Anna Friel

Anna Louise Friel (born 12 July 1976) is an English actress with a long and esteemed career in television, film and stage. She first rose to fame as Beth Jordache in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside (1993–1995). Later, she came into international prominence with her role as Charlotte "Chuck" Charles on ABC's Pushing Daisies (2007–2009), earning a nomination for the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy Series. Friel has had a rich and varied career, starring in a multitude of projects from The Land Girls, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Bathory, to Limitless and Books of Blood. She made her Broadway debut in 1999, featuring in plays such as Closer, Breakfast at Tiffany's and Uncle Vanya.

Her early life saw her being born in Rochdale, Greater Manchester to a special needs teacher mom and a French teacher, folk guitarist dad. Friel attended Crompton House CE Secondary School, and later Holy Cross College. She began her acting trainings at the Oldham Theatre Workshop. Her career has been defined by her persistently diverse roles that span multiple genres and mediums, ranging from soap operas and miniseries to big-budget films and Broadway productions. She’s well remembered for her role in the TV show Marcella (2016-2021), for which she won an International Emmy for Best Actress.