Anna Maxwell Martin
Martin in 2019
Born	Anna Charlotte Martin (1977-05-10)10 May 1977 (age 48) Beverley,East Yorkshire, England
Alma mater	University of Liverpool London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2001–present
Spouse(s)	Roger Michell (m. 2010;sep. 2020)
Children	2

Anna Maxwell Martin (bornAnna Charlotte Martin; 10 May 1977), sometimes credited asAnna Maxwell-Martin, is an English actress who has won twoBritish Academy Television Awards, for her portrayals of Esther Summerson in the BBC adaptation ofBleak House (2005), and of N in the Channel 4 adaptation ofPoppy Shakespeare (2008). She is also known for her roles as DCS Patricia Carmichael in BBC One crime dramaLine of Duty (2019–2021) and Kelly Major inCode 404 (2020–2022). From 2016-2022, Martin starred in the BBC comedyMotherland, for which she was nominated for theBAFTA Award for Best Female Comedy Performance.

Martin's theatre work includes the role ofLyra Belacqua in the production ofHis Dark Materials (2003–2004) at theNational Theatre.

Anna Charlotte Martin was born inBeverley on 10 May 1977^[1] to Rosalind (née Youngson) and Ivan Martin.^[2] Her father was managing director of a pharmaceutical company and her mother was a research scientist. Her mother gave up her job to bring up Anna and her elder brother, Adam.^[3]

She attendedBeverley High School, where she appeared in school plays. After she left school, Martin studied history atLiverpool University.^[3]

After completing her education at Liverpool, Martin enrolled to study acting atLondon Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).^[4] She added the name Maxwell (hermaternal grandfather's first name) to her name to distinguish her from another member with the same name when she joinedEquity.^[5][6] In 2022, Martin appeared on an episode ofWho Do You Think You Are?, and said that Maxwell is a middle name and not part of her surname.^[6]

Martin made her professional stage debut in 2001, inThe Little Foxes at the Donmar Theatre, London.^[3] She first came to prominence on the London stage playing the leading role of Lyra in theNational Theatre's production ofPhilip Pullman'sHis Dark Materials.^[7] She was then cast in the part of Bessie Higgins in theBBC television adaptation ofElizabeth Gaskell's novelNorth and South in 2004, and made a guest appearance in the 2005 series ofDoctor Who. She played Esther Summerson, the central character in the 2005 BBC adaptation ofCharles Dickens'sBleak House, for which she won the Best ActressBAFTA Television Award in 2006.^[8]

In January 2006, Martin took part in a reading ofThe Entertainer at theRoyal Court Theatre,^[7] and in February and March she appeared inLaura Wade'sOther Hands, directed byBijan Sheibani at theSoho Theatre. She is the narrator of the CD version ofThe Foreshadowing, a children's book about theFirst World War byMarcus Sedgwick, which was published in May 2006. In the same year she was one of the five leads inI Really Hate My Job, directed byOliver Parker and, from October 2006 to April 2007, playedSally Bowles inBill Kenwright andRufus Norris's West End production ofCabaret at theLyric Theatre.^[9]

She played Cassandra Austen inBecoming Jane,^[7] a 2007 film about the early life of the novelistJane Austen, starring American actressAnne Hathaway in the title role. At the end of the year she played the gaoler's daughter inLee Hall's adaptation ofThe Wind in the Willows,^[7] a multimillion-pound production by Box TV forBBC One, and was the joint narrator (withAnton Lesser) of the CD version ofTamar, a children's book about theSecond World War byMal Peet, which was published in December 2007.^[10]

In 2008, Martin starred in theBBC Two dramaWhite Girl^[7] and withNaomie Harris inChannel 4's adaptation ofPoppy Shakespeare, for which she won her second Best ActressBAFTA Television Award in 2009.^[11]

