# Shirley Henderson

Shirley Henderson (born 24 November 1965) is a Scottish actress. Her accolades include two Scottish BAFTAs, a VFCC Award and an Olivier Award, as well as BAFTA, BIFA, London Critics' Circle, Chlotrudis, Gotham, and Canadian Screen Award nominations.
Henderson's film roles include Gail in Trainspotting (1996) and its 2017 sequel, Jude in the Bridget Jones films (2001–2025), and Moaning Myrtle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005). Her other notable credits include Rob Roy (1995), Wonderland (1999), Topsy-Turvy (1999), 24 Hour Party People (2002), Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself (2002), Intermission (2003), American Cousins (2003), Frozen (2005), Marie Antoinette (2006), Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008), Life During Wartime (2009), Meek's Cutoff (2010), Anna Karenina (2012), Filth (2013), Okja (2017), Never Steady, Never Still (2017), and Stan & Ollie (2018).
Henderson starred as Isobel Sutherland in the BBC series Hamish Macbeth (1995–97) and played Frances Drummond in the BBC drama Happy Valley (2016). She was nominated for RTS Awards for the BBC miniseries The Way We Live Now (2001) and the ITV television film Dirty Filthy Love (2004), and received a BAFTA nomination for her portrayal of Claire Salter in the Channel 4 miniseries Southcliffe (2013). She won the 2018 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Elizabeth in the original Old Vic production of Girl from the North Country.

## Early life

Henderson was born on 24 November 1965 in Forres, Moray, and grew up in Kincardine-on-Forth, on the north shore of the Firth of Forth, in Fife. She attended Dunfermline High School. As a child, she began singing in local clubs, at charity events, holiday camps and even a boxing contest. At age 16, Henderson completed a one-year course at Adam Smith College, resulting in a National Certificate in Theatre Arts. At 17, she moved to London, where she spent three years at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 1986.

## Career

Henderson's first television performance was in the leading role of Elizabeth Findlay in the 1987 ITV children's television drama Shadow of the Stone, for which she was cast by Leonard White. Having appeared in theatrical productions in Scotland in 1986 and 1987, she was directed by Peter Hall at the Royal National Theatre as Fanny Lock in Entertaining Strangers from October 1987 to March 1988, and as Perdita in The Winter's Tale from April to November 1988.
In 1990, she played the title role in Eurydice at the Chichester Festival, and also appeared on television in Wish Me Luck and Casualty. She landed the key role of Isobel in the popular BBC series Hamish Macbeth in 1995.
Henderson then moved into films, playing Morag in Rob Roy (1995) and Spud's girlfriend Gail in Danny Boyle's Trainspotting (1996). She continued her work in the theatre, including many productions at the National Theatre in London. The next year, she appeared in Mike Leigh's Topsy-Turvy, in which she demonstrated her singing skills, and Michael Winterbottom's Wonderland.
Henderson played Jude in all three Bridget Jones films and Moaning Myrtle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005). She co-starred in the British film Close Your Eyes (2002) along with Goran Višnjić and Miranda Otto and played French princess Sophie-Philippine in Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette (2006).
She played the school matron in Nick Moore's 2008 film Wild Child.
Small-screen appearances have included playing Marie Melmotte in The Way We Live Now (2001); Catherine of Braganza in Charles II: The Power and The Passion (2003); Charlotte in Dirty Filthy Love (2004); Ursula Blake in the Doctor Who episode "Love & Monsters" (2006); Emmeline Fox in The Crimson Petal and the White (2011); DS Angela Young in Death in Paradise (2011); and Meg Hawkins in Treasure Island (2012). She played Karen, the lead role, opposite John Simm in Channel 4's Everyday and Meme Kartosov in Anna Karenina.
In 2022, HBO Max announced that Henderson would star in Dune: Prophecy as Tula Harkonnen. However, in early 2023, director Johan Renck and Henderson were reported to have exited the production due to a "creative shift" and production delays.
In 2023 Henderson was awarded an Outstanding Contribution by BAFTA Scotland for her contribution to Scottish Film and TV.

