Jessica Hynes

Tallulah Jessica Elina Hynes (née Stevenson; born 30 October 1972) is an English actress, director and writer. Known professionally as Jessica Stevenson until 2007,[1] she was one of the creators, writers and stars of the British sitcom Spaced and has worked as a writer and actress for over two decades.

Jessica Hynes
Hynes in 2008
Born
Tallulah Jessica Elina Stevenson

(1972-10-30) 30 October 1972
Lewisham, London, England
NationalityBritish
Other namesJessica Stevenson
OccupationActress, writer, director
Years active1993–present
Spouse(s)
Adam Hynes
(
m. 2002)
Children3

Hynes has been nominated for a Tony, a Laurence Olivier Award, five BAFTAs (winning two) and three British Comedy Awards (winning two).

Early life

Hynes was born in Lewisham, south London, and grew up in Brighton, where she attended St Luke's Infant and Junior Schools and Dorothy Stringer High School.[2]

Career

As a teenager Hynes was a member of the National Youth Theatre company, and made her stage début with the company in Lionel Bart's Blitz in 1990.[3] In 1992–93 she played a season at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds. In the same year she appeared in Peter Greenaway's 1993 film The Baby of Mâcon, playing the first midwife.

Known professionally as Jessica Stevenson until 2007, early in her career she teamed up with future Spaced co-star Katy Carmichael in a comedy double-act called the Liz Hurleys, appeared in two productions at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre, and played parts on television in the nursing drama Staying Alive (1995–97) and short-lived sketch shows Six Pairs of Pants, (Un)natural Acts and Asylum—where the Spaced team (Stevenson, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright) first assembled. She guest starred in the first episode of Midsomer Murders in 1997. From 1998 to 2000 Hynes played the supporting role of Cheryl in the hit sitcom The Royle Family and reprised the role for special episodes in 2006, 2009 and 2010.

In 1999, she co-wrote and starred in Spaced. Her London theatre début was in April 2002, playing the tough ex-prisoner "Bolla" in Jez Butterworth's The Night Heron at the Royal Court.[4] In 2004 she played a minor part as Yvonne in horror comedy Shaun of the Dead, again working with Pegg and Wright. In the same year she was also cast as Magda, friend of the titular character, in the Hollywood sequel Bridget Jones' Diary 2 also called Bridget Jones' Diary: The Edge of Reason. In 2005 Hynes took the lead role in the BBC One sitcom According to Bex (which she thought was so bad that she sacked her agent for putting her up for it),[1] and had a starring role in British comedy Confetti alongside Jimmy Carr, Martin Freeman and Mark Heap.

In early 2007, Hynes took a lead role in the film Magicians, starring alongside comic duo David Mitchell and Robert Webb. Later that year she starred in Learners, a comedy drama television movie which she also wrote, on BBC One in November 2007.[5] She also provided the voice of Mafalda Hopkirk in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Hynes played Joan Redfern in the 2007 Doctor Who episodes "Human Nature" and "The Family of Blood". She then appeared in part two of the story "The End of Time", playing a character named Verity Newman, who is Joan's great granddaughter.[6] Hynes has appeared in Big Finish's Eighth Doctor audio adventure "Invaders from Mars", with her Spaced colleague Simon Pegg.

In 2007, she starred in Son of Rambow (credited as Jessica Stevenson), playing Mary Proudfoot opposite the star of the film, Bill Milner.

Hynes co-wrote the pilot Phoo Action, based on the cartoons of Jamie Hewlett, which was transmitted on BBC Three in early 2008.[7]

In the same year Hynes appeared in the film Faintheart and in a revival of Alan Ayckbourn's The Norman Conquests at the Old Vic. In 2009 she made her Broadway début in the play's transfer[8] and was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance.

In 2009 she returned to the Royal Court in The Priory, a new play by Michael Wynne.[9]

In 2008, Hynes stated that she planned to pursue a solo career as a stand-up comedian[10] and was working on a children's book Ants in the Marmalade.[11]

Hynes appeared as a "right-on" PR person Siobhan Sharpe in the London Olympic centred satire Twenty Twelve, of which the first series screened on BBC Four in 2011, moving to BBC Two in spring 2012. A further series was screened in July 2012. She reprised the role in the 2014 series W1A for which she won a Bafta.

Hynes was in the film Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger, in which she plays competition host Angel Matthews. The film was released in November 2012.

In October 2012, she released a duet with singer Anthony Strong of Slim Gaillard's "Laughing in Rhythm".[12] In December 2012 she appeared with co-star Hugh Bonneville in World's Most Dangerous Roads, travelling through Georgia.

