Jessica Hynes
Acting
Born: October 30, 1972 (age 53) · Lewisham, London, England, UK
Highest Rated
Biography
Jessica Hynes (née Stevenson) is a British actress, director and writer. Best known as a comedy actress, she has played Cheryl in The Royle Family (1998–2010), Siobhan Sharpe in Twenty Twelve (2011–2012) and W1A (2014–2017) and Emily Yates in There She Goes (2018–2023). She was also one of the stars, creators and writers of Spaced (1999–2001). She has also had starring roles in television film Tomorrow La Scala! and BBC dramas Years and Years (2019) and Miss Austen (2025). In film, Hynes has appeared in the Bridget Jones (2004–2016), Nativity (2012–2018) and Paddington (2017–2024) film series. Hynes has been nominated for two International Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, five BAFTAs (winning two), three Royal Television Society Awards (winning two) and three British Comedy Awards (winning two). Hynes was born in Lewisham, London, and grew up in Brighton, where she attended St Luke's Infant and Junior Schools and Dorothy Stringer High School. After her parents split up, she was raised by her mother. She moved back to London as a young adult. Her maternal grandmother came from the village of Llanelian, north Wales, where her uncle also ran a farm. Her mother is a fluent Welsh speaker who later moved back to north Wales. In 2023, Hynes took part in the S4C series Iaith ar Daith where she began to learn the Welsh language; she cited being able to speak Welsh to her mother as a reason why she wanted to take part in the programme. Early in her career, Hynes 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 acted for television shows including Staying Alive, Six Pairs of Pants, (Un)natural Acts, and Asylum (on which the Spaced team of Hynes, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright first assembled). From 1998 to 2000, she played the supporting role of Cheryl in the hit sitcom The Royle Family; she reprised the role for special episodes in 2006, 2009 and 2010. In 1999, she co-wrote and starred in Spaced, for which she won two comedy awards and was nominated for an International Emmy and a Bafta for writing and creating the show alongside Simon Pegg. In 2017 , she directed her first feature film, The Fight, produced by Jamie Adams and Unstoppable media. In 2018, she 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 and his wife Sarah Crawford whose daughter was born with a chromosomal disorder. She won a Bafta for her role in the series and was nominated for an International Emmy for her role in '414' the special made in 2023. In 2019, she starred in the BBC and HBO production Years and Years for which she won a Royal Television Society award.
Known for
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
2007
Shaun of the Dead
2004
Doctor Who
2005
Bridget Jones's Baby
2016
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
2004
Paddington 2
2017
Skins
2007
Death of a Unicorn
2025
Paddington in Peru
2024
Chalet Girl
2011
Black Books
2000
Burke & Hare
2010
Photos (2)
Movies (40)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Mafalda Hopkirk (voice)
Shaun of the Dead
Yvonne
Death of a Unicorn
Shaw
Paddington in Peru
Miss Kitts
Paddington 2
Miss Kitts
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
Magda
Bridget Jones's Baby
Magda
Burke & Hare
Lucky
Swing Kids
Helga
Chalet Girl
Interviewer 2
Son of Rambow
Mary Proudfoot
Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse
Sofie Dahl
The Baby of Mâcon
The First Midwife (as Jessica Stevenson)
Seagull
Janet
Faintheart
Cath
Four Last Songs
Miranda
Confetti
Sam (as Jessica Stevenson)
Swallows and Amazons
Mrs. Jackson
Cider with Rosie
Crabby
Seize Them!
Leofwine
Born Romantic
Libby
Dick Whittington: The ITV Pantomime
The Good Fairy (as Jessica Stevenson)
Pudsey the Dog: The Movie
Gail
Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger!
Angel Matthews
Pure
Paramedic (as Jessica Stevenson)
Learners
Beverley
Magicians
Linda Jones
Pinochet in Suburbia
WPC Broughton
Tomorrow La Scala!
Victoria (as Jessica Stevenson)
Songbird
Sara
The Fight
Tina Bell
Lizzie and Sarah
Sarah/Ellie
Nativity Rocks!
Angel Matthews
Catching the Bus
Marion
Winter
Claudia
The Royle Family: Joe's Crackers
Cheryl
The Lost Explorer
2010
The Golden Egg Cup
Cheryl Carroll
Shelter
Wendie
Rapture
2023
TV Shows (39)
Midsomer Murders
Judith Lessiter · 1 eps
Doctor Who
Joan Redfern · 2 eps
Skins
Crystal · 1 eps
Inside No. 9
Helen · 1 eps
Patience
DI Frankie Monroe · 8 eps
Doctor Who Confidential
2 eps
Black Books
Eva · 1 eps
Celebrity Mastermind
1 eps
The Franchise
Steph Mundun · 8 eps
The House of Eliott
Charlotte Parker · 1 eps
The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin
The Reddlehag · 1 eps
Spaced
Daisy Steiner · 14 eps
Duck Quacks Don't Echo
1 eps
British Film Forever
Narrator · 7 eps
Twenty Twelve
Siobhan Sharpe · 13 eps
Years and Years
Edith Lyons · 6 eps
The Royle Family
Cheryl Carroll · 10 eps
World's Most Dangerous Roads
1 eps
Miss Austen
Mary Austen · 4 eps
Blandings
Lady Daphne Littlewood · 1 eps
W1A
Siobhan Sharpe · 14 eps
Hooten & The Lady
Ella Bond · 8 eps
The F Word
1 eps
Bob & Rose
Holly Vance · 6 eps
The Witchfinder
Old Myers · 6 eps
Dreaming Whilst Black
Drew · 4 eps
Hang Ups
Katherine Pitt · 2 eps
People Like Us
Sarah · 1 eps
Life After Life
Mrs Glover · 4 eps
Mood
Laura · 4 eps
Gadget Man
1 eps
Asylum
Martha · 6 eps
There She Goes
Emily · 10 eps
One Night
Carol · 4 eps
Alexei Sayle's Merry-Go-Round
1 eps
Up the Women
Margaret · 9 eps
Jack and Dean of All Trades
Marv (voice) · 12 eps
Unnatural Acts
6 eps
Six Pairs of Pants
3 eps
Self / Appearances (28)
The Graham Norton Show
Self · 1 eps
QI
Self · 1 eps
Would I Lie to You?
Self · 1 eps
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Self · 1 eps
8 Out of 10 Cats
Self · 1 eps
The Last Leg
Self · 4 eps
8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
Self · 3 eps
The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer
Self - Guest · 1 eps
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Self · 1 eps
Room 101
Self · 1 eps
Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled
Self · 3 eps
Travel Man: 48 Hours in...
Self - Guest · 1 eps
David Mitchell's Outsiders
Self · 6 eps
Crackanory
Self · 1 eps
The Ranganation
Self · 1 eps
Extraordinary Escapes with Sandi Toksvig
Self · 1 eps
Insert Name Here
Self - Panelist · 1 eps
Monty Python's Best Bits (Mostly)
Self · 1 eps
Justin Lee Collins: Good Times
Self · 1 eps
Dara O Briain's Science Club
Herself · 1 eps
Spaced: Skip to the End
Self
Friday Night Dinner: 10 Years and a Lovely Bit of Squirrel
Self
Roald Dahl's Most Marvellous Book
Self
Miranda: My Such Fun Celebration
Self
Hollywood's Dark Secret
Self
The Mighty Boosh: A Journey Through Time and Space
Herself
The Royle Family: Behind the Sofa
Self
A Brush with Comedy
Self
