Anna Maxwell Martin

Anna Charlotte Martin (born 10 May 1977), known professionally as Anna Maxwell Martin, is an English actress. She has won two British Academy Television Awards, for her portrayals of Esther Summerson in the BBC adaptation of Bleak House, and of N in the Channel 4 adaptation of Poppy Shakespeare (2008). She is also known for her roles as DCS Patricia Carmichael in BBC One crime drama Line of Duty (2019–2021) and Kelly Major in Code 404 (2020–2022). From 2016 to 2022, Martin starred in the BBC comedy Motherland, for which she was nominated for the BAFTA for Best Female Comedy Performance. In 2025, she won the International Emmy Award for Best Actress for playing Delia Balmer in ITV's Until I Kill You.

Martin's theatre work includes the role of Lyra Belacqua in the production of His Dark Materials (2003–2004) at the National Theatre.

Early life and education Anna Charlotte Martin was born in Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, on 11 May 1977, to Rosalind and Ivan Martin. Her father was from Maghera, a small town in the south of County Londonderry in Northern Ireland, and he was the managing director of a pharmaceutical company, while her mother, who was from Scotland, was a research scientist.

She attended Beverley High School, where she appeared in school plays. After she left school, Martin studied history at Liverpool University. She added the name Maxwell (her maternal grandfather's first name) to her name to distinguish her from another member with the same name when she joined Equity.

Career Martin made her professional stage debut in 2001, in The Little Foxes at the Donmar Theatre, London. She was then cast in the part of Bessie Higgins in the BBC television adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's novel North and South in 2004, and made a guest appearance in the 2005 series of Doctor Who. She played Esther Summerson, the central character in the 2005 BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens's Bleak House, for which she won the Best Actress BAFTA Television Award in 2006.

In January 2006, Martin took part in a reading of The Entertainer at the Royal Court Theatre,

She played Cassandra Austen in Becoming Jane,

In 2008, Martin starred in the BBC Two drama White Girl

From July to October of that year, she appeared with Dame Eileen Atkins in The Female of the Species at the Vaudeville Theatre in London.

In February 2011, she played Sarah Burton in a three-part BBC adaptation of Winifred Holtby's novel South Riding, and received a nomination for BAFTA Best Actress Award for her role. Beginning in September 2012, she starred in the drama mini-series The Bletchley Circle (2012–2014). In December that year, she appeared as Ethel Rogers in the BBC three-part serial And Then There Were None, an adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel of the same name.

In 2017, she played Julia in The BBC comedy series Motherland.

In 2019, Martin played Beelzebub, leader of the denizens of Hell, in the Amazon Prime TV serial Good Omens,

In 2021, Martin played the co-lead role in Hollington Drive, an ITV television drama series that began broadcasting on 29 September 2021.

In February 2023, it was announced that Martin would portray Delia Balmer in the ITV-commissioned true crime drama series Delia Balmer. The four part miniseries aired in 2024 as Until I Kill You. The series was highly praised by many reviewers, and Martin's performance in particular, with Lucy Mangan of The Guardian giving the series a five-star review. Martin won the Actress award at BAFTA Cymru for her performance in Until I Kill You, which was filmed in Wales.

In summer 2024, Martin played Monica in the world premiere of Joe Penhall's new play The Constituent at The Old Vic, directed by Matthew Warchus and co-starring James Corden. In autumn 2024, Martin costarred with David Mitchell in Ludwig, a six-part BBC television detective dramedy series. On Christmas Day 2024, she appeared as the celebrant in the final episode of the BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey.

