Holliday Grainger Explained

Holliday Grainger
Birth Name:Holliday Clark Grainger
Birth Date:27 March 1988
Birth Place:Didsbury, Manchester, England
Other Names:Holly Grainger
Occupation:Actress
Notable Works:Roger and the Rottentrolls
Years Active:1994–present
Alma Mater:University of Leeds and finally Open University
Partner:Harry Treadaway (2015–present)
Children:2

Holliday Clark Grainger (born 27 March 1988), also credited as Holly Grainger, is an English screen and stage actress. Some of her prominent roles are Kate Beckett in the BAFTA award-winning children's series Roger and the Rottentrolls, Lucrezia Borgia in the Showtime series The Borgias, Robin Ellacott in the Strike series, DI Rachel Carey in the Peacock/BBC One crime drama The Capture and Estella in Mike Newell's adaptation of Great Expectations.

Early life

Grainger was born in Didsbury, Manchester. Her maternal grandfather was Italian.[1] [2] Her first experience of acting was at the age of five when she was scouted for a BBC TV series. She appeared in many TV shows and independent films as a child actor.

Grainger attended Parrs Wood High School from 1999 to 2006,[3] and in 2007 began study for a degree in English literature at the University of Leeds. However, she eventually opted for the Open University.

Career

Grainger's first acting role was at five years old in the BBC comedy drama series All Quiet on the Preston Front.[4] Roles followed in Casualty, Doctors and Dalziel and Pascoe. Grainger played Megan Boothe in Where the Heart Is, Stacey Appleyard in Waterloo Road and Sophia in Merlin.

In 2011, she appeared in the television series The Borgias, playing Lucrezia Borgia opposite Jeremy Irons as Pope Alexander VI. The series, created by Neil Jordan and shot in Hungary, ran for three seasons.[5]

After her role as Emily in the film The Scouting Book for Boys (2009),News: Philip. French. The Scouting Book for Boys. The Guardian. March 21, 2010. April 2, 2024. she played one of the Rivers sisters opposite Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender in Cary Fukunaga's 2011 retelling of Jane Eyre, and had a minor role in Bel Ami alongside Robert Pattinson and Uma Thurman.

In June 2011, she was cast in the leading role of Estella in Mike Newell's film adaptation of Great Expectations, opposite Jeremy Irvine and Helena Bonham Carter.[6] The movie, screened at Toronto International Film Festival 2012, had its European premiere as the closing night film of the BFI London Film Festival.[7] She had a minor role in the 2012 film Anna Karenina as Baroness Shilton.

On stage, in 2013 she appeared in Disassociation, a play by Luke Bailey, at The Lowry in Salford.[8] In the same year, she played Bonnie Parker in the 2013 TV mini-series Bonnie & Clyde. She was one of the female leads in the 2014 film The Riot Club, adapted from the play Posh, alongside Max Irons. In the same year, she appeared on stage in Anton Chekov's play Three Sisters at the Southwark Playhouse.[9]

Grainger played Cinderella's stepsister Anastasia Tremaine in Kenneth Branagh's 2015 film version of Cinderella.[10]

In 2016, Grainger starred in Disney's The Finest Hours.[11]

On 20 June 2016, World Refugee Day, Grainger, as well as Jack O'Connell, featured in a film from the United Nations' refugee agency UNHCR to help raise awareness of the global refugee crisis.[12] The film, titled Home, 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 by Daniel Mulloy, went on to win a BAFTA Award and a Gold Lion at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity among many other awards.[14]

In 2017, she appeared in a film adaptation of the novel Tulip Fever alongside Alicia Vikander.[15] From 2017, she plays Robin Ellacott in the TV series Strike (aired in the United States and Canada as C.B. Strike) based on the novels by J. K. Rowling.[16]

Grainger played one of the two lead female roles in the feature film Animals, along with Alia Shawkat. Based on the novel by Emma Jane Unsworth, who also wrote the script, the film was directed by Sophie Hyde and filmed in Dublin.

In 2019, Grainger starred in the BBC conspiracy thriller The Capture.[17]