In 2017 she played the role of a medieval knight in the revival series of The Crystal Maze. In the same year, Hynes directed her first feature film, The Fight, produced by Noel Clarke and Jason Maza.

In 2018, Hynes played the role of a mother in the BBC Four programme There She Goes. She stars alongside David Tennant, raising a daughter with a severe learning disability. It is based on the real life of writer Shaun Pye, whose daughter was born with a chromosomal disorder.[13]

In 2018, she played the character of ‘Marv’ in the online YouTube series ‘Jack and Dean of All Trades’ which ran for two seasons on Fullscreen and later the Jack and Dean YouTube channel.

In 2019 she starred in the BBC and HBO production Years and Years.

Filmography

Television
Year Title Role Format Notes
1994The House of EliottCharlotte ParkerTV seriesSeries 3, episode 1
1995Six Pairs of PantsVarious charactersTV series
Tears Before BedtimeMaggieTV series
Crown ProsecutorJackie SouthTV series
1996Mash and PeasVarious rolesTV series
AsylumMartha & Nurse McFaddenTV series
Staying AliveAlice TimpsonTV series
1997Midsomer MurdersJudith LessiterTV seriesEpisode: "The Killings at Badger's Drift"
Armstrong and MillerVarious rolesTV seriesSeries 1–2
Harry Enfield and ChumsTV seriesEpisode: "Harry Enfield and His Yule Log Chums"
1998Unnatural ActsVarious rolesTV seriesEpisodes 1, 2, 4, 5
Merry-Go-RoundAlice, the Ayatollah's AssistantTV seriesEpisode 1
1998–2010The Royle FamilyCheryl CarrollTV seriesEpisodes: "Bills, Bills, Bills", "Sunday Afternoon", "Dad's Birthday", "Wedding Day", "Pregnancy", "Antony's Birthday", "Decorating", "Funeral", "The Christening", "The Queen of Sheba", "The Golden Egg Cup", "Joe's Crackers"
1999People Like UsSarahTV seriesEpisode: "The Estate Agent"
1999–2001SpacedDaisy SteinerTV seriesCo-wrote with Simon Pegg
2001Randall & HopkirkFelia SiderovaTV seriesEpisodes: "Mental Apparition Disorder", "Drop Dead"
Bob & RoseHolly VanceTV series
Comedy LabWifeTV seriesEpisode: "Knife & Wife"
2002Dick WhittingtonThe Good FairyTV film
Black BooksEvaTV seriesEpisode: "Hello Sun"
2005According to BexRebecca 'Bex' AtwellTV series
2006Pinochet in SuburbiaPolice GuardTV film
The Secret Policeman's BallMrs. PeacockStaged show
QIHerselfTV seriesEpisode: "Domesticity"
Agatha Christie's MarpleAimee GriffithTV seriesEpisode: "The Moving Finger"
2007Doctor WhoJoan RedfernTV seriesEpisodes: "Human Nature", "The Family of Blood"
LearnersBevTV film
Never Mind the BuzzcocksHerselfTV seriesSeries 21, episode 1
2010Doctor WhoVerity NewmanTV seriesEpisode: "The End of Time, Part Two"
2010Lizzie and SarahVarious rolesTV pilot
2011–12Twenty TwelveSiobhan SharpeTV seriesWon RTS Best Comedy Performance award
2011SkinsCrystalTV seriesEpisode: "Everyone"
The HourJane KishTV seriesEpisode 4
2012One NightCarolTV series
World's Most Dangerous RoadsHerselfTV seriesEpisode 2
2013BlandingsDaphne LittlewoodTV series
Up the WomenMargaretTV seriesWriter
CrackanoryStorytellerTV seriesreading "My Former Self" by Holly Walsh
2014—17W1ASiobhan SharpeTV series
2014Alan Davies: As Yet UntitledHerselfTV seriesEpisode 2
2015Celebrity SquaresHerselfTV seriesSeries 2, Episode 2
20158 Out of 10 Cats Does CountdownHerselfTV series
2016The Keith Lemon Sketch ShowManagerTV seriesSeries 2: "The Cartoon Job Centre" sketch
Jack and Dean of All TradesMarvWeb series
Hooten & the LadyElla BondTV series
2017The Crystal MazeThe KnightTV series
2018–presentThere She GoesEmily YatesTV series2 series
2019Years and YearsEdith LyonsTV series

