Sheridan Smith
Sheridan Smith | |
---|---|
Born | |
Occupation(s) | Actress, singer, dancer |
Years active | 1998–present |
Notable credits | |
Parent(s) | Colin and Marilyn Smith |
Awards | Awards won: |
Signature | |
Sheridan Smith, OBE (born 25 June 1981)[1] is an English actress, singer and dancer. Smith came to prominence on television for her roles in comedy shows Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Love Soup, Gavin & Stacey, Grownups and Benidorm before starring in television dramas like Mrs Biggs, for which she won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for playing Ronnie Biggs' wife, The 7.39 and Cilla, where she played Cilla Black. Her film credits include Tower Block, Quartet, Powder Room and The Harry Hill Movie.
Smith made her West End debut in a National Youth Music Theatre production of Bugsy Malone and has performed in musicals Into the Woods, Little Shop of Horrors and Legally Blonde. She won two Laurence Olivier Awards in consecutive years,[2] for Best Actress in a Musical as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde in 2011 and Best Performance in a Supporting Role as Doris in a revival of the play Flare Path in 2012.[3][4]
Smith was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to drama.[5][6][7]
Early life
Smith was born in Epworth, Lincolnshire, the daughter of Colin and Marilyn Smith, who performed as a Country and Western duo called The Daltons. She studied dance at the Joyce Mason School of Dancing from an early age.[1] She later attended South Axholme Community School, where she received an A* in performing arts at GCSE.[8] Though she never trained at a drama school,[9]
Smith was a member of the National Youth Music Theatre from 1995–2001, performing a number of lead roles in productions such as Bugsy Malone, Pendragon and Into the Woods.[10] She then completed further education at John Leggott College in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire. Her great-great-grandfather, Benjamin Doubleday, was a respected and well-known banjo player in Yorkshire and later played as a trio with his daughters, May and Harriet, in The Darrell Trio.[11]
Career
Film and television
From 1999 to 2000, Smith played Emma in The Royle Family. She played Janet in the long-running series Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps from 2001 until her departure from the show in 2009. In February 2003, she appeared in "Immediate Care", an episode of The Royal, where she played the part of Francesca Wheeler, a teenage girl who was suffering from leukemia. In 2004, she made a one-episode appearance in Mile High as Suzy, an airport cleaner who was so desperate to become cabin crew, she impersonated a flight attendant. She also featured in The Comic Strip's 2005 episode "Sex Actually" as Angie.
Smith played Cleo Martin in Love Soup (2005) and starred as Michelle, a hypocritical nutritionist, in three series of the sitcom Grownups (2006–2009). She has also appeared on The Lenny Henry Show as M.E. Westmocott, a role spoofing the various medical examiners on CSI. In the 2009 Two Pints of Lager Comic Relief special, which crossed over with Grownups, she played her characters from both series.[12]
Smith has also appeared in a number of other shows including the BBC's Eyes Down, in which she played Sandy, and smaller parts in shows such as The Bill and Fat Friends. She featured as Rudi in the second and third series of the BBC Three sitcom Gavin & Stacey. She guest starred in the Christmas 2008 episode of Lark Rise to Candleford. Since 2009, she has played Joey Ross in special seasonal episodes of Jonathan Creek, namely "The Grinning Man" (2009), "The Judas Tree" (2010), and "The Clue of the Savant's Thumb" (2013). She played Brandy in the third series of Benidorm.
During 2010, Smith acted as a mentor to the contestants of the BBC show Over the Rainbow. Sky Arts' Chekhov Comedy Shorts also featured Smith in 2010 when she starred as Natasha in The Proposal.[13] She appeared in the 2011 film Hysteria, about the invention of the vibrator.[14] For the factual hospital series Bizarre ER, she took over narration duties from Freema Agyeman. She appeared in the 2012 ITV film adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's novel The Scapegoat.[15]
In September 2012 Smith played the title role in Mrs Biggs, a five-part series on ITV. In 2013, she appeared in the Channel 4 series Dates. In January 2014, she starred in the two-part BBC drama The 7.39. In March 2014, she appeared in the ITV crime drama The Widower as the first wife of serial killer Malcolm Webster. Later that year, she featured in the series Who Do You Think You Are? and played Cilla Black in the three-part ITV drama series Cilla.
In 2015 she starred as cancer patient Lisa Lynch in the one-off BBC drama The C Word and as policewoman Jo Gillespie in the three-part ITV drama Black Work, which was nominated for a National Television Award in 2016.
Smith has narrated the reality series Bear Grylls: Mission Survive since 2015. The show was nominated for a National Television Award in 2016.
