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Eve Myles

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Eve Myles
Myles in June 2013.
Born (1978-07-26) 26 July 1978 (age 46)
Ystradgynlais, Powys, Wales
OccupationActress
Years active1999–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2013)​
Children2

Eve Myles (born 26 July 1978) is a Welsh actress from Ystradgynlais. She graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in 2000. Later that year, she began portraying Ceri Lewis in the BBC drama series Belonging, a role she would play until the end of the series in 2009. Myles' early UK-wide television credits included the 2001 miniseries Tales from Pleasure Beach and the 2003 television drama Colditz.

In 2005, she auditioned for a part in the revived series of Doctor Who, and landed the role of servant girl Gwyneth, in the Series 1 episode "The Unquiet Dead", alongside Billie Piper and Christopher Eccleston. Her appearance in Doctor Who led to her winning a lead role in the science-fiction drama's spin-off series Torchwood, in which she portrayed the character Gwen Cooper for four series between 2006 and 2011. Myles's role in Torchwood earned her a Bafta Cymru award for Best Actress in 2007.

Myles reprised the role of Gwen in the 2009 and 2011 series of Torchwood Radio Plays and since 2015 in an ongoing range of stories for Big Finish Productions. Myles subsequent television credits include the 2008 miniseries Little Dorrit, the 2008 premiere episode of the fantasy drama Merlin and the 2013 drama series Frankie in which she played the title role. In 2013, for the TV channel GOLD, she appeared alongside Anthony Head in the comedy-drama You, Me & Them, a role she reprised in 2015 for the second series. In 2014, she was cast in the second series of the crime drama series Broadchurch portraying the character of Claire Ripley. In 2011 she voiced one of the main characters in the video game Dragon Age II. In 2016, she appeared as another Victorian servant, this time playing Mrs. Jenkins in the ITV period drama series Victoria, a role she did not reprise for series 2.[1]

Myles is an accomplished theatre actress, winning an Ian Charleson Award in 2004 for her performances in Royal Shakespeare Company productions of the plays Titus Andronicus and The Taming of the Shrew. Further theatre credits include both Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2 at the National Theatre in 2004, and the role of Emma in the first UK run of Zach Braff's play All New People in 2012.

Early life

Myles was born on 26 July 1978[2] in Ystradgynlais.[3] Her father is Scottish.[4] She attended Ysgol Maes Y Dderwen, where she learned only basic Welsh phrases.[4] She was in the same class as fellow actor Richard Corgan and the year below Steve Meo. She grew up with a strong interest in boxing, although she gave up the sport after breaking her knuckle by punching a wet sandbag.[5] After training as an actress and gaining a Bachelor of Arts in acting at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff in 2000,[6] Myles moved to London.

Career

In 2000 Myles took on the central role of Ceri Owen (née Lewis) in the BBC Wales drama Belonging. Her longest role to date, Myles played Ceri from the series' first episode through to its final series in 2008; returning for a one-off special in 2009.[3] In 2001, Myles undertook a role in the television film Score and the TV miniseries Tales from Pleasure Beach. From 2003, Myles based herself in Stratford upon Avon, initially playing Lavinia in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of Titus Andronicus, for which she received the Sunday Times Ian Charleson award in 2004.[7] She has also played Bianca in The Taming of The Shrew[8] and in 2005, appeared opposite Michael Gambon in Henry IV, Part I and II at the National Theatre.[3] She took the part of Gwenfar in the BBC Radio Four series of plays "Arthur" by Sebastian Baczkiewicz and Steve May in November 2004. Myles appeared in the ITV drama Colditz in 2005.

She took a supporting role in the Doctor Who episode "The Unquiet Dead", playing servant girl Gwyneth. This brought her to the attention of lead writer Russell T Davies, who went on to create and produce Torchwood. Considering her to be "one of Wales' best-kept secrets",[9] Davies wrote the role of Gwen Cooper in Torchwood specifically for Myles.[10] Speaking on her casting, Myles stated that having the part written for her was like having her "own personal Oscar."[11] Gwen, an audience surrogate character,[12] is characterised by Myles as Torchwood's "social worker", who "can run and fight and stand in her own corner and win." Her role in Torchwood also led to Myles making a second appearance in Doctor Who, for its Fourth series' finale, alongside Torchwood co-stars John Barrowman and Gareth David-Lloyd.[13] Myles has appeared in every episode of Torchwood.[14][15]

