Shirley Henderson

Shirley Ann Henderson (born 24 November 1965) is a Scottish actress. Henderson's film roles include Gail in Trainspotting and its 2017 sequel, Jude in the Bridget Jones films (2001–2025), and Moaning Myrtle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005). Her other notable credits include Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself (2002), Intermission (2003), American Cousins (2003), Frozen (2005), Marie Antoinette (2006), Anna Karenina (2012), Filth (2013), and Stan & Ollie (2018).

Henderson starred as Isobel Sutherland in the BBC series Hamish Macbeth (1995–97) and played Frances Drummond in the BBC drama Happy Valley (2016). She was in the BBC miniseries The Way We Live Now (2001), the ITV television film Dirty Filthy Love (2004), and played Claire Salter in the Channel 4 miniseries Southcliffe (2013).

She won the 2018 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Elizabeth in the original Old Vic production of Girl from the North Country. Her other accolades include two Scottish BAFTA Awards and a VFCC Award, along with BAFTA Award, BIFA Award, London Critics' Circle Award, Chlotrudis Award, Gotham Award, RTS Award, and Canadian Screen Award nominations.

Early life and education Henderson was born in November 1965 in Forres, Moray, and grew up in Kincardine-on-Forth, on the north shore of the Firth of Forth, in Fife. She attended Dunfermline High School. As a child, she began singing in local clubs, at charity events, holiday camps, and even a boxing contest.

At age 16, Henderson completed a one-year course at Adam Smith College, and at 17, she spent three years at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, graduating in 1986.

Career

Henderson's first television performance was in the leading role of Elizabeth Findlay in the 1987 ITV children's television drama Shadow of the Stone, for which she was cast by Leonard White.

Small-screen appearances have included playing Marie Melmotte in The Way We Live Now (2001); Catherine of Braganza in Charles II: The Power and The Passion (2003); Charlotte in Dirty Filthy Love (2004); Ursula Blake in the Doctor Who episode "Love & Monsters" (2006); Emmeline Fox in The Crimson Petal and the White (2011); DS Angela Young in Death in Paradise (2011); and Meg Hawkins in Treasure Island (2012). She played Karen, the lead role, opposite John Simm in Channel 4's Everyday and Meme Kartosov in Anna Karenina.

In 2022, HBO Max announced that Henderson would star in Dune: Prophecy as Tula Harkonnen. However, in early 2023, director Johan Renck and Henderson were reported to have exited the production due to a "creative shift" and production delays.

In 2023 Henderson was awarded an Outstanding Contribution by BAFTA Scotland for her contribution to Scottish Film and TV.

Henderson appeared as Heather in I Swear in 2025.

Filmography Film

Year Title Role Notes 1992 Salt on Our Skin Mary 1995 Rob Roy Morag Wonderland Debbie Phillips Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself Alice Nominated – British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actor/Actress Villa des Roses Ella Nominated – British Independent Film Award for Best Actress 2003 American Cousins Alice Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Moaning Myrtle 2010 Meek's Cutoff Glory White 2015 Tale of Tales Imma 2018 Stan & Ollie Lucille Hardy 2019 Greed Margaret 2023 The Trouble with Jessica Sarah 2025 Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy Jude Elio OOOOO Voice I Swear Heather Davidson Glenrothan Jess 2026 The Mandalorian and Grogu Anzellans Voice TBA

Television Year Title Role Notes 1987 Shadow of the Stone Elizabeth Findlay 6 episodes 2005 ShakespeaRe-Told Katherine Minola The Taming of the Shrew Death in Paradise DS Angela Young Episode: "An Unhelpful Aid" The Gruffalo's Child The Gruffalo's Child 2012 Treasure Island Meg Hawkins TV movie 2014 Jamaica Inn Hannah 2020 The Nest Siobhan 5 part TV series Worzel Gummidge Saucy Nancy 2021 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses Herself Special appearance Summer Camp Island Susie's Mom Voice 2022 The House Across The Street Claudia 2023 The Mandalorian Anzellan Crew Voice, 4 episodes Tom Jones Aunt Western Hilda Fairy Entity Voice, 1 episode 2024 Kiff Roo Voice, 1 episode 2025 Summerwater Annie Main cast Dept. Q Claire Marsh Main cast

