Jodie Comer
Jodie Comer (/ˈkoʊmər/ KOH-mər; born 11 March 1993) is an English actress. Born and raised in Liverpool, Comer began her career in an episode of The Royal Today in 2008. She gained recognition for appearing in the series My Mad Fat Diary and Doctor Foster, and earned acclaim for starring in the drama miniseries Thirteen.
Jodie Comer | |
|---|---|
Comer at the 76th Tony Awards in 2023 | |
| Born | 11 March 1993 Liverpool, England |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Awards | Full list |
| Signature | |
From 2018 to 2022, Comer starred as sociopathic assassin Villanelle in the BBC America spy thriller series Killing Eve, winning a British Academy Television Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. For starring as a healthcare assistant in the television film Help, she won another British Academy Television Award. Comer expanded to films with starring roles in the action film Free Guy and period drama The Last Duel. Comer made her West End theatre debut in Suzie Miller's one-woman play Prima Facie in 2022, which earned her an Evening Standard Theatre Award and a Laurence Olivier Award. Following its transfer to Broadway theatre in 2023, she won a Tony Award.
Early life edit
Jodie Comer was born on 11 March 1993 in Liverpool,[1] the daughter of Merseyrail employee Donna Comer and Everton FC physical therapist James Comer. She grew up in Liverpool's Childwall suburb.[2][3] She has a younger brother named Charlie (born in 1995).[4] She attended St Julie's Catholic High School in the Liverpool suburb of Woolton, where she became close friends with future Olympic athlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson.[5][6] She started acting at a local weekend drama school called CALS in the Belle Vale area of Liverpool when she was 11 years old, and it was through this school that she entered the Liverpool Performing Arts Festival in 2006 at St George's Hall and came first in her category after performing a monologue about the Hillsborough Disaster.[7][8][9]
Comer's friends kicked her out of their high school dance group because a holiday with her family clashed with rehearsals for the school's talent show, and she instead decided to perform the monologue for the show.[10] Although she did not win, her performance prompted the school's drama teacher to call in a favour from friends in the entertainment industry that would allow her to audition for a BBC Radio 4 play.[11] This would become her first acting job, with her co-stars in the play advising her to get an agent and telling her that she could have a successful acting career.[12][13]
Career edit
Career beginnings (2008–2017) edit
Comer's career began in 2008 with a guest role on an episode of The Royal Today, a spin-off series of the medical drama series The Royal. She then made appearances in series such as Waterloo Road, Holby City, Doctors, Silent Witness, Casualty, Law & Order: UK, Vera, and Inspector George Gently. She was cast in leading roles in the five-episode drama series Justice, the supernatural miniseries Remember Me, and as Chloe Gemell in the E4 comedy-drama series My Mad Fat Diary. Comer appeared in the 2015 adaptation of Lady Chatterley's Lover, a television film broadcast on BBC One. In the same year, Comer appeared as Kate Parks in the BBC One drama series Doctor Foster.
Comer was cast in her first starring role as Ivy Moxam in the BBC Three miniseries Thirteen, which premiered in February 2016 and earned her a nomination for the British Academy Television Award for Best Actress. In December 2016, she appeared in the BBC miniseries Rillington Place as Beryl Evans, one of serial killer John Christie's victims.[10] In 2016, Comer was listed as one of Screen International's "Stars of Tomorrow" in association with the BFI London Film Festival. In 2017, she starred as a young Elizabeth of York in The White Princess on Starz,[14] a sequel to the BBC miniseries The White Queen.[15] In 2017, she also made her feature film debut, as Christine in the Morrissey biopic England Is Mine.
Killing Eve and worldwide recognition (2018–2021) edit
In April 2018, Comer began starring in the BBC spy thriller series Killing Eve as Villanelle, a sociopathic Russian assassin who develops a mutual obsession with Eve Polastri (played by Sandra Oh), the MI6 agent tasked with pursuing her.[16] Comer garnered universal critical acclaim for her performance on the series, with Jia Tolentino of The New Yorker stating that, in the context of the show's "constant reversals in tone and rhythm", the "ambiguity—and impossibility—of Villanelle's character has worked (through the first season) thanks to Comer's mercurial, unassailable charisma".[17] Due to her character swapping between multiple accents from around the world as part of her various disguises, much attention has been given to Comer's native Scouse accent and the surprise of viewers who hear it for the first time.[18] For her portrayal of Villanelle, Comer has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and three British Academy Television Awards for Best Actress, with her winning both in 2019.
