Jodie Comer

Jodie Marie Comer(/ˈkoʊmər/KOH-mər; born 11 March 1993) is an English actress of screen and stage. She began her career in an episode ofThe Royal Todayin 2008. Comer gained recognition for appearing in the seriesMy Mad Fat Diary(2013–2015) andDoctor Foster(2015–2017), and starred in the drama miniseriesThirteen(2016).
From 2018 to 2022, Comer played sociopathic assassinVillanellein theBBC Americaspy thriller television seriesKilling Eve, winning aBAFTA Television Awardand aPrimetime Emmy Award. For playing Sarah, a healthcare assistant, in the television filmHelp(2021), she won another BAFTA Television Award.
Comer expanded to films in 2021 with main roles in the action comedy filmFree Guyand historical dramaThe Last Duel. In 2022, she made herWest End theatredebut inSuzie Miller's one-woman playPrima Facie, which earned her anEvening Standard Theatre Awardand aLaurence Olivier Award. Following its transfer toBroadwayin 2023, she won aTony Award.
Jodie Comer was born inLiverpoolon 11 March 1993, the daughter ofMerseyrailemployee Donna andEverton FCphysiotherapist James Comer.She has a younger brother named Charlie, born in 1995.Comer grew up in Liverpool'sChildwallsuburband attendedSt Julie's Catholic High Schoolin its neighbouringWooltonsuburb, where she became close friends with future Olympic athleteKatarina Johnson-Thompson.
At the age of 11, she started acting at a weekenddrama schoolcalled CALS in theBelle Valearea of Liverpool.Through CALS, Comer entered the Liverpool Performing Arts Festival in 2006 atSt George's Halland came first in her category after performing a monologue about theHillsborough disaster.
While in high school, Comer's friends removed her from their dance group when a holiday with her family clashed with rehearsals for the school's talent show, prompting her to instead perform her Hillsborough disaster monologue for the show.Although she did not win, her performance prompted her drama teacher to call in a favour from friends in the entertainment industry, allowing her to audition for aBBC Radio 4play.This became her first acting job, with her co-stars advising her to get an agent and telling her that she could have a successful acting career.
Comer's career began in 2008 with a guest role on an episode ofThe Royal Today. In 2010, she made her theatre debut in the playThe Price of Everything, directed byNoreen Kershaw, at theStephen Joseph Theatre.Comer then made minor appearances in several television series (see table below). She was cast in leading roles in the drama seriesJustice(2011), the supernatural miniseriesRemember Me(2014), and as Chloe Gemell in theE4comedy-drama seriesMy Mad Fat Diary(2013–2015). Comer appeared in the2015 adaptationofLady Chatterley's Lover(1928), a television film broadcast onBBC One. The same year, she played Kate Parks in the BBC One drama seriesDoctor Foster(2015–2017).
Her first starring role was in 2016 as Ivy Moxam in theBBC ThreeminiseriesThirteen, which earned her a nomination for theBritish Academy Television Award for Best Actress.In November 2016, she appeared in the BBC One miniseriesRillington Placeas Beryl Evans, one of serial killerJohn Christie's victims.The same year, Comer was listed as one of Screen International's "Stars of Tomorrow" in association with theBFI London Film Festival. In 2017, she starred as a youngElizabeth of YorkinThe White PrincessonStarz,a sequel to the BBC One miniseriesThe White Queen(2013).Also in 2017, Comer made her feature film debut, as Christine in theMorrisseybiographical dramaEngland Is Mine, directed byMark Gill.
In April 2018, Comer began starring in theBBC Americaspy thriller seriesKilling EveasVillanelle / Oksana Astankova, a sociopathic Russian assassin who develops a mutual obsession withEve Polastri(Sandra Oh), theMI6agent pursuing her.Comer garnered praise for her performance;Jia TolentinoofThe New Yorkerstated that, in the context of the series'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".
After the first season ofKilling Eveaired, Comer revealed how much she'd learned from embodying her character, stating: "I had this impression that, to do good acting, everything is minimal, really whispered, less is more. What I learned playing Villanelle is that there is acting that can be so full of life and bold that it is ridiculous at times. There was something very freeing about playing her."For the role, Comer was thrice nominated for theBritish Academy Television Award for Best ActressandPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, winning both in 2019.Given her character's ability to adopt numerous accents as part of her disguises, fans are often astonished to hear Comer's nativeScouseaccent.
In June 2018, Comer played Linda, a 1960s Liverpoolsecretaryexploring hersexuality, in theBBC FourseriesSnatches: Moments from Women's Lives, inspired by events that took place in the century since women first won the vote.In August 2018, Comer was ranked No. 94 onRadio Times's TV 100.In November 2018,The Hollywood Reporterincluded her in their list of the "Next Gen Talent 2018: Hollywood's Rising Young Stars".