Personal life Martin married theatre and film director Roger Michell in 2010. The couple had two daughters. In April 2020, the couple separated. Michell died in September 2021, aged 65. She is currently in a relationship with camera operator Richard Cornelius, whom she met on the set of the Sky comedy, Code 404, after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref. 2005 Laurence Olivier Awards Best Actress His Dark Materials 2006 BBC Drama Poll Best Actress Bleak House Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Best Actress British Academy Television Awards Best Actress 2023 Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Best Actress Motherland, A Spy Among Friends 2023 28th Satellite Awards Satellite Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film A Spy Among Friends 2025 Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Best Actress Until I Kill You, Ludwig, Gavin & Stacey 2025 British Academy Television Awards Leading Actress Until I Kill You 2025 Royal Television Society Programme Awards Leading Actor: Female 2025 BAFTA Cymru Actress

Acting credits Film Year Film Role Notes 2002 Eddie Loves Mary Interviewee Short film 2004 Enduring Love Penny 2006 The Other Man Christine Short film 2007 I Really Hate My Job Madonna Becoming Jane Cassandra Austen 2012 Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa ACC Janet Whitehead Philomena Jane 2014 National Theatre Live: King Lear Regan Off the Page: School Girl Jenny Short film 2016 Chubby Funny Sally 2018 The Egg and the Thieving Pie Shona Short film 2019The Personal History of David Copperfield Annie Strong 2020 The Duke Mrs. Gowling Say Your Prayers DCI Brough 2025 Fackham Hall Mrs Edna McAllister

Television Year Film Role Notes 2002 Midsomer Murders Arabella Heywood Series 5; episode 4: "Murder on St. Malley's Day" 2004 North & South Bessie Higgins Miniseries; 3 episodes 2005 Doctor Who Suki Macrae Cantrell Episode: "The Long Game" Bleak House Esther Summerson Main role. Miniseries; 15 episodes 2006 The Wind in the Willows Gaoler's Daughter Television film 2008 White Girl Debbie Television film Poppy Shakespeare N Television film 2009 Free Agents Sophie Episodes 3–5 Freefall Mandy Potter Television film Moonshot Janet Armstrong Television film 2010 On Expenses Heather Brooke Television film 2011 South Riding Sarah Burton Main role. Miniseries; episodes 1–3 CBeebies Bedtime Stories Herself – Storyteller 5 episodes The Night Watch Kay Langrish Television film 2012 Accused Tina Dhakin Series 2; episode 4: "Tina's Story" 2012–2014 The Bletchley Circle Susan Gray Series 1 & 2; 5 episodes 2013 National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage Horatio / Hannah Jarvis Television film; Segments: "Hamlet" and "Arcadia" Death Comes to Pemberley Elizabeth Darcy Miniseries; episodes 1–3 2014 The Life of Rock with Brian Pern Jess Hunt Series 1; episode 3: "Death of Rock", & series 2; episode 3: "Bi-Polar Bear Aid" The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies Janine 2-part miniseries; parts one & two 2015 And Then There Were None Ethel Rogers 3-part miniseries; episode 1 Birthday Lisa Television film Midwinter of the Spirit Reverend Merrily Watkins 3-part miniseries; episodes 1–3 The Frankenstein Chronicles Mary Shelley Episodes 2–5 2016 Reg Sally Keys Television film 2016–2022 Motherland Julia Johnstone Lead role. Series 1–3; 20 episodes 2017 Tracey Ullman's Show Herself Series 2; episode 3 2018 Urban Myths Agatha Christie Series 2; episode 6: "Agatha Christie" Mother's Day Wendy Parry Television film 2019 The Conception of Terror Jo Harrington Miniseries; episode 1: "Casting the Runes" Christmas University Challenge Herself – Contestant Series 9; episode 4: "Liverpool v Hull" 2019–2021 Line of Duty DCS Patricia Carmichael Series 5 & 6; 5 episodes 2019–2023 Good Omens Beelzebub Series 1; 4 episodes 2020 The Kemps: All True Lorna Kemp Television film 2020–2022 Code 404 Kelly Major Main role. Series 1–3; 18 episodes 2021 The Irregulars Edith Dubois Episode 6: "Chapter Six: Hieracium Snowdoniense" Hollington Drive Theresa Westcott Main role. Episodes 1–4 Would I Lie to You? Herself – Panellist Series 14; episode 9 2022 Mandy Eva Series 2; episode 4: "SpaceMandy" Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway Herself – Guest announcer Series 18; episode 5 Have I Got News for You Herself – Guest presenter Series 63; episode 7 Who Do You Think You Are? Herself Series 19; episode 4: "Anna Maxwell Martin" A Spy Among Friends Lily Thomas Miniseries; episodes 1–6 2023 Steph's Packed Lunch Herself – Guest host 1 episode 2024 Until I Kill You Delia Balmer Episodes 1–4 A Good Girl's Guide to Murder Leanne Fitz-Amobi Episodes 1–6 Ludwig 2026 Steal Senior MI5 official Series 1, Episode 5Star CityLyudmilla RaskovaMain RoleHeartstopper ForeverSarah NelsonTelevision film Ludwig Lucy Betts-Taylor Series 2, Episodes 1–6

