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Michelle Fairley

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Michelle Fairley
Fairley in 2012
Born1963 or 1964 (age 61–62)[1]
Coleraine, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland
OccupationActress
Years active1986–present

Michelle Fairley is an actress from Northern Ireland. She is best known for playing Catelyn Stark in the HBO series Game of Thrones (2011–2013). She has since appeared in the USA Network series Suits (2013), the Fox series 24: Live Another Day (2014),[2] the RTÉ miniseries Rebellion (2016), the science fiction series The Feed (2019), and the Sky Atlantic crime drama Gangs of London (2020–present).

Early life

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Fairley was born in Coleraine to parents Brian and Teresa Fairley, the second eldest of six children. Her father was a popular publican, owner of Fairley's Bar and several off-licences, in Northern Ireland during The Troubles, but Fairley remembers both Catholics and Protestants frequenting the pub.[3][4]

Career

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Fairley appeared in a number of British television shows, including The Bill, Holby City and Casualty. Some of her earlier roles were as Cathy Michaels on ITV1's Inspector Morse in the episode titled "The Way Through the Woods", and as Nancy Phelan in Lovejoy in the episode 9 of Season 3 titled "Smoke Your Nose".[5]

She took over the role of Mrs. Granger from Heather Bleasdale (who had played Mrs. Granger in Chamber of Secrets) in the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows films.[6] From 2011 to 2013, Fairley starred as Catelyn Stark (née Tully) in the first three seasons of the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones, replacing Jennifer Ehle who played the character in the original, unaired, pilot episode.[7]

Fairley joined the cast of the USA Network series Suits for its third season, playing the recurring role of Dr. Ava Hessington, a chemical engineer and oil CEO accused of bribery, and after that, accused for murder.[8] She played Margot Al-Harazi in 24: Live Another Day on Fox. Her film roles included The Invisible Woman (2013) and In the Heart of the Sea (2015).[9] In 2014, Fairley was cast as Margaret Langston in the ABC TV Series Resurrection (2014–2015).

In 2017, it was announced Fairley would appear in a revival of Jim Cartwright's play Road at the Royal Court Theatre[10] In 2018, she played Cassius in Julius Caesar at the Bridge Theatre, alongside David Calder, David Morrissey and Ben Whishaw.[11] In 2019, Fairley led the Virgin Media and Amazon Prime science fiction series The Feed as Meredith Hatfield. As of June 2020, Fairley stars as Marian Wallace in the Sky Atlantic crime drama Gangs of London.[12] She starred as Millie in the 2021 film Nobody Has to Know, alongside Bouli Lanners.[13] In 2023, Fairley starred as Princess Augusta in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story on Netflix.[14] She also contributed to The Gone, a TVNZ and RTÉ co-production.[15]

Personal life

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Fairley has been based in London since 1986, and keeps a low public profile. She said in an interview with The Telegraph in 2015, that she made the decision to separate from her boyfriend of seven years, in 2012. Since then, Fairley has had no known partners. Fairley said, in the same interview, that she "missed the gene" for motherhood. She never had the desire to have children like some of her siblings did.[16]

While Fairley has worked on various American projects in the past, she has no love for Hollywood, and the West End theatres remain her home.[17] She said that while television and movies provide a new challenge by making her "use a different muscle", theatre is where she feels her best work is done, where she started her career, and where she hopes to "end up".[18]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1987 Hidden City Cleaner
1990 Hidden Agenda Teresa Doyle
1998 A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries Miss O'Shaunessy
Hideous Kinky Patricia
2000 The Second Death Aisling Short film
2001 The Others Mrs. Marlish
2002 Shearing Yvonne Short films
2009 Suicide Man Woman on Cliff
2010 Cup Cake Annie McNabb
Anton Checkov's The Duel Marya
Chatroom Rosie
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Mrs. Granger
2013 The Invisible Woman Caroline Graves
Philomena Sally Mitchell
Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart Brigitte Helm (voice) English version
2014 Ironclad: Battle for Blood Joan De Vesci
Montana DCI Rachel Jones
I Am Here Mother Short film
2015 In the Heart of the Sea Mrs. Nickerson
2016 Edith Sheila Short films
2019 The Trap Michelle
2020 Lesson 7 Max
2021 Nobody Has to Know Millie MacPherson
2022 An Irish Goodbye Grainne (voice) Short film
2023 The Trap Michelle Longer version of 2019 short
2024 Small Things Like These Mrs. Wilson
TBA No Ordinary Heist Mags Fulton Post-production

