Jessica Raine

Early life and education

Raine was born Jessica Lloyd in Eardisley, Herefordshire, where she was raised on her father's farm. She is the younger of two daughters of farmer Allan Lloyd (descended from the Lloyd family of Baynham Hall, who were well known for generations as bonesetters alongside their farming activities), and his wife Sue.

Raine was educated in Kington, Herefordshire, and wanted to be an actress from the age of 13, as her father starred in amateur dramatics with the Eardisley Little Theatre.

Raine studied drama and cultural studies at the University of the West of England, Bristol. After graduating, she was turned down by every drama school she applied to, so went to Thailand and taught English as a second language.

Career

Theatre

Returning home after a year, she applied to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art a second time and was accepted. Moving to London in anticipation of starting her course, she worked part-time as a waitress and for BT Group.

After graduating in 2008, Raine began a successful stage career, initially cast as Lesley Sharp's goth daughter in Simon Stephens's Harper Regan. She played Tamsin Greig's 16-year-old daughter in David Hare's Gethsemane.

Raine played at the National Theatre in Mike Bartlett's Earthquakes in London as teenage wild-child Jasmine; and then as a secretary in the revival of Clifford Odets's Rocket to the Moon. She also appeared in Ghosts and Punk Rock, for which she won the Manchester Evening News Award for Best Supporting Actress.

She played a role in the Young Vic's revival of The Changeling. In 2012 Raine starred in Beyond Ballets Russes at the London Coliseum.

Screen

Raine's first screen credits were an appearance in a 2009 episode of Garrow's Law and a small role in the 2010 film Robin Hood.

She starred as the lead character Jenny Lee in the first three series of the BBC One drama Call the Midwife. On 9 March 2014, it was announced that Raine was leaving the show at the end of series three to pursue a film career in the United States.

Raine was a guest star in the 2013 Doctor Who episode "Hide". Later that year, she appeared as Doctor Whos original producer, Verity Lambert, in the fact-based drama An Adventure in Space and Time, showing the creation of the series as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.

In February 2014, Raine joined the cast of the BBC Two police drama Line of Duty for series two as Detective Constable Georgia Trotman, working for the AC12 anti-corruption unit.

In July 2015, Raine played Tuppence Beresford in the series Partners in Crime based on Agatha Christie's Tommy and Tuppence stories, though the series is set in 1952 rather than the 1920s.

In 2017, Raine played Alison Laithwaite in The Last Post, which she has described as her "favourite character I've played so far, ever. It was a real transformation. She's kind of self-destructive, witty and she's climbing the walls with frustration and boredom, but she just wants to have fun."

In 2019, Raine played Genevieve Taylor, a British liaison officer for Europol in the Netherlands, in the BBC One drama series Baptiste.

In 2022 she played the lead role in the TV thriller series The Devil's Hour, opposite Peter Capaldi.

Radio

On radio, she has played Felice in the Murray Gold play Kafka the Musical, broadcast in April 2011 on BBC Radio 3. She also played the part of Kasey in Ed Harris' radio play The Wall, broadcast in February 2011 on BBC Radio 3.

Personal life

Raine began a relationship with fellow actor Tom Goodman-Hill sometime after they met while appearing in the 2010 production of the play Earthquakes in London. After Goodman-Hill's divorce, they married on 30 August 2015. The couple have a child together, born in February 2019.

Filmography

Film

Television

Radio

Stage

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. (14 September 2009). "Introducing… Jessica Raine". Officiallondontheatre.com.
2. (9 February 2012). "Eardisley whist drive, Jessica Raine and Felicity Aston". [[Hereford Times]].
3. Roche, Elisa. (10 April 2012). "Call The Midwife star Jessica Raine: Why I made babies cry for TV show". [[Daily Express]].
4. (16 February 2013). "Lloyds of Baynham".
5. Bywater, Robin. (June 2010). "Bonesetting: Recollections of a Dying Gift". Leintwatdine History Society Journal.
6. CB. (20 August 2013). "Introducing… Jessica Raine".
7. Kellaway, Kate. (4 January 2009). "Horribly funny ... stroppy ... touching ... troubled but coping". [[The Guardian]].
8. Hogard, Liz. (16 January 2012). "Meet Jessica Raine, star of new BBC drama Call the Midwife". [[Evening Standard]].
9. (29 December 2008). "Stars who will shine in 2009 - Theatre: Jessica Raine". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
10. Spencer, Charles. (31 March 2011). "Rocket to the Moon, National Theatre, review". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
11. "Jessica Raine Profile".
12. Eden, Richard. (25 March 2012). "Call the Midwife star Jessica Raine in contract dilemma". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
13. Methven, Nicola. (2014-03-09). "Call The Midwife star Jessica Raine quits award-winning BBC drama for Hollywood". [[Daily Mirror]].
14. . (30 January 2013). ["Doctor Who drama casts David Bradley as William Hartnell"](https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-21251726). *[[BBC]]*.
15. Earnshaw, Jessica. (19 October 2017). "The Last Post: Jessica Raine admits she was forced to reshoot this 'horrendous' scene". [[Daily Express]].
16. Robson, Jeff. (1 October 2017). "It's dashed hot in BBC1's new Sunday drama – but The Last Post isn't quite "warm bath" TV". [[The i Paper]].
17. Kanter, Jake. (June 22, 2021). "'The Devil's Hour': Jessica Raine, Peter Capaldi To Headline Amazon Thriller Series".
18. (2024-06-09). "Kafka the Musical {{!}} Sun 24 Apr 2011 20:00 {{!}} BBC Radio 3". [[BBC]].
19. (2012-05-12). "The Wall {{!}} Sat 26 Feb 2011 21:30 {{!}} BBC Radio 3". [[BBC]].
20. (5 September 2015). "Call the Midwife star Jessica Raine marries Tom Goodman-Hill 2 weeks after engagement".
21. Ransom, Jessica. (6 March 2019). "Former Call the Midwife star Jessica Raine has welcomed her first child".
22. "Patrick Melrose {{!}} Characters {{!}} Julia - Played by Jessica Raine". [[Showtime (TV network).
23. (2011-05-22). "Stars of the future: The Shortlist 2010". [[The Times]].
24. (2012-04-03). "Vote in South Bank Show Breakthrough award". [[The Times]].
25. (2014-06-20). "Critics' Choice TV Awards: Complete list of winners and nominees". [[Los Angeles Times]].