Holliday Grainger | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Grainger in 2018 | |
| Born | Holliday Clark Grainger (1988-03-27)27 March 1988 (age 37) Didsbury,Manchester, England |
| Other names | Holly Grainger |
| Alma mater | University of Leeds and finallyOpen University |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Notable work | |
| Partner | Harry Treadaway (2015–present) |
| Children | 2 |
Holliday Clark Grainger (born 27 March 1988), also credited asHolly Grainger, is an English screen and stage actress. Some of her prominent roles are Kate Beckett in theBAFTA award-winning children's seriesRoger and the Rottentrolls,Lucrezia Borgia in theShowtime seriesThe Borgias, Robin Ellacott in theStrike series, DI/DCI Rachel Carey in thePeacock/BBC One crime dramaThe Capture, andEstella inMike Newell's2012 film adaptation ofCharles Dickens' 1861 novelGreat Expectations.
Grainger was born on 27 March 1988 inDidsbury,Manchester. Her maternal grandfather wasItalian.[1][2] Her first experience of acting was at the age of five when she was scouted for aBBC TV series. She appeared in many TV shows and independent films as a child actress.[2]
Grainger attendedParrs Wood High School from 1999 to 2006,[3] and in 2007 began study for a degree inEnglish literature at theUniversity of Leeds. However, she eventually opted for theOpen University.[2]
Roles followed inCasualty,Doctors andDalziel and Pascoe. Grainger played Megan Boothe inWhere the Heart Is, Stacey Appleyard inWaterloo Road and Sophia inMerlin. In 2011, she appeared in the television seriesThe Borgias, playingLucrezia Borgia oppositeJeremy Irons asPope Alexander VI. The series, created byNeil Jordan and shot inHungary, ran for three seasons.[4]
After her role as Emily in the filmThe Scouting Book for Boys (2009),[5] she played one of the Rivers sisters oppositeMia Wasikowska andMichael Fassbender inCary Fukunaga's 2011 retelling ofJane Eyre, and had a minor role inBel Ami alongsideRobert Pattinson andUma Thurman. In June 2011, she was cast in the leading role ofEstella inMike Newell's film adaptation ofGreat Expectations, oppositeJeremy Irvine andHelena Bonham Carter.[6] The movie, screened atToronto International Film Festival 2012, had its European premiere as the closing night film of theBFI London Film Festival.[7] She had a minor role in the 2012 filmAnna Karenina as Baroness Shilton.
On stage, in 2013 she appeared inDisassociation, a play byLuke Bailey, atThe Lowry inSalford.[8] In the same year, she playedBonnie Parker in the 2013 TV mini-seriesBonnie & Clyde. She was one of the female leads in the 2014 filmThe Riot Club, adapted from the playPosh, alongsideMax Irons. In the same year, she appeared on stage inAnton Chekhov's playThree Sisters at theSouthwark Playhouse.[9] Grainger playedCinderella's stepsisterAnastasia Tremaine inKenneth Branagh's 2015 film version ofCinderella.[10]
In 2016, Grainger starred in Disney'sThe Finest Hours.[11] On 20 June 2016,World Refugee Day, Grainger, as well asJack O'Connell, featured in a film from theUnited Nations' refugee agencyUNHCR to help raise awareness of the globalrefugee crisis.[12] The film, titledHome, has a family take a reverse migration into the middle of a war zone. It is inspired by primary accounts of refugees, and is part of UNHCR's #WithRefugees campaign, which also includes a petition to governments to expand asylum to provide further shelter, integrating job opportunities, and education.[13]Home, written and directed byDaniel Mulloy, went on to win aBAFTA Award and a Gold Lion atCannes Lions International Festival of Creativity among many other awards.[14]
In 2017, she appeared in a film adaptation of the novelTulip Fever alongsideAlicia Vikander.[15] From 2017, she plays Robin Ellacott in the TV seriesStrike (aired in theUnited States andCanada asC.B. Strike) based on the novels byJ. K. Rowling.[16] Grainger played one of the two lead female roles in the feature filmAnimals, along withAlia Shawkat. Based on the novel byEmma Jane Unsworth, who also wrote the script, the film was directed bySophie Hyde and filmed inDublin.[17] In 2019, Grainger starred in the BBC conspiracy thrillerThe Capture.[18]
