Fenella Woolgar

Woolgar was born in London, the daughter of Michael Woolgar and Maureen Woolgar (née McCann). Her mother is of Irish descent. Woolgar's early years were spent in New Canaan, Connecticut. She was educated at Mayfield School, Durham University, and then Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). At university, along with acting she directed Murder in the Cathedral in Durham Cathedral and wrote and performed comedy in The Durham Revue.

Following Woolgar's graduation from RADA in 1999 she worked in rep at The Royal Exchange, Manchester, York Theatre Royal, Sheffield Crucible and for the BBC in both television and radio. In 2002 she was cast as Agatha in Stephen Fry's film Bright Young Things for which she was nominated for several awards. She subsequently went on to work with Mike Leigh in Vera Drake and Mr. Turner, Conor McPherson in The Veil at the National Theatre and Woody Allen in Scoop and You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger. She played Agatha Christie in Doctor Who in 2008.[1] In 2010 she voiced the character of Dr. Sofia Lamb, the main antagonist in the video game BioShock 2.

Woolgar has most recently worked in theatre at the Donmar, Royal Court, National Theatre; the Old Vic and in the West End. She won the Clarence Derwent Award for Best Supporting Actress in the West End in 2013 and the Sunday Times Culture Award for Stage Performance of the Year 2014 for playing Margaret Thatcher in Handbagged. She is regularly heard on the radio and was nominated for Best Actress on the radio in 2013 for An American Rose in which she played Rosemary Kennedy. She played the title role in Mrs Dalloway for BBC Radio 4 and Edith Wharton in both The Jinx Element and Ethan Frome. She stars in the BBC Radio 4 comedy Dot. She has narrated several audiobooks and was nominated for Audio Book of the Year 2013.[2]

Woolgar's recent work includes two television roles. She appeared in 2014 and 2015 as Alison Scotlock in Home Fires. She joined the cast of Call the Midwife in series 8 as Sister Hilda.[3]

• Celebrity Portrait Artist of the Year - Sky Arts 2019
• Stage Performance of the Year – The Sunday Times Culture Awards 2014[4]
• Clarence Derwent Award for Best Supporting Actress in the West End 2013.[5]

Woolgar has been nominated for several awards, including:

• Best Supporting Actress – What's On Stage Awards 2013
• Best Actress – BBC Radio Drama Awards 2013
• Best Audio Book of the Year (for Life After Life) 2013
• Best Supporting Actress – British Independent Film Awards 2003
• Best Supporting Actress – Empire Film Awards 2003
• Best Supporting Actress – London Critics Circle 2003
• Best Newcomer – Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2003
• Best Supporting Actress – Manchester Evening News Awards 2000 and 2001

• List of RADA alumni

• Fenella Woolgar at IMDb