Sara Martins

Sara Martins (born 19 August 1977) is a Portuguese-French actress. She is known in France for her roles on television and in film and theatre. She also appeared as Detective Sergeant Camille Bordey in the joint British-French crime comedy-drama Death in Paradise, filmed in Guadeloupe, a French overseas department. She left the show halfway through series 4 (January 2015). She later returned to Season 10 E6 to reprise her role temporarily, and again in Series 13 Episode 1, in a video call with Neville.

Early life Martins was born in Faro, in the Portuguese region of Algarve, and is of Cape Verdean descent. She moved to France at the age of three. She studied ballet in her youth and was the first person of African descent to join the Lyon Opera. She learned that she would be unable to advance to the Paris Opera, where the corps was expected to look alike and there were no other black dancers. Instead, she received her Baccalauréat with a theater option. Then, she completed an acting degree at the French National Academy of Dramatic Arts. and Police District.

She appeared in the film Paris, je t'aime (2006) in the segment Parc Monceau, the 17th arrondissement.

Death in Paradise In April 2011, BBC One announced that Martins would appear in the crime comedy-drama Death in Paradise, co-produced with France Télévisions. The series was Martins' debut in both comedy and on British television. Martins did have experience playing a police officer. Death in Paradise premiered on 25 October 2011. Martins played Camille Bordey, a detective sergeant on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint-Marie. Camille and other local officers help British Detective Inspector Richard Poole (played by Ben Miller in the first two series) solve murders. During a stunt for a first series episode, Martins tore her achilles tendon.

The third series killed off Inspector Poole in the first episode and he was replaced by another British Detective Inspector, Humphrey Goodman (played by Kris Marshall). The fourth episode of the fourth series "Until Death Do You Part", was Martins' last; her character was written out as moving to Paris. Of her departure from the show, she is quoted as saying: "I’ve loved everything about the show. But the only way to grow in life is to take risks, even if it means losing something you love, or leaving a place that’s comfortable". In 2021, she and Miller returned for a two-part episode.

Later appearances Martins appeared in two French detective shows, La Loi d'Alexandre, first episode ("Comme des frères"), and Capitaine Marleau, episode 2 ("La mémoire enfouie") in Series 2. She appeared in the British series Father Brown in 2018 as the wife of criminal Flambeau.

In 2018, she had the role of police inspector in the television movie Un Mensonge Oublié, English title Children of the Lie. She also appeared in Kiss & Tell (Voyez Comme On Danse) and the British TG movie, I Love My Mum.

In 2020, she played the police detective in the French television series of 8 episodes, Grand Hôtel. She appeared as Victoire in Réunions, a French television series set on La Réunion, for 6 episodes. She played Diane Dombre in the French television series Alexandra Ehle, about a persistent coroner in Bordeaux.

She played a role in Citadel, on Prime Video in 2023.

Selected filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2002 Les Amateurs (Amateurs) Maya Feature film Merguez, panini, kebab, jambon-beurre Short film 2004 ne quittez pas! (Local Call) Feature film Dans tes rêves Feature film 2006 Tell No One L'amie de Bruno Feature film Beyond the Ocean Olga Paris, je t'aime Sara Feature film Girlfriends Shaheen Feature film J'invente rien Feature film Fragile(s) (By the Way) Sara Feature film 2007 Rumeurs, commérages, on dit que Short film La Solution Short film 2008 l"Heure d'été (Summer Hours) Press agent Feature film Après l'océan Olga Feature film Orpailleur (Garimpeiro, The Gold Forest) Yann Feature film 2009 Mensch Helena Feature film 2010 Les Petits Mouchoirs (Little White Lies) Marie's girlfriend Feature film Last Blood Short film Non Compliant Profile Short film The Marquis Feature film 2013 Une Ideé en l'air (Just an Idea) Short film 2024 Coup de Chance Julia Feature film

Television Year Title Role Notes 2001 & 2003 Police district Julie Season 1 and 3 2001 Maigret Jojo Season 10: episode 2 2003 Par amour Maria Television film 2005 Disparition Karine Television film Le Proc Virginie Desplat Season 2: episode 3 2006 Les Tricheurs Sophie Season 1: episode 1; season 2: episode 1, season 3: episode 1 Les bleus: premiers pas dans la police Mathilde Forestier Season 1: episode 1 Les Secrets du volcan Jasmine Mahé Season 1: 4 episodes 2006–07 P.J. (C.I.D.) Estelle Seasons 10–12: 9 episodes 2007 Merci, les enfants vont bien! Jeanne Season 4: episodes 1, 2, 3, 4 2008 La Veuve tatouée Sylvie Television film Les tricheurs Sophie Devailly Season 1: episode 1, season 2: episode 1, season 3: episode 1 2009 Pigalle, la nuit Fleur Season 1: 8 episodes (as regular) 2011 Caïn Barbara Simon Season 1: episode 2 Signature Hélène Season 1: episodes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 Insoupçonnable Julie Television film 2013–14 Détectives Nora Abadie Seasons 1–2: 16 episodes (as regular) 2011–15, 2021, 2024 Death in Paradise Camille Bordey Series 1–4: 28 episodes (as regular) Series 13: (video call) 2015 American Odyssey Serena Season 1: episodes 5, 6, 11 The law of Alexandre Sonia Dubois Season 2: episode 1 2017 Capitaine Marleau Irène Ruff Season 2: episode 3 2018 Father Brown Lisandra Flambeau Episode 6.10 "The Two Deaths of Hercule Flambeau" 2024 Those About to Die Cala Main cast