From July to October of that year, she appeared with DameEileen Atkins inThe Female of the Species at theVaudeville Theatre in London.^[7] She also appeared in aBBC Radio 4 adaptation ofAgatha Christie's novelCrooked House. In July 2009, she appeared in the BBC Two dramaFreefall,^[7] and playedNeil Armstrong's wife, Janet, inMoonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11,^[7] anITV1 drama documentary to celebrate the 40th anniversary of theApollo 11 Moon landing.^[10]

In February 2010, she playedfreedom of information campaignerHeather Brooke inOn Expenses,^[7] aBBC Four satirical drama, and later played Isabella in Shakespeare'sMeasure For Measure alongsideRory Kinnear at theAlmeida Theatre.^[12]

In February 2011, she played Sarah Burton in a three-part BBC adaptation ofWinifred Holtby's novelSouth Riding,^[13] and received a nomination forBAFTA Best Actress Award for her role.^[13]

On 12 July 2011, she played Kay Langrish in a BBC Two dramatisation ofThe Night Watch.^[14][15] Beginning in September 2012, she starred in the drama mini-seriesThe Bletchley Circle (2012–2014).^[7] On 4 September 2012, she appeared inJimmy McGovern'sAccused.^[7]

In December 2013, she returned to the world of Jane Austen, starring asElizabeth Darcy in the BBC Christmas season dramaDeath Comes to Pemberley,^[7] a three-part television adaptation of theP. D. Jamesnovel of the same name which continues the events of Austen'sPride and Prejudice six years after Darcy and Elizabeth's marriage, with a murder mystery plot involving the same characters.^[10]

In 2015, she playedMary Shelley inITV drama seriesThe Frankenstein Chronicles.^[16] In December that year, she appeared as Ethel Rogers in the BBC three-part serialAnd Then There Were None, an adaptation ofAgatha Christie's novel of the same name.^[17]

In 2017, she played Julia in The BBC comedy seriesMotherland.^[7] The show returned for a second series in 2019 and another in May 2021. The second and latest Christmas special, titled "Last Christmas" aired on 23 December 2022, garnering wholly positive reviews from critics.^[18][19]

In 2019, Martin playedBeelzebub, leader of the denizens of Hell, in theAmazon Prime TV serialGood Omens,^[7] based on the book byTerry Pratchett andNeil Gaiman. In the same year she joined the cast ofLine of Duty^[7] during itsfifth series, playing DCS Patricia Carmichael, a role she reprised inseries six.^[20]

In 2021, Martin played the co-lead role inHollington Drive, an ITV television drama series that began broadcasting on 29 September 2021.^[7] Created and written by Sophie Petzal, the series follows two sisters, Theresa (Anna Maxwell Martin) and Helen (Rachael Stirling), and their families as they grapple with the potential crime of their children.

In 2022, she hosted the seventh episode of the sixty-third series ofHave I Got News for You alongside guest starsChris McCausland andSteph McGovern and team captainsPaul Merton andIan Hislop.^[21]

In February 2023, it was announced that Martin would portray Delia Balmer in the ITV-commissioned true crime drama seriesDelia Balmer. The four part miniseries aired in 2024 asUntil I Kill You.^[22][23] The series was highly praised by many reviewers, and Martin's performance in particular, withLucy Mangan ofThe Guardian giving the series afive-star review.^[24]

In summer 2024, Martin played Monica in the world premiere ofJoe Penhall's new playThe Constituent atThe Old Vic, directed byMatthew Warchus and co-starringJames Corden.^[25] In autumn 2024, Martin costarred withDavid Mitchell inLudwig, a six-part BBC television detective dramedy series.^[26] On Christmas Day 2024, she appeared as theCelebrant in the final episode of the BBC sitcomGavin & Stacey.^[27][28]

Martin married film directorRoger Michell in 2010.^[29] The couple had two daughters (b. 2008/09 and 2010/11).^[30][31] In April 2020, Martin announced that the couple had separated.^[32] Michell died in September 2021.^[33]

