Ellie Bamber

Ellie Bamber is an English actress best known for her breakout role as Lydia Bennet in the 2016 horror adaptation Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and subsequent leading performances in films like Tom Ford's Nocturnal Animals (2016), where she played the daughter of Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams's characters, and Disney's The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018), in which she portrayed Louise, the sister of the protagonist Clara.^[1][2] Born in Surrey, England, her West End debut came in 2015 with the stage musical High Society at the Old Vic in London, earning her an Evening Standard Theatre Award nomination for Best Newcomer in a Musical. Bamber transitioned to screen work with her film roles in 2016, quickly establishing herself as a versatile performer capable of handling both period dramas and contemporary thrillers.^[3][4] In television, Bamber gained further acclaim for portraying Angela Knippenberg, the first wife of serial killer Charles Sobhraj, in the 2021 BBC/Netflix miniseries The Serpent, a role that required her to learn Thai and perfect a German accent.^[5][6] She followed this with the part of model Mandy Rice-Davies in the BBC drama The Trial of Christine Keeler (2019), exploring the Profumo affair, and took on the lead role of Elora Danan in the 2022 Disney+ fantasy series Willow, a sequel to the 1988 film.^[7][8] Her theatre work includes the title role of Hilde Wangel in Ibsen's The Lady from the Sea (2017) at the Donmar Warehouse, for which she received third prize at the Ian Charleson Awards, recognizing outstanding Shakespearean or classical performances by actors under 30.^[9] Bamber's filmography also features independent projects like High Resolution (2018), where she won Best Actress at the Orlando Film Festival, and roles including Princess Bertha in the historical epic William Tell (2024) and supermodel Kate Moss in the biopic Moss & Freud (2025), as well as her portrayal of Catherine Fedden in the 2025 stage adaptation of The Line of Beauty at the Almeida Theatre.^{[10][11][12][13]} Throughout her rising career, she has been praised for her range across genres, from fantasy and romance to true-crime dramas, and has served as a Chanel ambassador, blending her acting with fashion influences.^[14]

Early life and background

Family and upbringing

Eleanor Elizabeth Bamber was born on 2 February 1997 in Surrey, England.^[3][15] She is the daughter of David Bamber, a finance professional who manages private investments, and Zoe Bamber, a talent manager and producer who has worked on projects such as the film County Lines.^[16][17] Bamber has a younger brother named Lucas.^[16][18] Bamber spent her childhood primarily in Berkshire, near Surrey, where she enjoyed outdoor activities such as skateboarding and horse riding down country lanes.^[16][18] Her early years were marked by a "really lovely" family environment that fostered creativity.^[18] Although initially shy, Bamber developed an innate interest in performing arts during childhood, often putting on impromptu shows and singing for her family, which sometimes annoyed them but highlighted her budding passion.^[18] Her family's support played a key role in nurturing this interest; her mother, who had aspired to be a dancer, actively encouraged Bamber's acting ambitions from an early age.^[16] This familial influence helped transition her early enthusiasm into more structured drama involvement.^[16]

Education

Ellie Bamber began her formal education at Eagle House School, a preparatory school in Berkshire, England, where she was awarded a drama scholarship that supported her early interest in performing arts.^[19] This environment allowed her to engage in foundational drama activities, building confidence and skills essential for her future career.^[19] She later enrolled at Hawley Place School in Hampshire, where she continued her development in the arts, participating in her first stage production, Annie, which marked a significant step in her theatrical exposure.^[20] The school's drama program, combined with a scholarship she received, further honed her acting abilities and academic strengths, preparing her for more advanced training.^[21] Bamber completed her secondary education at Wellington College in Crowthorne, Berkshire, attending the Sixth Form on another drama scholarship that emphasized rigorous performance training.^[19][20] These scholarships and specialized programs across her schooling institutions played a crucial role in fostering her talent, enabling her transition from student performer to professional actress by providing both technical skills and opportunities for stage experience.^[22]

