Siân Brooke

Siân Brooke
Born
Siân Elizabeth Phillips

1980 (age 43–44)
Lichfield, England
EducationRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art (BA)
Years active2002–present
Children2

Siân Brooke (born Siân Elizabeth Phillips; 1980)[1] is an English actress. Her television work includes Cape Wrath (2007), Sherlock (2017), Doctor Foster (2017), Good Omens (2019), Guilt (2019), Trying (2020–), House of the Dragon (2022), and Blue Lights (2023-).

Early life and education

[edit]

Siân Elizabeth Phillips was born in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England, in 1980 and is the youngest of three siblings. She took on a stage name to avoid confusion with Welsh actress Siân Phillips, choosing Brooke after an English Civil War general Lord Brooke who was killed at Lichfield.[2] She is the daughter of a police officer and a teacher.[3] Her parents are Welsh.[4] Brooke's early education was at The Friary School in Lichfield.[3] She initially joined the Lichfield Youth Theatre at the age of 11 before becoming a member of the National Youth Theatre and subsequently training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), from where she graduated in 2002.[3][5]

Career

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Her acting debut was as Krista in television series Dinotopia in 2002.[6] Brooke's television credits include A Touch of Frost, Hotel Babylon, Foyle's War, and The Fixer. As a child, she was featured in Strangers in Utah with Adrian Dunbar and Phyllida Law. She also played the lead roles of Laura in All About George and Lori Marcuse in Cape Wrath.

Brooke has lent her voice to the radio dramas Murder on the Homefront, A Pin to See the Peepshow, and Dreaming in Africa.[7]

Brooke's theatre work includes Harvest, Dying City, Dido Queen of Carthage, In The Club, The Birthday Party, “I’m Not Running” and Absolutely Perhaps. She has also appeared in productions of Poor Beck, A Midsummer Night's Dream, King Lear and Romeo and Juliet, with the Royal Shakespeare Company.[7] From July to August 2008, Brooke played Dorothy Gale in the musical The Wizard of Oz at the Southbank Centre. The production was directed by Jude Kelly.[8] During 2011 at the Almeida Theatre, London, she appeared in Stephen Poliakoff's My City and Neil LaBute's Reasons to be Pretty. From August to October 2015, Brooke played Ophelia alongside Benedict Cumberbatch in the Barbican's production of Hamlet.[9][10]

In 2017, Brooke starred in the fourth series of the television crime drama Sherlock as Sherlock Holmes' secret sister, Eurus. She initially auditioned for several characters in the show before the showrunners told Brooke that all the characters were one, Eurus, who would be a master of disguise.[11] Michael Hogan writing for The Daily Telegraph in his review of the third episode of the series commented that the role was "a star-making turn from Siân Brooke".[12] Later in the year, she appeared with Sheridan Smith and Gemma Whelan in the BBC miniseries The Moorside, based on the kidnapping of Shannon Matthews.[13] She starred as Karen in the first two series of Apple TV series Trying, which has been renewed for a third series[14]

Her lead role performance in the 2023-24 BBC series Blue Lights as Grace Ellis, a mother of a teenager who made the decision in her 40s to leave her job as a social worker to join the Police Service of Northern Ireland, has been critically acclaimed.[15]

Personal life

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Brooke is married and has two children.[6][16] She is an ambassador for the climate change adaptation charity The Glacier Trust.[17]

Filmography

[edit]

