Emma Lowndes
Encyclopedia
Emma Lowndes is an English
actress, known for portraying Bella Gregson in Cranford
and Mary Rivers in Jane Eyre
.
, Salford
, Lowndes attended Irlam Primary School and Urmston Grammar, where she was Head Girl
. She studied English at the University of York
before training at RADA
, graduating in 2000. Her training was partly funded by the Salford Sports and Arts Trust, established by Albert Finney
and Harold Riley
to assist the city's young talent.
Lowndes is the eldest of three siblings born to Eric and Suzanne Lowndes. She has a younger brother, footballer Nathan Lowndes
, and a sister, Katie Lowndes.
, Burn It
, Afterlife
, Doctors and Moving On
. She also played Mary Rivers in the 2006 BBC
adaptation of Jane Eyre, and Bella Gregson in Cranford
.
Lowndes has appeared in the films All or Nothing (2002), This Little Life
(2003) and Frozen (2005). She has lent her voice to the radio drama
s Whitby Pier, Aperture and Hanging, and played Sarah Badger in the 2001 The Tomorrow People
audio drama, The New Gods
.
Her theatre work includes Whose Life Is It Anyway?
, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice
, The Seagull
, Port and Cold Meat Party. She has also appeared in productions of Thérèse Raquin
, Measure for Measure
, Topless Mum and Three More Sleepless Nights.
for productions of Port and The Seagull at the Royal Exchange Theatre
. Her role in The Seagull also earned her a nomination at the 2003 Ian Charleson Awards
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
actress, known for portraying Bella Gregson in Cranford
Cranford (TV series)
Cranford is a British television series directed by Simon Curtis and Steve Hudson. The teleplay by Heidi Thomas was adapted from three novellas by Elizabeth Gaskell published between 1849 and 1858: Cranford, My Lady Ludlow, and Mr Harrison's Confessions...
and Mary Rivers in Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre (2006 TV serial)
Jane Eyre is a 2006 television adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's 1847 novel of the same name. The story, which has been the subject of numerous television and film adaptations is based on the life of the orphaned titular character...
.
Background
Raised in IrlamIrlam
Irlam is a suburban town and unparished area within the City of Salford in Greater Manchester, England. At the 2001 census it had a population of 18,504. The town lies on flat ground on the south side of the M62 motorway and the north bank of the Manchester Ship Canal, and is west-southwest of...
, Salford
City of Salford
The City of Salford is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Salford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Eccles, Swinton-Pendlebury, Walkden and Irlam which apart from Irlam each have a population of over...
, Lowndes attended Irlam Primary School and Urmston Grammar, where she was Head Girl
Head boy
Head Boy and Head Girl are terms commonly used in the British education system, and in private schools throughout the Commonwealth.-United Kingdom:...
. She studied English at the University of York
University of York
The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
before training at RADA
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art is a drama school located in London, United Kingdom. It is generally regarded as one of the most renowned drama schools in the world, and is one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom, having been founded in 1904.RADA is an affiliate school of the...
, graduating in 2000. Her training was partly funded by the Salford Sports and Arts Trust, established by Albert Finney
Albert Finney
Albert Finney is an English actor. He achieved prominence in films in the early 1960s, and has maintained a successful career in theatre, film and television....
and Harold Riley
Harold Riley (artist)
Harold Riley was born in Salford in 1934, his father was a jazz musician and his mother was a school teacher. At the age of 17 he won a scholarship to the Slade and went on to study in Florence and Spain before returning to Salford, where he has lived ever since. As a student he became a good...
to assist the city's young talent.
Lowndes is the eldest of three siblings born to Eric and Suzanne Lowndes. She has a younger brother, footballer Nathan Lowndes
Nathan Lowndes
Nathan Peter Lowndes is an English former football player. A forward, in a fourteen year professional career he scored 40 goals in 255 appearances....
, and a sister, Katie Lowndes.
Career
Lowndes' television credits include Waking the DeadWaking the Dead (TV series)
Waking the Dead is a British television police procedural crime drama series produced by the BBC featuring a fictional Cold Case Unit comprising CID police officers, a psychological profiler and a forensic scientist. A pilot episode aired in September 2000 and there have been a total of nine series...
, Burn It
Burn It
Burn It was a drama series, with touches of dark comedy, following the lives of three twenty-somethings in present-day Manchester.-About:The series followed Carl, Andy and Jon as three self-proclaimed Generation X-ers going through life without any real responsibilities to worry them...