Career

Theatre

Bamber began her professional stage career in 2009 as the youngest-ever member of The London Players' Theatre at age 12, performing in their Victorian music hall productions.^[23][24] In 2010, she portrayed Young Jenny in a revival of the musical Aspects of Love, directed by Trevor Nunn, at the Menier Chocolate Factory from 16 February to 11 June.^[25][26][27] She played the precocious Dinah Lord in the musical High Society, directed by Maria Friedman, at the Old Vic from 6 May to 30 August 2015.^[25][28][29] In 2017, Bamber appeared as Hilde Wangel in Kwame Kwei-Armah's adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's The Lady from the Sea at the Donmar Warehouse from 6 October to 2 December.^[25][30][31] Her most recent stage role was as Catherine Fedden in the world premiere of Jack Holden's adaptation of Alan Hollinghurst's novel The Line of Beauty, directed by Michael Grandage, at the Almeida Theatre from 21 October to 29 November 2025.^[25][32][33]

Film and television

Bamber made her screen debut in the 2014 film The Falling, directed by Carol Morley, where she appeared alongside Maisie Williams in a supporting role as a schoolgirl amid a mysterious epidemic at a strict girls' institution.^[34] This marked her transition from early theatre work, where she had honed her skills as the youngest member of The London Players Theatre, to the demands of film acting, bringing a poised intensity to her initial on-camera performances. Her rising prominence in film came with roles in 2016's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, in which she portrayed the flirtatious Lydia Bennet in Burr Steers' adaptation of the zombie-infused Jane Austen novel, and Tom Ford's thriller Nocturnal Animals, where she played the vulnerable India Hastings, a character entangled in a narrative of revenge and loss. These parts showcased her ability to navigate period drama and psychological tension, collaborating with acclaimed directors and ensembles that elevated her visibility in the industry. Bamber expanded into fantasy cinema with her role as Louise Stahlbaum, the elder sister to the protagonist, in Disney's The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018), directed by Lasse Hallström and Joe Johnston, contributing to the film's blend of live-action and visual effects in a reimagined holiday tale.^[2] On television, she achieved a breakthrough as Cosette in the 2018 BBC/PBS miniseries adaptation of Les Misérables, directed by Tom Shankland, embodying the character's journey from hardship to resilience opposite Dominic West and Olivia Colman. This was followed by her portrayal of Mandy Rice-Davies in the BBC's The Trial of Christine Keeler (2019–2020), a role that captured the socialite's wit and defiance during the 1960s Profumo Affair scandal. Further international recognition arrived with her performance as Angela Knippenberg, a diplomat's wife ensnared in a web of deception, in the 2021 Netflix/BBC series The Serpent, directed by Tom Shankland, which dramatized real-life serial killings in 1970s Asia. In 2022, she took on the lead role of Elora Danan in Disney+'s Willow series, a sequel to the 1988 film, demonstrating her versatility in epic fantasy as the prophesied heir amid quests and magic. More recently, Bamber appeared as Princess Beatrice in the 2023 romantic comedy Red, White & Royal Blue, directed by Matthew López, playing the supportive sibling in a story of transatlantic romance.^[35] She continued her momentum with the lead role of Princess Bertha in the historical epic William Tell (2025), directed by Nick Hamm,^[12] the title role of Kate Moss in the biopic Moss & Freud (2025), directed by James Lucas,^[36] and Elena in the drama Words of War (2025).^[37] Her career trajectory reflects a shift from theatre-influenced supporting roles to prominent screen leads, spanning genres from period pieces and thrillers to fantasy and comedy, with upcoming projects like the ensemble comedy Animal Friends (2026).^[38]