Television

[edit]
Year(s) Title Role Notes Ref(s)
2002–2003 Dinotopia Krista 5 episodes [6][18]
2005 All About George Laura 6 episodes [19][20]
2005 Under the Greenwood Tree Susan Dewy Television film [21][22]
2006 A Touch of Frost Carol Haymarsh Episode: "Endangered Species" [23]
2006 Housewife, 49 Evelyn Edwards Television film [23]
2007 Foyle's War Phyllis Law Episode: "Bleak Midwinter" [23]
2007 Hotel Babylon Lisa 1 episode [24]
2007 Cape Wrath Lori Marcuse Main cast [25]
2008 The Fixer Melrose Cassidy 1 episode [23]
2008 Midsomer Murders Christine Turner Episode: "The Magician's Nephew" [23]
2008 The Commander DC Marian Randall Television film [26]
2009 Doc Martin Claire 1 episode [27]
2010 Vexed Suzie Miller 1 episode [28]
2010 New Tricks Eileen Harrison Episode: "Dark Chocolate" [29]
2011 Garrow's Law Ann Hadfield 1 episode [30]
2011 Silk Annie Laidlaw 1 episode [31]
2013 Man Down Daisy 1 episode [32]
2014 Lewis Jennie Brightway Episode: "The Lions of Nemea" [33]
2015 Not Safe for Work Martine McCutcheon Main cast [34][35]
2017 Sherlock Eurus Holmes Main cast (Series 4) [36]
2017 The Moorside Natalie Brown Miniseries [37][38]
2017 Doctor Foster Sian Lambert Main cast (Series 2) [39]
2018 The Terror Sophia Cracroft Supporting role (Season 1)
2019 Good Omens Deirdre Young Main cast [40]
2019 Guilt Claire Main cast (Series 1) [41]
2019 The Cure Julie Bailey Television film [42][43]
2020–present Trying Karen Main cast [44]
2021 Stephen Cressida Dick Miniseries [45]
2022 No Return Megan McGee Miniseries [46]
2022-2024 House of the Dragon Queen Aemma Arryn Episode: "The Heirs of the Dragon", "Smallfolk" [47][48]
2023-present Blue Lights Constable Grace Ellis Lead role [49]
2024 Supacell Victoria Kesh Television series [50]

Film

[edit]
Year(s) Title Role Ref(s)
2019 Radioactive Bronia Sklodowska [51]
2020 Body of water Stephanie [52]

