| Birth Name: | Holli Cara-Rhian Dempsey |
| Birth Date: | 11 May 1990 |
| Years Active: | 2010–present |
Holli Cara-Rhian Dempsey (born 11 May 1990) is an English actress, writer and comedian. On television, she is known for her roles in the ITV drama The Ice Cream Girls (2013), the Channel 4 series Derek (2013–2014), the E4 series The Aliens (2016), and the Hulu series Harlots (2017–2019). Her films include Aaaaaaaah! (2015) and Dad's Army (2016).
Dempsey is from East London.[1] Her first experience of acting was in a school play, as Detective Bernstein in Little Shop of Horrors.[2] Dempsey was trained in Joan Littlewood improvisation style as part of the junior group at Theatre Royal Stratford East.[3]
In 2013, she had a regular role as Maureen Mulliganin the tv series Breathless. In 2014, she appeared as Vicky for ten episodes of the Ricky Gervais comedy series Derek.[4] In 2015, she appeared as Jolene in You, Me and the Apocalypse for a single episode: "Right in the Nuts".
In 2016, she played Holly in the TV series The Aliens,[5] and appeared in ITV's Plebs.[6] The same year, she was in 2016 film version of Dad’s Army.[7] In 2016, she appeared in "Hated in the Nation", an episode of the anthology series Black Mirror.[2]
In 2019, she appeared in After Life,[8] then in 2020, she played a lead role as Emily Lacey in the TV series Harlots,[9] alongside Samantha Morton.[9] In 2020, she appeared in the BBC comedy Ghosts.[8]
She has also appeared in an episode of BBC's Call the Midwife,[3] as prostitute 'Bridget Cole', and ITV’s The Delivery Man (2015),[8] and The Ice Cream Girls (2013),[10] an ITV drama based on the novel by Dorothy Koomson. Dempsey also appears in the 2015 British comedy film Aaaaaaaah! directed by Steve Oram.[8]
In 2021 Dempsey played the role of Grace Melbury in a BBC Radio 4 adaptation of the Thomas Hardy novel The Woodlanders. In 2022 and 2023 she took the lead role of Jess in three series of Matthew Broughton’s radio thriller Broken Colours. [11]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | The Fighter's Ballad | The Fighter's Sister | |
| 2012 | Full Firearms | Bianca | |
| 2014 | A Wonderful Christmas Time | Charlotte | |
| 2015 | Aaaaaaaah! | Helen | |
| 2016 | Dad's Army | Vera | |
| 2018 | Songbird | Tara | Also known as Alright Now |
| 2019 | 2nd Date Sex | Bianca | |
| 2020 | A Christmas Carol | Fan | Voice role |
| 2023 | Bolan's Shoes | Zoe | |
| Evie: Evil Has a New Name | Evie | ||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | The Bill | Willow | 2 episodes |
| 2011 | Tracy Beaker Returns | Kali | Episode: "Snake Bite" |
| Doctors | Titch | Episode: "Protection" | |
| Holby City | Alisha Newton | Episode: "Night Cover" | |
| Doctor Who | Kelly | Episode: "Closing Time" | |
| 2012 | Whitechapel | Elsa Durham | 1 episode |
| Wizards vs Aliens | Meena | Episode: "Rebel Magic, Part 1" | |
| 2013 | The Ice Cream Girls | Young Poppy Carlisle | Miniseries (3 episodes) |
| Big Bad World | Katie | 1 episode | |
| Breathless | Maureen Mulligan | 6 episodes | |
| 2013–2014 | Derek | Vicky | 10 episodes |
| 2014 | New Worlds | Agnes | Miniseries |
| 2015 | Call the Midwife | Bridget Cole | 1 episode |
| 2015 | DCI Banks | Jodie Nash | Episode: "What Will Survive: Part 1" |
| The Delivery Man | Claire Fisher | Episode: "Youth" | |
| You, Me and the Apocalypse | Jolene | Episode: "Right in the Nuts" | |
| Jekyll and Hyde | Ginnie | Episode: "Spring-Heeled Jack" | |
| 2016 | The Aliens | Holly | 5 episodes |
| Plebs | Alba | Episode: "The New Master" | |
| People Just Do Nothing | Receptionist | 1 episode | |
| Black Mirror | Clara Meades | Episode: "Hated in the Nation" | |
| 2017–2019 | Harlots | Emily Lacey | Main role |
| 2019 | After Life | Plastic Surgery Woman | 1 episode |
| 2020 | Endeavour | Jenny Tate | 2 episodes |
| The Alienist | Masie | Episode: "Angel of Darkness: Memento Mori" | |
| I Hate Suzie | Danielle | Episode: "Guilt" | |
| Ghosts | Isabelle | Episode: "The Thomas Thorne Affair" | |
| 2022 | Agatha Raisin | Chelsea / Samantha | Episode: "Love, Lies and Liquor" |
| Murder in Provence | Delphine Jourdain | 1 episode | |
| 2024 | McDonald & Dodds | Lilith | Episode: "Wedding Fever" |
| The Marlow Murder Club | DC Alice Hackett | ||