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Jemma Redgrave

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Jemma Redgrave
Redgrave reading Poems from Guantánamo at the Center for Constitutional Rights in 2007
Born
Jemima Rebecca Redgrave

(1965-01-14) 14 January 1965 (age 59)
London, England
Alma materLondon Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
OccupationActress
Years active1986–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1992, divorced)​
Children2
FatherCorin Redgrave
FamilyRedgrave

Jemima Rebecca "Jemma" Redgrave[1] (born 14 January 1965) is a British actress, and a member of the Redgrave family. She is known for her roles as the title character in Bramwell (1995–1998) and as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart in Doctor Who (2012–2015, 2021–2024) and its upcoming spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea. As well as a career in television, she has appeared in many stage productions and on film, including her portrayal of Evie Wilcox in the Merchant Ivory film Howards End.

Early life

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Redgrave was born in London on 14 January 1965,[2] she is the daughter of actor Corin Redgrave and his first wife, Deirdre Hamilton-Hill, a former fashion model. They divorced when Jemma was nine. As a child, she attended the Godolphin and Latymer school in Hammersmith.[3] She then enrolled at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art[4] at the age of 18.

Career

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Stage

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After graduation, Redgrave landed a succession of high-profile stage acting roles: in the 1988 stage production of Strindberg's Easter; in Lady Windermere's Fan in Belfast, Northern Ireland; as Emily in Thornton Wilder's Our Town; as Irina in a 1990 revival of Anton Chekhov's The Three Sisters in London's West End with her aunts Vanessa Redgrave and Lynn Redgrave; in 1993 with Colin Firth in Alexander Griboyedov's Chatsky at the Almeida Theatre, London; and in A Midsummer Night's Dream in 2001 at the Albery Theatre (now the Noël Coward Theatre), London, playing Titania alongside Dawn French as Bottom.

In 2010, she appeared in New York's Public Theater in The Great Game: Afghanistan which featured seven hours of on-stage acting.[5] Redgrave appeared in four of the twelve plays.[6] In 2012, Redgrave appeared alongside Ben Chaplin in Roger Michell's production of Farewell to the Theatre at the Hampstead Theatre, followed by starring roles in Donkeys' Years (2014) and An Ideal Husband (2016).

In 2018, Redgrave appeared in another Roger Michell production, appearing again alongside Ben Chaplin, this time in Joe Penhall's Mood Music at The Old Vic.[7]

Television

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She has appeared in many roles on British television, including leading actor roles as the eponymous Dr. Eleanor Bramwell in four series of ITV's Bramwell and as D.S. Eve Granger in Cold Blood, alongside John Hannah and Matthew Kelly. Redgrave also appeared as Eleanor in Roger Michell's The Buddha of Suburbia: a four-part adaptation of the ground-breaking novel of the same name by Hanif Kureishi and with a soundtrack written and performed specifically for the production by David Bowie.[citation needed]

Other prominent roles have included Francesca Rochester in Judge John Deed and Dee Stanton in Like Father, Like Son. In 2007, she portrayed Lady Bertram in Mansfield Park and Sophie Wall in Waking the Dead, followed by a 2009 appearance in the series, Unforgiven, written by Sally Wainwright. In 2013, she also appeared as Doctor Zoe Evans in the BBC One drama series Frankie.[8]

From 2016 to 2018, Redgrave played former RAMC surgeon, Major Berenice Wolfe, in the popular BBC medical drama Holby City. In 2019, she joined the cast of ITV's Grantchester as Amelia, the mother of the show's lead character, Rev. Will Davenport.[9]

On 31 August 2021, she made a surprise return to Holby City as Bernie Wolfe.[10]

Doctor Who

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In 2012, Redgrave was cast in the long-running science-fiction programme Doctor Who as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, daughter of recurring character Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart who featured in the series' original 1963–1989 run. First appearing in "The Power of Three" (2012) with the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith), Kate is the commander-in-chief of the fictional military organisation UNIT, a role previously occupied by her father before his retirement. The character returned in the fiftieth anniversary special "The Day of the Doctor" (2013), which was simulcast on television and in cinemas across the world in 94 countries, earning a Guinness World Record for the world's largest ever simulcast of a TV drama.[11]

Kate would go on to become a recurring character in Doctor Who, with Redgrave reprising the role in episodes with the Twelfth (Peter Capaldi), Thirteenth (Jodie Whittaker), Fourteenth (David Tennant) and Fifteenth (Ncuti Gatwa) Doctors.[12] She will return in the 2025 series of the programme alongside Gatwa[13] as well as headline the upcoming spin-off series The War Between the Land and the Sea.[14]

Additionally, Redgrave began headlining the Big Finish audio drama spin-off UNIT: The New Series as Kate alongside Ingrid Oliver as Osgood, whom Redgrave appeared on-screen with multiple times in Doctor Who,[15] and would go on to play Kate in other spin-off audio plays. Regrave also featured as Kate in a promo video for Doctor Who: Time Fracture, an immersive experience that began running in London in April 2021.[16]

Personal life

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Jemma Redgrave, with her father Corin, and aunts, Lynn and Vanessa, at 'Poems from Guantánamo', 2007.