• The Lady of Larkspur Lotion (rehearsed reading) as Mrs. Hardwicke-Moore at the National Theatre (21 October 2002)
• Hello from Bertha (rehearsed reading) as Goldie at the National Theatre (22 October 2002)
• Collateral Damage II (poetry) at the National Theatre (14 March 2003)
• Songs of Innocence and Experience (poetry) at the National Theatre (18 February 2004)
• The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (poetry) at the National Theatre (25 February 2004)
• Will and Lyra as herself (interview) at the National Theatre (26 March 2004)
• After the Fire (rehearsed reading) at the National Theatre (7 March 2005)
• The Black Glove (rehearsed reading) at the National Theatre (15 March 2005)
• Snowbound (showcase) at the Royal National Theatre Studio (October 2005)
• The Entertainer (rehearsed reading) as Jean Rice at the Royal Court Theatre (16 January 2006)
• Top Girls (reading) asPope Joan at the Royal Court Theatre (19 September 2008)
• Pencil (10-minute play in the 24 Hour Plays Celebrity Gala) at theOld Vic (1 November 2009)

• The Tall One as Samantha (BBC Radio 4, 1 to 5 September 2003)
• The Raj Quartet as Daphne Manners (BBC Radio 4, 10 April to 5 June 2005)
• The Ante Natal Clinic as Ros (BBC Radio 4, 19 January 2006)
• The Sea as Rose Jones (BBC Radio 4, 15 April 2006)
• Great Expectations asEstella Havisham (BBC Radio 4, 6 and 13 August 2006)
• The Invention of Childhood as one of several readers (BBC Radio 4, 25 September to 3 November 2006)
• Berlin – Soundz Decadent as herself (BBC Radio 2, 2 January 2007)
• Crooked House as Sophia Leonides (BBC Radio 4, 8 to 29 February 2008)
• Words and Music: The Soft Machine as one of two poetry readers (BBC Radio 3, 1 June 2008)
• The Portrait of a Lady as Isabel Archer (BBC Radio 4, 13 to 27 July 2008)
• Villette as Lucy Snowe (BBC Radio 4, 3 to 7 and 10 to 14 August 2009)
• Au Pairs as Dorika (BBC Radio 4, 7 to 11 September 2009)
• Chekhov's Seven and a Half Years as Olga inThree Sisters (BBC Radio 3, 24 January 2010)
• The New Radio 2 Arts Show with Claudia Winkleman as herself (BBC Radio 2, 15 March 2010)
• Words and Music: Malady as one of two readers (BBC Radio 3, 11 April 2010)
• The Wings of the Dove as Milly Theale (BBC Radio 4, 1, 8 and 15 August 2010)
• The White Devil as Vittoria Corombona (BBC Radio 3, 15 August 2010)
• Faust as Gretchen (BBC Radio 3, 19 September 2010)
• Juvenile Jane as the extract reader (BBC Radio 4, 23 November 2010)

• Peet, Mal (December 2007).Tamar: A Novel of Espionage, Passion, and Betrayal. Narrated by Anton Lesser & Anna Maxwell Martin. Walker Books Ltd.
• Sedgwick, Marcus (May 2006).The Foreshadowing. Narrated by Anna Maxwell Martin. Orion Publishing Group Limited.
• Christie, Agatha (1949) [original novel].Crooked House. Narrated by Anna Maxwell Martin &Rory Kinnear (BBC Audio, September 2010 ed.).
• James, Henry (1881) [original novel].Portrait of a Lady. Dramatised by Rachel Joyce; narrated by Anna Maxwell Martin,Haydn Gwynne,Robert Bathurst &Gayle Hunnicutt (BBC Worldwide May 2013 ed.).

• Anna Maxwell Martin atIMDb
• Anna in His Dark Materials
• Article on HisDarkMaterials.org
• Sophie Heawood (26 August 2018), "Interview—Anna Maxwell Martin",The Observer.

• 1977 births
• Living people
• 21st-century English actresses
• Actors from Beverley
• Actresses from the East Riding of Yorkshire
• Alumni of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
• Alumni of the University of Liverpool
• Best Actress BAFTA Award (television) winners
• English film actresses
• English stage actresses
• English television actresses
• English voice actresses

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