Jodie Comer

Jodie Marie Comer ( ; born 11 March 1993) is an English actress of screen and stage. She began her career in an episode of '' The Royal Today'' in 2008. Comer gained recognition for appearing in the series ''My Mad Fat Diary'' (2013–2015) and '' Doctor Foster'' (2015–2017), and starred in the drama miniseries '' Thirteen'' (2016).
From 2018 to 2022, Comer played sociopathic assassin Villanelle in the BBC America spy thriller television series ''Killing Eve'', winning a BAFTA Television Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. For playing Sarah, a healthcare assistant, in the television film ''Help'' (2021), she won another BAFTA Television Award.

Comer expanded to films in 2021 with main roles in the action comedy film '' Free Guy'' and historical drama '' The Last Duel''. In 2022, she made her West End theatre debut in Suzie Miller's one-woman play ''Prima Facie'', which earned her an Evening Standard Theatre Award and a Laurence Olivier Award. Following its transfer to Broadway in 2023, she won a Tony Award.

Early life

Comer was born in Liverpool on 11 March 1993, the daughter of Merseyrail employee Donna and Everton FC physiotherapist James Comer. She has a younger brother named Charlie, born in 1995. Comer grew up in Liverpool's Childwall suburb and attended St Julie's Catholic High School in its neighbouring Woolton suburb, where she became close friends with future Olympic athlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson.

At the age of 11, she started acting at a weekend drama school called CALS in the Belle Vale area of Liverpool. Through CALS, Comer entered the Liverpool Performing Arts Festival in 2006 at St George's Hall and came first in her category after performing a monologue about the Hillsborough disaster.

While in high school, Comer's friends removed her from their dance group when a holiday with her family clashed with rehearsals for the school's talent show, prompting her to instead perform her Hillsborough disaster monologue for the show. Although she did not win, her performance prompted her drama teacher to call in a favour from friends in the entertainment industry, allowing her to audition for a BBC Radio 4 play. This became her first acting job, with her co-stars advising her to get an agent and telling her that she could have a successful acting career.

Career

Career beginnings (2008–2017)

Comer's career began in 2008 with a guest role on an episode of '' The Royal Today''. In 2010, she made her theatre debut in the play ''The Price of Everything'', directed by Noreen Kershaw, at the Stephen Joseph Theatre. Comer then made minor appearances in several television series (see table below). She was cast in leading roles in the drama series ''Justice'' (2011), the supernatural miniseries '' Remember Me'' (2014), and as Chloe Gemell in the E4 comedy-drama series ''My Mad Fat Diary'' (2013–2015). Comer appeared in the 2015 adaptation of ''Lady Chatterley's Lover'' (1928), a television film broadcast on BBC One. The same year, she played Kate Parks in the BBC One drama series '' Doctor Foster'' (2015–2017).

Her first starring role was in 2016 as Ivy Moxam in the BBC Three miniseries '' Thirteen'', which earned her a nomination for the British Academy Television Award for Best Actress. In November 2016, she appeared in the BBC One miniseries '' Rillington Place'' as Beryl Evans, one of serial killer John Christie's victims. The same year, Comer was listed as one of Screen International's "Stars of Tomorrow" in association with the BFI London Film Festival. In 2017, she starred as a young Elizabeth of York in '' The White Princess'' on Starz, a sequel to the BBC One miniseries '' The White Queen'' (2013). Also in 2017, Comer made her feature film debut, as Christine in the Morrissey biographical drama '' England Is Mine'', directed by Mark Gill.

''Killing Eve'' and breakthrough (2018–2021)

In April 2018, Comer began starring in the BBC America spy thriller series ''Killing Eve'' as Villanelle / Oksana Astankova, a sociopathic Russian assassin who develops a mutual obsession with Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh), the MI6 agent pursuing her. Comer garnered praise for her performance; Jia Tolentino of ''The New Yorker'' stated that, in the context of the series's "constant reversals in tone and rhythm", the "ambiguity—and impossibility—of Villanelle's character has worked (through the first season) thanks to Comer's mercurial, unassailable charisma".

After the first season of ''Killing Eve'' aired, Comer revealed how much she'd learned from embodying her character, stating: "I had this impression that, to do good acting, everything is minimal, really whispered, less is more. What I learned playing Villanelle is that there is acting that can be so full of life and bold that it is ridiculous at times. There was something very freeing about playing her." For the role, Comer was thrice nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Actress and Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, winning both in 2019. Given her character's ability to adopt numerous accents as part of her disguises, fans are often astonished to hear Comer's native Scouse accent.

In June 2018, Comer played Linda, a 1960s Liverpool secretary exploring her sexuality, in the BBC Four series ''Snatches: Moments from Women's Lives'', inspired by events that took place in the century since women first won the vote. In August 2018, Comer was ranked No. 94 on ''Radio Times''s TV 100. In November 2018, ''The Hollywood Reporter'' included her in their list of the "Next Gen Talent 2018: Hollywood's Rising Young Stars".

