Lucy Ursula Griffiths (born 10 October 1986[2]) is an English actress known for her roles as Lady Marian in the BBC drama series Robin Hood (2006–09), as Nora Gainesborough, Eric Northman's vampire "sister", in the HBO horror series True Blood (2012–13) and as Emily Woodrow in the AMC supernatural drama series Preacher (2016).
Lucy Griffiths | |
|---|---|
| Born | Lucy Ursula Griffiths 10 October 1986 Brighton, East Sussex, England |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)[1] |
Life and career
editThis section of a biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (August 2022) |
Born in Brighton, Griffiths was educated at Windlesham House School, Roedean School, Dorothy Stringer High School and Varndean College. She is a former member of the National Youth Music Theatre and Youth Music Theatre UK.
She first appeared on television in Sea of Souls and then Sugar Rush, and on stage in The White Devil. In February 2006 it was announced she would be playing a "feisty", beautiful Marian in the BBC family drama series Robin Hood, alongside Jonas Armstrong. Griffiths has said that her character "has been written as an intelligent, witty, biting character, and that's how I expected her to be."[3]
Griffiths returned as Marian in the second series of Robin Hood in 2007, but her character was killed off in the final episode. Though this decision proved unpopular with fans of the series, it is said on a BBC Nottingham page that she left the show to pursue 'other opportunities'. It has been rumored that she wanted to leave the show to further her career in Hollywood.[4] However, other sources say she was written out to allow the show to be taken in a new direction. She returned in the series finale a year later[5] as a spectral vision of Marian.[6]
In 2009, she made her West End debut in a revival of Arcadia and appeared in the ITV1 drama Collision. On 5 September 2010, she appeared in the ITV drama U Be Dead, playing Bethan Ancell[7] and on 1 November 2010 she starred in ITV drama The Little House.
In January 2011, Griffiths signed a talent holding deal with American television network CBS.[8] It had been announced that she would play Jenna Lestrade, the lead in the CW zombie pilot Awakening,[9][10] however the show did not go ahead.[11]
In November 2011, it was revealed that Griffiths would play Nora, the sister of vampire Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgård), in the fifth season of HBO's True Blood.[11] Nora is not a character in the Southern Vampire Mysteries (the books the TV series is based on) but she has been described as "intelligent, intimidating, cool under pressure and a very good liar" according to TV Line.[11] During November 2011 Griffiths also appeared on stage at the Finborough Theatre, London, in the play Atman by Iain Finlay Macleod.
She voiced Mabel Dobbs in the Big Finish Productions Doctor Who audio drama The Auntie Matter, which was released in January 2013.
She has a diploma in mime from a world-famous school in Paris and claims that Marcel Marceau was her greatest influence into the artistry of emotions and actions without words.[citation needed] She also admires performances of Judi Dench, Kate Winslet, and Jennifer Saunders.