Stage
Smith's theatre credits include the musical Into the Woods at London's Donmar Warehouse,[16] and Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park.[17] She also played Audrey in the stage production of Little Shop of Horrors at the Menier Chocolate Factory, London, from November 2006, with the production then transferring to the Duke of York's Theatre in March 2007. Following a successful run the production moved again at the end of June 2007 to the New Ambassadors Theatre, where its played until September 2007. Smith was nominated for the 2008 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in the show.[18]
Smith appeared as Vanessa in Tinderbox: a Revenge Comedy by Lucy Kirkwood at the Bush Theatre, Shepherd's Bush, in April 2008.[19] Smith originated the role of Elle Woods in the musical version of Legally Blonde in its transfer from Broadway to London's West End in December 2009.[20] Ex-Blue boyband member Duncan James played opposite Smith until June 2010, when he was replaced by Richard Fleeshman. Other cast members Sheridan has performed alongside include Aoife Mulholland as Brooke, Denise Van Outen as Paulette, Peter Davison as Professor Callahan and Alex Gaumond as Emmett Forrest.[21] Her performance was well received, the Daily Telegraph describing her as: "blessed with vitality, warmth, great comic timing and sudden moments of touching vulnerability. She is infinitely more likeable than Reese Witherspoon in the film."[22]
Smith was originally supposed to leave Legally Blonde on 23 October 2010, but she extended her run to 8 January 2011, when Susan McFadden took over the role.[23] For her role in Legally Blonde, Smith won the WhatsOnStage.com Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Actress in a Musical.[24] She was also nominated for the Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress and was the winner of the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.[25][26]
Between March and June 2011, she appeared in Trevor Nunn's production of Flare Path at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket as Doris, a former barmaid married to a Polish count in the RAF. The production was part of the playwright Terence Rattigan's centenary year celebrations and also starred Sienna Miller and James Purefoy. For this role she won the 2012 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role,[2] the 2011 Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress[4] and the BroadwayWorld UK Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play.[27]
As well as her role in Legally Blonde, Smith also performed the title role in the workshop productions of a new musical adaptation of Bridget Jones' Diary.[28] On 5 April 2012, it was announced that Smith had decided to pull out of the musical, and would no longer be playing the title role, delaying the production of the show.[29] From September to November 2012, Smith played the title role in Hedda Gabler at the Old Vic, winning the 2013 Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Actress in a Play.[30] Shortly before collecting her award at the ceremony on 17 February 2013, Smith performed the original song Stagey And Proud, which was written by Chris Passey and Amy Carroll.[31]
From September to November 2013, she starred alongside David Walliams in a West End production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, as part of Michael Grandage's season of plays at the Noël Coward Theatre.
Smith will star in a new London production of the musical Funny Girl. It previews at the Menier Chocolate Factory from 20 November 2015, opens on 2 December and runs until 6 March 2016.[32] The show then transfers to the Savoy Theatre in the West End for a 12 week run.[33]
Radio
Smith played companion Lucie Miller alongside Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor in a radio series of Doctor Who, produced by Big Finish and transmitted on BBC 7 from New Year's Eve 2006; the plays returned in a second series released on CD and scheduled for BBC 7 broadcast. A third series of adventures for Lucie and the Doctor aired in March 2009, as weekly half-hour downloads followed by a Christmas Special. Lucie Miller made her final appearances in the fourth series, ending in 2011. Smith also appeared as Ruby Ruggles in the 2008 radio serial The Way We Live Right Now, and took over the role of Tamsin Trelawny in series 2 of Elephants to Catch Eels on BBC Radio 4.
