Siobhan Hewlett

Siobhan Hewlett (born 15 April 1983) is a British-born Irish film, television, radio and theatre actress, writer, producer, poet and artist. Her acting credits include Monsieur N (2003), The Canterbury Tales (2003), The Philanthropist (2005), The Virgin Queen (2005), Irina Palm (2007), Torchwood (2008), Hotel Babylon (2009), Henry VIII: The Mind of a Tyrant (2009), Sherlock (2010), Bonded by Blood (2011), Hummingbird (2013), Brakes (2016), The Show (2021), and McDonald & Dodds (2021).

Siobhan Hewlett
Hewlett in 2015
Born	Siobhan Kathleen Mary Hewlett (1983-04-15) 15 April 1983 (age 41) Hammersmith, London, England
Occupation(s)	Actress, artist, poet, and producer
Years active	2002–present
Parents	Donald Hewlett (father) Thérèse McMurray (mother)

Biography

Hewlett's father, Donald Hewlett, was an actor who appeared in It Ain't Half Hot Mum and other sitcoms,^[1] and her mother, Thérèse McMurray,^[1] was a child star. She was the lead in the hospital-based drama Emergency Ward 10,and star of Dad's Army, and Are You Being Served.^[2]

Educated in England on art scholarships, Hewlett attended Wellesley House School,^[3] Downe House School, and The King's School, Canterbury. A period of family ill health during Siobhán's childhood meant that she became her family's main carer. She won a scholarship to study acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London, for a 3-year classical acting diploma course.^[4]

Hewlett was brought up between the West of Ireland (Lahinch) and the East Kent coast of England (Whitstable).

Hewlett studied playwriting at the Royal Court Theatre's Young Writers program under playwright Simon Stephens.^[4] She also spent some time in Los Angeles, attending The Groundlings improv school as well as performing with L.A. Theatre Works.^[4]

Career

Whilst still at drama school at 19, Hewlett was chosen by French film director Antoine de Caunes to play the leading role in Monsieur N, a role that required she learn French.^[5] Shortly afterward, she starred in the British comedy series Fortysomething, opposite Hugh Laurie and Benedict Cumberbatch, for ITV.^[6]

Hewlett made her professional stage debut at The Finborough Theatre in London, starring opposite Chris O'Dowd, Clarke Peters, and Daniela Nardini in Etta Jenks.^[7] She found further success in 1999, when starring opposite Dame Julie Walters and Bill Nighy, in BBC BAFTA winning The Canterbury Tales.^[8]

In 2005, Hewlett made her West end stage debut at the Donmar Warehouse, starring alongside Simon Russell Beale, in the Christopher Hampton hit play The Philanthropist,^[9] To rave reviews, “ The luscious & accomplished Araminta was played by the luscious & accomplished Siobhán Hewlett, whose electrifying stage presence would have stolen any other show.” - The Independent. The show was nominated the 2006 South Bank show award for Theatre.^[10]

In 2007, she starred in the indie hit Irina Palm,^[11] opposite Marianne Faithfull and Kevin Bishop which won the audience prize at The Berlin international Film Festival.^[12] Hewlett continued working with Cumberbatch when she guest starred in the first episode of award-winning Sherlock and hit series Parades End.^[4]

Hewlett has worked with comic book writer Alan Moore (Watchmen, V for Vendetta) and photographer/director Mitch Jenkins. Hewlett starred as journalist Faith Harrington in a series of occult noir films – the first of which, was 'Act of Faith'. Hewlett became exec producer on the series, 'Showpieces' and subsequent feature, The Show starring opposite Tom Burke as Fletcher Dennis.^[4]

In 2020, Hewlett began collaborating with Neil Gaiman adapting one of his short stories into a feature film. Hewlett has a production company with her brother, Patrick Hewlett, as well as her own company Oyster Films.^[13]

Theatre

Hewlett's theatre credits include Araminta in The Philanthropist at the Donmar Warehouse with Simon Russell Beale Kitty in Etta Jenks at the Finborough Theatre with Chris O'Dowd, Daniela Nardini and Clarke Peters, directed by Che Walker;^[14] Ginny in Relatively Speaking with Peter Bowles;^[14] The Waltz of the Toreadors at Chichester Festival Theatre directed by Angus Jackson; and Donny's Brain by Rona Munro at Hampstead Theatre opposite Ryan Early.^[14]

