Faye Marsay

Faye Elaine Marsay (born 30 December 1986) is an English actress. Her roles include Anne Neville in The White Queen, the recurring character Candice in Fresh Meat (2013), Steph in the film Pride (2014), Amy in Need for Speed (2015), The Waif in the fifth and sixth seasons of Game of Thrones (2015–2016), Blue Colson in the Black Mirror episode "Hated in the Nation" (2016), Vel Sartha in Star Wars: Andor (2022–2025), and DS Misha Frank in Adolescence (2025).

Early life Marsay was born in Middlesbrough. She moved to Loftus, where she attended the Laurence Jackson School in Guisborough. Marsay went on to Prior Pursglove College, before joining the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, where she played the roles of Sissy Jupe in Hard Times, First Wyrd Sister and Fleance in Macbeth, Runt in Disco Pigs, and Shen Te in The Good Soul of Szechuan. It was during her time at the Old Vic school that she won the Spotlight Prize of 2012. As soon as she graduated, she landed a main role in The White Queen.

Career In 2013, Marsay landed her first professional role, playing Anne Neville in The White Queen. Next, Marsay played new "fresher" Candice Pelling in the TV series Fresh Meat.

In 2014, Marsay played the role of Lizzie Lancaster in series two of The Bletchley Circle. The second was the TV miniseries murder mystery Glue. Marsay played the character Janine Riley. Marsay also appeared in the 2014 Doctor Who Christmas special "Last Christmas" as Shona McCullough. The character of Shona was intended by showrunner Steven Moffat to become a new, permanent companion, replacing Jenna Coleman who had decided to leave the production. Coleman changed her mind during filming and an additional final scene was added at the last minute, reversing her exit, and leaving Shona to her current life.

2015 began with Marsay appearing in the fifth season of Game of Thrones as the Waif. In June, Marsay was cast as new character Katie Springer in My Mad Fat Diary for the final series. At the beginning of October, Marsay was named one of Screen International's 2015 Stars of Tomorrow.

In October 2015, a radio drama debuted on BBC Radio 4 called The Price of Oil. The episode "No Two Days" starred Marsay as Izzie. In November, Marsay appeared as Amy in the video game Need for Speed, adopting an American accent. Next, the short film NippleJesus, based on the short story by Nick Hornby, debuted at the Austin Film Festival and premiered in London.

2016 brought Marsay the role of Christine in the sixth series of ITV's Vera. She then continued her role as the Waif in Game of Thrones later that month. In May and June 2016, Marsay played the leading role of Nina Stibbe in the BBC's Love, Nina. Later that year, she appeared in "Hated in the Nation", an episode of the anthology series Black Mirror as Blue Colson alongside Kelly Macdonald.

In 2017 Marsay costarred in Daisy Aitkens's debut feature You, Me and Him with Lucy Punch and David Tennant, and appeared in the film Darkest Hour, starring Gary Oldman. She also appeared in a revival of Jim Cartwright's play Road at the Royal Court Theatre In December 2017, Marsay starred in ITV drama Bancroft alongside Sarah Parish. In 2017, she also appeared in Channel 4 drama Shamed.

In 2018, Marsay appeared in the BBC/AMC's McMafia, with James Norton. In November, Marsay appeared in A Private War alongside Rosamund Pike, Stanley Tucci and Jamie Dornan.

In 2019, Marsay played the role of DC Joanne Aspinall in the ITV six-part drama Deep Water, starring Anna Friel, Rosalind Eleazar, and Sinead Keenan. In 2020 she narrated two episodes of the E4 series The Sex Clinic.

In 2022, she premiered in the new Star Wars television series Andor, a prequel to the film Rogue One, as Vel Sartha. Later, she portrayed Hilda Reid in Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre's adaptation of Lady Chatterley's Lover, starring Emma Corrin and Jack O'Connell.

2023 saw Marsay star next to Warren Brown and Michelle Keegan as Annie Roberts in Ten Pound Poms about a group of Britons who leave their home for Australia in search of a better life.

In 2025 Marsay appeared in Ten Pound Poms, and Adolescence, starring Stephan Graham, Ashley Walters, Erin Doherty, and introducing newcomer Owen Cooper. In April, she continued in the role of Vel Sartha in the final season of Andor.

In August 2026 she appeared in the fourth season of Ted Lasso.

Personal life

Marsay is a football fan, watching Premier League matches and supporting Middlesbrough Football Club. She is married to Canadian actress Heidi Lynch.

Filmography +Key Denotes works that have not yet been released

Film

Television

Stage

Radio

Video games

Awards and nominations