Gina McKee

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Georgina McKee (born 14 April 1964) is an English actress. She won the 1997 BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for Our Friends in the North (1996), and earned subsequent nominations for The Lost Prince (2003) and The Street (2007). She also starred on television in The Forsyte Saga (2002) and as Caterina Sforza in The Borgias (2011). Her film appearances include Notting Hill (1999), Phantom Thread (2017), and My Policeman (2022). On the stage, she has been nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for King Lear in 2011, Dear England in 2024, and The Years in 2025.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Early life

McKee was born in Peterlee, County Durham, in 1964, the daughter of a coal miner,<ref name=Lane2008 /> and grew up there and in nearby Easington and Sunderland. Her first experience of acting occurred in her final year at primary school where her teacher finished the school week off with improvisations.<ref name=Lane2008 /> Seeing a poster in a shoe-shop window for a new youth drama group, McKee and her friends decided to attend, initially not seriously but later becoming enthusiastic.<ref name=Lane2008 /> It led to McKee's first professional appearance, working on Tyne Tees children's series Quest of Eagles.<ref name=Lane2008 />

From the age of 15, McKee spent three summers in London with the National Youth Theatre.<ref name=Lane2008 /> After completing her A-Levels at East Durham College, she decided, with her parents' blessing, to apply to drama schools rather than art colleges. However, she was rejected by Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and the Central School of Speech and Drama.<ref name=Lane2008 />

Career

McKee began her career in television with several background roles including a part on The Lenny Henry Show. She made her film debut in 1988 when she had a small role in The Lair of the White Worm. In 1996, she played Mary in the BBC drama Our Friends in the North, a role for which she won three Best Actress awards in 1997: the British Academy Television Award, the Royal Television Society Award and the Broadcasting Press Guild Award.<ref name="Ind160908">Template:Cite news</ref> McKee appeared in several episodes of the Chris Morris spoof current affairs show Brass Eye (1997, 2001) as reporter Libby Shuss.

McKee's theatre credits include Harold Pinter's The Lover and The Collection at the Comedy Theatre in London. In 2008, she appeared in the BBC drama Fiona's Story and a West End revival of Chekhov's Ivanov.<ref name="Ind180908">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2010, she appeared as Goneril in the Donmar Warehouse revival of King Lear, directed by Michael Grandage and starring Derek Jacobi. She received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

She played the mother of a deaf teenager in BBC TV's thriller The Silence opposite Genevieve Barr. In 2018, she appeared in the BBC/Netflix drama series Bodyguard as Commander Anne Sampson.Template:CN

Personal life

McKee has been married to Kez Cary since August 1989; they live in East Sussex, England.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She has been a vegetarian since 1982.<ref name=Table>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2002, McKee received an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from the University of Sunderland.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2025, McKee received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters (D.Litt) from Durham University at the Summer Congregation.

Acting credits

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1988 The Lair of the White Worm Nurse Gladwell
1989 The Rachel Papers Evonne
1989 Wilt Party Guest
1993 Naked Café Girl
1996 The Treasure Seekers Mary Leslie
Element of Doubt Beth
1998 Croupier Marion Nell
1999 Notting Hill Bella
The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc Duchess of Bedford
Wonderland Nadia
Women Talking Dirty Ellen
2000 There's Only One Jimmy Grimble<ref name="Guard270800">Ellen, Barbara; "Pale and interesting" Guardian.co.uk, 27 August 2000 (Retrieved: 1 August 2009)</ref> Donna
2001 The Zookeeper Ankica
2002 Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood Genevieve
2003 Burning the Bed Caroline
2004 The Reckoning Sarah
Mickybo and Me Jonjo's ma
2005 The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby Maureen Gray
MirrorMask White Queen/Dark Queen
2006 Scenes of a Sexual Nature Julia
2007 And When Did You Last See Your Father?<ref name="Guard080709">Morrison, Blak "This is your life" Guardian.co.uk, 29 September 2007 (Retrieved: 1 August 2009)</ref> Kathy Morrison
Atonement Sister Drummond
2009 In the Loop<ref name="Ind120409">Eyre, Hermione; "Ministry of offence: Armando Iannucci takes on the White House" Independent.co.uk, 12 April 2009 (Retrieved: 1 August 2009)</ref><ref name="Ind070908">Eyre, Hermione; "Fiona's Story, BBC 1" Independent.co.uk, 7 September 2008 (Retrieved: 1 August 2009)</ref> Judy Molloy
2013 Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian Madeleine
2015 Hector Lizzie
Taj Mahal Louise's Mother
2017 Phantom Thread Countess Henrietta Harding
2022 My Policeman Older Marion Taylor<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>
A Grand Romantic Gesture Ava Lead role<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2023 Typist Artist Pirate King Dorothy
The End We Start From F