## Theatre

| Year | Title | Role | Company | Director | Notes |
| 1987 | The Gorbals Story | Maggie | 7:84 | David Hayman | play by Robert McLeish |

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1992 | Salt on Our Skin | Mary | |
| 1995 | Rob Roy | Morag | |
| 1996 | Trainspotting | Gail | |
| 1998 | Speak Like a Child | Woman in Dream | Uncredited |
| 1999 | Topsy-Turvy | Leonora Braham | Nominated – London Film Critics Circle Award for British Supporting Actress of the Year |
| 1999 | Wonderland | Debbie Phillips | |
| 2000 | The Claim | Annie | |
| 2001 | Bridget Jones's Diary | Jude | |
| 2002 | The Girl in the Red Dress | Gaynor | |
| 2002 | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | Moaning Myrtle | |
| 2002 | Doctor Sleep | Detective Janet Losey | |
| 2002 | Once Upon a Time in the Midlands | Shirley | |
| 2002 | 24 Hour Party People | Lindsay Wilson | Nominated – London Film Critics Circle Award for British Supporting Actress of the Year |
| 2002 | Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself | Alice | Nominated – British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actor/Actress |
| 2002 | Villa des Roses | Ella | Nominated – British Independent Film Award for Best Actress |
| 2003 | American Cousins | Alice | |
| 2003 | Intermission | Sally | |
| 2003 | Fishy | Glenda Sands | |
| 2003 | AfterLife | Ruby | |
| 2004 | Yes | Cleaner | |
| 2004 | Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason | Jude | |
| 2005 | A Cock and Bull Story | Susannah/Shirley Henderson | aka Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story |
| 2005 | The Girl in the Red Dress | Gaynor | Short |
| 2005 | Frozen | Kath Swarbrick | BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Actress in a Scottish Film Marrakech International Film Festival: Best Actress |
| 2005 | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | Moaning Myrtle | |
| 2006 | Marie Antoinette | Aunt Sophie | |
| 2006 | Ma Boy | Ali | |
| 2007 | I Really Hate My Job | Alice | |
| 2008 | Wild Child | Matron | |
| 2008 | Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day | Edythe DuBarry | |
| 2009 | Life During Wartime | Joy Jordan | Nominated – Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble Cast |
| 2010 | Meek's Cutoff | Glory White | |
| 2010 | The Nutcracker in 3D | The Nutcracker | Voice |
| 2011 | A Portentous Death | Ros | |
| 2012 | Everyday | Karen Feguson | |
| 2012 | Anna Karenina | Opera housewife | |
| 2013 | The Look of Love | Rusty Humphries | |
| 2013 | In Secret | Suzanne | |
| 2013 | Filth | Bunty Blades | Nominated for British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actor/Actress |
| 2015 | Tale of Tales | Imma | |
| 2015 | Urban Hymn | Kate Linton | |
| 2016 | Bridget Jones's Baby | Jude | |
| 2017 | T2 Trainspotting | Gail | |
| 2017 | Okja | Jennifer | |