In May 2021, she had twin children with her partnerHarry Treadaway, himself a twin (brother ofLuke Treadaway).[19]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Awaydays | Molly Carty | ||
| The Scouting Book for Boys | Emily | |||
| 2010 | Colette | Colette | Short film | |
| 2011 | Jane Eyre | Diana Rivers | ||
| 2012 | Rachael | Samantha | Short film | |
| Bel Ami | Suzanne Rousset | |||
| Anna Karenina | Baroness | |||
| Great Expectations | Estella Havisham | |||
| 2014 | Goblin? | Liz | Short film | |
| The Riot Club | Lauren | |||
| 2015 | Cinderella | Anastasia Tremaine | ||
| 2016 | The Finest Hours | Miriam Webber | ||
| Home | Holly | Short films | ||
| 2017 | Robot & Scarecrow | Robot | ||
| My Cousin Rachel | Louise | |||
| Tulip Fever | Maria | |||
| 2018 | Tell It to the Bees | Lydia Weekes | ||
| 2019 | Animals | Laura | ||
| 2025 | Mickey 17 | Gemma | ||
| TBA | Halo of Stars | Emm | Post-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–1997 | All Quiet on the Preston Front | Kirsty | Series 1–3; 15 episodes | |
| 1997 | The Missing Postman | Harriet | Television film | |
| 1998–2000 | Roger and the Rottentrolls | Kate Beckett (later Princess Kate) | Series 3 & 4; 20 episodes | |
| 2000 | Comin' Atcha! | Pauline | Series 2; Episode 5: "The Day Off" | |
| Casualty | Katie Stoppard | Series 14; Episode 26: "Seize the Night" | ||
| Daddyfox | Young Maggie | Television film | ||
| 2001 | Doctors | Nita Harmer | Series 2; Episode 110: "Writing to Charlie" | |
| Dalziel and Pascoe | Nichola Crowley | Series 6; Episode 1: "Walls of Silence" | ||
| 2002 | Sparkhouse | Older Lisa Bolton | Mini-series; Episodes 2 & 3 | |
| 2003 | The Royal | Carole Green | Series 1; Episode 3: "Coffin Fit" | |
| The Illustrated Mum | Star Westward | Television film | ||
| 2003–2005 | Where the Heart Is | Megan Boothe | Main role. Series 7–9; 27 episodes | |
| 2005 | No Angels | Simone | Series 2; Episode 5 | |
| Doctors | Holly Leavis | Series 7; Episode 87: "Indestructible" | ||
| Magnificent 7 | Louise Jackson | Television film | ||
| 2006 | Johnny and the Bomb | Rose Bushell | Mini-series; Episodes 1–3 | |
| New Street Law | Katie Lewis | Series 1; Episode 1 | ||
| 2007 | The Bad Mother's Handbook | Charlotte Cooper | Television film | |
| Waterloo Road | Stacey Appleyard | Series 2; 4 episodes | ||
| 2008 | M.I. High | Leah Retsam | Series 2; Episode 1: "It's a Kind of Magic" | |
| The Royal Today | Abigail | Episode 3 | ||
| Fairy Tales | Leeza Gruff | Mini-series; Episode 4: "Billy Goat" | ||
| Dis/Connected | Jenny | Television film | ||
| Waking the Dead | Nicola Bennet | Series 7; Episodes 5 & 6: "Duty and Honour: Parts 1 & 2" | ||
| Merlin | Sophia | Series 1; Episode 7: "The Gates of Avalon" | ||
| 2009 | Demons | Ruby | Mini-series; Episodes 1–6 | |
| Mark's Brilliant Blog | Mary | Television film | ||
| Robin Hood | Meg | Series 3; Episode 9: "A Dangerous Deal" | ||
| Blue Murder | Jess Burgess | Series 5; Episode 1: "Having It All" | ||
| 2010 | Above Suspicion | Sharon Bilkin | Series 2; Episodes 1–3: "The Red Dahlia: Parts 1–3" | |
| Five Daughters | Alice | Mini-series; Episodes 2 & 3 | ||
| Stanley Park | Dirty Debbie | Pilot episode | ||
| Any Human Heart | Tess Scabius | Mini-series; Episodes 1 & 2 | ||
| 2011–2013 | The Borgias | Lucrezia Borgia | Main role. Series 1–3; 29 episodes | |
| 2013 | Bonnie & Clyde | Bonnie Parker | Mini-series; Parts 1 & 2 Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film Nominated—Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries | |
| 2015 | Lady Chatterley's Lover | Lady Constance Chatterley | Television film | |
| 2017 | Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams | Honor | Episode 5: "The Hood Maker" | |
| 2017–present | Strike | Robin Ellacott | Main role. Series 1–6; 19 episodes | |
| 2018 | Patrick Melrose | Bridget Watson-Scott / Lady Gravesend | Mini-series; Episodes 2 & 3: "Never Mind" and "Some Hope" | |
| 2019–present | The Capture | Commander Rachel Carey | Lead Role | |
| 2025 | The Stolen Girl | Rebecca Walsh | Mini-series; Episodes 1–5[20] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–present | Impact Winter | Darcy |
| Year | Title | Role | Venue | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Dimetos | Lydia | Donmar Warehouse, London | |
| 2014 | Three Sisters | Irina | Southwark Playhouse, London |