In April 2019, Comer revealed she had been forced to drop out ofKenneth Branagh's2022 adaptationofAgatha Christie'sDeath on the Niledue to scheduling conflicts.Also in 2019, Comer made a cameo appearance in the filmStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, appearing asRey's mother (Miramir) in a flashback.In June 2020, Comer played the lead role of Lesley in aBBC iPlayerreboot of theTalking Headsepisode "Her Big Chance" (filmed in lockdown due to theCOVID-19 pandemic).Comer next appeared in the action comedy filmFree Guy, alongsideRyan Reynolds,in which she played two roles: Millie, a games developer, and Molotov Girl, Millie's in-gameavatar.Released on 13 August 2021, a cover version ofMariah Careysong "Fantasy" (1995) sung by Comer was used in the film.For the role, she was nominated for theSaturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Later in 2021, Comer teamed with writerJack Thorneand actorStephen Grahamto star in theChannel 4dramaHelp, as a young care home worker struggling during the early days of theCOVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom; she also served as anexecutive producer.The role earned her a fifthBritish Academy Television Award for Best Actressnomination, which she ultimately won the following year.Also in 2021, Comer portrayedMarguerite de CarrougesinRidley Scott'sThe Last Duel, alongsideBen Affleck,Matt DamonandAdam Driver.
Comer made herWest Enddebut inSuzie Miller's one-woman playPrima Facieat theHarold Pinter Theatrewhich started in April 2022 and concluded in June 2022. She was praised for her role as criminal defensebarristerTessa Ensler.Comer made herBroadwaydebut withPrima Faciewhen the production transferred from the West End, in spring 2023.Starting 21 July 2022, a filmed performance of the play at the Harold Pinter Theatre was shown at cinemas around the world byNational Theatre Live(NT Live), where it became the highest-grossing event cinema release ever, taking in £4.47 million.For her performance, she won theLaurence Olivier Award for Best ActressandTony Award for Best Actress in a Play.In January 2024, anaudiobookbased on the stage play's eponymous novel was released, which was narrated by Comer.Reflecting on her experience on stage, Comer termed it "the most overwhelming and powerful and life-affirming experience".
In 2023, Comer starred, alongsideAustin ButlerandTom Hardy, inJeff Nichols'sThe Bikeriders, a drama inspired by the photography ofDanny Lyonand his 1967 book of the same name.She subsequently starred in and produced the environmental thrillerThe End We Start From, an adaptation ofMegan Hunter's debut novel, directed byMahalia Belo.Both films received generally positive reviews, with Comer's performance receiving praise for both, though she received a polarized reaction towards her American accent inThe Bikeriders.Comer stated that it was tough as the only woman on the set ofThe Bikeriders.In 2024, she voiced character Emily Hartwood in the survival horror video gameAlone in the Dark, a reimagining of the 1992original video gameand the seventh installment in theAlone in the Darkvideo game series.
Comer will next star inDanny Boyle's horror film28 Years Later, a sequel to the 2002 film28 Days Later.She will also star in Branagh's psychological thriller filmThe Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde.She will also star, alongsideHugh Jackman, inMichael Sarnoski's upcoming action filmThe Death of Robin Hood.
Comer has been called one of the finest actors of her generation.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."Comer has been commended for her ability to perform multiple accents.She revealed that she took up smoking to deliver a more authentic performance for her role inThe Bikeriders, only to accidentally singe her eyelashes.
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."When looking back over her career in December 2018, she remarked: "I only became a real-life actor when I was about 17: that's when things started to pick up. If I saw any of my performances from then, I'd want to punch myself in the face."
In December 2018,BritishVogueincluded Comer in its list of "The Most Influential Girls of 2018", and, in February 2019,Forbesincluded 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.
In September 2019, Comer was named the face of theLoewespring/summer 2020 fashion campaign, which saw her star in a short film for the brand.In October 2022, according to a scientific measure of physical perfection, Comer was named the most beautiful woman with agolden ratioof 94.52%.
Comer is known for guarding her private relationships and personal life, stating: "I don't believe [fame] changes people. It's just a magnifying glass that almost feeds a monster... These opportunities are huge and glossy, but they're so far from the life that I live."In 2020, she discussed experiencingclass discriminationin her career as an actress with aworking classaccent.In 2024, Comer said: "It's important not to go through life constantly self-deprecating. You can feel lucky to be there, but also fucking show up. Own your space, honour yourself in that way. Don't run away from it."
Discussing the fact that she prefers to keep her personal life private, Comer said: "I've had moments in my life where I don't think you can underestimate the lengths people will go to invade that space. I think it's important as an actor that people connect with the work and not, 'Oh, did you know yesterday she had eggs for breakfast?'"Mostly, though, her family and friends would tell her if she became too affected by any of it. "The majority of my friends are from school. My roots are the people in my life. I don't have a lot of yes men around me, which I appreciate. That's what I realised when I finished on Broadway. I was like, 'I need to go home, to be a better sister, a better friend. I needed to be a more present daughter'."
Sharing some insight towards her approach to relationships in 2020, Comer confided toBritishVogue: "I think love's the best... and [I] just kind of [go] with the flow and [do] my thing... When you're relaxed and letting the universe do what it's doing, things kind of fall into place... Which is great."
Known for her performances on stage and screen, Comer has received twoBAFTA Television Awards, oneLaurence Olivier Award, onePrimetime Emmy Award, and oneTony Award. She has also received nominations for aScreen Actors Guild Award, twoCritics' Choice Awards, and twoGolden Globe Awards.