Jessica Hynes

Jessica Hynes

Jessica Hynes (née Stevenson) (born 30 October 1972) is a British actress, director and writer. Best known as a comedy actress, she has played Cheryl in The Royle Family (1998–2010), Siobhan Sharpe in Twenty Twelve (2011–2012) and W1A (2014–2017) and Emily Yates in There She Goes (2018–2023). She was also one of the stars, creators and writers of Spaced (1999–2001). She has also had starring roles in television film Tomorrow La Scala! and BBC dramas Years and Years (2019) and Miss Austen (2025). In film, Hynes has appeared in the Bridget Jones (2004–2016), Nativity (2012–2018) and Paddington (2017–2024) film series. Hynes has been nominated for two International Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, five BAFTAs (winning two), three Royal Television Society Awards (winning two) and three British Comedy Awards (winning two). Hynes was born in Lewisham, London, and grew up in Brighton, where she attended St Luke's Infant and Junior Schools and Dorothy Stringer High School. After her parents split up, she was raised by her mother. She moved back to London as a young adult. Her maternal grandmother came from the village of Llanelian, north Wales, where her uncle also ran a farm. Her mother is a fluent Welsh speaker who later moved back to north Wales. In 2023, Hynes took part in the S4C series Iaith ar Daith where she began to learn the Welsh language; she cited being able to speak Welsh to her mother as a reason why she wanted to take part in the programme. Early in her career, Hynes teamed up with future Spaced co-star Katy Carmichael in a comedy double-act called the Liz Hurleys, appeared in two productions at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre, and acted for television shows including Staying Alive, Six Pairs of Pants, (Un)natural Acts, and Asylum (on which the Spaced team of Hynes, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright first assembled). From 1998 to 2000, she played the supporting role of Cheryl in the hit sitcom The Royle Family; she reprised the role for special episodes in 2006, 2009 and 2010. In 1999, she co-wrote and starred in Spaced, for which she won two comedy awards and was nominated for an International Emmy and a Bafta for writing and creating the show alongside Simon Pegg. In 2017 , she directed her first feature film, The Fight, produced by Jamie Adams and Unstoppable media. In 2018, she played the role of a mother in the BBC Four programme There She Goes. She stars alongside David Tennant, raising a daughter with a severe learning disability. It is based on the real life of writer Shaun Pye and his wife Sarah Crawford whose daughter was born with a chromosomal disorder. She won a Bafta for her role in the series and was nominated for an International Emmy for her role in '414' the special made in 2023. In 2019, she starred in the BBC and HBO production Years and Years for which she won a Royal Television Society award.

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Known For

Filmography

2025

Death of a Unicorn
Death of a Unicorn
as Shaw
Movie - Released: 3/27/2025
Miss Austen
Miss Austen
as Mary Austen
TV - Released: 2/2/2025

2024

Seize Them!
Seize Them!
as Leofwine
Movie - Released: 4/5/2024
Paddington in Peru
Paddington in Peru
as Miss Kitts
Movie - Released: 11/8/2024
The Franchise
The Franchise
as Steph Mundun
TV - Released: 10/6/2024
The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin
The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin
as The Reddlehag
TV - Released: 3/1/2024

2023

A Brush With Comedy
A Brush With Comedy
as Self
Movie - Released: 4/19/2023

2022

The Witchfinder
The Witchfinder
as Old Myers
TV - Released: 3/8/2022
Life After Life
Life After Life
as Mrs Glover
TV - Released: 4/19/2022
Mood
Mood
as Laura
TV - Released: 3/1/2022

2021

Catching the Bus
Catching the Bus
as Marion
Movie - Released: 3/24/2021
Friday Night Dinner: 10 Years and a Lovely Bit of Squirrel
Friday Night Dinner: 10 Years and a Lovely Bit of Squirrel
as Herself
Movie - Released: 5/28/2021
David Mitchell's Outsiders
David Mitchell's Outsiders
as Self
TV - Released: 9/29/2021

2020

Miranda: My Such Fun Celebration
Miranda: My Such Fun Celebration
as Self
Movie - Released: 1/1/2020
Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse
Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse
as Sofie Dahl
Movie - Released: 12/24/2020

2019

Hollywood's Dark Secret
Hollywood's Dark Secret
as Self
Movie - Released: 7/9/2019
The Fight
The Fight
as Tina Bell
Movie - Released: 3/15/2019
Seagull
Seagull
as Janet
Movie - Released: 11/3/2019
The Ranganation
The Ranganation
as Self
TV - Released: 5/19/2019
Years and Years
Years and Years
as Edith Lyons
TV - Released: 5/14/2019

