time Heist" | |
| 2015 | National Theatre Live | Dorinda | Episode: "The Beaux' Stratagem" |
| The Trials of Jimmy Rose | Kerry Irwin | TV mini-series | |
| River | Tia Edwards | ||
| 2016–2019 | Harlots | Harriet Lennox | TV series |
| 2017–2018 | Sick Note | Becca Palmerstone | |
| 2018 | Silent Witness | DC Heidi Bailey | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | MotherFatherSon | Lauren Elgood | TV series |
| 2020 | Sitting in Limbo | Eileen | TV film[12] |
| Unsaid Stories: Look at Me | Kay | TV short film | |
| Roadkill | Rochelle Madeley | TV series | |
| Maxxx | Tamzin | TV series | |
| 2020–present | Gangs of London | Shannon Dumani | TV series |
| 2022 | Chloe | Livia | TV series |
| 2023 | Obsession | Peggy Graham | Miniseries[13] |
| 2024 | Moonflower Murders | Madeleine | Post-production[14] |
Theatre
edit- 1999 The Lion King, Young Nala, Lyceum Theatre
- 2006 Caroline or Change by Tony Kushner, Emmie Thibodeaux, National Theatre
- 2007 Victory by Athol Fugard, Vicky, Theatre Royal Bath
- 2010 Ruined by Lynn Nottage, Sophie, Almeida Theatre
- 2010 Crocodile by Frank McGuiness, Girl, Riverside Studios
- 2010 King Lear by William Shakespeare, Cordelia, Donmar Warehouse, BAM
- 2011 The Swan by D.C. Moore, Denise, National Theatre
- 2011 Richard II by William Shakespeare, Queen Isabel, Donmar Warehouse
- 2012 The Witness by Vivienne Franzmann,[15] Alex, Royal Court Theatre
- 2015 The Beaux' Stratagem by George Farquhar, Dorinda, Royal National Theatre
Radio
edit- The White Devil as Zanche (BBC Radio 3, 2010)
- Their Eyes Were Watching God as Janie (BBC World drama, 2010)
- The Great Gatsby as Daisy Buchanan (BBC Radio 4, 2012)
- The Witness as Alex (BBC Radio 3, 2013)
- Doctor Thorne as Mary Thorne (BBC Radio 4, 2014)
- The Awakening as Edna Pontellier (BBC Radio 4, 2014)
- Everyday Time Machines as Samantha (BBC Radio 3, 2014)
- The Ice Wife as Kate (BBC Radio 4, 2014)
- Paterson as Marie (BBC Radio 3, 2014)
- Talisman as Edie (BBC Radio 4, 2014)
- Dinner as Sian (BBC Radio 4, 2015)
- Heat and Dust as Olivia (BBC Radio 4, 2015)
- Inspector Chen as Catherine Rohn (BBC Radio 4, 2015)
- Beloved as Denver (BBC Radio 4, 2015)
- Wolf in the Water as Jessica (BBC Radio 3, 2016)
- The Maya Angelou Autobiographies as Maya Angelou (BBC Radio 4 2018–2019)
Video games
edit- Elden Ring as Malenia, Blade of Miquella (2022)
- Xenoblade Chronicles 3 as Monica Vandham (2022)
References
edit- ^ "Pippa Bennett-WarnerProfile". RADA. 2010. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
- ^ "Ian Charleson Awards 2010 | WestendTheatre.com". westendtheatre.com. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ "The Inventory: Pippa Bennett-Warner". Financial Times. 22 May 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
- ^ a b c 10 Questions for Actress Pippa Bennett-Warner
- ^ LondonTheatre1.com (15 December 2011). "Interview with Pippa Bennett-Warner". LondonTheatre1.com. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Pippa Bennett-Warner: There aren't enough roles for actresses, full". Evening Standard. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
- ^ Bassett, Kate (11 December 2011). "Richard II, Donmar Warehouse, London Company, Crucible, Sheffield The Ladykillers, Gielgud, London". The Independent. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
- ^ "Our Ambassadors". Theatres Trust. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
- ^ "Doctor Who, Time Heist, review: Keeley Hawes is marvellous but the Doctor proves the real villain". The Independent. 22 September 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ "In Conversation With Pippa Bennett-Warner". Rose & Ivy. 8 January 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ "Real director hopes portrayal of black love will inspire". The Voice Online. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ "Meet the cast of BBC One Windrush drama Sitting in Limbo". Radio Times. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
- ^ "'Obsession' Netflix British Thriller Series Sets April 2023 Release Date". 16 March 2023.
- ^ O'Rourke, Ryan (14 December 2023). "Lesley Manville Is Back on the Case in First 'Moonflower Murders' Images". Collider. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ "Pippa Bennett-Warner:There aren't enough roles for actresses, full stop". The Evening Standard. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
External links
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