Jessica Henwick | |
|---|---|
 Henwick in 2023 | |
| Born | Jessica Henwick (1992-08-30)30 August 1992 (age 33) Surrey, England |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 2009–present |
Jessica Henwick (/ˈhɛnɪk/HEN-ik[1]) (born 30 August 1992) is an English actress, writer[2] and director.[3] She began her career in 2010 and is best known for her roles inGame of Thrones (2015–17),Iron Fist (2017–18),Love and Monsters (2020),Underwater (2020),The Defenders (2017),The Matrix Resurrections (2021),The Gray Man (2022),Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022), andThe Royal Hotel (2023). Her directorial debutBus Girl was nominated for aBAFTA.
Henwick is fromSurrey[4] and is the daughter of a Singaporean-Chinese mother ofTeochew descent and a Zambian-bornEnglish father.[5][6][7] Her father, Mark, became an author in 2012 and wrote the urban fantasy seriesBite Back.[8] She has two brothers, one older and one younger.[7]
Henwick attendedCollingwood College inCamberley.[9] She trained briefly atRedroofs Theatre School before dropping out.[10] She also trained with theNational Youth Theatre under the tutelage ofRikki Beadle-Blair.[11]
Henwick happened upon a casting call inChinatown, London and her mother encouraged her to pursue the opportunity.[12] In June 2009, it was announced Henwick had been cast in the lead role of Bo in theCBBC seriesSpirit Warriors,[13] making her the first actress ofEast Asian descent to play the lead role in a British television series.[14][15][16][17]
In early 2013, Henwick made her professional theatre debut in the international premiere ofRunning on the Cracks, based on the book byJulia Donaldson.The Guardian wrote, "with tremendous physical presence, Henwick captures the sense of adolescent righteousness, passion and confusion of a girl trying to create order in an unfair universe."[18] Theatre critic Joyce McMillan wrote that Henwick was "outstanding as Leo".[19]
Later that year, Henwick was cast asJane Jeong Trenka in the dramaObsession: Dark Desires about Trenka's stalking in Minnesota, 1991, which she details in her bookThe Language of Blood.[20] Henwick joined the cast ofSilk as new barrister pupil Amy. She reprised her role for the spin-off radio seriesSilk: The Clerks' Room.[21]
In 2015, Henwick joined the cast of theHBO seriesGame of Thrones inSeason 5 asNymeria Sand. She continued performing the role untilSeason 7.[22] Henwick originally auditioned for the role ofRey inStar Wars: The Force Awakens before losing out toDaisy Ridley for the role.[23] Nevertheless, she still had a role in the film as theX-wing pilot Jess Pava. The character became a fan favourite.[24][25]
In 2017, Henwick appeared asColleen Wing in theNetflix television seriesIron Fist. Although critical reception ofIron Fist was generally negative, Henwick's performance in the series was well received.[26] She reprised the role for the seriesThe Defenders, as well as the second season ofLuke Cage.[27] At the end of 2017, Henwick was listed as one ofVariety's Top Breakout Stars.[28]
In 2018, Henwick was cast inGodzilla vs. Kong,[29][30] though her part as well asZhang Ziyi's role did not make the released theatrical cut.[31]
In 2020, Henwick co-starred in the Fox science fiction thrillerUnderwater,[32] and the filmsLove and Monsters and Sofia Coppola'sOn the Rocks.[33] That same year she was listed as one ofThe Hollywood Reporter's Rising Stars[34] and won theBrit to Watch award at theNewport Beach Film Festival.[35] The following year she starred inThe Matrix Resurrections.IGN called Henwick the "best part ofResurrections",[36] whileDeadline Hollywood said she was "what makes the movie worth watching".[37] She was nominated and won Best Supporting Actress on theGold list Honors for the most outstanding Asian achievements in the film industry.[38]
In 2022, Henwick was in two of the most highly viewed Netflix films of all time:The Gray Man andGlass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.[39] She directed her short filmBus Girl, shot entirely on a smartphone during a break from filmingGlass Onion. It was nominated for aBAFTA award for Best Short Film.[40][41]
In 2023, Henwick joined the cast ofThe Royal Hotel directed byKitty Green.[42][43] Her performance was well reviewed[44][45] withThe Hollywood Reporter calling her 'superb'.[46] The film received an 89% score onRotten Tomatoes.[47]
In 2024, Henwick appeared inCuckoo oppositeHunter Schafer.[48] Her performance required her to learnAmerican Sign Language.[49] That year she also reprised her role in the second season of animated seriesBlood of Zeus.[50] Henwick served on theBAFTA jury for Best Short Film that year, following her nomination the previous year.[51]
In 2025, Henwick joined the cast ofSilo,[52] upcoming filmsHow to Make A Killing andThe Roots Manoeuvre,[53] and the Netflix adaptation of bookVladimir.[54]
In 2020, it was announced Amazon had picked upNancy Wu Done It, a young adult series that Henwick co-wrote.[55] She has a miniseries in development with Emu Films.[56]
