Jemima Rooper (born 24 October 1981) is an English actress. Having started as a child actress in television series, she has appeared in numerous film and theatre roles.

Born inHammersmith, London, Rooper is the daughter of TV journalist Alison Rooper. She attendedRedcliffe Gardens School inChelsea and theGodolphin and Latymer School. While working onThe Famous Five, she passed eightGCSEs with A* and A grades. From there she went toMPW sixth form college where she got three A-gradeA levels. Rooper bought her first home at the age of 19.^{[citation needed]}

Rooper expressed a wish to be an actress at the age of nine and contacted an agent.^[1] Her first professional roles were in the 1993 filmThe Higher Mortals and the 1994 filmWillie's War. In 1996, she appeared in all episodes as George inEnid Blyton'sThe Famous Five.

She said:

I remember writing "I want to act" on my bed in lipstick. I think I told my mum I wanted to be an actress and she said I needed an agent to do that. I must have said: "Well, I'm going to get one"—and I think that's why. She was devastated. She said: "Please don't be an actress, be a doctor or lawyer." But I was very tunnel-visioned about it all. I'm an only child and I spent a lot of time alone. I played a lot of imaginary games. I just wanted to dress up and be weird, I suppose.

After several small roles in British TV series, Jemima took the role of Nicki Sutton in the popularChannel 4 teenage seriesAs If, which successfully ran for three years. Her next appearance was in the supernatural dramaHex where she played a lovable lesbian ghost named Thelma.Hex aired onSky One and ran for two series between 2004 and 2005.^[2]

Rooper made her Hollywood debut inThe Black Dahlia. In 2008 she starred in the TV seriesLost in Austen. In 2013 she played a role as Medusa inAtlantis. Also guest starred inAgatha Christie's Poirot. She also played a lead role inHer Naked Skin, a new play at theNational Theatre. In December 2010, Rooper was cast in the musicalMe and My Girl atSheffield'sCrucible Theatre, alongsideMiriam Margolyes.^[3] Having been featured in films includingThe Railway Children,A Sound of Thunder,Kinky Boots,One Chance andThe F Word (as the on-screen sister of Daniel Radcliffe's character) since 2003, she has since appeared in numerous guest roles on British series includingFather Brown. As a voice actress, Rooper voicedcompanion Izzy Sinclair inDoctor Who, inBig Finish Productions audio dramas.

In September 2023, Rooper starred in the Channel 5 drama seriesThe Inheritance, appearing alongsideSamantha Bond,Rob James-Collier,Gaynor Faye andAdil Ray.^[4]

Rooper was seen on stage inOne Man, Two Guvnors, which was favourably reviewed. She has since appeared inBlithe Spirit andBreeders in the West End.^[5]

• Where Do We Live –Royal Court Theatre, Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, May 2002 (playing Lily)
• Us and Them –Hampstead Theatre, June 2003 (playing Izzie)
• A Respectable Wedding (part of The BigBrecht Fest) –Young Vic, April 2007 (playing Bride)
• Her Naked Skin –National Theatre, July 2008 (playing Eve Douglas)
• The Great Game: Afghanistan –Tricycle Theatre, April – June 2009^[10]
• The Power of Yes –National Theatre October 2009^[11]
• All My Sons –Apollo Theatre, May – October 2010 (playing Ann Deever)^[12]
• Me and My Girl – Jan 2011 (playing Sally)^[3]
• One Man, Two Guvnors-National Theatre June 2011 (playing Rachel Crabbe)^[13]
• Blithe Spirit –Gielgud Theatre, March 2014 (playing Elvira)^[14]
• Breeders by Ben Ockrent – St James Theatre, September 2014
• Blithe Spirit –Ahmanson Theater, Los Angeles, December 2014 – January 2015 (playing Elvira)
• Hand to God – Vaudeville Theatre, London, February 2016
• Little Shop of Horrors – Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London, August – September 2018 (playing Audrey)

• Jemima Rooper atIMDb
• Jemima Rooper's Naked Skin, Stephen Armstrong,The Times, 13 July 2008
• "How We Met: Jemima Rooper & Ralf Little".The Independent on Sunday. 24 August 2008.

• 1981 births
• Living people
• English film actresses
• English stage actresses
• English television actresses
• English voice actresses
• People educated at Godolphin and Latymer School
• Actresses from London
• People from Hammersmith
• 20th-century English actresses
• 21st-century English actresses
• English child actresses
• English radio actresses

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