| Birth Place: | Wigan, Greater Manchester, England |
| Education: | Central School of Speech and Drama |
| Occupation: | Actress |
| Years Active: | 1999–present |
Kathryn Drysdale (born 1 December 1981)[1] [2] is an English actress. She gained prominence through her roles in the BBC sitcom Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps (2001–2009) and the films Vanity Fair (2004) and St Trinian's (2007). Her other work includes the drama Tripping Over (2006), the fourth series of Benidorm (2011) on ITV, the Channel 4 parody The Windsors (2018–2020), and the Netflix period drama Bridgerton (2020–).
On stage, her roles include Grace Shelley in The Ruling Class on the West End opposite James McAvoy, Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Lady Katharine in Love's Labour's Lost opposite David Tennant.
Born to a black father and a white mother, Drysdale was adopted when she was a week old.[3] She was bullied as a child.[4] She trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama.
From 2001 to 2009, Drysdale starred as Louise Brooks in the BBC sitcom Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps for eight out of nine series of the show. She made her film debut in Mira Nair's 2004 feature adaptation of William Thackeray's Vanity Fair as heiress Rhoda Swartz. In 2006, she played Lizzie in the British-Australian Channel 5 and Network Ten drama Tripping Over and Bliss in the Doctor Who series 2 episode "Love & Monsters". The following year, she played Taylor the Chav in the comedy film St Trinian's.
Also in 2006, Drysdale appeared in Catch at the Royal Court Theatre and in 2008 made her Royal Shakespeare Company debut in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Love's Labour's Lost.[5] In 2009, she appeared in Suddenlossofdignity.com at the Bush Theatre and on tour.
Drysdale joined the main cast of the ITV sitcom Benidorm for its fourth series as Natalie Jones. She played Brownwell in an episode of William Boyd's four-part drama Any Human Heart on Channel 4. In 2012, Drysdale appeared in The Recruiting Officer at the Donmar Warehouse.[6]
Drysdale played Meghan Markle in the second and third series of the Channel 4 parody series The Windsors. She voices the lead character of Bounce in the CBBC animation series Bottersnikes and Gumbles and plays the role of Genevieve Delacroix in Netflix show Bridgerton.
Drysdale lives in London.[7]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Vanity Fair | Rhoda Swartz | ||
| 2005 | Zemanovaload | Travel Agent | ||
| 2007 | St Trinian's | Taylor | ||
| 2013 | One Chance | Stage Hand | ||
| 2015 | I Am Urban | Madge | ||
| 2022 | The Bubble | Minnie | ||
| 2022 | Christmas On Mistletoe Farm | Miss Ashley | ||
| TBA | The Mud Hut | Shirley | Pre-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | People Like Us | Shoe Shop Assistant | Episode: "The Photographer" | |
| 2000 | Trial & Retribution | Pregnant Girl | 1 episode | |
| 2001–2009 | Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps | Louise Brooks | 70 episodes | |
| 2001 | The Glass | Receptionist | 1 episode | |
| Chambers | Fran James | Episode: "A Case with a View" | ||
| Swivel on the Tip | Pippi Langstrumpf | |||
| 2002 | The Vice | Elaine | Episode: "Trade" | |
| 2003 | Rockface | Susie Travis | 2 episodes | |
| Ultimate Force | Susannah | Episode: "What in the Name of God" | ||
| Holby City | Gaby Burton | Episode: "Home" | ||
| Doctors | Keeley Burton | Episode: "Nature's Way" | ||
| Mersey Beat | Mel Turner | Episode: "Broken Dreams" | ||
| 2004 | From Bard to Verse | Brutus/Self | Episode 3[8] | |
| 2006 | Doctor Who | Bliss | Episode "Love & Monsters" | |
| Tripping Over | Lizzie | Miniseries | ||
| 2007 | Coming Up | Janine | Episode: "Brussels" | |
| 2009 | Comedy Showcase | Various | Episode: "Girl Friday" | |
| 2010 | Any Human Heart | Brownwell | 1 episode | |
| 2011 | Benidorm | Natalie Jones | Main role (series 4)[9] | |
| 2013 | The Psychopath Next Door | Imogen Tallis | Television film | |
| 2014 | Death in Paradise | Simone Magon | Episode: "Ye of Little Faith" | |
| 2015 | Suspects | Liz Maitlin | Episode: "The Artist" | |
| Horrible Histories | Cleopatra | Episode: "Crafty Cleopatra" | ||
| 2015–2017 | Bottersnikes and Gumbles | Bounce and Merri | Voice role; 18 episodes | |
| 2016 | New Blood | Laura Jones | 3 episodes | |
| Zapped | Lorelei | 2 episodes | ||
| 2017 | Thunderbirds Are Go | Kate | Voice role; episode: "Grandma Tourismo" | |
| 2017–2020 | The Windsors | Meghan Markle | Main role (series 2–3) | |
| Jemima "JJ" Jones | Voice role; 17 episodes | |||
| 2018 | Chris P. Duck | Additional voices | Episode: "Parenthood" | |
| Plebs | Cleo | Episode: "The Bathhouse" | ||
| The Queen and I | Trish Welling | Television film | ||
| Sky Comedy Shorts | Trish | Episode: "Hands of Gods" | ||
| 2020–present | Bridgerton | Genevieve Delacroix | Recurring role | |
| 2021–present | Circle Square | Dilys Dillydally / Gwen Dillydally / Mary Ruffle | 21 episodes | |
| 2022 | Lloyd of the Flies | Alison120 / Amy Fly / Dotty | Voice role; 4 episodes | |
| 2022–present | Best & Bester | Bester | Main role; voice role | |
| TBA | Relationships | Elizabeth Soames | TV movie; Post-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | The Nightvision Experiment | Davina | ||
| 2018 | Forza Horizon 4 | Taxi Passengers | ||
| 2019 | Anthem | Captain Liatrelle, Lancer Easley, Gambling Woman | ||
| 2022 | Horizon Forbidden West | Additional Voices |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Sneddon | ||
| 2020 | Torchwood: The Sins of Captain John | Dr. Magpie / Maisie | 2 episodes |
| Jora | Episode: "Out of Time 1" | ||
| 2021 | Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious - Echoes of Extinction | Jasmine | |
| Getting Better | Dr. Eva Callaway | 10 episodes | |
| 2023 | Nye Bevan's Fight to Create the NHS |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 23:59 | Zoe | Crucible Theatre, Sheffield |
| 2000 | Billy and the Crab Lady | Mel | Soho Theatre, London |
| 2001 | Eliza's House | Beth | Royal Exchange, Manchester |
| 2004 | Far Away | Joan | Crucible Theatre, Sheffield |
| Fen | Various | ||
| 2006 | Catch | Maya | Royal Court Theatre, London |
| 2008 | Love's Labour's Lost | Katherine / Moth | Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon |
| Novello Theatre, London | |||
| 2009 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Hermia | Novello Theatre, London |
| Suddenlossofdignity.com | Various | Bush Theatre, London / tour | |
| 2012 | The Recruiting Officer | Lucy | Donmar Warehouse |
| 2013 | A Mad World, My Masters | Mistress Hairbrain | RSC Studio |
| 2015 | The Ruling Class | Grace Shelley | Trafalgar Studios, London |
| 2018 | Home, I'm Darling | Fran | Theatr Clwyd |
| Royal National Theatre |