In June 2018, Comer was one of the actresses in a series of BBC Four monologues called Snatches: Moments From Women's Lives, inspired by events that took place in the century since women first won the vote. Comer appeared in the episode "Bovril Pam", where she portrayed a secretary in 1960s Liverpool exploring her sexuality.[19] Comer was ranked No. 94 on the Radio Times "TV 100" list for 2018.[20] In November 2018, The Hollywood Reporter included her in their "Next Gen Talent 2018: Hollywood's Rising Young Stars" list.[21] In April 2019, Comer was asked about upcoming work during her Happy Sad Confused podcast interview and revealed that she had been forced to drop out of Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile due to scheduling conflicts.[22]
Comer performed a cameo in the 2019 film Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, appearing as Rey's mother Miramir in flashbacks.[23][24] In June 2020, Comer played the lead role of Lesley in a BBC iPlayer reboot of the Talking Heads episode "Her Big Chance".[25] The episode, directed by Josie Rourke, was filmed in lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Comer next appeared in the action comedy film Free Guy alongside Ryan Reynolds,[26] in which she played two roles: Millie, a games developer, and Molotov Girl, Millie's in-game avatar. The film was released on 13 August 2021.[27] It later debuted on Disney+ for home viewers on 23 February 2022. A cover version of Mariah Carey song "Fantasy" sung by Comer was used in the film.[28] For this role, she was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Later in 2021, Comer teamed with writer Jack Thorne and actor Stephen Graham to star in the Channel 4 drama Help,[29] in which she played a young care home worker struggling during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. She also acted as an executive producer. The role earned her a fifth British Academy Television Awards for Best Actress nomination which she ultimately won. Comer portrayed Marguerite de Carrouges in Ridley Scott's The Last Duel alongside Matt Damon, Adam Driver and Ben Affleck.[30] The film was released worldwide on 15 October 2021.
Prima Facie and further accolades (2022–present) edit
Comer made her West End debut in Suzie Miller's one-woman play Prima Facie at the Harold Pinter Theatre which started in April 2022 and concluded in June 2022. For the role as criminal defense barrister Tessa Ensler, Comer received generally positive reviews.[31][32][33][34] Comer made her Broadway debut with Prima Facie when the production transferred from the West End, in spring 2023.[35] Starting 21 July 2022, a filmed performance of the play at the Harold Pinter Theatre was shown at cinemas around the world by NT Live.[36] For her performance, she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress and the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play.[37][38]
In 2023, Comer starred alongside Austin Butler and Tom Hardy in Jeff Nichols' The Bikeriders, a drama inspired by the photography of Danny Lyon and his 1967 book of the same name.[39] She then starred in and produced the environmental thriller The End We Start From, an adaptation of Megan Hunter's debut novel, directed by Mahalia Belo.[40][41] Both films received generally positive reviews.[42][43] Comer will next star in a sequel to 28 Days Later, titled 28 Years Later.[44]
Acting philosophy and technique edit
Comer is often considered to be one of the finest actors of her generation.[45][46][47] She has stated that the performances she takes on have affected her mental state, claiming, "I guess I was naive to think that something wouldn't filter through from work to life eventually, even if you're not conscious of it."[48] Comer has been commended for her ability to perform multiple accents throughout her projects. [18] Comer later revealed that she took up smoking to deliver a more authentic performance for her role in The Bikeriders, only to accidentally singe her eyelashes.[49]
On her roles, Comer said, "[If I know] why I'm stepping into it and know what I gain from the experience, then if it goes out into the world and people hate it or it completely goes unnoticed or it's a huge success, it doesn't matter... That doesn't change my experience and how I felt."[50]
Public image edit
In December 2018, British Vogue included Comer in its list of "The Most Influential Girls of 2018",[51] and in February 2019 Forbes included her in their annual "30 Under 30" list for being in the top 30 most influential people in the entertainment industry in Europe under the age of 30.[52][53]
In September 2019, a few days after her Emmy win, it was announced that Comer would be the face of the Loewe spring/summer 2020 fashion campaign, which saw her star in a short film for the brand that consisted of her repeating the brand's name with different emotions.[54] In March 2020, Comer was announced as the brand ambassador for skin-care brand Noble Panacea.[55]
Comer is known for guarding her private life and relationships.[56] In 2020, she discussed the class discrimination she experienced during her career as someone from a working-class city.[57]
Personal life edit
Comer revealed on The Ellen Show in 2019 that she had a near-death experience while shooting a scene for season 2 of Killing Eve, which involved her character eating portions of pasta in a grotesque way, which lead to her choking mid-scene. She also mentioned the amount of pasta she ate for the scene resulted in her being constipated for two weeks.[58][59]