Myles also appeared in the first episode of Merlin, called "The Dragon's Call" where she played Lady Helen of Mora and Mary Collins, a witch who impersonated her. Her performance in this role was described positively by Anthony Head, who said that 'she did it dead straight and very scarily. There was one moment she was delivering a speech to me in full prosthetic make-up... The French background artists didn’t speak English but burst into applause at the end because they were moved by the emotion of it.'[16]

She portrayed the character of Maggy Plornish in Andrew Davies' 2008 adaptation of Little Dorrit, which later went on to win seven Emmy awards.[17] Early 2008 also saw the actress host a radio show centred around Welsh boxer Joe Calzaghe[5] and narrate a short story, Sorry for the Loss by Bridget Keehan, both airing on BBC Radio Wales.[18]

2009 saw her star in the award-winning independent Welsh film A Bit of Tom Jones as well as the one-off Drama, Framed, for BBC Wales, alongside Trevor Eve. In July 2010, Myles announced she would appear in an original BBC Cymru Wales TV series, Baker Boys, co-written by Helen Raynor and Gary Owen and airing in early 2011.[19][20] 2011 also saw Myles provide the voice of the Dalish elf Merrill in the Bioware video game Dragon Age II.[21] In July 2011, to coincide with Torchwood's fourth series Myles presented part of a BBC Wales Documentary entitled Wales and Hollywood, which featured the actress travelling to the Hollywood Walk of Fame to find the Welsh talent honoured there.[22][23]

In 2012 Myles returned to the stage in Zach Braff's play All New People, which ran for ten consecutive weeks at the West End's Duke of York's Theatre following runs at the Manchester Opera House (8–11 February 2012) and the King's Theatre in Glasgow (14–18 February).[24] In 2013 she took the title role in the BBC1 drama Frankie, filmed in Bristol, which follows the life of a district nurse who cares more about her patients than her own life.[25]

In August 2016, Myles starred alongside Jenna Coleman, Tom Hughes and Rufus Sewell in the ITV drama Victoria, which follows the early life of Queen Victoria from her ascension to the throne at the age of 18, through to her courtship and marriage to Prince Albert. She portrayed Mrs Jenkins, the Queen’s personal dresser.

In 2017, Myles starred alongside her real life husband Bradley Freegard in the Welsh drama Un Bore Mercher for S4C. She learnt to speak Welsh for the role. Un Bore Mercher was also filmed in English and aired the following year on BBC One as Keeping Faith. Myles played Faith Howells, a solicitor whose husband Evan, with whom she works at their family-run law firm, disappears whilst she is on maternity leave following the birth of their third child. The show was a runaway success for the BBC and the second series was broadcast 2019 on S4C in May–June and on BBC One in July–August.

In 2018, Myles played the role of Norman Scott's lover Gwen Parry-Jones in the BBC drama A Very English Scandal. The drama relates the real-life story of politician Jeremy Thorpe's affair with Scott and subsequent trial for attempted murder, based on the novel of the same name by John Preston.

Awards and recognition

Myles was among many others nominated for Wales online Dafftas' best actress[26] and won for her role as Frankie with almost 45% of the votes. Myles was nominated for and won Wales' sexiest woman in 2013.[27]

Myles has been nominated for a total of six BAFTA Cymru awards, winning one. In 2002,[28] 2003,[29] and 2009,[30] Myles was nominated for Best Actress in the BAFTA Cymru Awards for her role as Ceri on the BBC Wales drama Belonging.

In 2007, Myles won the BAFTA Cymru Best Actress award for her portrayal of Gwen Cooper in Torchwood's first series,[31] a role she also received Best Actress BAFTA Cymru nominations for in 2008[32] and 2010.[33] In 2010, Myles won the Best Actress award in the SFX Reader's awards poll,[34] and was crowned best actress in the 11th annual Airlock Alpha Portal Awards.[35] For her role as Gwen Cooper in Torchwood: Miracle Day, Myles was nominated for a Satellite Awards in the Best Television Actress category.[36] and reached the shortlist for the 2012 UK National Television Awards.[37]

In 2006, Wales on Sunday named Myles as its "Bachelorette of the Year".[38] Myles also regularly ranks highly in the Western Mail's annual list of the 50 sexiest women in Wales. In 2005, the Western Mail ranked Myles seventh[39] whilst she ranked fifth in 2008,[40] 7th in 2009,[41] 8th in 2010[42] and 10th in 2011.[43]

In June 2010, Myles was honoured with a fellowship from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.[44]

Personal life

Myles met Bradley Freegard at the National Youth Theatre in 1994, and they married in Italy on 18 May 2013.[45] Myles and Freegard have two daughters, born in 2009[46][47][48] and 2014.[49] After learning Welsh for Keeping Faith with the assistance of her husband, she now speaks conversational Welsh with her daughters.[4]