In 2022, Henwick wrote an episode for the animated seriesMoley.[57] Henwick won the Mary Pickford prize for female filmmaker, for theXiaomi short filmBus Girl that she wrote, starred in and directed.[58] The short was nominated for theBAFTA awards in 2023.[59] She wrote and directed the sequelSandwich Man the following year.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | St. Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold | Globe Girl | Uncredited | |
| 2014 | Dr Liebenstein | Rachel | ||
| 2015 | Dragonfly | Paula Reid | ||
| Star Wars: The Force Awakens | Jessika "Testor" Pava | |||
| 2016 | The Head Hunter | Aiko Koo | ||
| The Heart of the Forest | Akira | Short film; also writer | ||
| Balsa Wood | Scotty | |||
| 2017 | Newness | Joanne | ||
| Rice on White | Elena | |||
| 2018 | Yo! My Saint | Muse | withKenzo | |
| 2019 | Baliko | Mara | Short film; also writer | |
| 2020 | Underwater | Emily Haversham | ||
| On the Rocks | Fiona Saunders | |||
| Love and Monsters | Aimee | |||
| 2021 | The Matrix Resurrections | Bugs | ||
| 2022 | The Gray Man | Suzanne Brewer | ||
| Bus Girl | June | Short film; also director and writer | [60] | |
| Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery | Peg | [61] | ||
| 2023 | The Royal Hotel | Liv | ||
| 2024 | Cuckoo | Beth | [62] | |
| 2026 | How to Make a Killing† | Post-production | [63] | |
| TBA | The Land of Sometimes† | Mum (voice) | Post-production | [64] |
| The Roots Maneouvre† | Post-production | [53] | ||
| Everybody Wants to Fuck Me† | Filming | [65] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Spirit Warriors | Bo | Main role, 10 episodes | [66] |
| 2012 | The Thick of It | Charlotte | Episode: #4.1 | |
| 2014 | Obsession: Dark Desires | Jane Jeong Trenka | Episode: "Silent Scream" | |
| Silk | Amy Lang | Main role, 5 episodes | [67] | |
| Lewis | Chloe Ilson | Guest role, 2 episodes | ||
| 2015–2017 | Game of Thrones | Nymeria Sand | Recurring role, 8 episodes | [68] |
| 2017 | Fortitude | Bianca Mankyo | Episode: #2.1 | |
| 2017–2018 | Iron Fist | Colleen Wing | Main role, 23 episodes | [69] |
| 2017 | The Defenders | Main role, 6 episodes | [70] | |
| 2018 | Luke Cage | Guest star, Episode: "Wig Out" | [71] | |
| 2020–2025 | Blood of Zeus | Alexia | Voice; main role, 20 episodes | [72] |
| 2021–2022 | Blade Runner: Black Lotus | Elle | Voice; main role | [73] |
| 2021–2022 | Moley | Dotty | Voice; main role, 45 episodes; also writer | [74] |
| 2022 | Carpool Karaoke: The Series | Self | Episode: "Simu Liu & Jessica Henwick" | [75] |
| 2024 | Twilight of the Gods | Sandraudiga | Voice; 3 episodes | [76] |
| 2025–present | Silo | Helen | Main role (season 3); guest role (season 2) | [77] |
| TBA | Vladimir† | Cynthia | Main role | [78] |
| Year | Title | Voice Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–2016 | Dreamfall Chapters: The Longest Journey | Enu Hanna Roth | ||
| 2022 | Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga | Jessika "Testor" Pava |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Tales From Woodcreek | River Stong | Actual play; guest role, 2 episodes | [79][80] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Running on the Cracks | Leo | National tour |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–2012 | North by Northamptonshire | Helen | BBC Radio Four | |
| 2013 | Monday to Friday | Julie | BBC Radio Scotland | |
| 2014–2015 | Silk: The Clerks Room | Amy Lang | Series 1 & 2 | |
| 2020 | Harrow Lake | Narrator | ||
| The Long Way Home | Narrator | |||
| 2021 | Hold Still Vincent | Faye |
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Accolade Competition | Award of Excellence (shared:Lourdes Faberes + Giles Alderson) | The Heart of the Forest | Won | [81][82] |
| 2017 | Asians on Film Festival | Best Original Script (shared withLourdes Faberes) | Won | [81][83] | |
| Best Ensemble | Nominated | [81][83] | |||
| Variety | Top Breakout Star | Iron Fist | Won | [28] | |
| 2020 | Newport Beach Film Festival | Festival Honors Award – Brit to Watch | Underwater | Won | [81][35][84] |
| The Hollywood Reporter | The Hollywood Reporter Rising Young Star | Film/TV career so far | Won | [34] | |
| 2021 | Gold List Honors | Best Supporting Actress | The Matrix Resurrections | Won | [81][38] |
| 2022 | Birmingham Film Festival | Audience Award | Xiaomi'sBus Girl | Won | [81] |
| Coronado Island Film Festival | Narrative Shorts | Won | |||
| Mary Pickford Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Female Director | Won | ||||
| Satellite Awards | Best Ensemble | Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery | Won | [85] | |
| Hollywood Critics Association | Nominated | [85] | |||
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Won | [85] | |||
| 2023 | Gold Derby Awards | Best Ensemble | Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery | Nominated | |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best British Short Film | Bus Girl | Nominated | [59] |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