2018

Songbird
Songbird
as Sara
Movie - Released: 6/28/2018
Nativity Rocks!
Nativity Rocks!
as Angel Matthews
Movie - Released: 11/23/2018
The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer
The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer
as Self - Guest
TV - Released: 3/6/2018
There She Goes
There She Goes
as Emily
TV - Released: 10/16/2018
Hang Ups
Hang Ups
as Katherine Pitt
TV - Released: 8/8/2018

2017

Shelter
Shelter
as Wendie
Movie - Released: 10/13/2017
Paddington 2
Paddington 2
as Miss Kitts
Movie - Released: 11/9/2017
TV
All Star Musicals
as Self - Performer
TV - Released: 12/24/2017

2016

Roald Dahl's Most Marvellous Book
Roald Dahl's Most Marvellous Book
as Self
Movie - Released: 9/4/2016
Swallows and Amazons
Swallows and Amazons
as Mrs. Jackson
Movie - Released: 8/19/2016
Bridget Jones's Baby
Bridget Jones's Baby
as Magda
Movie - Released: 9/14/2016
Movie
We Love Sitcom
Movie - Released: 9/9/2016
Jack and Dean of All Trades
Jack and Dean of All Trades
as Marv (voice)
TV - Released: 6/18/2016
Hooten & The Lady
Hooten & The Lady
as Ella Bond
TV - Released: 9/16/2016
Insert Name Here
Insert Name Here
as Self - Panelist
TV - Released: 1/4/2016

2015

Cider with Rosie
Cider with Rosie
as Crabby
Movie - Released: 9/27/2015
Winter
Winter
as Claudia
Movie - Released: 7/5/2015
TV
Artsnight
as Self
TV - Released: 3/6/2015
Travel Man: 48 Hours in...
Travel Man: 48 Hours in...
as Self - Guest
TV - Released: 3/30/2015

2014

Pudsey the Dog: The Movie
Pudsey the Dog: The Movie
as Gail
Movie - Released: 7/18/2014
W1A
W1A
as Siobhan Sharpe
TV - Released: 3/19/2014
Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled
Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled
as Self
TV - Released: 6/16/2014
Duck Quacks Don't Echo
Duck Quacks Don't Echo
TV - Released: 2/7/2014
Inside No. 9
Inside No. 9
as Helen
TV - Released: 2/5/2014
Monty Python's Best Bits (Mostly)
Monty Python's Best Bits (Mostly)
as Self
TV - Released: 11/3/2014

2013

Up the Women
Up the Women
as Margaret
TV - Released: 5/30/2013
8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
TV - Released: 4/12/2013
8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
as Herself
TV - Released: 4/12/2013
Blandings
Blandings
as Lady Daphne Littlewood
TV - Released: 1/13/2013
The Last Leg
The Last Leg
as Self
TV - Released: 1/25/2013

2012

Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger!
Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger!
as Angel Matthews
Movie - Released: 11/23/2012
One Night
One Night
as Carol
TV - Released: 3/26/2012
Gadget Man
Gadget Man
TV - Released: 11/19/2012
Dara O Briain's Science Club
Dara O Briain's Science Club
as Herself
TV - Released: 11/6/2012

2011

Chalet Girl
Chalet Girl
as Interviewer 2
Movie - Released: 2/2/2011
Twenty Twelve
Twenty Twelve
as Siobhan Sharpe
TV - Released: 3/14/2011
World's Most Dangerous Roads
World's Most Dangerous Roads
TV - Released: 9/4/2011

2010

Burke & Hare
Burke & Hare
as Lucky
Movie - Released: 10/29/2010
The Lost Explorer
The Lost Explorer
Movie - Released: 8/12/2010
Lizzie and Sarah
Lizzie and Sarah
as Sarah/Ellie
Movie - Released: 3/20/2010
Movie
The Angina Monologues
as Herself/Sarah
Movie - Released: 12/10/2010
Joe's Crackers
Joe's Crackers
as Cheryl
Movie - Released: 12/25/2010
The Royle Family: Behind the Sofa
The Royle Family: Behind the Sofa
as Self
Movie - Released: 11/10/2010
Justin Lee Collins: Good Times
Justin Lee Collins: Good Times
as Self
TV - Released: 3/29/2010

