Ruth Wilson
Wilson in May 2015
Born (1982-01-13) 13 January 1982 (age 42)
Ashford, Surrey, England
Alma materUniversity of Nottingham London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
OccupationActress
Years active2005–present

Ruth Wilson (born 13 January 1982)[1] is an English actress. She is known for her performances in Suburban Shootout (2005), Jane Eyre (2006), and as Alice Morgan in the BBC TV psychological crime drama Luther since 2010. Her film credits include: Anna Karenina (2012), The Lone Ranger (2013), Saving Mr. Banks (2013), Suite Française (2015), Locke, and I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016). In 2014, she began starring in the Showtime series The Affair.

Wilson is a three-time Olivier Award nominee, and two-time winner, earning the Best Actress for the titular role in Anna Christie, and Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Stella Kowalski in A Streetcar named Desire.[2] She has won a Golden Globe for her role in The Affair and received nominations for a British Academy Television Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for her role in Jane Eyre.

Early life

Wilson was born in Ashford, Surrey, the daughter of Mary, a probation officer, and Nigel Wilson, an investment banker.[3][4] She has three older brothers Toby, Sam and Matthew and is the granddaughter of novelist and MI6 officer Alexander Wilson and his third wife, Alison (née McKelvie).[5][6] She grew up in Shepperton, Surrey,[7] and was raised Catholic.[8]

Wilson attended Notre Dame School, an independent Catholic school for girls located in Cobham, before attending sixth form at Esher College.[9] As a teenager, she worked as a model, and went on to study history at the University of Nottingham, graduating in 2003. While at Nottingham, she was also involved in student drama at the New Theatre. She graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) in July 2005.[10] Afterwards, she co-founded Hush Productions.[11] During her time at Nottingham, she participated in the TV war strategy game Time Commanders, helping her teammates fight in the Battle of Pharsalus.[citation needed]

Career

Prior to her role in Jane Eyre, Wilson had one professional screen credit, in Suburban Shootout, a situation comedy she starred in with Tom Hiddleston.[12]

In 2006–07, she filmed the second series of Suburban Shootout, a new Agatha Christie's Marple mystery (Nemesis) for ITV, and Stephen Poliakoff's BBC television drama Capturing Mary as the young Mary.

In 2007, Wilson appeared in Gorky's Philistines, playing Tanya, at the National from May until August.[13] In June, she presented the 2007 Lilian Baylis Awards.[14] Other projects in 2007 included a guest appearance in the sitcom Freezing as Alison Fennel (transmitted on BBC2, 21 February 2008); narration of the documentary The Polish Ambulance Murders (transmitted on BBC4, 5 February 2008); and the portrayal of a mentally ill doctor in the dramatised documentary The Doctor Who Hears Voices (transmitted on UK Channel 4, 21 April 2008).[15]

From 23 July to 3 October 2009, she appeared as Stella in the Donmar revival of A Streetcar Named Desire.[16] On 15 November 2009 AMC Television and ITV premiered the 2009 TV miniseries remake of The Prisoner, in which Wilson played the Village doctor, "Number 313."[17] She played "Queenie" in an adaptation of Andrea Levy's Small Island, which aired on BBC1 in December 2009[18] and also aired in the United States on PBS in 2010.

From 2010 to 2013, she appeared in the British psychological police drama Luther as recurring character Alice Morgan, a research scientist and highly intelligent sociopath. In September 2012, the series' creator, Neil Cross, announced that he was in the process of creating a spin-off of Luther centred on Wilson's character. Cross stated, "The BBC is very interested in the project. The only real question would be how many and how often we would do it – whether it would be a one-off miniseries or a returning miniseries, a co-production or not."[19]

From 4 August to 8 October 2011, Wilson starred in the title role of Eugene O'Neill's Anna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse alongside Jude Law. Her performance prompted The Guardian to devote an editorial to Wilson's "courageous, edgy and compelling talent".[20]

In 2014, Wilson began starring as Alison Bailey on The Affair, for which she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama in January 2015. The show has now run for three seasons and was renewed for a fourth in January 2017.

Her film I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House, directed by Oz Perkins, premiered at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival.[21]

From December 2016 to February 2017, Wilson starred in the title role of Hedda Gabler in a new version by Patrick Marber at the National Theatre. The play, and Wilson's performance in particular, received critical acclaim.[22][23]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2007 Get Off My Land Woman Short film
2012 Anna Karenina Princess Betsy
2013 The Lone Ranger Rebecca Reid
Saving Mr. Banks Margaret Goff
2014 Locke Katrina (voice)
2015 Suite Française Madeleine
2016 I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House Lily
2017 How to Talk to Girls at Parties PT Stella
Dark River Alice
2018 The Little Stranger Caroline Aryes Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2003 Time Commanders Herself Episode: "Pharsalus"
2006 Jane Eyre Jane Eyre 4 episodes
2006–2007 Suburban Shootout Jewel Diamond 10 episodes
2007 Agatha Christie's Marple Georgina Barrow Episode: "Nemesis"
2007 Capturing Mary Young Mary Television film
2007 A Real Summer Mary / Geraldine Television film
2008 The Doctor Who Hears Voices Ruth Television film
2008 Freezing Alison Fennel Episode: "#1.2"
2009 Small Island Queenie Television film
2009 The Prisoner Sara / 313 6 episodes
2010–2013 Luther Alice Morgan 10 episodes
2014–present The Affair Alison Bailey 32 episodes
2017 Reported Missing Narrator Documentary series

