# Elena Saurel

Elena Saurel (born 1987/1988) is an actress and writer based in London. She is known for her roles in the ITV2 sitcom Buffering (2021–2023), and the BBC Two series Industry (2022–) and We Might Regret This (2024).

## Early life

Saurel grew up in Geneva, Switzerland and moved to England at the age of 14, where she attended Bedales School. She is of Salvadoran-American heritage, and holds Spanish and American citizenship. Her parents enrolled her in afternoon acting classes to help with her anxiety and dyslexia. She took a one-year course at the Lee Strasberg Institute in New York before going on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Archaeology from SOAS, University of London. During her time at university, she signed up for a number of short films and fringe plays.

## Career

Saurel portrayed Janis Joplin in Paul Desveaux's Pearl at the Abrons Arts Center in December 2015 and made her London stage debut in Labyrinth at the Hampstead Theatre in 2016. In 2018, Saurel had a recurring role as Stacey in the ITV comedy-drama Girlfriend. She also appeared in series such as Lovesick on Netflix, Living the Dream and Breeders on Sky One, Killing Eve on BBC America, and Gold Digger on BBC One.
The majority of her film roles have been in short films, two of which she also wrote: Eject (2019) and Behind the Mask (2021).
In 2021, Saurel began starring as Olivia in the ITV2 sitcom Buffering. In 2022, she joined the cast of the HBO and BBC investment banking drama Industry for its second season as Anna Gearing. In 2024, she appeared in the BBC comedy-drama We Might Regret This and has an upcoming role in the Amazon Freevee series Open Book.

## Personal life

Saurel is a supporter of the Cervantes Theatre in Southwark.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2010 | Anaphylaxis | Morgue Woman | Uncredited role |
| 2013 | Allegra | Allegra | Short films |
| 2013 | A Party in London | Cassandra | Short films |
| 2014 | Popcorn | Brooke Daniels | Short films |
| 2014 | Due | Karen | Short films |
| 2014 | An Open Letter to Dominic | Ellis | Short films |
| 2014 | Toilets | Fee | Short films |
| 2015 | Charlie and Wendy | Wendy | |
| 2015 | Menagerie | May | Short films |
| 2015 | Fellow Travellers | Colin's Wife | Short films |
| 2015 | Anchor | Joni | Short films |
| 2016 | A Message from Tar Creek | Julia (voice) | Short films |
| 2016 | Witch | Alice | Short films |
| 2017 | The Last Lighthouse Keeper | Older Danny | Short films |
| 2019 | The Meeting | Elaine | Short films |
| 2019 | How We Met - Based on a True Story | Mary | Short films |
| 2019 | You Know Why - Based on a True Story | Elena | Short films |
| 2019 | I Want to Make You Happy | Laura | Video |
| 2019 | Eject | Kate | Short film. Also writer |
| 2020 | Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga | Stage Manager | |
| 2021 | Gloria | Gloria | Short film |
| 2021 | Behind the Mask | Actor 2 / Disguised Woman 1 | Short film. Also writer |
| 2022 | The Batman | Detective on Phone | |
| 2022 | Tad, the Lost Explorer and the Emerald Tablet | Ramirez (voice) | English version |
| 2023 | Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny | Drunk Airline Stewardess | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2014 | Benidorm | Spa Receptionist | Episode #6.6 |
| 2014 | 50 Ways to Kill Your Lover | Kristen Rossum | Episode #1.4 |
| 2015 | Catastrophe | Blaire | Episode #1.1 |
| 2015 | The Last Hours of Laura K | Sabrina Bahadir | Television film |
| 2015 | Not Safe for Work | Receptionist | Mini-series; Episode #1.5 |
| 2017 | Silent Witness | Luisa Herreraz | 2 episodes: "Awakening: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 2017 | Kiss of Death | Gina | Episode: "Blood Never Lies" |
| 2017 | Josh | Lauren | Episode: "The Old Lady & The Swan" |
| 2018 | Lovesick | Bianca | Episode: "Evie (Part Two)" |
| 2018 | Girlfriends | Stacey | 3 episodes |
| 2018 | Midsomer Murders | Zennia Lounds | Episode: "Drawing Dead" |
| 2019 | Living the Dream | Connie | 2 episodes: "Steak Out" and "Visa Tambien" |
| 2019 | Killing Eve | Woman at Train Station | Episode: "Do You Know How to Dispose of a Body?" |
| 2019 | Gold Digger | Bianca | Mini-series; 2 episodes: "Her Daughter" and "Her Love" |
| 2019 | Sticks and Stones | Tonya Baxter | Original title: The Man. Mini-series; Episode #1.2 |
| 2020 | Kate & Koji | Rosa | Episode #1.5 |
| 2021 | Breeders | Martina | 2 episodes: "No Connection" and "No Friends" |
| 2021 | Around the World in 80 Days | Sally | Episode #1.7 |
| 2021–2023 | Buffering | Olivia | Main role; 11 episodes |
| 2022–present | Industry | Anna Gearing | Main role (season 2–) |
| 2023 | The B@it | | Episode: "Urine Love" |
| 2023 | Octonauts: Above & Beyond | Selva (voice) | Episode: "The Octonaughts and the Kilimanjaro Climb" |
| 2024 | The Mallorca Files | Reyna Alvarez | Episode: "All That Glisters" |
| 2024 | We Might Regret This | Jo | 6 episodes |
| TBA | Open Book | Kat | Pre-production |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2014 | Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water | Hisoka Kurosawa | |
| 2014 | The Crew | | |
| 2015 | Victor Vran | Irene | English versions |
| 2016 | Star Ocean: Anamnesis | Anne | English versions |
| 2017 | Horizon Zero Dawn | Vala | |
| 2017 | Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 | America Chavez | |
| 2018 | Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Don't Dry | Diana | English version |
| 2018 | Hitman 2 | Announcer | |
| 2019 | Control | Additional cast | |
| 2019 | Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint | Dr. Rosamund Fletcher / Deep State DLC | |
| 2019 | Tropico 6 | | |
| 2022 | Dragon Quest Treasures | Additional voices | English versions |
| 2023 | Atomic Heart | | English versions |

## Stage

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2015 | Pearl | Janis Joplin | Abrons Arts Center, New York |
| 2016 | Labyrinth | Grace | Hampstead Theatre, London |
| 2017 | The House of Bernarda Alba | Marti | Cervantes Theatre / Southwark Playhouse, London |