Jessica Hynes

Jessica Hynes (née Stevenson) is an English actress, director and writer. Best known as a comedy actress, she has played Cheryl in The Royle Family (1998–2010), Siobhan Sharpe in Twenty Twelve (2011–2012) and W1A (2014–2017) and Emily Yates in There She Goes (2018–2023). She was also one of the stars, creators and writers of Spaced (1999–2001). She has also had starring roles in television film Tomorrow La Scala! and BBC dramas Years and Years and Miss Austen (2025). In film, Hynes has appeared in the Bridget Jones (2004–2016), Nativity (2012–2018) and Paddington (2017–2024) film series.

Hynes has been nominated for two International Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, five BAFTAs (winning two), three Royal Television Society Awards (winning two) and three British Comedy Awards (winning two).

Early life and education Hynes was born Jessica Stevenson After her parents split up, she was raised by her mother. She moved back to London as a young adult. Her maternal grandmother came from the village of Llanelian, north Wales, where her uncle also ran a farm. Her mother is a fluent Welsh speaker. In 2023, Hynes took part in the S4C series Iaith ar Daith, where she began to learn the Welsh language; she cited being able to speak Welsh to her mother as a reason why she wanted to take part in the programme.

Career

As a teenager, Hynes was a member of the National Youth Theatre company, and made her stage début with the company in Lionel Bart's Blitz! in 1990. In 1991 she appeared in Disney's Swing Kids (1993 film) alongside Frank Whaley and Robert Sean-Leonard. In the same year she appeared in Peter Greenaway's film The Baby of Macon playing The First Midwife. Between 1992 and 1993, she played a season at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds. In 1994, Hynes appeared as an uncredited extra in the first episode of The Day Today in the Attitudes Night segment, a parody of the UK's changing attitudes.

Early in her career, Hynes teamed up with future Spaced co-star Katy Carmichael in a comedy double-act called the Liz Hurleys, appeared in two productions at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre, and acted for television shows including Staying Alive, Six Pairs of Pants, (Un)natural Acts, and Asylum (on which the Spaced team of Hynes, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright first assembled). From 1998 to 2000, she played the supporting role of Cheryl in the hit sitcom The Royle Family; she reprised the role for special episodes in 2006, 2009 and 2010. In 1999, she co-wrote and starred in Spaced.

Hynes' London theatre debut was in April 2002, playing the tough ex-prisoner "Bolla" in Jez Butterworth's The Night Heron at the Royal Court, for which she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award. In 2004, she played a minor part as Yvonne in horror comedy Shaun of the Dead, again working with Pegg and Wright. In the same year, she was also cast as Magda, friend of the titular character, in the Hollywood sequel Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.

In early 2007, Hynes took a lead role in the film Magicians, starring alongside comic duo David Mitchell and Robert Webb. She provided the voice of Mafalda Hopkirk in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

She played Joan Redfern in the 2007 Doctor Who episodes "Human Nature" and "The Family of Blood". She then appeared in part two of the story "The End of Time", playing a character named Verity Newman, who is Joan's great-granddaughter. Hynes appeared in Big Finish's Eighth Doctor audio adventure "Invaders from Mars", with her Spaced colleague Simon Pegg. She starred in Son of Rambow (credited as Jessica Stevenson), playing Mary Proudfoot opposite the star of the film, Bill Milner. In November 2007, BBC One released Learners, a comedy drama television movie which Hynes starred in and wrote.

In 2008, she appeared in a revival of Alan Ayckbourn's The Norman Conquests at the Old Vic. In 2009 she made her Broadway debut in the play's transfer and was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance. The show itself won a Tony Award for best revival that year.

Hynes appeared as a "right-on" PR person, Siobhan Sharpe, in the London Olympics centred satire Twenty Twelve, of which the first series screened on BBC Four in 2011, moving to BBC Two in spring 2012. A further series was screened in July 2012. She reprised the role in the 2014 series W1A for which she won a BAFTA.

In 2017, she directed her first feature film, The Fight, produced by Jamie Adams and Unstoppable media. In 2018, she played the role of a mother in the BBC Four programme There She Goes. She stars alongside David Tennant, raising a daughter with a severe learning disability. It is based on the real life of writer Shaun Pye and his wife Sarah Crawford, whose daughter was born with a chromosomal disorder. She won a BAFTA for her role in the series and was nominated for an International Emmy for her role in '414' the special made in 2023. In 2019, she starred in the BBC and HBO production Years and Years for which she won a Royal Television Society award.

Personal life Hynes married Adam Hynes in 2002, a sculptor, after being in a relationship since they were 18 years old. She officially changed her surname from her birth name of Stevenson, including for screen credits.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1993 Swing Kids Helga Credited as Jessica Stevenson The Baby of Mâcon The First Midwife 2000 Born Romantic Libby 2002 Tomorrow La Scala! Victoria Pure Paramedic 2004 Shaun of the Dead Yvonne Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason Magda 2006 Confetti Sam 2007 Four Last Songs Miranda Son of Rambow Mary Proudfoot Magicians Linda Jones Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Mafalda Hopkirk (voice) 2008 Faintheart Cath 2010 Burke and Hare Lucky 2011 Chalet Girl Interviewer 2 2012 Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger Angel Matthews 2014 Pudsey the Dog: The Movie Gail 2015 Winter Claudia 2016 Swallows and Amazons Mrs. Jackson Bridget Jones's Baby Magda 2017 Paddington 2 Miss Kitts 2018 Songbird Sara aka: Alright Now The Fight Tina Bell Also writer & director Nativity Rocks! Angel Matthews 2019 Seagull Janet 2024 Seize Them! Leofwine Paddington in Peru Miss Kitts Cameo 2025 Death of a Unicorn Shaw