Theatre Dates Title Role Venue Notes Ref. 10 October–November 1986 The Grand Edinburgh Fire Balloon Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh December 1986–January 1987 A Wildcat Christmas Carol Tiny Tim Kilmarnock 1987 The Gorbals Story Maggie play by Robert McLeish April 1987 The Threepenny Opera Lucy Brown Dundee Repertory Theatre 9 October 1987–26 March 1988 Entertaining Strangers Fanny Lock Royal National Theatre, London director: Peter Hall 28 April–24 November 1988 The Winter's Tale Perdita Royal National Theatre, London director: Peter Hall March 1989 My Mother Said I Never Should Rosie Royal Court Theatre, London author: Charlotte Keatley, director: Michael Attenborough 7 June–28 July 1990 Eurydice Eurydice Festival Theatre, Chichester director: Michael Rudman 1 August–5 September 1992 The Life of Stuff Evelyn Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh director: John Mitchell Opened 19 April 1993 Lion in the Streets Isobel Hampstead Theatre, London author: Judith Thompson, director: Matthew Lloyd 8–30 October 1993 Romeo and Juliet Juliet Citizens Theatre, Glasgow director: Giles Havergal 23 March–2 April 1994 The Mill on the Floss Maggie Tulliver New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich (followed by tour) author: George Eliot, directors: Nancy Meckler, Polly Teale 27 April–20 May 1995 The Maiden Stone Mary Hampstead Theatre, London author: Rosa Munro, director: Matthew Lloyd 10–20 September 1997 The House of Bernarda Alba Stuart Davids The Tramway, Glasgow author: Federico García Lorca, director: Stuart Davids 9 November–10 December 1997 Shining Souls Mandy Old Vic, London 22 November−18 December 1999 Anna Weiss Lynn Whitehall Theatre, London author: Mike Cullen, director Michael Attenborough 8 July−7 October 2017 Girl from the North Country Elizabeth Laine Old Vic, London director: Conor McPhersonLaurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical 30 December 2017–24 March 2018 Noël Coward Theatre, London director: Conor McPherson

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2001 London Critics Circle Film Awards Supporting Actress of the Year Topsy-Turvy 2002 British Independent Film Awards Best Supporting Actor/Actress Villa des Roses RTS Television Awards Best Actress The Way We Live Now 2003 Mademoiselle Ladubay Awards Short Film The Girl in the Red Dress London Critics Circle Film Awards Supporting Actress of the Year 24 Hour Party People Golden Wave Awards Best ActressWilbur Wants to Kill Himself British Independent Film Awards Best Supporting Actor/Actress Cherbourg-Octeville Festival of Irish & British Film Best Actress American Cousins 2004 London Critics Circle Film Awards Supporting Actress of the Year Intermission Newport Beach Film Festival Jury Awards Best Actress in a Feature Film (Comedy) American Cousins Bowmore Scottish Screen Awards Actress of the Year 2005 BAFTA Scotland Awards Best Actress in a Scottish Film Frozen Chlotrudis Awards Best Supporting Actress Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself Créteil International Women's Film Festival Special Mention for Acting Frozen Marrakech International Film Festival Awards Best Actress Angel Film Awards Best Ensemble Cast(with Danny Nucci, Dan Hedaya, Gerald Lepkowski & Vincent Pastore) American Cousins RTS Television Awards Best Actress Dirty Filthy Love 2006 Cherbourg-Octeville Festival of Irish & British Film Best Actress Frozen 2010 Gotham Awards Best Ensemble Performance(with Ciarán Hinds, Allison Janney, Michael Lerner, Chris Marquette, Rich Pecci, Charlotte Rampling, Paul Reubens, Ally Sheedy, Dylan Riley Snyder, Renée Taylor & Michael K. Williams) Life During Wartime 2013 British Independent Film Awards Best Supporting Actress Filth SPIFF Awards Best Actress Everyday 2014 BAFTA Television Awards Best Supporting Actress Southcliffe BAFTA Scotland Awards Best Actress – Television 2017 VFCC Awards Best Actress in a Canadian Film Never Steady, Never Still 2018 Canadian Screen Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role Laurence Olivier Awards Best Actress in a Musical Girl from the North Country 2019 BAFTA Scotland Awards Best Actress – Film Stan & Ollie 2020 LEJA Awards Best Voice or Motion Capture Performance Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 2023 BAFTA Scotland AwardsBAFTA Scotland Outstanding Contribution