Gemma Arterton

Born in Gravesend in 1986, Gemma Arterton is a two-time Olivier Award-nominated actress, best known for theatre credits including Made in Dagenham and Nell Gwynn.

Growing up, Arterton expressed keen interest in the performing arts, starring in amateur productions and local festivals. For college, she studied acting at Miskin Theatre in Dartford, before receiving a full government grant to study a Bachelor of Arts in Acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), studying alongside Killer Joe’s Adam Gillen.

Before graduating in 2007, Arterton made her professional stage debut as Rosaline in Love’s Labour Lost at Shakespeare’s Globe. Three years later, she returned to London’s theatres, appearing in the national premiere of The Little Dog Laughed at the Garrick Theatre and The Master Builder at the Almeida Theatre. She then returned to the Southbank, this time as the title role in The Duchess of Malfi at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse.

Arterton’s stand-out role came in 2014, when cast as Rita O’Grady in Made in Dagenham. Even though the musical only ran at the Adelphi Theatre for five months, Arterton's performance was widely praised and she won her first Olivier for Best Actress in a Musical. The following year, she won the Best Actress Olivier for her turn in the title role of Nell Gywnn at the Apollo Theatre. In 2017, she played Joan in Saint Joan at the Donmar Warehouse, and recently starred in Walden at the Harold Pinter Theatre.

Aside from the stage, Arterton is an accomplished film actress. Her credits include Kelly Jones in the St Trinian’s movies and How To Build A Girl.