Filming Torchwood's fourth series in 2011 saw Myles relocate with her family to America's Hollywood Hills, living "literally underneath the Hollywood sign".[50] Myles has described California as the "land of dreams", and her experience filming the fourth series of Torchwood in Hollywood as the best year of her life, adding that she would love to spend more time there as an actress if possible.[48]

Film & television

Year Title Role Notes
1999 Hang the DJ Tracy
2000 Nuts and Bolts Carys Williams
2000–2009 Belonging Ceri
2001 Tales from Pleasure Beach Angie
Score Paula
2003 EastEnders: Dot's Story Young Gwen
2005 Doctor Who Gwyneth Episode: "The Unquiet Dead"
Colditz Jill
2006 Soundproof DC Sarah McGowan
These Foolish Things Dolly Nightingale
2006–2011 Torchwood Gwen Cooper BAFTA Cymru for Best Actress (2007)
SFX Award for Best Actress
Nominated: BAFTA Cymru for Best Actress (2010)
Nominated: Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama
Nominated: Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television
2006-2008 Torchwood Declassified Herself
2008 Merlin Lady Helen/Mary Collins Episode: "The Dragon's Call"
Little Dorrit Maggy Plornish
Doctor Who Gwen Cooper Episodes: "The Stolen Earth" / "Journey's End"
2009 A Bit of Tom Jones Sally
Framed Angharad Stannard[51]
2011 Wales and Hollywood Presenter Documentary
Baker Boys Sarah
2013 Frankie Frankie Maddox Title character
2013-2015 You, Me & Them Lauren Grey
2014 Under Milk Wood Lilly Smalls
2015 Broadchurch Claire Ripley Series two
2016 Moving On Helen Episode: "Passengers"
Victoria Mrs Jenkins Series 1
2017 and 2019 Un Bore Mercher Faith Howells S4C (Two series)
2018–2019 Keeping Faith Faith Howells BBC One Wales and BBC One (Two series)
2018 A Very English Scandal Gwen Parry-Jones
2019 Cold Feet Caitlin Henderson[52]
2020 We Hunt Together DS Lola Franks[53] Broadcast on Alibi

Radio

Year Title Role Production
2008 Calzaghe Fight Night[5] Presenter BBC Radio Wales
Sorry for the Loss Narrator
"Lost Souls" Gwen Cooper BBC Radio 4
2009 "Asylum"
"Golden Age"
"The Dead Line"
2011 Torchwood: The Lost Files
2015–Present Torchwood Big Finish Productions
2018 Blind Terror: The Gods of Frost Kathryn Ellis
2018 19 Weeks Emily BBC Radio 4

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes
2003 The Taming of the Shrew Bianca Won: Ian Charleson Award
Titus Andronicus Lavinia
2005 Henry IV - Part I & II Lady Mortimer / Doll Tearsheet
2012 All New People Emma

Audio book narrator

Year Title Author Notes
2007 Border Princes Dan Abnett
2009 In the Shadows Joseph Lidster

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2011 Dragon Age II Merrill Voice only

