Emerald Fennell

Emerald Lilly Fennell (born 1 October 1985) is an English actress, author, screenwriter and director. She is best known as the show-runner for the second season of the critically acclaimed BBC America thriller series Killing Eve which earned her two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. She is also known for her performances in film and television which include, The Crown, Call the Midwife, Anna Karenina, Albert Nobbs, and Vita and Virginia. In 2020, her directorial debut, Promising Young Woman starring Carey Mulligan debuted at the Sundance Film Festival.

Emerald Fennell
Fennell reading from one of her books in 2013
Born
Emerald Lilly Fennell

(1985-10-01) 1 October 1985[1][2]
London, England
OccupationActress, author, screenwriter, film producer, film director
Years active2008–present
Parent(s)Theo Fennell
Louise MacGregor

Early life

Born in London, Fennell went to Marlborough College. She then studied English at Oxford University, where she acted in university plays. There she was spotted by Lindy King of United Agents.[3]

Her sister, Coco Fennell, is a fashion designer.[4][5] Her parents are multi-millionaire jewellery designer Theo Fennell and author Louise (née MacGregor).[6]

Career

Fennell appeared in the Channel 4 sitcom Chickens with Simon Bird, Joe Thomas and Jonny Sweet. She then joined the cast of the BBC One series Call the Midwife as Patsy Mount,[7] after dyeing her blonde hair red.[8] She is also known for her film roles in Albert Nobbs (2011) and Anna Karenina (2012), The Danish Girl (2015) and Vita and Virginia (2019).

On 23 October 2018, it was revealed that Fennell would play Camilla Shand in third season of the acclaimed Netflix series The Crown with Olivia Colman replacing Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II.[9]

Fennell took over for Phoebe Waller-Bridge as the head writer for season two of the critically acclaimed BBC series Killing Eve. She wrote 6 episodes for the season, and called the experience "life-changing".[10] Waller-Bridge praised Fennell's handling of the show's second season stating that "it [the second season] is fantastic and it feels so brilliant because Emerald's voice is so unique. Her roar is very evident in it and that's what gives it its energy."[11]

In 2020, Fennell's directorial debut Promising Young Woman starring Carey Mulligan, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews.[12] At April 2020, the film holds a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes with the critics consensus reading, "A boldly provocative, timely thriller, Promising Young Woman is an auspicious feature debut for writer-director Emerald Fennell -- and a career highlight for Carey Mulligan".[12]

Filmography

Film
Year Film Role Ref.
2010Mr. NiceRachel[13]
2011Albert NobbsMrs. Smythe-Willard
2012Anna KareninaPrincess Merkalova
2015The Danish GirlElsa
2015PanCommander
2018Vita and VirginiaVanessa Bell
2020Promising Young WomanWriter-Director

Television
Year Film Role Notes
2006Trial & RetributionSheenaEpisode: Sins of the Father - Part 1
2010New TricksVicky (Receptionist)Episode: Coming Out Ball
2010Any Human HeartLottie3 episodes
2011–13ChickensAgnesEpisode: 7 episodes
2013BlandingsMonica SimmonsEpisode: Problem with Drink
2013The Lady VanishesOdetteTelevision film
2013Murder on the Home FrontIssy QuennellTelevision film
2013–17Call the MidwifeNurse Patsy Mount27 episodes
2016DriftersLizzieEpisode: Halloween
2017VictoriaAda LovelaceEpisode: Green Eyed Monster
2019The CrownCamilla Shand3 episodes
2019Killing EveWriter6 episodes

Writing

In 2008, Fennell was commissioned to write a film script (co-produced by Madeleine Lloyd Webber). Called Chukka, it's a romantic comedy about a group of teenagers who fight the closure of their school by taking on the rich kids at polo.[3]

Her first novel was published by Bloomsbury Children's Books in January 2013: Shiverton Hall, a children's fantasy.[14][15] In December 2012, it was released as an ebook by Bloomsbury USA.[15]

The Creeper, a sequel, was published mid-2014. ISFDB catalogues them as the Shiverton Hall series.[15] It was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize in 2014. She then released Monsters in September 2015,[16] her first adult horror book.[17]