Filmography edit
Film edit
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | England Is Mine | Christine | |
| 2019 | Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | Miramir | Cameo |
| 2021 | Free Guy | Millie Rusk / Molotov Girl | |
| The Last Duel | Marguerite de Carrouges | ||
| 2023 | The End We Start From | Woman | also executive producer |
| The Bikeriders | Kathy |
Television edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | The Royal Today | Leanne | Series 1: Episode 41 |
| 2010 | Holby City | Ellie Jenkins | Episode: "Promises" |
| Waterloo Road | Sarah Evans | Series 6: Episode 3 | |
| 2011 | Justice | Sharna Mulhearne | 5 episodes |
| 2012 | Doctors | Kelly Lowther | Episode: "Another Day, Another Dollar" |
| Silent Witness | Eve Gilston | Episodes: "Fear: Parts 1 & 2" | |
| Good Cop | Amy | Series 1: Episode 1 | |
| Casualty | Maddy Eldon | Episode: "I'll See You In My Dreams" | |
| Coming Up | Cat Sullivan | Episode: "Postcode Lottery" | |
| 2013 | Gemma | Episode: "Big Girl" | |
| Law & Order: UK | Jess Hayes | Episode: "Fatherly Love" | |
| Vera | Izzy Rawlins | Episode: "Young Gods" | |
| 2013–2015 | My Mad Fat Diary | Chloe Gemell | 16 episodes |
| 2014 | Inspector George Gently | Justine Leyland | Episode: "Blue for Bluebird" |
| Remember Me | Hannah Ward | Miniseries (3 episodes) | |
| 2015 | Lady Chatterley's Lover | Ivy Bolton | Television film |
| 2015–2017 | Doctor Foster | Kate Parks | 9 episodes |
| 2016 | Thirteen | Ivy Moxam | Miniseries (5 episodes) |
| Rillington Place | Beryl Evans | Miniseries (2 episodes) | |
| 2017 | The White Princess | Elizabeth of York | Miniseries (8 episodes) |
| 2018 | Snatches: Moments From Women's Lives | Linda | Episode: "Bovril Pam" |
| 2018–2022 | Killing Eve | Oksana Astankova / Villanelle | Lead role; also executive producer |
| 2020 | Talking Heads | Lesley | Episode: "Her Big Chance" |
| 2021 | Help | Sarah | Television film; also executive producer |
Theatre edit
| Year | Title | Role | Venue(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | The Price of Everything | Ruby | Stephen Joseph Theatre Scarborough, England |
| 2022–2023 | Prima Facie | Tessa Ensler | Harold Pinter Theatre, West End London, England John Golden Theatre, Broadway New York City |
Video games edit
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Alone in the Dark | Emily Hartwood |
Awards and nominations edit
Known for her performances on stage and screen she has received two BAFTA TV Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Tony Award, and the Laurence Olivier Award. She has also received nominations for a Screen Actors Guild Award, and two Golden Globe Awards.
References edit
- ^ "Data Sheet". twitter.com/jodiecomer. 21 November 2017. from the original on 26 June 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
- ^ "Jodie Comer hits back over 'false information' about boyfriend". Liverpool Echo. 16 November 2020. from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ^ Killelea, Amanda (2 November 2018). "Killing Eve's Jodie Comer may be TV's most glamorous assassin –". Daily Mirror. from the original on 26 June 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ By Lottie Gibbons, Tamara Davison; Updated (10 August 2020). "Jodie Comer explains why she still lives with her parents at 27". mirror. from the original on 13 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
- ^ "Katarina Johnson-Thompson: Killing Eve star 'proud' of school friend". BBC News. 4 October 2019. from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Katarina Johnson-Thompson: Killing Eve star 'proud' of school friend". BBC News. 4 October 2019. from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
- ^ Town & Country Magazine 4 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Two Shot Podcast 1 December 2020 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Awards Chatter Podcast 10 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ a b "Style Insider – Jodie Comer". donnaida.com. 2 March 2016. from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
- ^ Winterford, Abigail Jane (2 May 2018). "Glass meets young British actress Jodie Comer, star of Killing Eve". Glass Magazine. from the original on 7 October 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
- ^ Cusumano, Katherine (11 April 2017). "Jodie Comer is the Fiery Young Queen of Your Game of Thrones Replacement The White Princess". W Magazine. from the original on 7 October 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
- ^ "Jodie Comer". St Julie's Catholic High School. from the original on 12 September 2019. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
- ^ Baugher, Lacy (30 March 2019). "8 Great Jodie Comer Roles Before Killing Eve (And 2 That Are Coming Soon)". ScreenRant.com. from the original on 6 April 2019.
- ^ Jaafar, Ali (15 April 2016). "Doctor Foster Star Jodie Comer Lands Lead Role in Starz Sequel The White Princess". Deadline Hollywood. from the original on 13 June 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
- ^ Wittmer, Carrie (8 May 2018). "Killing Eve is a smart and seductive spy thriller that has a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes". Business Insider. from the original on 8 May 2018.