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1987 Teresa Rosie Television film
1988 Crossfire Scanlon's Girl Mini-series; episode 1: "Bringing It Home"
1989 Saracen Maeve Episode 6: "Starcross"
1990 4 Play Maureen Series 1; episode 8: "Valentine Falls"
Theatre Night Ruth Series 5; episode 4: "Pentecost"
1991 Children of the North Kate Episodes 1, 3 and 4
Screen Two Sharon Series 8; episode 2: "Flea Bites"
Casualty Kathy Emerick Series 6; episode 2: "Judgement Day"
1992 Lovejoy Nancy Phelan Series 3; episode 9: "Smoke Your Nose"
Screenplay Jenny Series 7; episode 2: "Force of Duty"
1993 Screen Two Fiona Gibbons - Liverpool Series 9; episode 3: "The Long Roads"
Comics Nula O'Reilly Episodes 1 & 2
Casualty Kate Maguire Series 8; episode 4: "No Place to Hide"
1994 Cardiac Arrest Casualty Sister Karen Teller Series 1; episodes 2, 4 and 6
1995 Screen Two Roisin Donaghy Series 11; episode 2: "Life After Life"
The Bill Beth Spence Series 11; episode 77: "No Choice"
Inspector Morse Cathy Michaels Series 8; episode 1: "The Way Through the Woods"
1996 Screen Two Jean McBride Series 13; episode 5: "The Precious Blood"
Safe and Sound Eleanor Delaney Main role. Episodes 1–6
A Mug's Game Kathy Cowan Episodes 1–4
1997 The Broker's Man Gabby Rodwell Main role. Series 1; episodes 1–6
The History of Tom Jones: a Foundling Mrs. Harriet Fitzpatrick Mini-series; episodes 2–5
1999 Vicious Circle Frances Television film
Births, Marriages and Deaths Pat Main role. Episodes 1–4
2000 McCready and Daughter Bernadette Television film
2001 In Deep Phoebe / Eva Series 1; episodes 1 and 2: "Blue on Blue: Parts 1 and 2"
Rebus Janice Mee Series 1; episodes 3 and 4: "Dead Souls" and "Mortal Causes"
2003 Holby City Heidi Drury Series 6; episode 6: "Keep It in the Family"
The Clinic Shirley Series 1; episode 6
2005 Ahead of the Class Sonia Venning Television film
The Golden Hour Julia Harper Mini-series; episode 4
2006 The Catherine Tate Show Nurse Rosemary Series 3; episode 1: "Mum, I'm Gay"
Strictly Confidential Carol Machin Episode 2
2007 Trial & Retribution Janet Jenkins Series 10; episodes 9 and 10: "Mirror Image: Parts 1 and 2"
The Street Paul's Mum Series 2; episode 6: "The Promise"
2009 A Short Stay in Switzerland Mrs. Savery Television film
Lark Rise to Candleford Mrs. Lizbeth Patterson Series 2; episode 10
Best: His Mother's Son Ann Best Television film
Taggart Joan Revie Series 25; episode 4: "So Long Baby"
Misfits Louise Young Series 1; episodes 1 and 2
2010 Midsomer Murders Iris Holman Series 13; episode 6: "The Noble Art"
2011 Silent Witness DI Suzy Harte Series 14; episodes 5 and 6: "First Casualty: Parts 1 and 2"
2011–2013 Game of Thrones Catelyn Stark Main role. Seasons 1–3; 25 episodes
2012 Coming Up Jen Series 10; episode 7: "Colour"
2013 Suits Ava Hessington Recurring role. Season 3; 8 episodes
2014 24: Live Another Day Margot Al-Harazi Mini-series; episodes 2–9
Common Shelagh Wallace Television film
2014–2015 Resurrection Margaret Langston Season 2; episodes 1–13
2015 The Lizzie Borden Chronicles Aideen Trotwood Mini-series; episode 8: "Capsize"
Crossing Lines Sophie Baines Season 3; episodes 1 and 2: "Redux" and "Whistleblower"
2016 Rebellion Dolly Butler Mini-series; episodes 1–5
2017 Fortitude Freya Lennox Series 2; episodes 1–10
The White Princess Margaret Beaufort Main role. Mini-series; episodes 1–8
Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero Queen Igneous (voice) Season 2; episode 5; segment: "Rockullan, Papyron, Scissorian"
2018 To Provide All People Intensive Care Nurse Television film
2019 The Feed Meredith Hatfield Main role. Episodes 1–10
Responsible Child Kerry Television film
2020–present Gangs of London Marian Wallace Main role. Series 1–3; 25 episodes
2023 Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Princess Augusta Main role. Mini-series; episodes 1–6
2023–2024 The Gone Judge Hannah Martin Main role. Series 1 and 2; 11 episodes