In July 2018, it was announced that Fennell was hired by her close friend Phoebe Waller-Bridge as head writer for the second season of the BBC America series Killing Eve, replacing Waller-Bridge, who remains as a producer. Fennell also become one of the show's executive producers. Speaking to The New York Times, Fennell said "Phoebe [Waller-Bridge] and I had worked together in the past, and we’ve been friends for nearly 10 years. We met on a film — Albert Nobbs — which we both had tiny parts in. I started in the very early days as a writer in the Season 2 writer's room. Because it's such an unusual show, they did a very loose writers' room for a week just to see, and then wonderfully and luckily for me they promoted me to head writer."[10] The second season began broadcast in April 2019.[18] At the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards, Fennell was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for the season 2 episode "Nice and Neat".[19]

In January 2019, it was announced Fennell would write and direct Promising Young Woman starring Carey Mulligan.[20] Production began in March 2019.[21] She also produced the film, together with Margot Robbie and four other producers. In January 2020, Andrew Lloyd Webber announced he would collaborate with Fennell on a new musical, Cinderella, which is planned to open in London in October 2020.[22]

Publications
  1. Shiverton Hall (2012)
  2. The Creeper (2014)
  3. Rollercoasters Shiverton Hall (2014)
  4. Monsters (2015)

Awards and Nominations
Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2018Sundance Film FestivalShort Film Grand Jury PrizeCareful How You GoNominated[23]
2019Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Drama SeriesKilling EveNominated
Outstanding Writing for a Drama SeriesKilling Eve (Episode: Nice and Neat)Nominated
2020USC Scripter AwardTelevisionNominated

References
  1. "Trending: Actress Emerald Fennell". Tatler. 1 October 2003. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  2. "All England & Wales, Birth Index, 1916-2005 results for Emerald Fennell". www.ancestry.com.au. 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  3. Liz Hoggard (2 December 2010). "Why Emerald Fennell is the hidden gem in hit drama Any Human Heart". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  4. "Coco Fennell online fashion boutique". timeout.com. 9 May 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  5. "I AM...Emerald Fennell". the-pool.com. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
  6. Gordon, Naomi (25 October 2018). "Who is Emerald Fennell, the actress playing Camilla in The Crown's season 3?". Harper's BAZAAR. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
  7. Marshall, Denise (15 February 2014). "Call The Midwife's Jessica Raine on shock departure". Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  8. Methven, Nicola (27 January 2015). "Call The Midwife's Emerald Fennell definitely isn't too posh to push despite privileged background". The Mirror. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  9. Iannucci, Rebecca (23 October 2018). "The Crown Season 3 Casts Camilla With Call the Midwife's Emerald Fennell". TVLine. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  10. Stanford, Eleanor (26 May 2019). "'Killing Eve' Showrunner: 'All Obsession Is Sexual'". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  11. Gordon, Naomi (13 May 2019). "Phoebe Waller-Bridge on what Emerald Fennell brings to series 2 of Killing Eve". Harper's BAZAAR. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  12. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/promising_young_woman
  13. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2193504/
  14. Shiverton Hall. Bloomsbury Childrens. January 2013. ISBN 978-1408827789.
  15. "Emerald Fennell – Summary Bibliography". ISFDB. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  16. Hassell, Katherine (12 September 2015). "Call The Midwife's Emerald Fennell: Friday nights are spent at home". Daily Express. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  17. Langley, Edwina (9 September 2015). "'I just love horror': Emerald Fennell on her first adult book Monsters". Evening Standard. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  18. Porter, Rick (27 July 2018). "'Killing Eve' Hires New Head Writer, Directors for Season 2". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 30 December 2018.
  19. White, Peter (16 July 2019). "'Killing Eve' Looks To Avenge Last Year's Emmy Disappointment As Brit Spy Series Scores Nine Nominations Including Best Drama Series & Two Lead Actress Nods". Deadline. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  20. Wiseman, Andreas (31 January 2019). "Carey Mulligan To Star In FilmNation, LuckyChap Thriller 'Promising Young Woman' — EFM". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  21. N'Duka, Amanda (29 March 2019). "Bo Burnham To Star Opposite Carey Mulligan In 'Promising Young Woman'; Alison Brie, Connie Britton, Adam Brody & More Round Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
  22. Wiegand, Chris (10 January 2020). "Killing Eve's Emerald Fennell and Andrew Lloyd Webber create new Cinderella". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  23. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2193504/awards?ref_=nm_awd
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