, Afterlife
Afterlife (TV series)
Afterlife is a British television drama series, produced by independent production company Clerkenwell Films for the ITV network...
, Doctors and Moving On
Moving On (TV series)
Moving On is a British television series consisting of standalone contemporary dramas first shown on daytime BBC One. Although originally broadcast in an early-afternoon slot, less than a month after the initial airing the first series was repeated to an evening audience...
. She also played Mary Rivers in the 2006 BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
adaptation of Jane Eyre, and Bella Gregson in Cranford
Cranford (TV series)
Cranford is a British television series directed by Simon Curtis and Steve Hudson. The teleplay by Heidi Thomas was adapted from three novellas by Elizabeth Gaskell published between 1849 and 1858: Cranford, My Lady Ludlow, and Mr Harrison's Confessions...
.
Lowndes has appeared in the films All or Nothing (2002), This Little Life
This Little Life
This Little Life is a 2003 drama starring Kate Ashfield, Peter Mullan and Linda Bassett. The story centres around the life of a married couple following the premature birth of their son....
(2003) and Frozen (2005). She has lent her voice to the radio drama
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
s Whitby Pier, Aperture and Hanging, and played Sarah Badger in the 2001 The Tomorrow People
The Tomorrow People
The Tomorrow People is a British children's science fiction television series, devised by Roger Price. Produced by Thames Television for the ITV Network, the series first ran between 1973 and 1979. The series was re-imagined in 1992, Roger Price acting as executive producer...
audio drama, The New Gods
The New Gods (The Tomorrow People)
The New Gods is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the British science fiction television series The Tomorrow People.- Synopsis :...
.
Her theatre work includes Whose Life Is It Anyway?
Whose Life is it Anyway?
Whose Life Is It Anyway? is a play by Brian Clark adapted from his 1972 television play of the same title. The play premiered at the Mermaid Theatre in London's West End in 1978 starring Tom Conti as Ken.-Plot:...
, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice
The Rise and Fall of Little Voice
The Rise and Fall of Little Voice is a 1992 play written by English dramatist Jim Cartwright. Sam Mendes directed stars Jane Horrocks and Alison Steadman at the Royal National Theatre before transferring to the Aldwych Theatre in London's West End....
, The Seagull
The Seagull
The Seagull is the first of what are generally considered to be the four major plays by the Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov. The Seagull was written in 1895 and first produced in 1896...
, Port and Cold Meat Party. She has also appeared in productions of Thérèse Raquin
Thérèse Raquin
Thérèse Raquin is the title of a novel and a play by the French writer Émile Zola. The novel was originally published in serial format in the journal L'Artiste and in book format in December of the same year.-Plot introduction:Thérèse Raquin tells the story of a young woman, unhappily married to...
, Measure for Measure
Measure for Measure
Measure for Measure is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603 or 1604. It was classified as comedy, but its mood defies those expectations. As a result and for a variety of reasons, some critics have labelled it as one of Shakespeare's problem plays...
, Topless Mum and Three More Sleepless Nights.
Awards
Lowndes won Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 2003 Manchester Evening News Theatre AwardsManchester Evening News Theatre Awards
The Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards, commonly referred to as the MEN or M.E.N. Awards, recognise excellence in live British theatre. They are administered by the Manchester Evening News, and are presented at an annual ceremony in Manchester, England...
for productions of Port and The Seagull at the Royal Exchange Theatre
Royal Exchange, Manchester
The Royal Exchange is a grade II listed Victorian building in Manchester, England. It is located in the city centre on the land bounded by St Ann’s Square, Exchange Street, Market Street, Cross Street and Old Bank Street...
. Her role in The Seagull also earned her a nomination at the 2003 Ian Charleson Awards
Ian Charleson Awards
The Ian Charleson Awards is a British theatrical award to reward the best classical stage performances in Britain by actors aged under 30. It is named in memory of the late actor Ian Charleson and is run by the Sunday Times newspaper and the National Theatre...
.