Personal life
Smith was once in a relationship with James Corden, which ended in June 2009.[34] In an interview in March 2010, she revealed that she and Scottish actor Ross McCall had begun dating after a 10-year friendship.[35] However, in August the same year, she stated that they had separated due to the pressure of a long-distance relationship.[36]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2000 | Peaches | Tracey | |
2008 | Defunct | Cherry La Chav | |
2011 | Hysteria | Molly the Lolly | |
How to Stop Being a Loser | Lisa | ||
2012 | Tower Block | Becky | |
Quartet | Dr. Lucy Cogan | ||
2013 | Powder Room | Sam | |
The Harry Hill Movie | Michelle | ||
2016 | The Huntsman: Winter's War | Filming |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1999 | Wives and Daughters | Housemaid | Episode #1.1 |
Dark Ages | Matilda | 5 episodes | |
1999–2000 | The Royle Family | Emma Kavanagh | 3 episodes |
2000 | Heartbeat | Lyn | Episode: "A Shot in the Dark" |
Where the Heart Is | Vicky | Episode: "Modern Love" | |
Doctors | Claire | 1 episode | |
Anchor Me | Young Jackie | Television film | |
2001 | Holby City | Miranda Locke | 6 episodes |
Always and Everyone | Nurse | Episode #3.12 | |
Hawk | Jez | Television film | |
2001–09 | Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps | Janet Keogh (née Smith) | 73 episodes |
2002 | Fat Friends | Sharon Wormersley | 2 episodes |
Blood Strangers | Jas Dyson / Claire | Television film | |
2003 | The Royal | Francesca Wheeler | Episode: "Immediate Care" |
2003–04 | Eyes Down | Sandy Beech | 15 episodes |
2004 | Mile High | Susie | Episode #2.10 |
Doctors | Jackie Leavis | 1 episode | |
2005 | The Bill | Janey Giles | Episode 315 |
The Lenny Henry Show | Various Characters | 8 episodes | |
The Comic Strip | Angie | Episode: "Sex Actually" | |
2005–08 | Love Soup | Cleo Martin | 15 episodes |
2006–09 | Grownups | Michelle Booth | 22 episodes |
2008 | Lark Rise to Candleford | Cinderella Doe | Episode: #2.1 |
2008–10 | Gavin & Stacey | Ruth "Rudi" Smith | 7 episodes |
2009 | Benidorm | Brandy | 4 episodes |
The Friday Night Club | Miranda | Unaired pilot[37] | |
2009–13 | Jonathan Creek | Joey Ross | 3 episodes |
2010 | Chekhov Comedy Shorts | Natasha | Episode: "The Proposal" |
2011 | Bizarre ER | Narrator | |
Little Crackers | Marilyn Smith | Episode: "The Daltons" | |
2012 | Accused | Charlotte | Episode: "Stephen's Story" |
Mrs Biggs | Charmian Biggs | 5 episodes | |
Panto! | Tamsin Taylor | ||
The Scapegoat | Nina | Television film | |
2013 | Dates | Jenny | |
2014 | The 7.39 | Sally Thorn | 2 episodes |
The Widower | Claire Webster | Mini-series | |
Who Do You Think You Are? | Herself | 1 episode | |
Cilla | Cilla Black | Lead role (3 part mini-series) | |
2015 | Inside No. 9 | Christine | Anthology series |
The C Word | Lisa Lynch | Drama | |
Black Work | Jo Gillespie | Three-part thriller | |
2015— | Bear Grylls: Mission Survive | Narrator | 2 series |
2016 | Galavant | Princess Jubilee | Episode: #2:5 |
Awards and nominations
- AACTA Awards
Year | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama | Mrs Biggs | Nominated |
- BAFTA TV Awards
Year | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | Best Actress | Mrs Biggs | Won |
2015 | Leading Actress[38] | Cilla | Nominated |
- BroadwayWorld UK Awards
Year | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Best Featured Actress in a Play | Flare Path | Won |
- Emmy Awards
Year | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | International Emmy Award for Best Actress | Mrs Biggs | Nominated |
2015 | International Emmy Award for Best Actress | Cilla | Pending |
- Evening Standard Awards
Year | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | Best Actress | Legally Blonde | Nominated |
2011 | Best Actress | Flare Path | Won |
- Laurence Olivier Awards
Year | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2009 | Best Actress in a Musical | Little Shop of Horrors | Nominated |
2011 | Best Actress in a Musical | Legally Blonde | Won |
2012 | Best Performance in a Supporting Role | Flare Path | Won |
- National Television Awards
Year | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | Outstanding Drama Performance (Female) | Mrs Biggs | Nominated |
2015 | Best Drama Performance | Cilla | Won |
2016 | Best Drama Performance | Black Work | Pending |
2016 | Best Challenge Show | Bear Grylls: Mission Survive | Pending |
- Royal Television Society Awards
Year | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | Best Actress | Mrs Biggs | Nominated |
2015 | Best Actress | Cilla | Pending |
- Theatregoers' Choice Award
Year | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Best Actress in a Musical | Legally Blonde | Won |
2013 | Best Actress in a Play | Hedda Gabler | Won |
- TV Choice Award
Year | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | Best Actress | Mrs Biggs | Nominated |
2015 | Best Actress | Cilla | Won |
- Women in Film & Television Awards
Year | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | Best Performance | Mrs Biggs | Won |
References
- ^ a b Jeffries, Stuart (19 March 2013). "From slappers to Hedda Gabler: the irresistible rise of Sheridan Smith". The Guardian. London.
- ^ a b Matilda the Musical wins seven gongs at the 2012 Olivier Awards – News. The Stage. Archived 2013-06-16 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Oliver Awards Best Actress in a Musical, The Society of London Theatre, archived from the original on 10 February 2011, retrieved 14 March 2011
{{citation}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Frankenstein stars win Evening Standard Theatre Awards". BBC News. 20 November 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
- ^ "No. 61092". The London Gazette (invalid
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(help)). 31 December 2014. - ^ "NY Honours for poppy duo, Joan Collins, and John Hurt". BBC News. 31 December 2014.