In April 2019, Comer revealed she had been forced to drop out of Kenneth Branagh's 2022 adaptation of Agatha Christie's ''Death on the Nile'' due to scheduling conflicts. Also in 2019, Comer made a cameo appearance in the film '' Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'', appearing as Rey's mother (Miramir) in a flashback. In June 2020, Comer played the lead role of Lesley in a BBC iPlayer reboot of the ''Talking Heads'' episode " Her Big Chance" (filmed in lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Comer next appeared in the action comedy film '' Free Guy'', alongside Ryan Reynolds, in which she played two roles: Millie, a games developer, and Molotov Girl, Millie's in-game avatar. Released on 13 August 2021, a cover version of Mariah Carey song "Fantasy" (1995) sung by Comer was used in the film. For the role, she was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Later in 2021, Comer teamed with writer Jack Thorne and actor Stephen Graham to star in the Channel 4 drama ''Help'', as a young care home worker struggling during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom; she also served as an executive producer. The role earned her a fifth British Academy Television Award for Best Actress nomination, which she ultimately won the following year. Also in 2021, Comer portrayed Marguerite de Carrouges in Ridley Scott's '' The Last Duel'', alongside Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Adam Driver.

''Prima Facie'' and beyond (2022–present)

Comer made her West End debut in Suzie Miller's one-woman play ''Prima Facie'' at the Harold Pinter Theatre which started in April 2022 and concluded in June 2022. She was praised for her role as criminal defense barrister Tessa Ensler. Comer made her Broadway debut with ''Prima Facie'' when the production transferred from the West End, in spring 2023. Starting 21 July 2022, a filmed performance of the play at the Harold Pinter Theatre was shown at cinemas around the world by National Theatre Live (NT Live), where it became the highest-grossing event cinema release ever, taking in £4.47 million. For her performance, she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress and Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. In January 2024, an audiobook based on the stage play's eponymous novel was released, which was narrated by Comer. Reflecting on her experience on stage, Comer termed it "the most overwhelming and powerful and life-affirming experience". In January 2026, Comer will reprise the role for a UK and Ireland tour.

In 2023, Comer starred, alongside Austin Butler and Tom Hardy, in Jeff Nichols's '' The Bikeriders'', a drama inspired by the photography of Danny Lyon and his 1967 book of the same name. She subsequently starred in and produced the environmental thriller '' The End We Start From'', an adaptation of Megan Hunter's debut novel, directed by Mahalia Belo. Both films received generally positive reviews, with Comer's performance receiving praise for both, though she received a polarized reaction towards her American accent in ''The Bikeriders''. Comer stated that it was tough as the only woman on the set of ''The Bikeriders''. In 2024, she voiced character Emily Hartwood in the survival horror video game ''Alone in the Dark'', a reimagining of the 1992 original video game and the seventh installment in the ''Alone in the Dark'' video game series.

Comer will next star in Danny Boyle's horror film '' 28 Years Later'', a sequel to the 2002 film ''28 Days Later''. She will also star in Branagh's psychological thriller film '' The Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde''. She will also star, alongside Hugh Jackman, in Michael Sarnoski's upcoming action film '' The Death of Robin Hood''.

Reception and acting style

Comer has been called one of the finest actors of her generation. She has stated that the performances she takes on have affected her mental state, claiming: "I guess I was naive to think that something wouldn't filter through from work to life eventually, even if you're not conscious of it." Comer has been commended for her ability to perform multiple accents. She revealed that she took up smoking to deliver a more authentic performance for her role in ''The Bikeriders'', only to accidentally singe her eyelashes.

On her roles, Comer said: " f I knowwhy I'm stepping into it and know what I gain from the experience, then if it goes out into the world and people hate it or it completely goes unnoticed or it's a huge success, it doesn't matter... That doesn't change my experience and how I felt." When looking back over her career in December 2018, she remarked: "I only became a real-life actor when I was about 17: that's when things started to pick up. If I saw any of my performances from then, I'd want to punch myself in the face."

In December 2018, British ''Vogue'' included Comer in its list of "The Most Influential Girls of 2018", and, in February 2019, ''Forbes'' included her in their annual " 30 Under 30" list for being in the top 30 most influential people in the entertainment industry in Europe under the age of 30.

In September 2019, Comer was named the face of the Loewe spring/summer 2020 fashion campaign, which saw her star in a short film for the brand. In October 2022, according to a scientific measure of physical perfection, Comer was named the most beautiful woman with a golden ratio of 94.52%.

Personal life

Comer said of her career in a December 2020 interview, "I don't believe amechanges people. It's just a magnifying glass ..these opportunities are huge and glossy, but they're so far from the life that I live." She also discussed experiencing class discrimination in her career as an actress with a Liverpool accent, which is widely regarded as one of the most working class in the UK.

Noted for guarding her private life, Comer said in a June 2024 interview, "I've had moments in my life where I don't think you can underestimate the lengths people will go to invade that space. I think it's important as an actor that people connect with the work and not, 'Oh, did you know yesterday she had eggs for breakfast? She has expressed gratitude for the willingness of her family and friends to keep her grounded as her career grows: "The majority of my friends are from school ndI don't have a lot of yes men around me, which I appreciate. That's what I realised when I finished on Broadway. I was like, 'I need to go home, to be a better sister, a better friend. I needed to be a more present daughter.'"

Acting roles

Film

Television

Theatre

Video games

Audiobooks

Awards and nominations

Known for her performances on stage and screen, Comer has received two BAFTA Television Awards, one Laurence Olivier Award, one Primetime Emmy Award, and one Tony Award. She has also received nominations for a Screen Actors Guild Award, two Critics' Choice Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards.

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Comer, Jodie
1993 births
21st-century English actresses
Actresses from Liverpool
Audiobook narrators
Best Actress BAFTA Award (television) winners
English child actresses
English film actresses
English stage actresses
English television actresses
English video game actresses
English voice actresses
Laurence Olivier Award winners
Living people
Method actors
Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Drama Series Primetime Emmy Award winners
Theatre World Award winners
Tony Award winners