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1979 Quest of Eagles Jane Miniseries
1986 Auf Wiedersehen, Pet Girl Episode: "Cowboys"
1986 Unnatural Causes Nancy Episode: "Home Cooking"
1987 Inspector Morse Girl in Betting Shop Episode: "Service of All the Dead"
Rockliffe's Babies Barmaid Episode: "A Few Bad Days"
The Ritz Janice Episode: "Tuesday"
Floodtide Medical Student Episode: "Four: The Trail"
1987–1988 The Lenny Henry Show Julie 12 episodes
1989 The Paradise Club Bank Teller Episode: "Short Story"
1990 Drop the Dead Donkey Lou Episode: "Death, Disaster 'n Damien"
Medics Alex Episode: "Helen Palmer"
1990, 1997 Screen Two Lynn/Caroline 2 episodes
1991 Minder Joanna Episode: "Guess Who's Coming To Pinner"
Paul Merton: The Series Jackie 1 episode
An Actor's Life For Me Sue Bishop 6 episodes
1994 In Suspicious Circumstances Evelyn Foster 2 episodes
Casualty Ginnie Davies Episode: "The Facts of Life"
1996 Our Friends in the North Mary Cox Miniseries
Frontiers Sarah Lightfoot Episode: "Casual Bank Robbers"
1997 Comedy Premieres Fiona Croft Episode: "The Chest"
Brass Eye Libby Shuss / Vivian Banch 3 episodes
Beyond Fear Stephanie Slater Television movie
2001 Dice Angela Starck Miniseries
2002–2003 The Forsyte Saga Irene Forsyte
2003 The Lost Prince Lalla Television movie
2004 The Blackwater Lightship Helen
2006 Tsunami: The Aftermath Kim Peabody Miniseries
The Lavender List Marcia Williams Television movie
2007 Lewis Diane Turnbull Episode: "Old School Ties"
The Old Curiosity Shop Sally Brass Television movie
The Street Jan Parr 2 episodes
2008 1983 The Brink of Apocalypse<ref name="Encore 2013">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Narrator
Fiona's Story Fiona Television film
2009 Waking the Dead Jackie 2 episodes
2010 Dive Jacqueline Television movie
The Silence Anne Miniseries
2011 Vera Julie Armstrong Episode: "Hidden Depths"
2011–2013 The Borgias Caterina Sforza Main cast
2012 Missing Jamie Ortega 6 episodes
Line of Duty Jackie Laverty 3 episodes
2012–2013 Hebburn Pauline 12 episodes
2012 Secret State Ellis Kane Miniseries
2013 By Any Means Helen Barlow
2016 Royal Wives At War Wallis Simpson Television film
2017 Emerald City Dr. Jane Andrews Recurring role, 5 episodes
Knightfall Landry's Mother 3 episodes
2018 Bodyguard Commander Anne Sampson Main cast
2019 The Rook Jennifer Birch Miniseries
2019 Catherine the Great Countess Bruce
2020 Black Narcissus Sister Adela

Theatre

References

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