| 2017 | Never Steady, Never Still | Judy | Nominated – Canadian Screen Award for Best Actress |
| 2018 | Stan & Ollie | Lucille Hardy | |
| 2019 | Greed | Margaret | |
| 2019 | Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | Babu Frik | Voice |
| 2022 | See How They Run | Agatha Christie | |
| 2023 | The Trouble with Jessica | Sarah | |
| 2025 | Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy | Jude | |
| 2025 | Elio | OOOOO | Voice |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1987 | Shadow of the Stone | Elizabeth Findlay | 6 episodes |
| 1990 | Wish Me Luck | Sylvie | 5 episodes |
| 1990 | Casualty | Denise | 1 episode |
| 1991 | Dreaming | Pauline | TV movie |
| 1991 | Clarissa | Sally | 3 episodes |
| 1991 | The Advocates | Andrea | 3 episodes |
| 1994 | The Bill | Kelly Rogers | 1 episode |
| 1995 | Lloyds Bank Film Challenge: You Know My Story | Diane | |
| 1995–97 | Hamish Macbeth | Isobel Sutherland | 20 episodes |
| 1997 | Bumping the Odds | Lynette | TV movie |
| 2000 | Animated Tales of the World: The Green Man of Knowledge | | voice |
| 2001 | The Way We Live Now | Marie Melmotte | 4 episodes Nominated – Royal Television Society Award for Best Actor – Female |
| 2001 | In a Land of Plenty | Anne Marie | 10 episodes |
| 2003 | Charles II: The Power and The Passion | Catherine of Braganza | 4 episodes |
| 2004 | Dirty Filthy Love | Charlotte | TV movie Nominated – Royal Television Society Award for Best Actor – Female |
| 2005 | ShakespeaRe-Told | Katherine Minola | The Taming of the Shrew |
| 2005 | E=Mc2 (also known as Einstein's Big Idea) | Mileva Maric | 1 episode |
| 2006 | Doctor Who | Ursula Blake | Episode: "Love & Monsters" |
| 2007 | Wedding Belles | Kelly | TV movie |
| 2008 | Agatha Christie's Marple: Murder Is Easy | Honoria Waynflete | |
| 2009 | May Contain Nuts | Alice Chaplin | 2 episodes |
| 2011 | The Crimson Petal and the White | Emmeline Fox | 3 episodes |
| 2011 | Death in Paradise | DS Angela Young | Episode: "An Unhelpful Aid" |
| 2011 | The Gruffalo's Child | The Gruffalo's Child | |
| 2012 | Treasure Island | Meg Hawkins | TV movie |
| 2013 | Southcliffe | Claire Salter | Nominated – BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress |
| 2013 | Bob Servant | Kirsty | |
| 2014 | Jamaica Inn | Hannah | |
| 2016 | Happy Valley | Frances Drummond | Series 2 |
| 2018 | The ABC Murders | Rose Marbury | 3 Part TV series |
| 2020 | The Nest | Siobhan | 5 Part TV series |
| 2020 | Worzel Gummidge | Saucy Nancy | |
| 2021 | Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses | Herself | Special appearance |
| 2021 | Summer Camp Island | Susie's Mom | Voice |
| 2022 | The House Across The Street | Claudia | |
| 2023 | The Mandalorian | Anzellan Crew | Season 3; 4 episodes |
| 2023 | Tom Jones | Aunt Western | |
| 2023 | Hilda | Fairy Entity | Voice, 1 episode |
| 2024 | Kiff | Roo (voice) | 1 episode |