Additional works

• In 2008, Hewlett had her first exhibition at The Osborne Studio Gallery, Belgravia, London exhibiting her talents as a singer, published artist and poet.^[15]
• Hewlett has adapted, is producing and starring in a feature-length adaptation of short story, The Thing About Cassandra by Neil Gaiman.^[16]
• Hewlett, alongside old family friend Benedict Cumberbatch, was chosen to represent The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity as one of their ambassadors in 2017.^[17]
• She is also a surfer, and plays the guitar.^[18]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Director	Notes
2002	The Gathering	Janie	Brian Gilbert
2003	Monsieur N	Betsy Balcombe	Antoine de Caunes	Nominated for six César Awards
2004	Piccadilly Jim	Drunk Party Girl	John McKay
2007	Irina Palm	Sarah	Sam Garbaski	Winner of the Jury prize at Berlin Film Festival 2007
2009	Dread	Quaid's Mother	Anthony DiBlasi
2011	Is This a Joke?	Amazing Blonde	Tom Edmunds
2011	Act of Faith	Faith Harrington	Mitch Jenkins
2011	Bonded by Blood	Julia	Sacha Bennett
2012	Jimmy's End	Faith Harrington	Mitch Jenkins
2013	Little Favour	Voice and special thanks	Patrick Victor Munro
2013	Hummingbird	Tracey	Steven Knight
2014	Paddy	Mum	Laurence Spellman and Immanuel von Bennigsen
2015	Lotus
2016	Brakes	Kate	Mercedes Grower
2016	Nipplejesus	Sarah	Jake Lushington
2017	Country of Hotels	Brenda	Julio Mario Martino
2020	The Show	Faith Harrington	Mitch Jenkins
2022	The Lost Girls	The original Wendy Darling
2023	The Watchers	Mina's Mother	Ishana Shyalaman	post production

Television

Year	Title	Role	Production	Notes
2003	Fortysomething	Lucy Proek	ITV
2003	The Canterbury Tales	Karen	BBC
2004	Midsomer Murders	Amanda	ITV
2005	The Virgin Queen	Cecily	BBC
2007	M.I. High	Sonya Frost	BBC
2007	Lilies	Harriet	BBC
2007	New Tricks	Imogen Glover	BBC
2008	Torchwood	Harriet	BBC
2009	Hotel Babylon	Isabel	BBC
2009	Trinity	Claudette	Rough Cut
2009	Henry VIII: The Mind of a Tyrant	Catherine of Aragon	Channel 4
2010	Sherlock	Helen	BBC
2011	Pete versus Life	Mel	Channel 4
2012	The Syndicate	Hotel receptionist	ITV
2012	Parade's End	Michaelangelo woman	HBO
2013	The Syndicate 2	Olivia Goldsmith	BBC
2017	When All Is Said And Done – ABBA BIOPIC	Agnetha Faltskog (younger)	ITV
2021	McDonald & Dodds – 'The War of Rose'	Nurse Penny Haggard	ITV
2021	The Holiday	Chalkboard

Theatre

Year	Title	Theatre	Role	Notes[14]
2004	Etta Jenks	Finborough Theatre	Kitty and Shelley	With Chris O'Dowd, Clarke Peters and Daniela Nardini
2005	The Philanthropist	Donmar Warehouse	Araminta	With Simon Russell Beale, Danny Webb and Anna Madeley
2006	The Taming of the Shrew	Wilton's Music Hall	Bianca	With Oliver Chris and Rachael Stirling
2008	Waltz of the Toreadors	Chichester Festival Theatre	Sidonie	With Peter Bowles, Maggie Steed and Al Weaver
2009	Relatively Speaking	Theatre Royal Bath	Ginny	With Peter Bowles
2011	Drowning on Dry Land	Jermyn Street Theatre	Gail Gilchrist
2012	Donny's Brain	Hampstead Theatre	Trish Gail	[14]

Video games

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2013	Mass Effect 3 – Citadel DLC	Maya Brooks
2013	Ryse: Son of Rome	Septima
2014	Dragon Age: Inquisition	Additional voices
2015	Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn	Shiva/Iceheart	Heavensward expansion only
2016	Song of the Deep	Narrator
2020	Battletoads	Dark Queen	[19]