Film
YearTitleRoleNotes
1993Swing KidsHelgaCredited as Jessica Stevenson
The Baby of MâconThe First MidwifeCredited as Jessica Stevenson
2000Born RomanticLibbyCredited as Jessica Stevenson
2002Tomorrow La Scala!VictoriaCredited as Jessica Stevenson
PureParamedicCredited as Jessica Stevenson
2004Shaun of the DeadYvonneCredited as Jessica Stevenson
Bridget Jones: The Edge of ReasonMagdaCredited as Jessica Stevenson
2006ConfettiSamCredited as Jessica Stevenson
2007Four Last SongsMirandaCredited as Jessica Stevenson
Son of RambowMaryCredited as Jessica Stevenson
MagiciansLindaCredited as Jessica Stevenson
Harry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixMafalda HopkirkVoice Only
Credited as Jessica Stevenson
2008FaintheartCathy
2010Burke and HareLucky
2012Nativity 2: Danger in the MangerAngel Matthews
2014Pudsey: The MovieGail
2016Swallows and AmazonsMrs Jackson
2016Bridget Jones's BabyMagda
2017The FightTinaAlso Writer/Director
Paddington 2Miss Kitts
2018Alright NowSara
Nativity Rocks!Angel Matthews

Awards
YearAwardWorkResult
1999British Comedy Award for Best Female Comedy NewcomerSpaced and The Royle FamilyWon[14]
2001British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy ActressSpacedWon[15]
2002British Academy Television Award for Best Situation ComedySpacedNominated[16]
2002RTS Television Award for Best Actor – FemaleTomorrow La Scala!Nominated[17]
2003British Academy Television Award for Best ActressTomorrow La Scala!Nominated[18]
2003Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting RoleThe Night HeronNominated[19]
2009Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a PlayThe Norman ConquestsNominated[20]
2012British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy ActressTwenty TwelveNominated[21]
2013RTS Television Award for Best Comedy PerformanceTwenty TwelveWon[22]
2013British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy PerformanceTwenty TwelveNominated[23]
2015British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy PerformanceW1AWon[24]
2019British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy PerformanceThere She GoesWon
gollark: Probably a bunch?
gollark: You should make laws for possible cases, especially where it exposes holes.
gollark: They are not known to exist now but good ethical frameworks should consider them generally. (EDIT: in order to not produce "human maximizers" running amok over the universe which don't consider the rights of other possible types of being, which I think would be, er, bad)
gollark: That's... bad.
gollark: How do you know? Why?

References
  1. McLean, Gareth (25 May 2007). "Gareth McLean talks to screen star Jessica Stevenson about feminist history". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 25 May 2007.
  2. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/jessica-hynes-interview-the-royle-family-and-w1a-star-on-why-shes-spoiling-for-the-fight-zzvfq50p7
  3. Kilcoyne, Emma (13 February 2008). "Charismatic artistic director of the National Youth Theatre". The Independent. p. 34.
  4. "The Night Heron". The Royal Court Theatre. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  5. "Press Releases: David Tennant and Jessica Hynes in the driving seat for new BBC One comedy drama Learners". BBC. Retrieved 3 April 2007.
  6. Anders, Charlie Jane (23 March 2009). "Discover Both Ends of The "Spectrum of Spock." Plus The Doctor's Worst Nightmare". io9. Retrieved 18 April 2009.
  7. "Press Releases: Jessica Hynes in Phoo Action". BBC. Retrieved 3 April 2007.
  8. "Tickets on sale for Alan Ayckbourn's 'The Norman Conquests'". Broadway.com. Archived from the original on 27 May 2009. Retrieved 5 March 2009.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  9. "The Priory". The Royal Court Theatre. Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  10. Hall, Julian (20 June 2008). "Stand Up Get Down Featuring Jessica Hynes & Friends, Madame Jojo's, London". The Independent. London. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  11. McLean, Gareth (25 May 2007). "I went mainstream. It really wasn't me". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  12. "Laughing in Rhythm". iTunes Store. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  13. Hodges, Michael (16 October 2018). "David Tennant felt 'huge responsibility' starring in new BBC comedy There She Goes". Radio Times. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  14. "British Comedy Awards 1999". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  15. "Skinner crowned TV comedy king". BBC. 16 December 2001. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  16. "Television in 2002". BAFTA. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  17. "Programme Award Winners 2002". Royal Television Society. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  18. "Television in 2003". BAFTA. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  19. "Olivier Winners 2003". Olivier Awards. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  20. "JUST THE LIST: Winners and Nominees of the 2009 Tony Awards". Playbill. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  21. "British Comedy Awards: Twenty Twelve to take on The Thick of It". The Daily Telegraph. 2 December 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  22. "RTS Programme Awards 2013". Royal Television Society. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  23. "Television in 2013". BAFTA. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  24. "Television in 2015". BAFTA. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
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