Marisa Abela Explained

Birth Name:Marisa Gabrielle Abela
Birth Date:7 December 1996
Birth Place:Brighton, East Sussex, England
Alma Mater:RADA
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:2008, 2020–present
Partner:Jamie Bogyo (engaged)

Marisa Gabrielle Abela (born 7 December 1996) is an English actress. She is known for her roles in the BBC Two and HBO series Industry (2020–) and the Sky One series COBRA (2020). She portrayed Amy Winehouse in the 2024 biopic Back to Black.

Abela was named a 2023 Screen International Star of Tomorrow.[1]

Early life and education

Abela was born in Brighton to actress Caroline Gruber and director Angelo Abela and grew up in Rottingdean with her older brother Jack.[2]

Her father is of Maltese-Libyan and English descent, and her mother is of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry.[3] [4]

She attended Roedean School and took drama classes with the Theatre Workshop.[5] [6] She initially intended to study History and Law at UCL and become a human rights lawyer, but changed her mind last minute and decided to pursue acting instead.[7] [8] She went on to graduate from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in 2019.[9] [10]

Career

Abela first appeared aged 11 as the character Alice in the thriller Man in a Box (2008).

After graduating from RADA, Abela made her television debut in 2020 with main roles in the Sky One political thriller COBRA as Ellie Sutherland and the BBC Two and HBO office drama Industry as Yasmin Kara-Hanani.[11] She appeared in the 2022 films She Is Love and Rogue Agent.[12]

In July 2022, Abela joined the cast of Greta Gerwig's Barbie (2023).[13] She next starred as Amy Winehouse in Back to Black (2024), a biopic about the late singer by Sam Taylor-Johnson.[14] [15]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2008Man in a BoxAlice
2022Rogue AgentSophie Jones
She Is Love Louise
2023 BarbieTeen Talk Barbie
2024Back to BlackAmy Winehouse
2025Filming[16]

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2020COBRAEllie SutherlandRecurring role
2020–presentIndustryYasmin Kara-HananiMain role[17]

Video games

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Stars of Tomorrow 2023: Marisa Abela (actor). Mark. Salisbury. 28 June 2023. 29 June 2023.
  2. Web site: Meet Marisa Abela, the Breakout Star of the New HBO Series Industry. Vogue. Zoe. Ruffner. 2 September 2020. 5 February 2021. 1 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210301140057/https://www.vogue.com/article/marisa-abela-beauty. live.
  3. Web site: Industry stars Myha'la Herrold and Marisa Abela on the truth about those sex scenes. The Sunday Times. Scarlett. Russell. 26 December 2020. 27 June 2021. 27 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210627220104/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/industry-stars-myhala-herrold-and-marisa-abela-on-the-truth-about-those-sex-scenes-hwc5mrdnc. live.
  4. Web site: Marisa Abela on playing a Lebanese character in HBO's 'Industry'. The National. Chris. Newbould. 25 July 2022. 28 July 2022. 27 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220727084836/https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/television/2022/07/25/marisa-abela-on-playing-a-lebanese-character-in-hbos-industry/. live.
  5. Web site: Head's Weekly Review. Roedean School. 3. 16 May 2016. 5 February 2021. 16 August 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220816143550/https://issuu.com/roedeanschool/docs/heads_weekly_review__28__13_05_16. live.
  6. Web site: Spotlight On… Marisa Abela!. The Theatre Workshop. 5 February 2021. 25 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210725195348/https://thetheatreworkshop.com/2016/05/20/spotlight-on-marisa-abela/7825/. live.
  7. Web site: Marisa Abela on "Industry". Golden Globe Awards. Michele. Manelis. 1 January 2021. 5 February 2021. 13 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210113102619/https://www.goldenglobes.com/articles/marisa-abela-industry. live.
  8. Web site: An interview with Marisa Abela of Industry. Air Mail. Bridget. Arsenault. 17 April 2021. 27 June 2021. 27 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210627214216/https://airmail.news/issues/2021-4-17/marisa-abela. live.
  9. Web site: Marisa Abela. RADA. 5 February 2021. 6 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210406184440/https://www.rada.ac.uk/profiles/marisa-abela/. live.
  10. Web site: ‘Industry’ Star Marisa Abela Signs With WME. Deadline. Alexandria. del Rosario. 17 December 2020. 27 June 2021. 27 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210627214215/https://deadline.com/2020/12/indsutry-star-marisa-abela-sign-wme-all-areas-1234657825/. live.
  11. Web site: Industry star Marisa Abela on series two of the thrilling BBC drama and the power of female desire. Stylist. Helan. Bownass. 27 June 2021. 27 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210627214211/https://www.stylist.co.uk/entertainment/tv/bbc-industry-marisa-abela-interview/480257. live.
  12. Web site: Haley Bennett, Sam Riley Starring in Improvisational Romance 'She Is Love' (Exclusive). Variety. Brent. Lang. 22 April 2021. 27 June 2021. 22 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210422130258/https://variety.com/2021/film/news/haley-bennett-sam-riley-she-is-love-marisa-abela-1234957756/. live.
  13. Web site: Greta Gerwig's 'Barbie' Adds 'Industry' Actor Marisa Abela. Deadline Hollywood. Matt. Grobar. 5 July 2022. 5 July 2022. 16 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220716002930/https://deadline.com/2022/07/marisa-abela-joins-barbie-film-at-warner-bros-from-greta-gerwig-1235053594/. live.
  14. Web site: Ravindran. Manori. 28 July 2022. Amy Winehouse Movie Heats Up as 'Industry' Star Marisa Abela Emerges as Frontrunner to Play Singer. 28 July 2022. Variety. 28 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220728154031/https://variety.com/2022/film/global/amy-winehouse-movie-casting-marisa-abela-1235327197/. live.
  15. Web site: D'Souza. Shaad. 13 January 2023. Amy Winehouse biopic: first photo released of Marisa Abela as late singer. 13 January 2023. The Guardian. 13 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230113173612/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jan/13/amy-winehouse-biopic-first-photo-released-of-marisa-abela-as-late-singer. live.
  16. Web site: Kroll . Justin . Back To Black Star Marisa Abela Reunites With Focus On Steven Soderbergh Thriller Black Bag . . 7 March 2024 . March 7, 2024.
  17. Web site: Yasmin played by Marisa Abela. HBO. 27 June 2021. 6 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211206205520/https://www.hbo.com/industry/cast-and-crew/yasmin. live.