Redgrave married Tim Owen, a barrister at Matrix Chambers, in 1992. They had a son, Gabriel, in 1994. The couple separated from 1997 to October 1998. They reconciled, however, and had another son, Alfie, in 2000. They have since divorced. She has a brother, Luke Redgrave, who is a camera operator,[17] and two half-brothers, Arden and Harvey Redgrave. Her mother died in 1997[17] and her father died in 2010.[18]

She is the granddaughter of Sir Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson, niece of actresses Vanessa Redgrave and Lynn Redgrave, and cousin of Joely Richardson, Carlo Nero, and Natasha Richardson. Her step-mother is the actress Kika Markham.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Director Notes
1988 Dream Demon Diana Harley Cokeliss
1992 Howards End Evie Wilcox James Ivory
1994 One Night Stand Kate Bill Britten Short film
Power and Lovers Emily Aldo Lado
1998 The Acid House Jenny Paul McGuigan
2003 I'll Be There Rebecca Edmonds Craig Ferguson
2005 Lassie Daisy Charles Sturridge
2007 Mansfield Park Lady Bertram Iain B. MacDonald
2016 Love & Friendship Lady DeCourcy Whit Stillman
2016 Chubby Funny Bereaved Woman Harry Michell
2021 Barnes' People Dr. Rosa Hamilton Peter Barnes
2023 Red, White & Royal Blue Narration (voice) Matthew López
2024 The Beekeeper President Jessica Danforth David Ayer

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1988 Tales of the Unexpected Violette Charbonneau Episode: "A Time to Die"
1990 The Real Charlotte Pamela Dysart Miniseries
1991 All Good Things Elaine Wilson Miniseries
Performance Caroline Coon Episode: "The Trials of Oz"
1993 Diana: Her True Story Carolyn Bartholomew TV film
The Buddha of Suburbia Eleanor 1 episode
1995–98 Bramwell Dr. Eleanor Bramwell Main role (27 episodes)
1998 Mosley Cimmie Curzon Recurring role (4 episodes)
2000 Blue Murder Gale TV film
Cry Wolf Dr. Jocelyn Wolf 1 episode
Fish Joanna Morgan Main role (6 episodes)
Bramwell V Dr. Eleanor Bramwell
2001 High Stakes Anna Foster Episode: "The Do-Gooders"
Judge John Deed Francesca Rochester 2 episodes
2002 Episode: "Nobody's Fool"
The Swap Jen Forrester 2 episodes
My Family Dr. Connor Episode: "Shrink Rap"
2004 Amnesia Jenna Dean 2 episodes
The Inspector Lynley Mysteries Grace Finnegan Episode: "If Wishes Were Horses"
The Grid MI6 Agent Emily Tuthill TV miniseries
2005 Tom Brown's Schooldays Mary Arnold TV film
Like Father Like Son Dee Stanton 2 episodes
Cold Blood Eve Granger TV film
2006 Lewis Trudi Griffon TV film
2007 Waking the Dead Sophie Wall 2 episodes
Cold Blood 2 Eve Granger TV film
Mansfield Park Lady Bertram TV film
The Relief of Belsen Jean McFarlane TV film
2007–08 Cold Blood Eve Granger 3 episodes
2008 Agatha Christie's Marple: Murder Is Easy Jessie Humbleby TV film
2009 Unforgiven Rachel Belcombe Main role
Heston's Feasts Herself Heston's Victorian Feast
2010 Law & Order: UK Helena Marsden Episode: "Shaken"
2012–15; 2021–present Doctor Who Kate Lethbridge-Stewart Recurring role (13 episodes)
2013 Frankie Dr. Zoe Evans Main role (6 episodes)
2014 Dracula Minerva Westenra 2 episodes
Inspector George Gently Jennifer Bing Episode: "Gently With Honour"
2015 Churchill: 100 Days That Saved Britain Clementine Churchill
2016–18, 2021–22 Holby City Bernie Wolfe Main role (67 episodes)
2018 Midsomer Murders Dr Juno Starling Episode “Drawing Dead”
2019–20 Grantchester Amelia Davenport Recurring role (5 episodes)
2020, 2022–23 Silent Witness DI Jill Raymond 5 episodes
2025 The War Between the Land and the Sea Kate Lethbridge-Stewart Lead role; 5 episodes [19]