2009

Faintheart
Faintheart
as Cath
Movie - Released: 1/27/2009
The Golden Egg Cup
The Golden Egg Cup
as Cheryl Carroll
Movie - Released: 12/25/2009

2007

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
as Mafalda Hopkirk (voice)
Movie - Released: 7/8/2007
Magicians
Magicians
as Linda Jones
Movie - Released: 5/18/2007
Son of Rambow
Son of Rambow
as Mary Proudfoot
Movie - Released: 1/22/2007
Learners
Learners
as Beverley
Movie - Released: 11/11/2007
Four Last Songs
Four Last Songs
as Miranda
Movie - Released: 1/11/2007
British Film Forever
British Film Forever
as Narrator
TV - Released: 7/28/2007
Would I Lie to You?
Would I Lie to You?
as Self
TV - Released: 6/16/2007
The Graham Norton Show
The Graham Norton Show
as Self
TV - Released: 2/22/2007

2006

Confetti
Confetti
as Sam (as Jessica Stevenson)
Movie - Released: 5/5/2006
Pinochet in Suburbia
Pinochet in Suburbia
as WPC Broughton
Movie - Released: 3/26/2006
Movie
The Secret Policeman's Ball: The Ball in the Hall
as Self
Movie - Released: 10/31/2006

2005

Movie
Comic Aid
as Herself - Presenter
Movie - Released: 3/2/2005
Doctor Who Confidential
Doctor Who Confidential
TV - Released: 3/26/2005
8 Out of 10 Cats
8 Out of 10 Cats
as Self
TV - Released: 6/3/2005
TV
According to Bex
TV - Released: 1/7/2005
Doctor Who
Doctor Who
as Joan Redfern
TV - Released: 3/26/2005
Doctor Who
Doctor Who
as Verity Newman
TV - Released: 3/26/2005

2004

Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead
as Yvonne
Movie - Released: 4/9/2004
Spaced: Skip to the End
Spaced: Skip to the End
as Self
Movie - Released: 4/12/2004
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
as Magda
Movie - Released: 11/10/2004
TV
Bosom Pals
TV - Released: 1/26/2004

2003

QI
QI
as Self
TV - Released: 9/11/2003

2002

Tomorrow La Scala!
Tomorrow La Scala!
as Victoria
Movie - Released: 12/10/2002
Pure
Pure
as Paramedic (as Jessica Stevenson)
Movie - Released: 9/13/2002
Dick Whittington: The ITV Pantomime
Dick Whittington: The ITV Pantomime
as The Good Fairy (as Jessica Stevenson)
Movie - Released: 1/1/2002

2001

Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
as Self
TV - Released: 11/2/2001
Bob & Rose
Bob & Rose
as Holly Vance
TV - Released: 9/10/2001

2000

Born Romantic
Born Romantic
as Libby
Movie - Released: 9/14/2000
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)
TV - Released: 3/18/2000
Black Books
Black Books
as Eva
TV - Released: 9/29/2000

1999

Spaced
Spaced
as Daisy Steiner
TV - Released: 9/24/1999
People Like Us
People Like Us
as Sarah
TV - Released: 9/20/1999

1998

Unnatural Acts
Unnatural Acts
TV - Released: 2/18/1998
The Royle Family
The Royle Family
as Cheryl Carroll
TV - Released: 9/14/1998
Alexei Sayle's Merry-Go-Round
Alexei Sayle's Merry-Go-Round
TV - Released: 5/8/1998

1997

Midsomer Murders
Midsomer Murders
as Judith Lessiter
TV - Released: 3/23/1997

1996

Asylum
Asylum
as Martha
TV - Released: 1/22/1996
TV
Mash and Peas
TV - Released: 7/1/1996
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
as Self
TV - Released: 11/12/1996

1995

TV
Six Pairs of Pants
TV - Released: 10/13/1995
TV
Tears Before Bedtime
as Maggie
TV - Released: 1/8/1995

1994

Room 101
Room 101
as Self
TV - Released: 7/4/1994
Harry Enfield and Chums
Harry Enfield and Chums
TV - Released: 11/4/1994

1993

The Baby of Mâcon
The Baby of Mâcon
as The First Midwife (as Jessica Stevenson)
Movie - Released: 9/17/1993
Swing Kids
Swing Kids
as Helga
Movie - Released: 3/5/1993

1991

The House of Eliott
The House of Eliott
as Charlotte Parker
TV - Released: 8/31/1991

Unknown

Movie
Rapture
Movie