Akiya Henry

Akiya Henry is a British actress. She is best known for her theatre work, winning a WhatsOnStage Award and earning a Laurence Olivier Award nomination.

Early life and education Henry was born in London. At 6 months old, she was placed in foster care with her siblings, and raised in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, by a British-Maltese couple named Joyce and George Dymock.

Henry joined the National Youth Music Theatre, and later earned a scholarship to study at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Connecticut. She also trained with Gail Gordon, then head of dance at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

Career In 2001, Henry made her professional stage debut as one of Billie's Babes in the Pet Shop Boys musical Closer to Heaven at the Arts Theatre. Henry also featured as a vocalist on the original cast recording. The following year, she made her television debut with a guest appearance in an episode of the BBC medical soap opera Doctors. Henry had roles in the ensemble of Anything Goes and then in Love's Labour's Lost at the National Theatre in 2002 and 2003 respectively, and in Trevor Nunn's Skellig at the Young Vic.

In 2004, Henry made her feature film debut with a small role in De-Lovely and appeared in A Midsummer Night's Dream in Chichester in 2004 as Hermia, a role she would reprise on tour in 2013. She played the Zebra in the musical Just So, also in Chichester, and featured on the cast recording, originated the role of Toby in Helen Edmundson's 2005 play Coram Boy at the National Theatre, and appeared in the comedy film Unhitched. This was followed by role in Coriolanus and Under the Black Flag at Shakespeare's Globe in 2006.

Henry appeared in every episode of the 2008 CITV series Captain Mack. In 2009, she played Miranda in The Tempest and Minnie Fay in the London revival of Hello, Dolly, both at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.

Henry voiced Amma in the CBeebies series Bing from 2014 to 2019, and Jolli and Willi in the CBBC series Bottersnikes and Gumbles from 2015 to 2017. Her stage work at the time includes Deposit at the Hampstead Theatre and The Little Match Girl back at Shakespeare's Globe. She starred in Medea at Bristol Old Vic in 2018.

Also in 2018, Henry starred as Lady Macbeth opposite Mark Rowley in Kit Monkman's film adaptation of Macbeth. She would play Lady Macduff in The Tragedy of Macbeth at the Almeida Theatre in 2021. For her supporting performance in the latter, Henry won a WhatsOnStage Award and was nominated a for Laurence Olivier Award. She also starred in Giles Terera's The Meaning of Zong at Bristol Old Vic had a number of voice roles in the Disney series 101 Dalmatian Street, CITV series The Rubbish World of Dave Spud, and the Sky series Moominvalley. She went on to star in Much Ado About Nothing at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre as Beatrice and Mad House at the Ambassadors Theatre in 2022, and Phaedra at the National Theatre in 2023.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2004 De-Lovely Chorus 2005 Unhitched Bride 2018 Macbeth Lady Macbeth Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures Various Voice role

Television Year Title Role Notes 2002 Doctors Echo Doyle Episode: "Shattered Dreams" 2005 Casualty Mona Rachu 2 episodes Little Britain Rochelle 1 episode 2007 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Lissa Borden Episode: "Smile" 2008 Captain Mack Yolanda Yummy / Rosie Raucous / Wendy Whizz 52 episodes 2009 Noddy in Toyland Voice role, 5 episodes 2010 Silent Witness Ruth Gardiner 2 episodes 2011 Tinga Tinga Tales Woodpecker Voice role, episode: "Why Caterpillar is Never in a Hurry" 2014–2019 Bing Amma Voice role, 41 episodes 2015–2017 Bottersnikes and Gumbles Jolli / Willi 11 episodes 2016 Obsession: Dark Desires Jeneane Episode: "Beauty in the Bronx" Holby City Blake Summerton Episode: "Song of Self: Part Two" 2018–2020 101 Dalmatian Street Various Voice role, 10 episodes 2019–2024 Moominvalley Snorkmaiden Voice role The Rubbish World of Dave Spud Little Sue Voice role 2020 Shaun the Sheep: Adventures from Mossy Bottom Stash Voice role Hilda Additional Voices Voice role, 13 episodes 2021 Dodo Kayla Madani Voice role, 7 episodes Ninja Express Voice role 2022 Best & Bester Rocky Voice roleColourblocksCyanVoice role 2022–present Supertato Broccoli Voice role 2024 Death in Paradise Oona Martin Episode: "#13.2" 2025 Protection DS Sue Beardsley

Stage Year Title Role Notes 2001 Closer to Heaven Babe Arts Theatre, London 2002 The Singing Group Chelsea Theatre, London Anything Goes Ensemble Royal National Theatre, London 2003 Love's Labour's Lost Moth Skellig Mina Young Vic, London 2004 A Midsummer Night's Dream Hermia Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester Ain't Misbehavin Crucible Theatre, Sheffield 2005 Just So Zebra Chichester Festival Theatre, ChichesterCast recording Coram Boy Toby Royal National Theatre, London 2006 Coriolanus Valeria Globe Theatre, London Under the Black Flag The Enchanted Pig Dot / Day Tour 2007 Safe Dionne West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds Carmen Jones Myrt Southbank Centre, London 2008 Varjak Paw Varjak Paw Linbury Theatre, London 2009 The Tempest Miranda Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London Hello, Dolly! Minnie Fay 2010 Swallows and Amazons Titty Walker Vaudeville Theatre, London 2011 Oat's Beggar's Opera Jenny Diver Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London The Colored Museum Talawa Theatre Company, Victoria & Albert 2012 Mottled Lines The Sparkle Orange Tree Theatre, London 2013 A Midsummer Night's Dream Hermia Tour 2014 Perseverance Drive Joylene Gillard Bush Theatre, London The Nutcracker and the Mouse King Marie Unicorn Theatre, London 2015 Deposit Hampstead Theatre, London Sense of an Ending Sister Alice Theatre503, London 2016 Cake and Congo Amba A Pacifist's Guide to War on Cancer UK tour The Little Match Girl Various Globe Theatre, London 2017 Medea Medea / Maddy Bristol Old Vic, Bristol 2018, 2019 The Dark Ovalhouse, London / Tron Theatre, Glasgow 2019 Dirty Crusty Jeanine Yard Theatre, London 2021 The Meaning of Zong Bristol Old Vic, Bristol The Tragedy of Macbeth Lady Macduff Almeida Theatre, London 2022 Much Ado About Nothing Beatrice Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon Mad House Lillian Ambassadors Theatre, London 2023 Phaedra Omolara Royal National Theatre, London

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2022 WhatsOnStage Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Play The Tragedy of Macbeth Laurence Olivier Best Actress in a Supporting Role