Lisa Kay, (born 11 February, 1971) is an English actress who has also worked in Australia. Her credits include '' Chicken Run'' (2000), '' Bridget Jones's Diary'' (2001), '' Heartbeat'' (2002-2010), '' Foyle's War'' (2003), '' Corpse Bride'' (2005), '' Breaking and Entering'' (2006), ''

Home and Away ''Home and Away'' (''H&A'') is an Australian television soap opera. It was created by Alan Bateman and commenced broadcast on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. Bateman came up with the concept of the show during a trip to Kangaroo Point, N ...

'' (2018), ''

Neighbours ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera that has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson. The Seven Network commissioned the show following the success of Watson's earlier soap '' Sons and ...

'' (2018), and '' All My Friends Are Racist'' (2021).

Early life and education

Kay was born on February 11, 1971, in Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire. She grew up in Levisham on the

North York Moors The North York Moors is an upland area in north-eastern Yorkshire, England. It contains one of the largest expanses of Calluna, heather moorland in the United Kingdom. The area was designated as a national parks of England and Wales, National P ...

. Kay trained as a ballet dancer from a young age, with a scholarship at the

Royal Ballet School The Royal Ballet School is a British school of classical ballet training founded in 1926 by the Anglo-Irish ballerina and choreographer Ninette de Valois. The school's aim is to train and educate outstanding classical ballet dancers, especially ...

, London for 3 years, until knee injury ended her aspirations. She changed path toward acting, taking a three year course at

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (BOVTS) is a drama school in Bristol, England. The institution provides training in acting and production for careers in film, television and theatre. BOVTS was an affiliate of the Conservatoire for Dance a ...

Career

UK

In 2001, Kay appeared as Eleanor Ross Heaney in the

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and Romance novel, romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Ro ...

film '' Bridget Jones's Diary'', in a cast which included Renee Zellweger,

Hugh Grant Hugh John Mungo Grant (born 9 September 1960) is an English actor. He established himself early in his career as a charming and vulnerable romantic leading man, and has since transitioned into a character actor. He has received List of awards ...

, Colin Firth and Jim Broadbent. In 2002, Kay made her television debut in the episode "Wrecked" of

ITV1 ITV1 (formerly known as ITV) is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the British media company ITV plc. It provides the ITV (TV network), Channel 3 ...

's '' Heartbeat''. She played the character of Emma Bryden, a lonely single mother who forms a friendship with PC Phil Bellamy. She became a cast regular playing Nurse Carol Cassidy from 2004 to 2010. Kay appeared in the episode "Among the few" (series 2 episode 2) playing Connie Dewar, a driver at a fuel depot, in ITV's '' Foyle's War''. In 2006, she starred alongside

Jude Law David Jude Heyworth Law (born 29 December 1972) is an English actor. He began his career in theatre before landing small roles in various British television productions and feature films. Law gained international recognition for his role in An ...

and Ray Winstone in the

Anthony Minghella Anthony Minghella (6 January 195418 March 2008) was a British film director, playwright, and screenwriter. He was chairman of the board of Governors at the British Film Institute between 2003 and 2007. He directed ''Truly, Madly, Deeply (film), ...

directed romantic drama film '' Breaking and Entering'' (2006).

Voice acting

Her voice credits include

Nick Park Nicholas Wulstan Park (born 6 December 1958) is an English filmmaker and animator who created '' Wallace & Gromit'', '' Creature Comforts'', '' Chicken Run'', '' Shaun the Sheep'', and '' Early Man''. Park has been nominated for an Academy ...

's '' Chicken Run'' (2000), and

Tim Burton Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and producer. Known for popularizing Goth subculture, Goth culture in the American film industry, Burton is famous for his Gothic film, gothic horror and dark fantasy films. ...

's '' Corpse Bride'' (2005).

Australia

Kay appeared in the Australian soap ''

'' for two episodes in 2018 as Professor Juliet Pickford. Also in 2018 she appeared in ''

'' as Rita Newland. In 2021 she appeared in the award-winning ABC iview comedy series '' All My Friends Are Racist''. The five-part series was written by Kodie Bedford and directed by Bjorn Stewart, and also starred Leah Purcell, Davey Thompson, and Tuuli Narkle.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kay, Lisa Living people 1971 births Actors from Beverley Actresses from the East Riding of Yorkshire Actresses from North Yorkshire English expatriates in Australia English film actresses English stage actresses English television actresses English voice actresses People from Ryedale (district)