Television
| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Lenny Blue | DC Kerry Allen | Television film Television movie A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to... |
| Heartbeat | Teresa - A Girl's Best Friend (2002) |
Period crime drama | |
| 2003 | Burn It Burn It Burn It was a drama series, with touches of dark comedy, following the lives of three twenty-somethings in present-day Manchester.-About:The series followed Carl, Andy and Jon as three self-proclaimed Generation X-ers going through life without any real responsibilities to worry them... |
Jane | Drama series BBC television drama BBC television dramas have been produced and broadcast since even before the public service company had an officially established television broadcasting network in the United Kingdom... |
| 2004 | Von Trapped | Leisl 'Lee' Moogan | Television film Television movie A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to... |
| 2005 | The Walk | Gillian | Television film Television movie A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to... |
| Waking the Dead Waking the Dead (TV series) Waking the Dead is a British television police procedural crime drama series produced by the BBC featuring a fictional Cold Case Unit comprising CID police officers, a psychological profiler and a forensic scientist. A pilot episode aired in September 2000 and there have been a total of nine series... |
Young Grace Foley - Straw Dog: Part One (2005) |
Police procedural Police procedural The police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several... |
|
| 2006 | Jane Eyre | Mary Rivers - Episode 1.4 (2006) |
Miniseries Miniseries A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term... |
| Afterlife Afterlife (TV series) Afterlife is a British television drama series, produced by independent production company Clerkenwell Films for the ITV network... |
Zoe - A Name Written in Water (2006) |
Supernatural Supernatural The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature... drama Drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a... |
|
| 2007 | Cranford Cranford (TV series) Cranford is a British television series directed by Simon Curtis and Steve Hudson. The teleplay by Heidi Thomas was adapted from three novellas by Elizabeth Gaskell published between 1849 and 1858: Cranford, My Lady Ludlow, and Mr Harrison's Confessions... |
Bella Gregson - June 1842 (2007) - August 1842 (2007) - November 1842 (2007) - April 1843 (2007) |
Comedy-drama Comedy-drama Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy... |
| 2008 | Doctors | Mia Arnell - Attack of the Centorts: Part 1 (2008) - Attack of the Centorts: Part 2 (2008) |
Soap opera Soap opera A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,... |
| The Royal The Royal The Royal is a British medical drama series produced by ITV. The show comprises one hour episodes which were normally first aired on ITV in the Sunday early evening slot.... |
Penny Darnby - Blood's Thicker Than Water (2008) |
Period medical drama Medical drama A medical drama is a television program, in which events center upon a hospital, an ambulance staff, or any medical environment.In the United States, most medical episodes are one hour long and, more often than not, are set in a hospital. Most current medical Dramatic programming go beyond the... |
|
| Heartbeat | Julie - Missing Persons (2008) |
Period crime drama | |
| 2009 | Moving On Moving On (TV series) Moving On is a British television series consisting of standalone contemporary dramas first shown on daytime BBC One. Although originally broadcast in an early-afternoon slot, less than a month after the initial airing the first series was repeated to an evening audience... |
Alice - The Rain Has Stopped (2009) |
Anthology series |
| Cranford Cranford (TV series) Cranford is a British television series directed by Simon Curtis and Steve Hudson. The teleplay by Heidi Thomas was adapted from three novellas by Elizabeth Gaskell published between 1849 and 1858: Cranford, My Lady Ludlow, and Mr Harrison's Confessions... |
Bella Gregson - August 1844 (2009) - October to December 1844 (2009) |
Comedy-drama Comedy-drama Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy... |
|
| Paradox Paradox (TV series) Paradox is a 2009 British science fiction police drama, starring Tamzin Outhwaite as Detective Inspector Rebecca Flint. Written by Lizzie Mickery and produced by Clerkenwell Films for the BBC, it was filmed and set in Manchester, England.... |
Julie Hughes - Episode 1.5 (2009) |
Sci-fi Science fiction Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities... crime drama Police procedural The police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several... |
|
| 2010 | Survivors Survivors (2008 TV Series) Survivors is a British science fiction television series produced by the BBC. It depicts the lives of a group of people who survived a virulent strain of heretofore unknown influenza which has wiped out most of the human race... |
Sally - Episode 2.4 (2010) - Episode 2.5 (2010) |
Post-apocalyptic Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction Apocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural... drama Drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a... |
| 2011 | Silent Witness Silent Witness Silent Witness is a BBC crime thriller series focusing on a team of forensic pathology experts and their investigations into various crimes. First broadcast in February 1996, the series is still airing to the present day, with a fifteenth series expected to air in January 2012. The series was... |
Claire Lockford - First Casualty: Part 1 (2011) - First Casualty: Part 2 (2011) |
Crime drama |
Film
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | All or Nothing | Party Girl | |
| 2003 | This Little Life This Little Life This Little Life is a 2003 drama starring Kate Ashfield, Peter Mullan and Linda Bassett. The story centres around the life of a married couple following the premature birth of their son.... |
Nurse Anne | |
| 2005 | Frozen | Receptionist | Uncredited |