Theatre credits

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Theatre

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Year Title Role Theatre Director
1986 Lady Windermere's Fan Lady Windermere Lyric Theatre, Belfast Richard Digby Day
1986 What the Butler Saw Geraldine Lyric Theatre, Belfast Richard Digby Day
1986 Miss Julie Miss Julie UK Tour Laurence Boswell
1988 Easter Eleanora Haymarket Theatre (Leicester) David Leveaux
1988 Panorama Geraldine King's Head Theatre Penny Churns
1988 School for Scandal Lady Teazle Bristol Old Vic Les Waters
1988 An Enemy of the People Petra Playhouse Theatre David Thacker
1990 Seven Years Clarissa Royal Court Theatre
1990 Three Sisters Irina Queen's Theatre Robert Sturua
1991 Our Town Emily Shaftesbury Theatre Robert Ackerman
1991 As You Like It Rosalind Greenwich Theatre Robert Carson
1992 Cyrano de Bergerac Roxanne Greenwich Theatre Matthew Francis
1993 Chatsky Sophie Almeida Theatre & UK Tour Jonathan Kent
1998 Major Barbara Major Barbara Piccadilly Theatre Peter Hall
2001 A Midsummer Night's Dream Titania Noël Coward Theatre Matthew Francis
2004 Misconceptions Linda UK Tour Tim Carroll
2008 The Cherry Orchard Varya Chichester Festival Theatre Phillip Franks
2009–10 The Great Game: Afghanistan Various roles Tricycle Theatre & Washington/Broadway Indhu Rubasingham
2012 Farewell to the Theatre Dorothy Hampstead Theatre Roger Michell
2014 Donkeys' Years Lady Driver Rose Theatre, Kingston Lisa Spirling
2014 An Ideal Husband Mrs. Cheveley Chichester Festival Theatre Rachel Kavanaugh
2018 Mood Music Vanessa The Old Vic Roger Michell
2019 Weimar Connections Poesie Cadogan Hall with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
2020 Hansard (rehearsed reading) Diana Stephen Joseph Theatre Paul Robinson
2023 Octopolis George Hampstead Theatre Ed Madden

References

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  1. ^ Gilbert, Gerard (17 November 2013). "We Weren't Brainwashed". Independent News.
  2. ^ Adler, Tim (2012). The House of Redgrave: The Lives of a Theatrical Dynasty. London: Aurum Publishing. p. 94. ISBN 9781845136239.
  3. ^ "My Best Teacher – Jemma Redgrave". tes.com. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  4. ^ "Overview for Jemma Redgrave". Tcm.com. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  5. ^ "Actress Jemma Redgrave, The Great Game: Afghanistan". Gothamist. Archived from the original on 20 May 2016.
  6. ^ Actress Jemma Redgrave hits the New York stage
  7. ^ "The Old Vic – Mood Music". The Old Vic. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  8. ^ "Eve Myles to star in new BBC One drama series, Frankie". BBC. 6 September 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  9. ^ "Jemma Redgrave – Conway Van Gelder Grant" (PDF). Jemma Redgrave CV – Conway Van Gelder Grant. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 February 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  10. ^ "How did Bernie Wolfe die in Holby City". Heart Radio. 1 September 2021.
  11. ^ "Guinness World Record for The Day of the Doctor". Doctor Who. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  12. ^ Haring, Bruce (23 September 2023). "'Doctor Who' Unveils 60th Anniversary Specials Trailer With Neil Patrick-Harris". Deadline.
  13. ^ "Jemma Redgrave returns to Doctor Who and Aneurin Barnard joins the cast". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  14. ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (26 July 2024). "Doctor Who: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Russell Tovey Join Series Vets in War Between Land and Sea Spinoff". TVLine. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Big Finish". Big Finish – UNIT. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  16. ^ "See Kate Lethbridge-Stewart's return for Doctor Who: Time Fracture immersive trailer".
  17. ^ a b LIPTON, MICHAEL A. (24 January 2000). "Clan Destined". people.com.
  18. ^ Noah, Sherna (7 April 2010). "Britain's first family of acting mourns loss of its father figure". Independent.co.uk. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  19. ^ https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/new-whoniverse-spin-off-the-war-between-the-land-and-the-sea-announced-at-san [bare URL]
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