Bessie Beatrice Carter (born 25 October 1993) is an English actress. She is best known for her role as Prudence Featherington on the

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

series ''

Bridgerton ''Bridgerton'' is an American alternative history regency romance television series created by Chris Van Dusen for Netflix. Based on the book series Bridgerton (novel series), of the same name by Julia Quinn, it is Shondaland's first scripted ...

'', as well as Evie Wilcox on the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

television series ''

Howards End ''Howards End'' is a novel by E. M. Forster, first published in 1910, about social conventions, codes of conduct and relationships in turn-of-the-century England. ''Howards End'' is considered by many to be Forster's masterpiece. The book wa ...

'' (2017) and Violet Woodhouse on the ITV television series '' Beecham House'' (2019). She most recently starred in the 2024 National Theatre revival of '' Dear Octopus''.

Early life

Carter was born in

Westminster Westminster is the main settlement of the City of Westminster in Central London, Central London, England. It extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street and has many famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, ...

to actors

Imelda Staunton Dame Imelda Mary Philomena Bernadette Staunton (born 9 January 1956) is an English actress and singer. After training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Staunton began her career in repertory theatre in 1976 and appeared in various theatre pr ...

and Jim Carter. In 2007, the three appeared in the BBC series '' Cranford'' (Jim Carter was Captain Brown, Imelda Staunton was Miss Octavia Pole and Bessie Carter was the maid, Margaret Gidman). She initially attended

Francis Holland School Francis Holland School is the name of three separate private day schools for girls in central London, England, governed by the Francis Holland (Church of England) Schools Trust. The schools are located at Clarence Gate (near Regent's Park ...

before moving to

Camden School for Girls The Camden School for Girls (CSG) is a comprehensive secondary school for girls, with a co-educational sixth form, in the London Borough of Camden in north London. It has about one thousand students of ages eleven to eighteen, and specialis ...

where she completed her

A Levels The A-level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational a ...

. She took a year out, during which she auditioned for drama school. She studied at the

Guildhall School of Music and Drama The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a music school, music and drama school located in the City of London, England. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and jazz al ...

, graduating in 2016 and winning the Spotlight Prize for Best Screen Actor that same year. In 2025 Carter and her mother are set to co-star in a production of ''

Mrs. Warren's Profession ''Mrs. Warren's Profession'' is a play written by George Bernard Shaw in 1893, and first performed in London in 1902. It is one of the three plays Shaw published as ''Plays Unpleasant'' in 1898, alongside ''The Philanderer'' and '' Widowers' H ...

'' in London.

Acting credits

Film

Television

On stage

Video games

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* 1993 births Living people 21st-century English actresses Actors from the City of Westminster Actresses from London Alumni of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama English film actresses English people of Irish descent English stage actresses English television actresses People educated at Camden School for Girls People educated at Francis Holland School People from Westminster {{England-actor-stub