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English actress From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gemma Elizabeth Whelan (born 1981) is an English actress and comedian known for portraying Yara Greyjoy in the HBO fantasy-drama series Game of Thrones and as her stand-up character Chastity Butterworth. She also plays Kate in all seasons of the comedy Upstart Crow (2016–2018), Detective Eunice Noon on the first season of The End of the F***ing World (2017), Geraldine on the third season of Killing Eve (2020), and DCI Kerry Henderson in both series of DI Ray (2022–2024).
Gemma Whelan | |
---|---|
Born | Gemma Elizabeth Whelan 1981 Leeds, West Yorkshire, England |
Occupation(s) | Actress, comedian |
Years active | 2005–present |
Spouse | Gerry Howell |
Children | 2 |
Gemma Elizabeth Whelan[citation needed] was born in Leeds in 1981[1] and grew up in the Midlands.[2]
She attended The King's High School for Girls in Warwick[3] and the London Studio Centre.[4]
She was hospitalised for anorexia nervosa as a teenager. She regards her recovery from the illness as her greatest achievement, and says that the experience has shaped her personality and how she approaches things.[5]
As a stand-up comedian, Whelan won the 2010 Funny Women Variety Award.[6] She performed at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe with her show Chastity Butterworth & The Spanish Hamster.[7] In 2014 she recorded a pilot chat show as her character Chastity Butterworth for BBC Radio 4,[8] which was in development in October 2015.[9][10] She also featured in other shows as this character.[11]
On screen, she has played supporting roles in several films and TV shows, including in the 2010 films Gulliver's Travels[12] and The Wolfman.[12] She played Kate (appearing in all 18 main episodes, as well as three Christmas specials) in Ben Elton's BBC Two comedy Upstart Crow,[12] and was a series regular on The End of the F***ing World.[12] She also played roles in other comedies, including Uncle and The Agency.[12]
In August 2011, she was cast as Yara Greyjoy,[13] elder sister of Theon, of House Greyjoy of the Iron Islands, in the HBO fantasy-drama television series Game of Thrones,[13] and appeared as a recurring cast member from the second season onward.[14]
In 2017, she portrayed Karen Matthews in the two-part TV drama The Moorside,[12] based on the 2008 disappearance of nine-year-old Shannon Matthews. In 2019, she appeared as Marian Lister in the BBC drama Gentleman Jack.[12]
In February 2020, a stage adaptation of Upstart Crow opened at the Gielgud Theatre, London, Whelan reprising the role of Kate.[15] Whelan returned to the West End stage as Kate when the play was revived at the Apollo Theatre in 2022.[16]
Whelan appears as DCI Kerry Henderson in the police drama series, DI Ray, written by Maya Sondhi and produced by Jed Mercurio,[5] as superior officer to DI Ray, played by Parminder Nagra. Her role extends from the first series in 2022[17] to series 2 in 2024.[18][19][20]
Whelan lives in London with her husband, the comedian and actor Gerry Howell and their two children.[21][5]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2006 | Madness of the Dance | Sister Grace | Short film |
2007 | Frites | Marie-Anne | Short film |
2008 | Shortbread and Tea | Mildred | |
2009 | Ding Dong | Dr. Pretty | Short film |
2010 | The Wolfman | Gwen's Maid | |
Gulliver's Travels | Lilliputian Rose | ||
2016 | Prevenge | Len | |
2018 | Surviving Christmas with the Relatives | Miranda | |
2020 | Emma | Mrs. Weston | |
TBA | The Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde | Filming |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2006 | The Enforcers | Holly | |
2009 | 10 Minute Tales | Pretty Nurse | 1 episode |
2010 | The Persuasionists | Josephine | 2 episodes |
2011 | Threesome | Wendy | 1 episode |
Living Doll | Moaning Mona | ||
For the Win | Various | Pilot | |