### Theatre

| Dates | Title | Role | Venue | Notes |
| 10 October–November 1986 | The Grand Edinburgh Fire Balloon | | Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh | |
| December 1986 – January 1987 | A Wildcat Christmas Carol | Tiny Tim | Kilmarnock | |
| April 1987 | The Threepenny Opera | Lucy Brown | Dundee Repertory Theatre | |
| 9 October 1987 – 26 March 1988 | Entertaining Strangers | Fanny Lock | Royal National Theatre, London | director: Peter Hall |
| 28 April–24 November 1988 | The Winter's Tale | Perdita | Royal National Theatre, London | director: Peter Hall |
| March 1989 | My Mother Said I Never Should | Rosie | Royal Court Theatre, London | author: Charlotte Keatley, director: Michael Attenborough |
| 7 June–28 July 1990 | Eurydice | Eurydice | Festival Theatre, Chichester | director: Michael Rudman |
| 1 August–5 September 1992 | The Life of Stuff | Evelyn | Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh | director: John Mitchell |
| Opened 19 April 1993 | Lion in the Streets | Isobel | Hampstead Theatre, London | author: Judith Thompson, director: Matthew Lloyd |
| 8–30 October 1993 | Romeo and Juliet | Juliet | Citizens Theatre, Glasgow | director: Giles Havergal |
| 23 March–2 April 1994 | The Mill on the Floss | Maggie Tulliver | New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich (followed by tour) | author: George Eliot, directors: Nancy Meckler, Polly Teale |
| 27 April–20 May 1995 | The Maiden Stone | Mary | Hampstead Theatre, London | author: Rosa Munro, director: Matthew Lloyd |
| 10–20 September 1997 | The House of Bernarda Alba | Stuart Davids | The Tramway, Glasgow | author: Federico García Lorca, director: Stuart Davids |
| 9 November–10 December 1997 | Shining Souls | Mandy | Old Vic, London | |
| 22 November−18 December 1999 | Anna Weiss | Lynn | Whitehall Theatre, London | author: Mike Cullen, director Michael Attenborough |
| 8 July-7 October 2017 | Girl from the North Country | Elizabeth Laine | Old Vic, London | director: Conor McPherson Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical |
| 30 December 2017 – 24 March 2018 | Girl from the North Country | Elizabeth Laine | Noël Coward Theatre, London | director: Conor McPherson |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 2001 | London Critics Circle Film Awards | Supporting Actress of the Year | Topsy-Turvy | Nominated |
| 2002 | British Independent Film Awards | Best Supporting Actor/Actress | Villa des Roses | Nominated |
| 2002 | RTS Television Awards | Best Actress | The Way We Live Now | Nominated |
| 2003 | Mademoiselle Ladubay Awards | Short Film | The Girl in the Red Dress | Won |
| 2003 | London Critics Circle Film Awards | Supporting Actress of the Year | 24 Hour Party People | Nominated |
| 2003 | Golden Wave Awards | Best Actress | Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself | Won |
| 2003 | British Independent Film Awards | Best Supporting Actor/Actress | Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself | Nominated |
| 2003 | Cherbourg-Octeville Festival of Irish & British Film | Best Actress | American Cousins | Won |
| 2004 | London Critics Circle Film Awards | Supporting Actress of the Year | Intermission | Nominated |
| 2004 | Newport Beach Film Festival Jury Awards | Best Actress in a Feature Film (Comedy) | American Cousins | Won |
| 2004 | Bowmore Scottish Screen Awards | Actress of the Year | American Cousins | Won |
| 2005 | BAFTA Scotland Awards | Best Actress in a Scottish Film | Frozen | Won |
| 2005 | Chlotrudis Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself | Nominated |
| 2005 | Créteil International Women's Film Festival | Special Mention for Acting | Frozen | Won |
| 2005 | Marrakech International Film Festival Awards | Best Actress | Frozen | Won |
| 2005 | Angel Film Awards | Best Ensemble Cast (with Danny Nucci, Dan Hedaya, Gerald Lepkowski & Vincent Pastore) | American Cousins | Won |
| 2005 | RTS Television Awards | Best Actress | Dirty Filthy Love | Nominated |
| 2006 | Cherbourg-Octeville Festival of Irish & British Film | Best Actress | Frozen | Won |
| 2010 | Gotham Awards | Best Ensemble Performance (with Ciarán Hinds, Allison Janney, Michael Lerner, Chris Marquette, Rich Pecci, Charlotte Rampling, Paul Reubens, Ally Sheedy, Dylan Riley Snyder, Renée Taylor & Michael K. Williams | Life During Wartime | Nominated |
| 2013 | British Independent Film Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Filth | Nominated |
| 2013 | SPIFF Awards | Best Actress | Everyday | Won |
| 2014 | BAFTA Television Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Southcliffe | Nominated |
| 2014 | BAFTA Scotland Awards | Best Actress – Television | Southcliffe | Won |
| 2017 | VFCC Awards | Best Actress in a Canadian Film | Never Steady, Never Still | Won |
| 2018 | Canadian Screen Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Never Steady, Never Still | Nominated |
| 2018 | Laurence Olivier Awards | Best Actress in a Musical | The Girl from the North Country | Won |
| 2019 | BAFTA Scotland Awards | Best Actress – Film | Stan & Ollie | Nominated |
| 2020 | LEJA Awards | Best Voice or Motion Capture Performance | Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | Nominated |
| 2023 | BAFTA Scotland Awards | BAFTA Scotland Outstanding Contribution | | Won |