Francesca Mills | |
|---|---|
| Born | Francesca Mills 1996 or 1997 (age 28–29)[1] Loggerheads, Staffordshire, England[2] |
| Alma mater | Madeley High School,Urdang Academy, Jill Clewes Academy for Theatre Arts |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2014–present |
Francesca Mills (born 1996 or 1997) is a British actress, most known for playing Cherry Dorrington in the television seriesHarlots (2019–2020), Earthy Mangold inWorzel Gummidge (2021) and Meldof inThe Witcher: Blood Origin released byNetflix.
Mills was born with the genetic disorderachondroplasia, a common form ofdwarfism.[3]
As of 2021, Mills lives inLondon,[4] but was brought up inLoggerheads, Staffordshire.[2] Mills learned to dance at the Jill Clewes Dance School inBradwell, Staffordshire,[2] and first acted in a production ofOliver! at the age of nine.[5] Mills was a student atMadeley High School inMadeley, Staffordshire.[2] She also travelled to London to attend theUrdang Academy inIslington, and was a student at the Academy of Theatre Arts inWorcester.[4]
In 2014, Mills joinedWarwick Davis's Reduced Height Theatre Company for its first production, a revival ofSee How They Run, at theRichmond Theatre.[1] In 2017, Mills was nominated for theIan Charleson Awards for her performance as Maria inThe Government Inspector at theBirmingham Repertory Theatre.[4] The same year, Mills played a seamstress in theTimothy Sheader directed production ofA Tale of Two Cities at theRegent's Park Open Air Theatre.[6] In 2019, Mills played multiple roles inThe American Clock atThe Old Vic in 2019.[5] The same year, Mills was in a national tour production of theEmma Rice version of theMalory Towers musical.[7] From 2018 to 2019, Mills starred as Cherry Dorrington in series 2 and 3 ofHarlots with co-starsEloise Smyth andSamantha Morton, and as Earthy Mangold inWorzel Gummidge alongsideMackenzie Crook.[4]
In August 2021, Mills began filming theNetflix miniseriesThe Witcher: Blood Origin,[8] set in a time 1,200 years beforeThe Witcher. Mills appears as Meldof, an assassin, in a cast which includesLenny Henry andMichelle Yeoh.[9] The miniseries aired on Netflix on 25 December 2022.[10]
In 2024, Mills voiced Bethany in series four of theaudio playDoctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures.[11]
In January 2025, Mills made her first appearance in episode 2 of series 28 on the BBC TV forensic crime seriesSilent Witness as Kit Brookes, a crime analyst.[12]
| Year | Title | Role | Company/Theatre/reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | See How They Run | Ida | Reduced Height Theatre Company,Richmond Theatre[1] |
| 2016 | The Government Inspector | Maria | Ramps on The Moon/Birmingham Repertory Theatre[4] |
| 2017 | A Tale of Two Cities | Seamstress | Regent's Park Open Air Theatre[6] |
| 2017 | Cyrano de Bergerac (play) | UK tour | Northern Broadsides[13] |
| 2018 | The Two Noble Kinsmen | Jailer's Daughter | Shakespeare's Globe[13] |
| 2019 | The American Clock | Multiple roles | The Old Vic[5] |
| 2019 | Malory Towers | Sally Hope | Wise Children - UK tour[7] |
| 2022 | All of Us | Poppy | Royal National Theatre[14] |
| 2023 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Hermia | Shakespeare's Globe[15][16] |
| 2024 | The Duchess of Malfi | Duchess | Shakespeare's Globe[17][18] |
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Zoolander 2[13] | Elfin Huntress |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–2019 | Harlots | Cherry Dorrington | 15 episodes |
| 2020 | Jack and the Beanstalk: After Ever After | Butcher | TV film |
| Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical | Thing | TV musical film | |
| 2019–2021 | Worzel Gummidge | Earthy Mangold | 6 episodes |
| 2022 | Pistol | Helen of Troy | 5 episodes |
| Sneakerhead | Jemma | 3 episodes | |
| The Witcher: Blood Origin | Meldof | 4 episodes | |
| 2023 | BBC Comedy Singles: Kirkmoore | Chloe | |
| Boat Story | Belinda | 1 episode[19] | |
| 2024 | Time Bandits | Detective | 5 Episodes |
| 2025 | Silent Witness | Kit Brookes | Ongoing, Series regular[12] |
| Year | Award | Role | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Ian Charleson Awards | Maria | The Government Inspector at theBirmingham Repertory Theatre | Nominated | [4] |
| 2024 | Ian Charleson Awards | Hermia | A Midsummer Night's Dream atShakespeare's Globe | Won | [20][21] |