Genevieve Barr
Encyclopedia
Genevieve Louise Barr is an English actress. Born deaf, she made her major acting debut in July 2010 playing the role of a deaf teenager in the BBC One
prime-time drama The Silence
. She previously played a deaf nurse in the Channel 4
2009 comedy, The Amazing Dermot.
, and studied English and History at Edinburgh University, graduating in 2008. A talented sports-woman, she played rounders
for England at 15, was a high-board diving champion in Harrogate, captained the Edinburgh University lacrosse
team, going on to play for Scotland
. Barr enrolled in the Teach First
graduate scheme and was teaching in a secondary school called St Michaels Catholic collage in Bermondsey
, South London before commencing her acting career.
's The Amazing Dermot starring Rhys Darby
, a 30-minute pilot episode as part of the Comedy Showcase
series. After this role, filmed during the school holidays, Barr returned to teaching, but she was spotted by Company Pictures
and asked to audition for a role in a BBC One drama, The Silence
. The Amazing Dermot was broadcast on 4 December 2009.
who was impressed not only by her acting but also by her teaching job and how articulate she was. Barr starred alongside experienced actors Hugh Bonneville
, Douglas Henshall
, Gina McKee
and Dervla Kirwan
. Amelia is an 18-year-old girl who has recently been fitted with cochlear implants and is learning to hear for the first time. Because of the prosthetic implant, Barr was unable to wear her hearing aids during filming and thus had to rely on lip-reading. It took Barr time to adjust to the size of the role; Amelia is just starting to adjust to the hearing world, and is under a lot pressure. At the same time, she is a normal teenager, who then witnesses a murder and her life spirals out of control. Barr used the role as an opportunity to learn more about deafness, saying that her world is different to that of Amelia, who "has been used to a world of silence, unlike me. And signing is her first language. She's learning to hear for the first time and to recognise sounds for the first time." Barr had to learn to sign for the part, and had to look convincing as Amelia was obviously a fluent signer.
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
prime-time drama The Silence
The Silence (2010 drama)
The Silence is a BBC One 4-part prime-time crime thriller/family drama about a deaf girl who witnesses a murder, first broadcast between 12–15 July 2010. The drama stars deaf actress Genevieve Barr , alongside Dervla Kirwan, Gina McKee, Hugh Bonneville and Douglas Henshall...
. She previously played a deaf nurse in the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
2009 comedy, The Amazing Dermot.
Personal life
Barr was born deaf into a hearing family with no hereditary record of deafness, and has a sister two years younger, Antonia, and twin teenage siblings, Robert and Sabrina. They went to Highfield preparatory school. She was fitted with hearing aids aged four and has never learned sign-language, relying on lip-reading to complete the sound picture. Barr attended mainstream education at Harrogate Ladies' CollegeHarrogate Ladies' College
Harrogate Ladies' College is an independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18 years located in North Yorkshire, England. Harrogate Ladies' College is a Church of England foundation. All the facilities are campus-based. They include an indoor swimming pool, tennis courts, and...
, and studied English and History at Edinburgh University, graduating in 2008. A talented sports-woman, she played rounders
Rounders
Rounders is a game played between two teams of either gender. The game originated in England where it was played in Tudor times. Rounders is a striking and fielding team game that involves hitting a small, hard, leather-cased ball with a round wooden, plastic or metal bat. The players score by...
for England at 15, was a high-board diving champion in Harrogate, captained the Edinburgh University lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
team, going on to play for Scotland
Scotland national women's lacrosse team
The Scotland national women's lacrosse team represents Scotland at women's lacrosse. It is governed by Lacrosse Scotland-1982:* 1st United States* 2nd Australia* 3rd Canada* 4th Scotland* 5th England* 6th Wales-1986:* 1st Australia...
. Barr enrolled in the Teach First
Teach First
Teach First is an independent educational charity United Kingdom, Reg. No. 1098294, founded in 2002. Its mission is to address educational disadvantage by transforming exceptional graduates into effective, inspirational teachers and leaders in all fields...
graduate scheme and was teaching in a secondary school called St Michaels Catholic collage in Bermondsey
Bermondsey
Bermondsey is an area in London on the south bank of the river Thames, and is part of the London Borough of Southwark. To the west lies Southwark, to the east Rotherhithe, and to the south, Walworth and Peckham.-Toponomy:...
, South London before commencing her acting career.
Acting
Barr had always considered a career in acting, but felt that her voice was not coherent enough. A friend working for a production company encouraged her to audition for a role as a deaf nurse in Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's The Amazing Dermot starring Rhys Darby
Rhys Darby
Rhys Montague Darby is an actor and stand-up comedian from New Zealand, known for his energetic physical comedy routines, telling stories accompanied with mime and sound effects of things such as machinery and animals...
, a 30-minute pilot episode as part of the Comedy Showcase
Comedy Showcase
Comedy Showcase is a series of one-off comedy specials featuring some of Britain's fledgling comedy talent. Its format is reminiscent of the much earlier Comedy Playhouse....
series. After this role, filmed during the school holidays, Barr returned to teaching, but she was spotted by Company Pictures
Company Pictures
Company Pictures is an independent British television production company which has produced drama programming for many broadcasters. Their productions have included:*drama series Wild at Heart for ITV1, written by Ashley Pharoah....
and asked to audition for a role in a BBC One drama, The Silence
The Silence (2010 drama)
The Silence is a BBC One 4-part prime-time crime thriller/family drama about a deaf girl who witnesses a murder, first broadcast between 12–15 July 2010. The drama stars deaf actress Genevieve Barr , alongside Dervla Kirwan, Gina McKee, Hugh Bonneville and Douglas Henshall...
. The Amazing Dermot was broadcast on 4 December 2009.
The Silence
Barr auditioned for the role of Amelia in The Silence and was offered the part by director Dearbhla WalshDearbhla Walsh
Dearbhla Walsh is an Irish film and television director who has worked on drama series for several television channels in Ireland and the United Kingdom, including episodes of EastEnders, Shameless and The Tudors. She won the 2009 Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or...
who was impressed not only by her acting but also by her teaching job and how articulate she was. Barr starred alongside experienced actors Hugh Bonneville
Hugh Bonneville
Hugh Richard Bonneville Williams, known professionally as Hugh Bonneville , is an English stage, film, television and radio actor.-Education:...
, Douglas Henshall
Douglas Henshall
Douglas James Henshall is a Scottish actor probably best known for his role as Professor Nick Cutter in the British science fiction series Primeval.-Early life:...
, Gina McKee
Gina McKee
Georgina "Gina" McKee is an English actor known for her television roles in Our Friends in the North , The Lost Prince and The Forsyte Saga ; and her portrayal of Bella in the film Notting Hill ....
and Dervla Kirwan
Dervla Kirwan
Dervla Kirwan is an Irish actress famous for roles in British television shows such as Ballykissangel and Goodnight Sweetheart...
. Amelia is an 18-year-old girl who has recently been fitted with cochlear implants and is learning to hear for the first time. Because of the prosthetic implant, Barr was unable to wear her hearing aids during filming and thus had to rely on lip-reading. It took Barr time to adjust to the size of the role; Amelia is just starting to adjust to the hearing world, and is under a lot pressure. At the same time, she is a normal teenager, who then witnesses a murder and her life spirals out of control. Barr used the role as an opportunity to learn more about deafness, saying that her world is different to that of Amelia, who "has been used to a world of silence, unlike me. And signing is her first language. She's learning to hear for the first time and to recognise sounds for the first time." Barr had to learn to sign for the part, and had to look convincing as Amelia was obviously a fluent signer.