Theatre

Year Title Role Venue(s) Ref.
2005 Good Sound Theatre
2007 Philistines Tanya Lyttelton Theatre / Royal National Theatre [24]
2009 A Streetcar Named Desire Stella Donmar Warehouse [25]
2010 Through a Glass Darkly Karin Almeida Theatre [26]
2011 Anna Christie Anna Christie Donmar Warehouse
2013 The El Train Mrs Rowland, Rose Hoxton Hall [27]
2015 Constellations Marianne Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
2016–2017 Hedda Gabler Hedda Gabler Royal National Theatre [22]

Radio

Year Title Role Channel
2008 The Mayor of Casterbridge Elizabeth-Jane
2009 The Promise[28] BBC Radio 3
2009 The Lady of the Camellias Marguerite Gautier BBC Radio 4
2010 Spitfire![29] Daphne BBC Radio 4

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Work Result Ref.
2007 British Academy Television Awards Best Actress Jane Eyre Nominated [30]
2007 Broadcasting Press Guild Best Actress Jane Eyre Nominated [31]
2007 Golden Globe Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film Jane Eyre Nominated [32]
2007 Satellite Awards Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film Jane Eyre Nominated [33]
2010 Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film Luther Nominated [34]
2014 Golden Globe Awards Best Actress – Television Series Drama The Affair Won [35]
2015 Satellite Awards Best Actress in a Drama Series The Affair Nominated [36]
2015 Tony Awards Best Leading Actress in a Play Constellations Nominated [37]
2017 Satellite Awards Best Actress in a Drama Series The Affair Nominated [38]
2017 British Independent Film Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a British Independent Film Dark River Nominated [39]

References

  1. ^ "Ruth Wilson". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015.
  2. ^ "Olivier Winners 2010". olivierawards.com. Archived from the original on 10 February 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2014. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ Brockes, Emma (31 August 2012). "Ruth Wilson: acting up". theguardian.com. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  4. ^ Gordon, Jane. "While Hollywood is crazy for British actress Ruth Wilson - and the truth behind those Johnny Depp rumours. | Daily Mail Online". Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  5. ^ ""Comparative Media Law & Ethics" by Tim Crook". ma-radio.gold.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2014. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ Eden, Richard (23 September 2012). "Lone Ranger star Ruth Wilson spies film about her bigamist grandfather". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  7. ^ Genower, Ellie Ruth is following footsteps of the famous, Manchester Evening News (20 October 2006)
  8. ^ Eyre, Hermione (21 July 2011). "Ruth Wilson on her sizzling summer with Jude Law". standard.co.uk. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  9. ^ Nichol, Patricia Something in the Eyre, Times Online (27 May 2007)
  10. ^ "2011 : APPEARANCES". toby-stephens.tumblr.com. 3 February 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
  11. ^ Hoggard, Liz Ruth Wilson, The Independent (7 October 2006)
  12. ^ Stephen Robb (10 August 2006). "Jane Eyre star's fast-rising fame". BBC News. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
  13. ^ Rock, Malcolm 20 Questions With… Ruth Wilson Archived 4 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine, What's on Stage (21 May 2007).
  14. ^ Calvi, Nuala Jane Eyre actress Wilson presents Lilian Baylis Awards, The Stage (12 June 2007).
  15. ^ The Doctor Who Hears Voices, Channel 4 website
  16. ^ Past Productions, Donmar Warehouse, archived from the original on 30 December 2009 ((citation)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ The Prisoner, Originals, AMC TV
  18. ^ "BBC – Small Island". BBC Online. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
  19. ^ 'Luther' Spin-Off Starring Ruth Wilson As Alice Morgan In The Works, The Huffington Post, 9 September 2012
  20. ^ "In praise of … Ruth Wilson". The Guardian. London. 15 August 2011. p. 30. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  21. ^ Busch, Anita (19 January 2016). "Osgood Perkins' 'I Am The Pretty Things That Lives In The House' Casting Up". Deadline. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  22. ^ a b Clapp, Susannah (18 December 2016). "Hedda Gabler review – Ruth Wilson shines in Patrick Marber's Ibsen update". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  23. ^ "Ruth Wilson Hedda Gabler at the National Theatre is one of the performances of the year - review". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  24. ^ Philistines official web page at the National Theatre Archived 28 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Nt-online.org. Retrieved on 2012-02-20.
  25. ^ Billington, Michael (29 July 2009). "Theatre review: A Streetcar Named Desire". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  26. ^ Billington, Michael (17 June 2010). "Through a Glass Darkly". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  27. ^ Kate Kellaway. "The El Train – review | Stage". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  28. ^ "Top British actors to appear in BBC Radio 3’s autumn drama" 30 August 2009, The Stage
  29. ^ "BBC Radio 4 - Saturday Drama, Mike Walker - Spitfire!". BBC. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  30. ^ "BAFTA TV Award 2007". imdb.com. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  31. ^ "Nominations for Broadcasting Press Guild 33rd Annual Television and Radio Awards". broadcastingpressguild.org. Broadcasting Press Guild Awards. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  32. ^ "List: Nominations for the 65th Annual Golden Globe Awards". foxnews.com. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  33. ^ "Satellite Awards for 2007". imdb.com. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  34. ^ "Satellite Awards for 2010". imdb.com. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  35. ^ Ellwood, Gregory (11 December 2013). "2015 Golden Globe Awards nominations – complete list". hitfix.com. HitFix. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  36. ^ "'Birdman' Leads Satellite Awards Nominations". thewrap.com. The Wrap. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  37. ^ "2015 Tony Award Nominations". nytimes.com. The New York Times. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  38. ^ Kilday, Gregg (29 November 2016). "Satellite Awards Nominees Revealed". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  39. ^ Clarke, Stewart (1 November 2017). "'Lady Macbeth' Tops Nominations for British Independent Film Awards". Variety. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
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