Theatre

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Year Title Role Notes
1993 Oleanna Carol Royal Court Theatre
1998 Never Land Elisabeth
1999 The Weir Valerie Walter Kerr Theatre
2003 Scenes from the Big Picture Helen Woods National Theatre
Loyal Women Brenda Royal Court Theatre
2004 Ashes to Ashes Rebecca Lyric Theatre
2006 The Wild Duck Gina Donmar Warehouse
Gates of Gold Alma Trafalgar Studios
2007 Othello Emilia Donmar Warehouse
Macbeth Lady Macbeth West Yorkshire Playhouse
2009 Dancing at Lughnasa Kate Old Vic
2010 Greta Garbo Came to Donegal Paulie Hennessy Tricycle Theatre
2011 Remembrance Day Sveta Royal Court Theatre
2015 Splendour Genevieve Donmar Warehouse
2017 Road Helen / Marion / Brenda Royal Court Theatre
2018 Julius Caesar Cassius Bridge Theatre

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2008 Olivier Awards Best Performance in a Supporting Role
Othello
 Nominated [19]
2011 Irish Film & Television Award Best Actress - Television Game of Thrones Nominated [20]
Scream Award Best Ensemble Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated [21]
2013 Irish Film & Television Award Best Actress - Television Won [22]
Saturn Award Best Supporting Actress on Television Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated [23]
2015 Irish Film & Television Award Best Supporting Actress - Television
Rebellion
 Nominated [24]
2019 Clarence Derwent Award Best Female in a Supporting Role
Julius Caesar
 Won [25]
WhatsOnStage Award Best Supporting Actress in a Play Nominated [26]
2021 Chicago International Film Festival Best Actress
Nobody Has to Know
 Won [27]

Notes

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References

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  1. ^ Smyth, Chris (5 March 2018). "Divas pitch for male roles as age lowers their tone". The Times. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  2. ^ "Michelle Fairley". IMDb. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Game of Thrones star in mourning as she prepares to lay father to rest in Coleraine". belfasttelegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Game of Thrones star Michelle Fairley in mourning after mum dies in Coleraine". belfasttelegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  5. ^ "Michelle Fairley". IMDb. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  6. ^ Armitage, Hugh (27 January 2018). "12 stars you totally forgot were in the Harry Potter movies". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 23 March 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  7. ^ "Showbiz people briefs". Reuters. 22 March 2010. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  8. ^ Bricker, Tierney (4 June 2013). "Game of Thrones Star Michelle Fairley Joins Suits, Maisie Williams Posts Reaction to Red Wedding Deaths". E! Online UK. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  9. ^ Goodykoontz, Bill (10 December 2015). "Review: 'In the Heart of the Sea' an uneven trip". The Times Herald. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  10. ^ "Royal Court Theatre announces cast for Jim Cartwright's play Road". British Theatre. 25 June 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  11. ^ "Game of Thrones actress to appear in Julius Caesar at Bridge Theatre". BBC News. 19 April 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  12. ^ "Gangs of London the new TV Series | Sky.com". www.sky.com. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  13. ^ "Nobody Has To Know". Cineuropa - the best of european cinema. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  14. ^ Cordero, Rosy (23 March 2023). "'Queen Charlotte': 'Bridgerton' Prequel Spinoff Trailer & First-Look Photos Revealed". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 23 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  15. ^ "Richard Flood & Acushla-Tara Kupe to Lead 'The Gone' for RTÉ and TVNZ with 'GOT's Michelle Fairley Also Aboard". 12 September 2022.
  16. ^ Davies, Serena (25 July 2015). "Michelle Fairley interview: 'Hollywood? I hate everything about it'". ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  17. ^ "GoT's Michelle Fairley goes back to theatre". gulfnews.com. 7 September 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  18. ^ "Michelle Fairley: "Theatre's where I do my best work"". www.theatre.london. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  19. ^ "Olivier Winners 2008". officiallondontheatre.com. Society of London Theatre. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  20. ^ "IFTA 2012 Winners Announced". IFTN.ie. 10 January 2012. Archived from the original on 26 April 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  21. ^ "The 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild. 29 January 2012. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  22. ^ "IFTA ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF THE 11TH ANNUAL IRISH FILM & TELEVISION AWARDS". IFTA.ie. 5 April 2014. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  23. ^ "SAG Awards Nominations: '12 Years A Slave' And 'Breaking Bad' Lead Way". Deadline Hollywood. 11 December 2013. Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  24. ^ "IFTA 2016 Nominees and Winners". Archived from the original on 16 June 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  25. ^ Hemley, Matthew (7 February 2019). "Michelle Fairley and Irfan Shamji honoured at Clarence Derwent Awards". The Stage. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  26. ^ "Hamilton and Aidan Turner among winners at 19th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards | WhatsOnStage". WhatsOnStage.com. Archived from the original on 5 April 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  27. ^ "Festival Award Winners 2021". Chicago Film Festival. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
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