Television Year Title Role Notes 1994 The House of Eliott Charlotte Parker Episode: #3.1 1995 Tears Before Bedtime Maggie 4 episodes Crown Prosecutor Jackie South 10 episodes Six Pairs of Pants Various characters 3 episodes 1996 Mash and Peas Various roles Unknown episodes Asylum Nurse McFadden / Martha Mini-series; 6 episodes. Also writer 1996–1997 Staying Alive Alice Timpson Series 1 & 2; 12 episodes 1997 Midsomer Murders Judith Lessiter Episode: "The Killings at Badger's Drift" Armstrong and Miller Various roles Series 1 & 2, 12 episodes 1997–1998 Harry Enfield and Chums Various roles Episodes: "Christmas Chums", "Yule Log Chums" 1998 Alexei Sayle's Merry-Go-Round Various roles Episode: #1.1 Unnatural Acts Various roles Main cast. 4 episodes 1998–2010 The Royle Family Cheryl Carroll Recurring role. Series 1–4; 13 episodes 1999 People Like Us Sarah Episode: "The Estate Agent" The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything Woman with Black Death Victim Television film 1999–2001 Spaced Daisy Steiner / Amber (voice) Series 1 & 2; 14 episodes. Also co-wrote with Simon Pegg 2001 Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) Felia Siderova 3 episodes Bob & Rose Holly Vance Mini-series; 6 episodes Comedy Lab Wife (voice) Episode: "Knife & Wife" 2002 Dick Whittington The Good Fairy Television film Black Books Eva Episode: "Hello Sun" 2004 Bosom Pals Marie (voice) Television film 2005 According to Bex Rebecca 'Bex' Atwell Main role. 8 episodes 2006 Agatha Christie's Marple Aimee Griffith Episode: "The Moving Finger" Pinochet in Suburbia WPC Broughton Television film The Secret Policeman's Ball Mrs. Peacock Recording of staged show 2007 Doctor Who Nurse Joan Redfern Episodes: "Human Nature", "The Family of Blood" Learners Beverley Television film. Also writer 2010 Doctor Who Verity Newman Episode: "The End of Time, Part Two" Lizzie and Sarah Sarah / Ellie Television pilot. Also writer & assoc. producer Little Crackers Dawn Episode: "Julian Barratt's Little Cracker: Satan's Hoof" 2011 Skins Crystal Episode: "Everyone" The Hour Jane Kish Episode: "Crises at Home and Abroad" 2011–2012 Twenty Twelve Siobhan Sharpe Main cast. Series 1 & 2; 14 episodes 2012 One Night Carol Mini-series; 4 episodes Moone Boy Jennifer Bakewell Episode: "Another Prick in the Wall" World's Most Dangerous Roads Herself Episode 2 2013 Common Ground Patricia David Episode: "Patricia". Also writer Blandings Lady Daphne Littlewood Episode: "Problems with Drink" Crackanory Storyteller Read "My Former Self" by Holly Walsh 2013–2015 Up the Women Margaret Series 1 & 2; 9 episodes. Also creator, writer, assoc. producer 2014–2017, 2024 W1A Siobhan Sharpe Series 1–3; 14 episodes & Comic Relief Special (2024) 2015 Cider with Rosie Crabby Television film 2016 The Keith Lemon Sketch Show Owner/Manager Series 2; "The Cartoon Job Centre" sketches Hoff the Record Deborah Sangster Episode: "Divorce" Hooten & the Lady Ella Bond Mini-series; 8 episodes 2016–2018 Jack and Dean of All Trades Marv Series 1 & 2; 13 episodes 2017 The Keith & Paddy Picture Show Marjorie Episode: "Dirty Dancing" 2017, 2018 The Crystal Maze Knight Marion 3 Celebrity Specials & 1 standard episode: "Jazzy Jury" 2018 Hang Ups Katherine Pitt 4 episodes 2018, 2020, 2023 There She Goes Emily Yates Main cast. Series 1 & 2; 10 episodes & 1 Special 2019 Years and Years Edith Lyons Mini-series; 6 episodes 2020 Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse Sofie Dahl Television film 2022 Mood Laura Mini-series; 4 episodes The Witchfinder Old Myers 6 episodes Life After Life Mrs. Glover 4 episodes Inside No. 9 Helen Episode: "A Random Act of Kindness" 2022, 2025 Am I Being Unreasonable? Becca Recurring role. Series 1 & 2; 2 episodes 2023 Dreaming Whilst Black Drew Episodes: "The Friends", "The Premiere" The Great Stand Up to Cancer Bake Off Herself - Contestant 1 episode; Star Baker 2024 The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin The Reddlehag Episode: "Curse of the Reddlehag" The Franchise Steph Main cast. 8 episodes 2025 Miss Austen Mary Austen Main Cast. Mini-series; 4 episodes 2026 Patience DI Frankie Monroe Main Cast. Series 2; 8 episodes

Awards Year Award Work Result 1999 British Comedy Award for Best Female Comedy Newcomer Spaced and The Royle Family 2001 British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actress Spaced 2002 British Academy Television Award for Best Situation Comedy Spaced 2002 RTS Television Award for Best Actor – Female Tomorrow La Scala! 2003 British Academy Television Award for Best Actress Tomorrow La Scala! 2003 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role The Night Heron 2009 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play The Norman Conquests 2012 British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actress Twenty Twelve 2013 RTS Television Award for Best Comedy Performance Twenty Twelve 2013 British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance Twenty Twelve 2015 British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance W1A 2019 British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance There She Goes