- ^ Tolentino, Jia (27 May 2018). "The Pleasurable Patterns of the Killing Eve Season Finale". The New Yorker. from the original on 29 May 2018.
- ^ a b "Fans can't believe star of hit American TV show is from Liverpool". Liverpool Echo. 13 December 2018. from the original on 5 June 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
- ^ "Snatches on BBC4: eight feminist monologues that will make you laugh and cry". Radio Times. 18 June 2018. from the original on 7 October 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
- ^ Lazarus, Susanna (21 August 2018). "Olivia Colman tops Radio Times TV 100 2018: full list revealed". radiotimes.com. from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
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- ^ Kosin, Julie (14 April 2019). "Jodie Comer on Her Favorite Killing Eve Episode and Meeting Villanelle's Match". Harper's Bazaar. from the original on 26 June 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
- ^ "'Killing Eve' star Jodie Comer makes the 'intimidating' leap into movies with 'Free Guy'". EW.com. from the original on 21 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- ^ Smith, Nigel (10 August 2021). "Ryan Reynolds Gushes Over Jodie Comer's 'Haunting Version' of Mariah Carey's 'Fantasy' in Free Guy". People. from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
- ^ "Channel 4 announces Jack Thorne's 'Help' (w/t) starring Stephen Graham and Jodie Comer". Channel 4. from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- ^ Gallagher, Katie (15 October 2020). "Jodie Comer bid emotional farewell to The Last Duel as filming ends in Ireland". Irish Mirror. from the original on 24 February 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/23/theater/prima-facie-review-jodie-comer.html
- ^ "Prima Facie". London Box Office. 4 October 2021. from the original on 4 October 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
- ^ Kit, Borys (4 January 2022). "Jodie Comer Exits Ridley Scott's Napoleon Drama 'Kitbag' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. from the original on 4 January 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- ^ "Prima Facie: Critics praise Jodie Comer in her West End debut". BBC News. 28 April 2022. from the original on 29 April 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
- ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (9 June 2022). "Killing Eve Star Jodie Comer to Bring Prima Facie to Broadway". Playbill. from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ Powster. "Prima Facie". National Theatre Live. from the original on 14 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
- ^ Gumuchian, Marie-Louise (2 April 2023). "Paul Mescal, Jodie Comer win prizes at London theatre's Olivier awards". Reutgers. from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
- ^ Evans, Greg (2 May 2023). "Tony Award Nominations: Jessica Chastain, Sean Hayes, Corey Hawkins Among Nominees". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (4 August 2022). "Jodie Comer, Austin Butler & Tom Hardy To Lead Ensemble For Jeff Nichols' 'The Bikeriders' At New Regency". Deadline. from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (9 May 2022). "BAFTA Winner Jodie Comer To Star In Apocalyptic Thriller 'The End We Start From' With Benedict Cumberbatch's SunnyMarch Among Producers, Anton & UTA Launch Sales". Deadline. from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ "Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong Join Jodie Comer on 'The End We Start From' Cast". Variety. 7 September 2022. from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
- ^ "The End We Start From". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ "The Bikeriders". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ "'28 Years Later' Casts Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ Power, Ed (13 June 2023). "Jodie Comer is on the eve of something huge. Should she cash in?". The Telegraph. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ Baalla, Sara (22 September 2023). "Jodie Comer: How The Scouse Powerhouse Has Cemented Herself As The Actress Of Our Generation". The Indiependent. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ Stein Chizzik, Danielle (8 April 2019). "Jodie Comer Is Hollywood's Next Great Chameleon". Town & Country. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ Lamont, Tom (9 October 2021). "Jodie Comer: 'I've had to know my own worth. 'Cos there'll always be someone to question that'". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ "Jodie Comer on Accents and Accidentally Singeing Her Eyelashes". Vanity Fair. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
- ^ Zelmer, Emily (19 January 2024). "The world is ending in Jodie Comer's latest. But it's exactly where she wants to be". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
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- ^ "30 Under 30 Europe 2019: Entertainment". Forbes. from the original on 13 February 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
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- ^ "Jodie Comer Stars in Loewe's New Campaign Video And It's Brilliantly Bonkers". Elle. 24 September 2019. from the original on 25 September 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
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- ^ "Jodie Comer speaks out about cancel culture after Twitter row". from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
- ^ Smith, Josh (25 June 2020). "'I don't want to be anyone's cup of milky tea!' Jodie Comer's on her perfect brew for dealing with classism & her beauty regime". Glamour. from the original on 3 November 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
- ^ Stolworthy, Jacob (22 February 2019). "Killing Eve season 2: Jodie Comer reveals she nearly died on set after choking on pasta". The Independent. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
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