Griffiths was originally cast in Constantine as the female lead Liv Aberdine, the daughter of a late friend, who comes to discover that she has the ability of seeing the supernatural world among us. She teams up with Constantine to fight the demons who have targeted her and learn more about her late father.[12] Griffiths was dropped after Goyer and Cerone decided to take the series in a different creative direction.[13] Instead, the original comic character Zed was written in.[13] It was later announced that Angélica Celaya would fill the role. Some of Griffiths' final scenes in the pilot were reshot to explain why her character doesn't join Constantine in his adventures, as had been foreshadowed and originally intended.[14]
In April 2015 Griffiths was cast in the AMC series Preacher as Emily Woodrow, a character described as a "no-nonsense" single mother, waitress, church organist, bookkeeper and the loyal right hand of Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper).[15]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Billboard | The Ex | |
| 2013 | The Numbers Station | Meredith | |
| 2014 | A New York Winter's Tale | Young Woman [Peter's mother] | Alternative title: "Winter's Tale" |
| Don't Look Back | Nora Clark | ||
| Last Summer | Rebecca | ||
| Home for Christmas | Alice | ||
| 2015 | Uncanny | Joy Andrews | Alternative title: "Android" |
| 2017 | The Price | Liz Sloane |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Sea of Souls | Rebecca | Episode: "Succubus" |
| Sugar Rush | Lettie | Episode #2.2 | |
| 2006–09 | Robin Hood | Marian | Main role, 26 episodes[16] |
| 2009 | U Be Dead | Bethan Ancell | Television movie |
| Collision | Jane Tarrant | 5 episodes | |
| 2010 | Lewis | Madeline Escher | Episode: "Falling Darkness" |
| The Little House | Ruth | Television miniseries (2 episodes) | |
| 2011 | Awakening | Jenna Lestrade | Television movie |
| 2012–13 | True Blood | Nora Gainesborough | Main role (seasons 5 & 6) |
| 2014 | Constantine | Liv Aberdine | Episode: "Non Est Asylum" |
| 2016 | Preacher | Emily Woodrow | Main role (season 1) |
| 2021 | Shadow and Bone | Luda[17] | Episode: "The Unsea" |
| Vienna Blood | Amelia Lydgate | 3 episodes | |
| 2022 | Death in Paradise | Katie Kellar | S11 Ep3 |
Video games
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Dirt 3 | Business Manager | Voice |
| 2024 | The Casting of Frank Stone | Linda Castle |
Theatre roles
edit| Year | Play | Role | Venue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Otello | Children's Chorus | Glyndebourne Opera House, Glyndebourne | |
| 2001 | La bohème | Children's Chorus | Glyndebourne Opera House, Glyndebourne | |
| 2002 | The Crucible | Mary Warren | Brighton Little Theatre, Brighton | |
| 2004 | Les Misérables | Éponine | Gardner Arts Centre, Brighton | |
| Amy's Wedding | Amy | The Garage Theatre, Norwich | ||
| The Man of Mode | Lady Woodvill | Pavilion Theatre, Brighton | ||
| 2005 | Strangers | Evie | Piccadilly Theatre, London | |
| 2006 | The White Devil | Marcello/Giovanni | Pavilion Theatre, Brighton | |
| 2009 | Arcadia | Chloe Coverly | Duke of York's Theatre, London | |
| 2011 | Atman | A | Finborough Theatre, London |
References
edit- ^ "CV at Griffiths' agent". Retrieved 21 September 2020.
- ^ "Lucy Griffiths". TV Guide. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
- ^ "Robin Hood given modern makeover". BBC News. 8 September 2006. Retrieved 16 November 2006.
- ^ "They've killed Maid Marian". BBC Nottingham. 31 December 2007. Retrieved 10 January 2008.
- ^ "Keith Allen's Robin Hood return". 17 June 2009. Archived from the original on 20 June 2009.
- ^ "BBC One – Robin Hood, Series 3, Something Worth Fighting For – Part 2". BBC. 28 September 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
- ^ "David Morrissey stars in the true story of a dangerous stalker in U Be Dead". 6 June 2008. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (31 January 2011). "CBS Signs Talent Holding Deal With Young British Actress". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
- ^ "openbookcastinglive.com" (PDF). openbookcastinglive.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (3 March 2011). "'The River' & 'Awakening' Find Their Leads, Two Board 'Tagged' & 'Wonder Woman'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
- ^ a b c Michael Ausiello (2 November 2011). "True Blood Casts Lucy Griffiths as Nora in Season 5". TVLine. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
- ^ "Lucy Griffiths & Harold Perrineau Join NBC Pilot 'Constantine'". Deadline Hollywood. 5 March 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
- ^ a b Goldberg, Lesley (10 July 2014). "'Constantine's' Lucy Griffiths Exits NBC Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
- ^ Sepinwall, Alan (13 July 2014). "Press Tour: 'Constantine' Hires Angelica Celaya to Replace Lucy Griffiths". Uproxx. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (9 April 2015). "Lucy Griffiths Cast In 'Preacher' Pilot". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ "Robin Hood: Episode Guide". BBC. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
- ^ "Lucy Griffiths CV, Television". hamiltonhodell.co.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2021.