Personal life

In May 2021, she had twin children with her partner Harry Treadaway, himself a twin (brother of Luke Treadaway).[18]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1997data-sort-value="Missing Postman, The" The Missing PostmanHarriet
2002SparkhouseOlder Lisa Bolton
2003data-sort-value="Illustrated Mum, The" The Illustrated MumStar Westwood
2005Magnificent 7Louise Jackson
2006Johnny and the BombRose Bushell
2007data-sort-value="Bad Mother's Handbook, The" The Bad Mother's HandbookCharlotte Cooper
2008Dis/ConnectedJenny
2009AwaydaysMolly Carty
data-sort-value="Scouting Book for Boys, The" The Scouting Book for BoysEmily
2011Jane EyreDiana Rivers
2012Bel AmiSuzanne Rousset
Anna KareninaBaroness
Great ExpectationsEstella Havisham
2014data-sort-value="Riot Club, The" The Riot ClubLauren
2015CinderellaAnastasia Tremaine
2016data-sort-value="Finest Hours, The" The Finest HoursMiriam
2017My Cousin RachelLouise
Tulip FeverMaria
HomeHollyShort film
2018Tell It to the BeesLydia Weekes
2019AnimalsLaura
2024Halo of StarsEmmPost production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1994All Quiet on the Preston FrontKirsty4 episodes
1996Roger and the RottentrollsKate BeckettLead role: Series 3&4
2000Comin' Atcha!PaulineEpisode: "The Day Off"
CasualtyKatie StoppardEpisode: "Seize the Night"
2001Dalziel and PascoeNichola CrowleyEpisode: "Walls of Silence"
DoctorsNita HarmerEpisode: "Writing to Charlie"
2003data-sort-value="Royal, The" The RoyalCarole GreenEpisode: "Coffin Fit"
2003–2005Where the Heart IsMegan BootheMain role (series 7–9)
2005No AngelsSimoneEpisode: "2.5"
DoctorsHolly LeavisEpisode: "Indestructible"
2006New Street LawKatie LewisEpisode: "1.1"
2007Waterloo RoadStacey Appleyard4 episodes
2008M.I. HighLeah RetsamEpisode: "It's a Kind of Magic"
data-sort-value="Royal Today, The" The Royal TodayAbigailEpisode: "1.3"
Fairy TalesLeeza GruffEpisode: "Billy Goat"
Waking the DeadNicola Bennet2 episodes: "Duty and Honour"
MerlinSophiaEpisode: "The Gates of Avalon"
2009DemonsRubyMiniseries
Robin HoodMegEpisode: "A Dangerous Deal"
Blue MurderJess BurgessEpisode: "Having It All"
2010Above Suspicion 2: The Red DahliaSharon Bilkin3 episodes
Five DaughtersAliceEpisodes: "1.2", "1.3"
Stanley ParkDirty DebbiePilot
Any Human HeartTess Scabius2 episodes
2011–2013data-sort-value="Borgias, The" The BorgiasLucrezia BorgiaMain role
2013Bonnie & ClydeBonnie ParkerMiniseries
Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film
Nominated—Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries
2015Lady Chatterley's LoverLady ChatterleyTelevision film
2017–presentStrikeRobin Ellacott15 episodes
2017Philip K. Dick's Electric DreamsHonorEpisode: "The Hood Maker"
2018Patrick MelroseBridget Watson ScottMiniseries
2019 - presentdata-sort-value="Capture, The" The CaptureRachel Carey12 episodes
2024Playdate5 episodes, post-production

Theatre

YearTitleRoleVenue
2009DimetosLydiaDonmar Warehouse, London
2014Three SistersIrinaSouthwark Playhouse, London

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Holliday Grainger Interview THE BORGIAS; Updates on BEL AMI and JANE EYRE. Collider. 30 January 2011.
  2. News: Holliday Grainger Interview. 1883 Magazine. 8 September 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20131014232206/http://www.1883magazine.com/film/film/holliday-grainger. 14 October 2013. dead.
  3. News: Parrs Wood Alumni. parrswood.manchester.sch.uk. 10 August 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20170118041613/http://www.parrswood.manchester.sch.uk/about/alumni.html. 18 January 2017. dead.
  4. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/jul/12/holliday-grainger-how-the-strike-star-cast-off-her-corsets The Guardian
  5. News: The Borgias renewed season 3. The Huffington Post. 8 September 2012. Chris. Harnick. 4 May 2012.
  6. News: Holliday Grainger cast as Estella in "Great Expectations" opposite Jeremy Irvine . Linda . Ge . 17 June 2011 . 17 June 2011 . 20 August 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110820234620/http://upandcomers.net/2011/06/17/holliday-grainger-cast-as-estella-in-great-expectations-opposite-jeremy-irvine/ . dead .
  7. News: Great Expectations to close BFI London Film Festival. number9films. 8 September 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121027010604/http://www.number9films.co.uk/news_and_press/great_expectations_to_close_bfi_london_film_festival. 27 October 2012. dead.
  8. News: Eden. Richard. Downton Abbey star Jim Carter enjoys 'bamboo massage' . The Daily Telegraph. 13 January 2013.
  9. News: Dominic. Cavendish. 'Three Sisters, Southwark Playhouse, review'. The Daily Telegraph. 10 April 2014. 30 September 2014.
  10. Web site: Jeff. Sneider. 'The Borgias' Star Holliday Grainger Joins Disney's 'Cinderella' (Exclusive). TheWrap. June 10, 2013. 11 June 2013.
  11. Web site: Review: 'The Finest Hours' Starring Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Eric Bana, Ben Foster, Holliday Grainger, And More. IndieWire. Schager. Nick. en. 11 September 2017. 26 January 2016.
  12. Web site: Jack O'Connell, Holliday Grainger refugee drama 'Home' sets release. en-US. 20 June 2016.
  13. News: What They Took With Them - #WithRefugees. Unhcr . 7 September 2016. en-US. 14 September 2016.
  14. Web site: BAFTABritish Short Film and Short Animation. en-US. 20 March 2017. 18 January 2017.
  15. Web site: Kevin . Jagernauth. 8 July 2013 . Alicia Vikander To Star In Long-Developing 'Tulip Fever,' Matthias Schoenaerts Sought For Role. indiewire.com. 26 April 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612162938/http://www.indiewire.com/2013/07/alicia-vikander-to-star-in-long-developing-tulip-fever-matthias-schoenaerts-sought-for-role-96267/. 12 June 2018.
  16. Web site: Holliday Grainger to Star in J.K. Rowling's 'Cormoran Strike'. 1 November 2016. Variety.
  17. Web site: Meet the cast of BBC conspiracy thriller 'The Capture'. 8 October 2019. Radio Times.
  18. Web site: Actress Holliday Grainger gives birth to newborn twins with beau Harry Treadaway. Daily Mirror. 29 May 2021.