Stage

[edit]
Year(s) Title Role Theatre Notes Ref(s)
2002 Just a Bloke Lisa Royal Court Theatre 7 November – 23 November [53][54]
2002 The One with the Oven Sarah Royal Court Theatre 7 November – 23 November [53][55]
2003 Absolutely! (Perhaps) Dina Wyndham's Theatre 7 May – 13 September [56][57]
2004–2005 Romeo and Juliet Juliet Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Noël Coward Theatre 		25 March 2004 – 8 October 2004
16 December 2004 – 8 January 2005 		[58][59][60][61]
2004–2005 King Lear Cordelia Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Theatre Royal, Newcastle
Noël Coward Theatre 		17 June 2004 – 14 October 2004
16 November 2004 – 20 November 2004
13 January 2005 – 5 February 2005 		[62][63][64][65]
2004–2005 Poor Beck Myrrha The Other Place
Soho Theatre 		29 September 2004 – 7 October 2004
11 March 2005 – 16 March 2005 		[66][67][68]
2005 Harvest Laura Royal Court Theatre 2 September – 1 October [69][70][71]
2006 A Midsummer Night's Dream Hermia Theatre Royal, Nottingham
Hackney Empire
St David's Hall 		11 February
12 February
25 March 		[72]
2006 Dying City Kelly Royal Court Theatre 12 May – 10 June [73][74]
2007–2008 In the Club Sasha Hampstead Theatre
Richmond Theatre
Festival Theatre, Malvern
Wycombe Swan
Theatre Royal, Brighton
Belgrade Theatre
New Theatre, Cardiff 		25 July 2007 – 25 August 2007
12 February 2008 – 16 February 2008
18 February 2008 – 23 February 2008
25 February 2008 – 1 March 2008
3 March 2008 – 8 March 2008
10 March 2008 – 15 March 2008
18 March 2008 – 22 March 2008 		[75][76][77]
2008 The Birthday Party Lulu Lyric Theatre 8 May – 24 May [78][79]
2008 The Wizard of Oz Dorothy Royal Festival Hall 23 July – 31 August [8][80]
2009 Dido, Queen of Carthage Anna Royal National Theatre 17 March – 7 May [81][82]
2009 Article 19 Royal Court Theatre 3 July – 4 July [83]
2010 Wanderlust Clare Walsh Royal Court Theatre 9 September – 9 October [84][85][86]
2010 Joseph K Various Gate Theatre 11 November – 18 December [87][88]
2011 Ecstasy Jean Hampstead Theatre
Duchess Theatre 		10 March – 9 April
12 April – 28 May 		[89][90]
2011 My City Julie Almeida Theatre 8 September – 5 November [91][92]
2011–2012 Reasons to Be Pretty Steph Almeida Theatre 10 November 2011 – 14 January 2012 [93][94]
2013 Tartuffe Elmire Birmingham Repertory Theatre 1 November – 16 November [95][96]
2015 Hamlet Ophelia Barbican Centre 5 August – 31 October [97][98]
2018 I'm Not Running Pauline National Theatre [99]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Results for Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records". Findmypast. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  2. ^ Fullerton, Huw. "Who plays Sherlock's Euros Holmes?". Radio Times. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  3. ^ a b c "Sian's performances are praised as she works with the best in British theatre". Lichfield Mercury. 26 January 2012. Archived from the original on 31 January 2017. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  4. ^ Whitfield, Lydia (25 April 2004). "Revealed: Wales's top 50 single women". Wales on Sunday. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
  5. ^ "Sian Brooke". Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  6. ^ a b c "Sian Brooke on Hamlet, Parenthood and her studies at RADA" (PDF). Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  7. ^ a b "National Theatre: Company Members: Sian Brooke". National Theatre. Archived from the original on 17 August 2011.
  8. ^ a b Gardner, Lyn (30 July 2008). "The Wizard of Oz". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  9. ^ Trueman, Matt (18 November 2011). "Sian Brooke: The beauty of changing places". The Stage. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  10. ^ Sierz, Aleks (18 November 2011). "Reviews: Reasons To Be Pretty". The Stage. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  11. ^ Jones, Paul. "Sian Brooke auditioned several times for Sherlock after being told that each of Eurus's disguises were separate roles". Radio Times. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  12. ^ Hogan, Michael (17 January 2017). "Sherlock episode 3: The Final Problem, review: 'an exhilarating thrill-ride'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  13. ^ "Meet the cast of The Moorside". Radio Times. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  14. ^ Kanter, Jake (24 March 2021). "Apple Renews British Comedy 'Trying' Ahead Of Season 2 Premiere On May 14". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  15. ^ Ryan, Aine (13 May 2024). "The Guide-Critic's View-Blue Lights". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  16. ^ Mellor, Louisa (13 January 2017). "Sherlock series 4: Sian Brooke on keeping her role secret". Den of Geek.
  17. ^ "Siân Brooke joins The Glacier Trust". The Glacier Trust. 3 November 2017. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  18. ^ "Dinotopia". TV.com. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  19. ^ "Sian Brooke". TV Guide. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  20. ^ Flett, Kathryn (2 October 2005). "Comfort TV". The Guardian.
  21. ^ "Under the Greenwood Tree Cast and Credits". PBS. Archived from the original on 8 June 2008.
  22. ^ "Under the Greenwood Tree". Ecosse Films. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014.