- ^ 2015 New Year Honours List
- ^ My best teacher - Sheridan Smith - Features - TES
- ^ The many faces of Sheridan Smith: From amateur actress to one of this generation's finest
- ^ Sheridan Smith struggles with mounting acclaim over Cilla portrayal
- ^ Sheridan Smith Featured Article: TheGenealogist
- ^ "When Janet Met Michelle". BBC. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
- ^ "'Chek' out Isle actress Sheridan Smith's latest TV Proposal". This is Scunthorpe. 12 November 2010. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ^ "Sheridan Smith to film three-and-a-half-minute-long orgasm scene". Mirror Newspaper. 12 November 2010. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ^ Guest, Alex (7 November 2011). "Matthew Rhys to star in ITV1 film of du Maurier's The Scapegoat". TV Pixie. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
- ^ Wolf, Matt (27 March 2008). "Q&A: Sheridan Smith". Broadway.com. Archived from the original on 1 February 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
- ^ "The British Theatre Guide: News for 7th May 2006". British Theatre Guide. 5 July 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
- ^ Wolf, Matt (7 February 2008). "Hairspray, Parade Lead Olivier Noms; War Horse Rides High Among Plays". Broadway.com. Archived from the original on 8 February 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
- ^ "The What's On / Productions: Tinderbox". Bush Theatre Website. Retrieved 6 April 2008.[dead link]
- ^ "Sheridan Smith Nabs Legally Blonde's Elle???". Whatsonstage.com. 16 March 2009. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Duncan James Gets Legal with Sheridan Smith???". Whatsonstage.com. 16 March 2009. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=
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ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Davies, Serena (19 January 2010). "Sheridan Smith: a West End star is born – Telegraph". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
- ^ Sheridan Smith Extends in West End Legally Blonde to Jan '11 broadwayworld.com, 26 August 2010
- ^ Full List: 2011 Whatsonstage.com Award Winners whatsonstage.com, 20 February 2011
- ^ Shortlist Announced for 2010 London Evening Standard Theatre Awards Playbill
- ^ Legally Blonde, Into the Woods, Clybourne Park, After the Dance Among Olivier Award Winners in London. Playbill.(13 March 2011).
- ^ 2011 BWW UK Award Winners Announced! ROCK OF AGES, GHOST, WIZARD and PHANTOM All Win!. Broadwayworld.com (5 December 2011).
- ^ Eden, Richard (10 July 2011). "Author Helen Fielding hails the musical new Bridget Jones, Sheridan Smith". The Daily Telegraph. London.
- ^ Bridget Jones musical plunged into confusion as Sheridan Smith pulls out of show. Daily Mail.(6 April 2012).
- ^ Sam Marlowe (12 September 2013). "Sheridan Smith is a wild Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream". Metro.co.uk. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
- ^ Feast Creative. "Analysis: Sweeney, JCS & Bodyguard triumph at 2013 Whatsonstage.com Awards". Awards.whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
- ^ Gans, Andrew and Shenton, Mark. "Watch London's Funny Girl, Sheridan Smith, Sing! (Video)" Playbill, August 2015
- ^ Mitford, Oliver. "Funny Girl is headed for the West End!" London Box Office, 29 October 2015
- ^ Armstrong, Stephen (27 December 2009). "Sheridan Smith drops the chav act for Legally Blonde – Times Online". The Times. London. Retrieved 27 February 2010.
- ^ Woods, Judith (6 March 2010). "'I've found my inner girl': actress Sheridan Smith glams it up for her role in Legally Blonde". Daily Mail. London. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
- ^ Auld, Tim (1 August 2010). "Next stop Bridget Jones". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
- ^ "The Friday Night Club – Pilot", British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
- ^ Alex Ritman (8 April 2015). "BAFTA TV Awards: Benedict Cumberbatch Gets Third Nomination for 'Sherlock'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
External links
- Use dmy dates from May 2013
- 1981 births
- Living people
- 20th-century English actresses
- 21st-century English actresses
- Critics' Circle Theatre Award winners
- Actresses from Lincolnshire
- BAFTA winners (people)
- English film actresses
- English musical theatre actresses
- English soap opera actresses
- English stage actresses
- English radio actresses
- English television actresses
- Evening Standard Award for Best Actress winners
- Laurence Olivier Award winners
- People educated at Joyce Mason School of Dance
- People from Epworth, Lincolnshire
- British Shakespearean actresses
- Officers of the Order of the British Empire