Yasmine Akram

Yasmine Akram (born 11 March 1982) is an Irish-Pakistani actress, writer and comedian, best known for playing Janine Hawkins in the third series of Sherlock.[2][3][4]

Yasmine Akram
Born (1982-03-11) 11 March 1982 [1]
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates[1]
Alma materRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art
OccupationActress, comedian, writer

Early life and education

Akram was born in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Her family settled in Drogheda, Ireland when she was 18 months old. Her father is originally from Pakistan, her mother Mona is from Drogheda and still lives in the town. She has a sister named Masooma.[1][5]

From the age of 14, she has collaborated with the Calipo Theatre and the Picture Company.[3] Akram graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art where she studied acting.[6][7]

Career

After graduating drama school, Akram wrote comedy sketches for the BBC, and Channel 4, and hosting for BBC Radio.[8]

She wrote her first play, 10 Dates with Mad Mary, a monologue about a young woman's struggles after leaving prison, and performed the play at Project Arts Centre in Ireland in 2010. This was adapted into the feature film A Date for Mad Mary in 2016.[9]

She writes and performs as half of London-based comedy duo Ford and Akram with English comedian Louise Ford.[10] The duo's live show in 2011 was directed by Alistair McGowan for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[7][11]

In 2013, she co-wrote and co-presented BBC Radio 4's Irish Micks and Legends with Aisling Bea, with whom she worked on the Channel 4 sketch comedy LOL.[12][13]

In 2014, she portrayed Janine Hawkins opposite Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock Holmes in two episodes of the third series of Sherlock. She reprised the role in the 2016 special, "The Abominable Bride"; her name in this was Janine Donlevy.

In December 2014, Akram appeared as a panellist in Never Mind the Buzzcocks.

In October 2015, she appeared as a panellist in BBC Radio 4's The News Quiz.

Personal life

As of January 2016, Akram resided in London.[8][14]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
2004 Love is the Drug Aisling TV series
2010 Peep Show Yana TV series (1 episode: "St. Hospitals")
2010 LOL Various roles TV series Also writer
2013 Common Ground Restaurant Manager TV series (1 episode: "William & Sinclair")
2013 London Irish Check-in Girl TV series
2013 Irish Micks and Legends Yazz (Narrator)/Various roles Radio series co-writer
2014–2016 Sherlock[15] Janine Hawkins TV series (3 episodes)
2014 The Midnight Beast[16] Jess TV series
2014 The Centre[14] Amanda Menton TV series
2014–2015 Stella[17] Parvadi TV series
2014 Never Mind the Buzzcocks Panellist series 28, episode 10
2015 Count Arthur Strong Gemma TV series
2015 Asylum Rosa TV series
2015 Undercover Lara Sarkissian TV series
2015 Unforgotten Kelly TV series
2016–2018 Lovesick Jonesy TV series
2016 London Town Nurse Film (Limited Release)
2017 Irish in Wonderland[18] Self TV series, 2 episodes
2018–present The Reluctant Landlord Julie TV series
2019 Gold Digger[19] Eimear Day TV series

References
  1. Watters, Ian (24 January 2014). "It's an elementary role!". The Drogheda Leader. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014.
  2. Hennessy, David (7 January 2014). "Sherlock's Yasmine happy to be bridesmaid". The Irish World. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  3. "Interview with Yasmine Akram". Diatribes of a Dilettante. 31 January 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  4. Lee, Veronica (14 August 2011). "Edinburgh Fringe: Glenn Wool/ Jerry Sadowitz/ Ford and Akram". The Arts Desk.
  5. Fleckney, Paul (11 August 2011). "Edinburgh Festival review – Ford & Akram". London Is Funny. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014.
  6. "Yasmine Akram". Playography Ireland.
  7. "LOL". BBC One. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  8. "10 Things You Need To Know About The Bridesmaid In Sherlock – Irish Actress Yasmine Akram". missredblog.com. 13 January 2014. Archived from the original on 19 March 2014.
  9. White, John (30 January 2010). "Calipo Theatre Company's '10 Dates with Mad Mary' – review". Irish Theatre Magazine. Archived from the original on 29 January 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
  10. Monahan, Mark (16 August 2012). "Edinburgh Festival 2012: Ford and Akram, Pleasance Attic, review". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  11. Merritt, Stephanie (11 August 2011). "Edinburgh comedy notebook: When it's better to be funny-looking". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  12. "Aisling Bea". Bulmers Galway Comedy Festival. 2013. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014.
  13. "Irish Micks and Legends". BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  14. "Jennifer's got her new comedy role all covered". Evening Herald. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  15. Dibdin, Emma (5 January 2014). "Sherlock series 3: 'The Sign of Three' recap – The end of an era?". Digital Spy. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  16. "Dawn Sedgwick Mgt on Twitter". Twitter.
  17. Doran, Sarah. "7 things you didn't know about Sherlock's Irish woman". The Daily Edge.
  18. "Irish in Wonderland". Waddell Media.
  19. "Gold Digger cast | Who stars in the new BBC drama? Cast and characters". Radio Times. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
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