Lily James

Early life and education

Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson was born on 5 April 1989 in Esher, Surrey, the daughter of Ninette Mantle, an actress, and James "Jamie" Thomson, a musician. She has two brothers, one older and one younger. Her maternal grandmother was French, and during World War II fled her village near Paris because of the Nazis. After settling in England, she married James' grandfather, a chaplain in the Royal Air Force.

After finishing at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts in Hertfordshire, James studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, graduating in 2010. Shortly thereafter, she signed with Tavistock Wood management in London.

Career

2009–2019: Television beginnings and breakthrough

James's television credits include Ethel Brown in the 2010 BBC production of Richmal Crompton's Just William, Poppy in the fourth series of ITV's Secret Diary of a Call Girl (2011), and Lady Rose MacClare in Downton Abbey. Lady Rose became a main character in the fourth and fifth series of the programme. James also appeared as Lady Rose in the series finale.

In 2011, James played Taylor at the Young Vic Theatre in Tanya Ronder's stage adaptation of the novel Vernon God Little directed by Rufus Norris, Nina in Russell Bolam's modern adaptation of The Seagull at Southwark Playhouse, and Desdemona in Daniel Evans' production of Othello at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, with Dominic West and Clarke Peters.

In 2012, James played the role of Katrina in Play House and Marijka in Definitely the Bahamas in a double-bill written and directed by Martin Crimp at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond, London as part of the theatre's 40th anniversary. Charles Spencer of The Telegraph wrote that "it is performed with a persuasive mixture of mischief and deeper feeling by Obi Abili and Lily James, the latter combining a mixture of neuroticism and glowing sexual allure that proves extraordinarily potent". James played the role of Korrina in the Warner Brothers film Wrath of the Titans and starred in Fast Girls, written by Noel Clarke, centered around a group of young female athletes competing in the World Championships.

James played Cinderella in Kenneth Branagh's 2015 live-action Disney film Cinderella. James was photographed by Annie Leibovitz as Cinderella, in the blue gown her character wears to the ball, for the December 2014 issue of Vogue. Her performance received critical acclaim. James also made her singing debut in the film singing "Sing Sweet Nightingale", "Lavender's Blue" and "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" from the 1950 animated film in the end credits.

In 2016, she returned to television in the 2016 BBC historical drama series War & Peace, playing Natasha Rostova. She also starred in her second major film, as Elizabeth Bennet in the action-horror film Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, a parody of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. It received mixed reviews and failed to break even at the box office. James played Juliet in the Garrick Theatre's production of Romeo and Juliet directed by Rob Ashford and the actor-director Kenneth Branagh in 2016.

In 2017, she appeared in several major films. She played Debora, the love interest of the main character, Baby, in Edgar Wright's action film Baby Driver. She played Elizabeth Layton, a secretary to the British prime minister Winston Churchill (played by Gary Oldman), in Joe Wright's war drama film Darkest Hour. She also headlined the Second World War drama film The Exception, playing a British agent posing as a servant to the exiled Kaiser Wilhelm II.

James starred as the younger version of Meryl Streep's character, Donna Sheridan, in the sequel to Mamma Mia!, titled Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. The film was released in July 2018. In the same year, James played the author Juliet Ashton in the 1940s period drama The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society who exchanges letters with the residents of Guernsey, an island off the coast of Normandy that was German-occupied during the Second World War.

In 2019, James starred as Eve Harrington in Ivo van Hove's stage adaptation of All About Eve alongside Gillian Anderson. The play opened on 15 February to positive reviews, running at the Noël Coward Theatre in the West End until 11 May.

2020–present: Rise in popularity and film roles

In 2020, James played the second Mrs de Winter in an adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's Gothic romance Rebecca directed by Ben Wheatley and co-starring Armie Hammer. In 2021, she played Peggy Piggott in The Dig, a British film directed by Simon Stone, based on the 2007 novel of the same name by John Preston. In late 2020, she was cast to play Pamela Anderson in the miniseries Pam & Tommy for Hulu.

In September 2022, it was announced that James was contracted to be a brand ambassador for the Natural Diamond Council, which promotes naturally sourced diamonds.

In June 2023, it was announced that James would star in Penelope Skinner’s new play Lyonesse at the Harold Pinter Theatre, alongside Kristin Scott Thomas, whom she previously acted with in Darkest Hour and Rebecca. It will run from 17 October to 23 December. In 2023, she starred as Pam Adkisson, Kevin Von Erich's wife, in The Iron Claw. She also starred in the Italian film Finally Dawn as Josephine Esperanto. James starred in the indie film Greedy People along with Himesh Patel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt which released in 2024.

James is set to star as the lead in the upcoming Cliffhanger reboot directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. Originally Sylvester Stallone was set to play the lead, but production announced he was no longer involved with the film.

Personal life

James' father, James Thomson, died from cancer in 2008. She took her father's first name as her stage name when she learned there was already an actress named Lily Thomson.

She was in a relationship with actor Matt Smith, whom she met while working on Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, from 2014 to 2019.