Theatre Year Title Role Theatre Notes2001 The Little Foxes Alexandra Giddens Donmar Warehouse 2006–2007 Cabaret Sally Bowles Lyric Theatre, West End 2008 The Female of the Species Molly Rivers Vaudeville Theatre, West End 2010 Measure for Measure Isabella Almeida Theatre 2013 Di and Viv and Rose Rose Hampstead Theatre 2014 King Lear Regan Royal National Theatre 2015–2016 Macbeth Lady Macbeth Young Vic 2017 Consent Kitty Royal National Theatre 2021 Constellations Marianne Vaudeville Theatre, West End 2024 The Constituent Monica The Old Vic

Readings and benefits The Lady of Larkspur Lotion (rehearsed reading) as Mrs. Hardwicke-Moore at the National Theatre (21 October 2002) Hello from Bertha (rehearsed reading) as Goldie at the National Theatre (22 October 2002) Collateral Damage II (poetry) at the National Theatre (14 March 2003) Songs of Innocence and Experience (poetry) at the National Theatre (18 February 2004) The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (poetry) at the National Theatre (25 February 2004) Will and Lyra as herself (interview) at the National Theatre (26 March 2004) After the Fire (rehearsed reading) at the National Theatre (7 March 2005) The Black Glove (rehearsed reading) at the National Theatre (15 March 2005) Snowbound (showcase) at the Royal National Theatre Studio (October 2005) The Entertainer (rehearsed reading) as Jean Rice at the Royal Court Theatre (16 January 2006) Top Girls (reading) as Pope Joan at the Royal Court Theatre (19 September 2008) Pencil (10-minute play in the 24 Hour Plays Celebrity Gala) at the Old Vic (1 November 2009)

Radio The Tall One as Samantha (BBC Radio 4, 1 to 5 September 2003) The Raj Quartet as Daphne Manners (BBC Radio 4, 10 April to 5 June 2005) The Ante Natal Clinic as Ros (BBC Radio 4, 19 January 2006) The Sea as Rose Jones (BBC Radio 4, 15 April 2006) Great Expectations as Estella Havisham (BBC Radio 4, 6 and 13 August 2006) The Invention of Childhood as one of several readers (BBC Radio 4, 25 September to 3 November 2006) Berlin – Soundz Decadent as herself (BBC Radio 2, 2 January 2007) Crooked House as Sophia Leonides (BBC Radio 4, 8 to 29 February 2008) Words and Music: The Soft Machine as one of two poetry readers (BBC Radio 3, 1 June 2008) The Portrait of a Lady as Isabel Archer (BBC Radio 4, 13 to 27 July 2008) Villette as Lucy Snowe (BBC Radio 4, 3 to 7 and 10 to 14 August 2009) Au Pairs as Dorika (BBC Radio 4, 7 to 11 September 2009) Chekhov's Seven and a Half Years as Olga in Three Sisters (BBC Radio 3, 24 January 2010) The New Radio 2 Arts Show with Claudia Winkleman as herself (BBC Radio 2, 15 March 2010) Words and Music: Malady as one of two readers (BBC Radio 3, 11 April 2010) The Wings of the Dove as Milly Theale (BBC Radio 4, 1, 8 and 15 August 2010) The White Devil as Vittoria Corombona (BBC Radio 3, 15 August 2010) Faust as Gretchen (BBC Radio 3, 19 September 2010) Juvenile Jane as the extract reader (BBC Radio 4, 23 November 2010)

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