2012 | Ruddy Hell! It's Harry & Paul | Daughter | 1 episode |
Cardinal Burns | Claire | ||
2012–14, 2016–19 | Game of Thrones | Yara Greyjoy | Recurring, 16 episodes |
2013 | The Day They Came to Suck Out Our Brains! | Unknown | Miniseries, 1 episode |
Nick Helm's Heavy Entertainment | Various | ||
Claudia O'Doherty Comedy Blaps | Sarah | Miniseries, 3 episodes | |
2014 | Live at the Electric | Chastity Butterworth | 3 episodes |
Siblings | Ruth | ||
Badults | Juliet | Series 2, 1 episode: "Neighbours" | |
Mapp & Lucia | Quaint Irene Coles | ||
2014–16 | Almost Royal | Narrator | |
2015 | Uncle | Veronica | 2 episodes |
Not Safe for Work | Davina | 1 episode | |
Murder in Successville | Nurse Adele | Series 1, 1 episode | |
2016–2020 | Upstart Crow | Kate | Recurring, 18 episodes and 3 specials |
2016–2017 | Hetty Feather | Ida Battersea | |
2016–present | Horrible Histories | Various | |
2016 | Morgana Robinson's The Agency | Kat Cassidy | 4 episodes |
2017 | Decline and Fall | Diane Fagan | 2 episodes |
The Moorside | Karen Matthews | Two-part drama | |
The Crown | Patricia Campbell | 1 episode | |
Queers: The Perfect Gentleman | Bobby | monologue | |
The End of the F***ing World | Eunice | ||
Eat Your Heart with Nick Helm | Herself | 1 episode | |
2019 | Gentleman Jack | Marian Lister | |
Star vs. the Forces of Evil | Solaria Butterfly (voice) | 1 episode[22] | |
2020 | White House Farm | Ann Eaton | |
Untitled Pajama Men Project | Glenda | Post-production | |
Killing Eve | Geraldine Martens[23] | ||
2021 | Inside No. 9 | Columbina | "Wuthering Heist" |
2021-2023 | The Tower | Detective Sergeant Sarah Collins | Main role, 2 series, 7 episodes |
2022– | DI Ray | DCI Kerry Henderson | s1 (2022) and s2 (2024) |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2005 | Newsrevue | Various | Edinburgh Festival |
2006 | Shakespeare for Breakfast | Petruchio | C Venues |
Celebrity Love Panto Island | Various | Canal Cafe Theatre | |
2008 | Red Death Lates | Unknown | Gideon Reeling |
Improvathon | Bunny Valentine | The Sticking Place | |
2009 | Infinite Variety | Various | Whoopee Productions New Players Theatre |
2010 | Stephen & the Sexy Partridge | Chanel | Trafalgar Studios |
2013 | One Man, Two Guvnors | Rachel Crabbe | Royal National Theatre |
Dark Vanilla Jungle | Andrea | Supporting Wall & Pleasance Theatre | |
Chastity Butterworth & the Spanish Hamster | Chastity Butterworth | Pajama Men Productions | |
2014 | Dark Vanilla Jungle | Andrea | Supporting Wall |
2015 | Radiant Vermin[24] | Jill and others | Soho Theatre |
2019 | Pinter Seven: A Slight Ache[25] | Flora | Harold Pinter Theatre |
2020 | The Upstart Crow[26] | Kate | Gielgud Theatre |
2024 | Underdog: The Other Other Brontë | Charlotte Brontë | National Theatre |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | Dragon Age: Inquisition | /Maryden/Winterwatch Tower Cultist/Redcliffe Soldier/Redcliffe Villager/Emerald Graves Civilian | Voice |
2015 | Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward | Igeyorhm | Voice |
2017 | Mass Effect: Andromeda | Zevin Raeka | Voice |
2021 | Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker | Ameliance | Voice |
2022 | Elden Ring | Lady Tanith | Voice |
TBA | Squadron 42 | Becca Farneway | Voice and motion capture |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2017 | The Blue Door | Caretaker | Short film by Megan Joyce Pugh and Ben Clark of 13th Door Films with ALTER; available to watch on YouTube[27] |
c. 2011 | Like Buses | Girl 1 on bench | Short film dir. by Gary Keller, written by James Acaster; available to watch on YouTube |
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | Funny Women Awards | Best Variety | Herself | Won | [6] |
2016 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Game of Thrones | Nominated | [28][29] |
2017 | WFTV Awards | The MAC Best Performance | Herself | Won | [30] |
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