References

  1. ^ Leane, Rob (22 October 2015). "Victoria: first pic of Jenna Coleman, Eve Myles joins cast". Den of Geek. Dennis Publishing Limited.
  2. ^ Hanna, Aoife (12 July 2018). "Who Is Eve Myles? The 'Keeping Faith' Actress Got Her Big Break After A Cameo On 'Doctor Who'". Bustle.com. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "BBC Arts: Eve Myles". BBC Wales. 29 September 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  4. ^ a b c Griffiths, Sian (20 January 2019). "Eve Myles keeps faith with Welsh language". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  5. ^ a b c "Torchwood star gets set for the big fight night on Radio Wales". BBC Press Office. 17 April 2008. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  6. ^ "Graduation and Honorary Fellows 2007". Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. 6 July 2007. Archived from the original on 10 February 2008. Retrieved 22 January 2008.
  7. ^ Paddock, Terri (29 March 2004). "Dillon wins Ian Charleson Award for Master Builder". What's On Stage. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  8. ^ Loveridge, Lizzie. "A CurtainUp London Review: The Taming of the Shrew". Curtain Up. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  9. ^ "Eve Myles - Welsh Icon". Archived from the original on 4 October 2012.
  10. ^ "Eve Myles". BBC Wales. Archived from the original on 3 November 2006. Retrieved 2006-09-06.
  11. ^ "Eve Myles: Torchwood". SuicideGirls.com. 15 July 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  12. ^ Russell T Davies (15 October 2006). "Who dares and wins". The Times. London. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
  13. ^ Interview with Eve Myles Archived 9 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ "Torchwood: The New World is Coming". IGN. 8 July 2010. Retrieved 24 September 2010.
  15. ^ "Torchwood: The New World". GallifreyNewsBase. 18 August 2010. Retrieved 24 September 2010.
  16. ^ "Anthony Head: Why I'm happy Eve Myles is my 'girlfriend'". Metro. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  17. ^ "Little Dorrit steals the show with seven Emmys". London Evening Standard. 21 September 2009. Archived from the original on 19 December 2009. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  18. ^ "Rhys Davies stories to be broadcast on Radio Wales". Literature Wales. Archived from the original on 9 March 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2001.
  19. ^ "Torchwood star can't wait to start new series". WalesOnline. 11 August 2009. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
  20. ^ "Casualty moves to Wales". BBC. 26 March 2009. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
  21. ^ Greg A (12 March 2011). "Review: Dragon Age II". thesixthaxis.com. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  22. ^ Chamberlain, Laura (20 July 2011). "Wales and Hollywood on BBC One Wales". BBC Arts Blog. Retrieved 26 July 2011.
  23. ^ Wales in Hollywood programme listing
  24. ^ "Cast: Myles & Fielding in Braff's People, Gillett in Country". What's On Stage. 11 January 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  25. ^ "Eve Myles to star in new BBC One drama series, Frankie". BBC Press Office. 6 September 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
  26. ^ McCrum, Kirstie (16 May 2014). "The Dafftas: Your winners revealed". walesonline. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  27. ^ McCrum, Kirstie (2 November 2013). "Take a bow Eve Myles - Wales' Sexiest Woman 2013". walesonline. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  28. ^ "BBC Wales scores Bafta success" (Press release). BBC Press Office. 26 April 2002.
  29. ^ "BBC Wales seeks Bafta success" (Press release). BBC Press Office. 4 April 2003.
  30. ^ "Doctor dominates Bafta Cymru list". BBC News. 16 April 2009. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  31. ^ "Dr Who sweeps Bafta Cymru board". BBC News. 28 April 2007.
  32. ^ "Doctor Who's Bafta Cymru triumph". BBC News. 27 April 2008.
  33. ^ "Bafta Cymru Nominations" (PDF).
  34. ^ "Torchwood's Myles named Best Actress". Digital Spy. 16 February 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
  35. ^ "Doctor Who dominates 2010 Portal Awards". Airlock Alpha. 1 August 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
  36. ^ 2011 Satellite Award Nominations
  37. ^ "National Television Awards: Street leads shortlist". BBC. 2 January 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  38. ^ Rachel Mainwaring (19 March 2006). "Sexy Eve our Bachelorette of the year". Wales on Sunday. Retrieved 20 March 2006.
  39. ^ "Wales' 50 sexiest men and women". Western Mail. 14 October 2005. Retrieved 20 February 2006.
  40. ^ Simpson, Rin (6 September 2008). "The 50 sexiest women in Wales". WalesOnline. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  41. ^ Price, Karen (23 March 2011). "The 50 sexiest women in Wales". WalesOnline. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
  42. ^ "Wales' 50 sexiest women". Wales Online. 27 November 2010. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
  43. ^ Woodrow, Emily (20 October 2011). "The 50 sexiest women in Wales 2011". WalesOnline. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
  44. ^ Evans, Gareth (26 June 2010). "Actress Eve Myles honoured". Western Mail. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  45. ^ "All About Eve and me". WalesOnline. 21 February 2010.
  46. ^ "Torchwood star Eve Myles' joy at new arrival". WalesOnline.
  47. ^ "Wikipedia Files: Torchwood's Eve Myles". WBEZ Chicago.
  48. ^ a b Duralde, Alfonso (9 July 2011). "On the Set of Torchwood: Miracle Day with Eve Myles, Kai Owen and Bill Pullman". After Elton. Archived from the original on 13 October 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  49. ^ "Torchwood star Eve Myles: 'Chilled and thrilled' by birth of daughter Siena". WalesOnline. 7 March 2014.
  50. ^ "Eve Myles: From Torchwood to Hollywood". WalesOnline. 28 November 2010.
  51. ^ "Framed". BBC. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
  52. ^ "Eve Myles cast in Cold Feet". Female First. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  53. ^ Jeffery, Morgan (11 February 2020). "Exclusive: Eve Myles and Babou Ceesay team up to solve a murder in trailer for We Hunt Together".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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