  23. ^ a b c d e "Siân Brooke". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  24. ^ "Hotel Babylon – second series coming soon to BBC One". BBC. 20 December 2006.
  25. ^ Terrace, Vincent (6 November 2008). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010, 2d ed. McFarland. p. 676. ISBN 978-0-7864-8641-0.
  26. ^ "Abduction (2008)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  27. ^ "Doc Martin". Radio Times. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  28. ^ "Vexed, Series 1, Episode 1". BBC. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  29. ^ "New Tricks, Series 7, Episode 4". BBC. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  30. ^ "Garrow's Law, Series 3, Episode 1". BBC. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  31. ^ "Silk, Series 1, Episode 2". BBC. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  32. ^ Brown, David. "Man Down". Radio Times. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  33. ^ "Lewis". Radio Times. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  34. ^ "Sian Brooke interview for Not Safe for Work". Channel 4. 2 June 2015.
  35. ^ Jones, Ellen (21 July 2015). "Not Safe for Work, Channel 4 - TV review: A portrait of a generation of youngish professionals who stay out too late on work nights". The Independent.
  36. ^ Gilbert, Sophie (9 January 2017). "The Mystery of Sherlock's New Antagonist". The Atlantic.
  37. ^ "Sheridan Smith announced to star in new BBC One drama The Moorside Project". BBC. 8 January 2016.
  38. ^ "Sherlock, Broadchurch and the return of Christina Ricci: the best television shows in 2017". The Daily Telegraph. 27 December 2016.
  39. ^ "Sian Brooke on joining BBC hit drama Doctor Foster: The writing is so strong". Sunday Express. 3 September 2017.
  40. ^ "Sherlock star Sian Brooke joins the frankly ridiculous cast of Neil Gaiman's Good Omens". Radio Times. 22 September 2017.
  41. ^ "Claire". BBC. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  42. ^ Channel 4 commissions drama of Stafford Hospital scandal – Channel 4 press release
  43. ^ The Cure review – a nightmare drama about the Mid Staffs hospital scandal – Lucy Mangan, The Guardian, 19 Dec 2019
  44. ^ Gallucci, Nicole (22 July 2022). "'Trying' Season 2 Recap: What to Know Before Season 3". Decider. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  45. ^ Goldbart, Max (14 February 2022). "'Sherlock' Star Siân Brooke To Lead BBC Police Thriller 'Blue Lights' From 'The Salisbury Poisonings' Creators; Filming Has Begun In Belfast". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  46. ^ Cremona, Patrick (8 February 2022). "Meet the cast of ITV drama No Return". Radio Times. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  47. ^ Daly, Helen (23 August 2022). "Who is Queen Aemma in House of the Dragon and who plays her?". Radio Times. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  48. ^ "'House of the Dragon' season 2 surprise cameo lays Daemon bare". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  49. ^ Singh, Anita (28 March 2023). "Blue Lights, review: BBC One's Belfast cop drama deserves as much hype as Line of Duty". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  50. ^ Emily Murray (28 June 2024). "Netflix's Supacell ending explained and post-credits scene breakdown: how does it set up a potential season 2?". gamesradar. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  51. ^ "Radioactive (2019)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  52. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (15 October 2020). "Body of Water review – one wedding, and a sobering take on eating disorders". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
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  55. ^ "Tour archive for The One with the Oven (Play)". UK Theatre Web. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  56. ^ Billington, Michael (21 May 2003). "Absolutely! (Perhaps)". The Guardian.
  57. ^ "Tour archive for Absolutely!! (Perhaps) (Play)". UK Theatre Web. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  58. ^ Orme, Steve. "Romeo and Juliet". The British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
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  61. ^ "Tour archive for Romeo and Juliet (Play)". UK Theatre Web. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  62. ^ Billington, Michael (1 July 2004). "King Lear". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
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  64. ^ Fisher, Philip. "King Lear". The British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
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  91. ^ Spencer, Charles (16 September 2011). "My City, Almeida Theatre, review". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
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  93. ^ Billington, Michael (18 November 2011). "Reasons to be Pretty – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
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  95. ^ Billington, Michael (7 November 2013). "Tartuffe – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
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  99. ^ "David Hare's 'I'm Not Running', National Theatre, Lyttelton review: An absorbing, flawed evening". The Independent.
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