Julia Davis

For the British Olympic fencer, see Julia Davis (fencer).

For the American film producer, screenwriter and national security whistleblower, see Julia Davis (American cinema).

For the American actress, director and writer, see Julie Davis.

Julia Davis (born 1966) is an English comedy writer and performer, best known for writing and starring in the BBC Three comedy Nighty Night.

Background

In her home town of Bath, Somerset, after studying English and Drama at the College of Ripon and York St John, Davis formed a double act with Jane Roth at a local theatre group. They then formed an improvisation troupe along with the now famous Rob Brydon.

Davis lives in North London with Mighty Boosh star Julian Barratt. The couple have twin boys called Walter and Arthur, born 25 June 2007.

Television

Davis belonged to a comedy troupe which included her future Gavin & Stacey co-stars Rob Brydon and Ruth Jones. Her first break into TV was as a regular cast member of Big Train after her work on a BBC Radio 4 comedy was brought to the attention of Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews. Her career was given in further boost in 1998 after she sent a tape of her work to Steve Coogan who invited to her to write and tour with him later that year.

Davis has starred in many comedy television shows in the UK including I'm Alan Partridge, Big Train, Brass Eye, Jam, Human Remains, Gavin & Stacey, I Am Not An Animal, Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible, Ideal and Nathan Barley.

In 2004 Davis wrote and starred in the highly acclaimed dark comedy Nighty Night, which returned for a second series in 2005. In more serious roles Davis has starred in productions such as the BBC's For the Love of God, The Alan Clark Diaries (in which she plays secretary to the notorious MP), Fear of Fanny, in which she played the original celebrity chef Fanny Cradock, and Persuasion, an adaptation of the Jane Austen novel.

In the last episode of The Office, she is heard on the phone as the voice of a woman from a dating agency in conversation with David Brent. Over Christmas 2008, Davis appeared on Little Britain Abroad as a Russian mail-order bride called Ivanka.

In 2010 Davis co-wrote and co-starred in Lizzie and Sarah with Jessica Hynes. The pilot was aired in the UK on 20 March 2010 on BBC2. It was made by Baby Cow and is noted as being even darker than Davis's previous work.

In December 2011, Davis appeared in the second episode of the drama series Black Mirror entitled '15 Million Merits' as Judge Charity, a judge on the fictional talent show 'Hot Shot'. On 22 December 2011, Davis appeared in the Christmas special and finale of the BBC Three comedy How Not to Live Your Life as Anne Yeaman.

Film

Year	Title	Character	Production	Notes
2010	Come On Eileen	Dee	Foal Film Productions
2010	Cemetery Junction	Mrs Taylor
2010	Four Lions	Alice
2006	Confetti	Counselor
2004	AD/BC: A Rock Opera	Ruth
2004	Shaun of the Dead	News Reporter		Uncredited
2004	Sex Lives of the Potato Men	Shelley
2003	Love Actually	Nancy the Caterer
2002	Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself	Moira
2001	The Parole Officer	Insinuating Wife

External links

• Julia Davis biography and credits at the British Film Institute's Screenonline
• Julia Davis on BBC comedy site
• Guardian Unlimited interview with Julia Davis, 17 Dec 2004