In 2021, James began dating American musician and songwriter Michael Shuman. Their relationship ended in 2023.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. "Everything You Need To Know About 'Baby Driver' Star Lily James". The Repute.
2. "Lily James: Actress (1989–)". [[Biography.com]] ([[A&E Networks]]).
3. Kaleem Aftab. (12 July 2017). "Lily James: "You're at the Mercy of Circumstance"". The Talks.
4. Pietras, Emma. (20 March 2015). "Cinderella and Downton Abbey's Lily James amazing rise to Hollywood star". [[Daily Mirror]].
5. Hansen, Pal. (23 December 2012). "Fallen angel: How Lily James is bringing scandal to Downton Abbey this Christmas". [[The Independent]].
6. (6 January 2018). "Lily James interview: How my grandmother's war diaries helped me in my Darkest Hour". The Telegraph.
7. Mottram, James. (15 March 2015). "Lily James". [[Guildhall School of Music and Drama]].
8. (30 April 2013). "Lily James to Star in Disney's 'Cinderella'".
9. "The Tatler List". [[Tatler]].
10. (31 December 2010). "Ones to Watch in 2011". Female First.
11. "Lily James to return for final episode of Downton Abbey".
12. (27 January 2011). "What's On". The Young Vic.
13. Spencer, Charles. (19 March 2012). "''Play House/Definitely the Bahamas'', Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, review". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
14. "'Downton Abbey' Star is New Cinderella".
15. Camhi, Leslie. (19 November 2014). "The New Trailer, Poster and Photos for Disney's Cinderella!". [[Vogue (magazine).
16. Taylor, Jake. (September 27, 2022). "Lily James on Mamma Mia 2 and working with Meryl Streep". Luxury London.
17. (August 1, 2017). "Lily James, a burst of sunshine in “Baby Driver”". [[Philippine Daily Inquirer]].
18. Busch, Jenna. (12 July 2017). "Mamma Mia Sequel Casts Baby Driver's Lily James".
19. Tenreyro, Tatiana. "This New 1940s Drama On Netflix Spotlights A Heroic European Book Club". [[Bustle.com.
20. (14 February 2019). "West End Review: Gillian Anderson and Lily James in 'All About Eve'".
21. Kroll, Justin. (14 November 2018). "Lily James, Armie Hammer to Star in Daphne du Maurier Adaptation 'Rebecca'".
22. Wiseman, Andreas. (8 October 2019). "'The Dig': Johnny Flynn, Ben Chaplin, Ken Stott & Monica Dolan Join Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes & Lily James In Netflix Pic Now Underway In UK".
23. (15 December 2020). "Lily James, Sebastian Stan to Play Pamela Anderson, Tommy Lee in Hulu Series About Sex Tape".
24. "Natural Diamond Council names new celebrity ambassador Lily James and unveils next global advertising campaign". Natural Diamond Council.
25. (13 October 2023). "Penelope Skinner on her #MeToo play: 'We focus on perpetrators. I wanted to explore the life that was lost'". The Guardian.
26. (4 September 2023). "How Lily James and Joe Keery Became Old Hollywood Icons in 'Finally Dawn'". Collider.
27. (November 2023). "Old Henry' Director Moves Into Dark Comedy With 'Greedy People' Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Lily James". Variety.
28. (30 July 2024). "Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Himesh Patel Make the Most of Murder in 'Greedy People' Trailer".
29. (31 October 2024). "'Cliffhanger' Reboot: Lily James and Pierce Brosnan to Star for Director Jaume Collet-Serra; Sly Stallone Out (EXCLUSIVE)".
30. McElroy, Naomi. (8 April 2021). "10 things you didn't know about actress Lily James". New York Post.
31. Hodge, Gavanndra. (7 January 2019). "Lily James unsure of marriage". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
32. (2022-09-07). "Who Is Michael Shuman, Lily James's Boyfriend? We've Got Answers, Don't Sweat".
33. Griffin, Louise. (2022-03-28). "Oscars 2022: Lily James and boyfriend Michael Shuman make red carpet debut".
34. (12 February 2023). "Lily James 'splits' from rock star boyfriend after two-year relationship".
35. (2024-01-01). "All About Lily James' On-Again-Off-Again Boyfriend Michael Shuman".
36. Hammond, Pete. (2024-08-21). "'Greedy People' Review: Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Loopy Cop Tops Black Comedy That Somehow Escaped The Coens' Grasp".
37. Wiseman, Andreas. (February 17, 2023). "Riz Ahmed & Lily James To Star In David Mackenzie Thriller 'Relay' For Thunder Road, Sigma & Black Bear: EFM Hot Package".
38. McClintock, Pamela. (2025-04-08). "'Angry Birds 3' Lands at Paramount, Sets Winter 2027 Release".
39. Cordero, Rosy. (2025-05-01). "Takashi Miike To Direct Neon's 'Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo' Starring Shun Oguri, Lily James & Liv Morgan; Film To Hit International Market At Cannes — The Dish".
40. "Beauty and the Beast".