Works

Film

Bamber made her film debut in the 2014 British drama The Falling, directed by Carol Morley, playing an unnamed schoolgirl in a story of mass hysteria at a girls' boarding school. In 2016, she appeared in the short film Bring Back the Cat, directed by Lenny Dorfman, as Tittie Ellison, a novice private investigator's assistant.^[39] That year, Bamber portrayed the impulsive Lydia Bennet in the horror adaptation Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, directed by Burr Steers.^[40] She also featured in the neo-noir thriller Nocturnal Animals, directed by Tom Ford, as India Hastings, the daughter of the protagonists in the film's nested narrative.^[41] Bamber starred as Clara Stahlbaum in the 2018 Disney fantasy adventure The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, directed by Lasse Hallström and Joe Johnston. In the same year, she led the independent drama High Resolution, directed by Jason Lester, playing Erin, a young woman navigating relationships in New York; the role earned her the Best Actress award at the Orlando Film Festival.^[42][10] Bamber played Zoe, a classmate entangled in a murder-for-hire scheme, in the 2019 black comedy Extracurricular Activities, directed by Jay Lowi.^[43] In 2020, she appeared as Becky Cornelius in the horror film The Show, directed by Giancarlo Esposito, based on a story by Alan Moore. Bamber took on the supporting role of Princess Beatrice in the 2023 romantic comedy Red, White & Royal Blue, directed by Matthew López, adapted from Casey McQuiston's novel.^[44] In 2025, she portrayed Princess Bertha in the historical epic William Tell, directed by Nick Hamm.^[45] That year, Bamber played Elena Milashina, a fellow journalist, in the biographical drama Words of War, directed by James Strong.^[46] She starred as Kate Moss in the 2025 biographical drama Moss & Freud, directed by James Lucas, dramatizing the supermodel's relationship with painter Lucian Freud.^[47] As of November 2025, several of Bamber's films remain in post-production or limited release. These include the period romance Prisoners of Paradise (also titled Ambleside, 2025), directed by Mitch Jenkins, in which she plays Lucy Gladwell, an orphan sent to a Jamaican plantation (world premiere September 2025);^[48][49] the animated adventure Animal Friends (2026), directed by Peter Atencio, with her role TBA;^[50] Stranger with a Camera (2026), directed by Oorlagh George, as Grainne McCrea, a teenager uncovering family secrets tied to the IRA;^[51] and The Face of Horror (2026), directed by Anna Biller, with her role TBA.

Television

Bamber's television career began with a guest appearance in the ITV crime drama miniseries A Mother's Son (2012), where she played the role of Olivia over two episodes.^[52] In 2015, she appeared as Martine in a single episode, "The Prodigal Father," of the BBC adventure series The Musketeers.^[53] Bamber rose to wider recognition portraying Cosette in the BBC One/PBS Masterpiece six-part miniseries adaptation of Les Misérables (2018–2019), appearing in all six episodes. She subsequently starred as Mandy Rice-Davies in the BBC One historical drama series The Trial of Christine Keeler (2019–2020), which spanned six episodes. In 2021, Bamber played Angela Knippenberg in the eight-episode BBC/Netflix limited crime series The Serpent. Her most recent television role to date is as Elora Danan (initially introduced as Dove) in the Disney+ fantasy series revival Willow (2022), appearing in all eight episodes of the single season.^[54]

Theatre

Bamber began her professional stage career in 2009 as the youngest-ever member of The London Players' Theatre at age 12, performing in their Victorian music hall productions.^[23][24] In 2010, she portrayed Young Jenny in a revival of the musical Aspects of Love, directed by Trevor Nunn, at the Menier Chocolate Factory from 16 February to 11 June.^[25][26][27] She played the precocious Dinah Lord in the musical High Society, directed by Maria Friedman, at the Old Vic from 6 May to 30 August 2015.^[25][28][29] In 2017, Bamber appeared as Hilde Wangel in Kwame Kwei-Armah's adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's The Lady from the Sea at the Donmar Warehouse from 6 October to 2 December.^[25][30][31] Her most recent stage role was as Catherine Fedden in the world premiere of Jack Holden's adaptation of Alan Hollinghurst's novel The Line of Beauty, directed by Michael Grandage, at the Almeida Theatre from 21 October to 29 November 2025.^[25][32][33]

Awards and nominations

Theatre awards

Bamber received her first major theatre recognition with a nomination for the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Newcomer in a Musical in 2015, for her performance as Dinah Lord in the musical High Society at the Old Vic.^[55] The 61st Evening Standard Theatre Awards, held at the Old Vic Theatre on 22 November 2015, honored emerging talents in London's theatre scene, with Bamber competing alongside nominees such as Natalie Dew for Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical.^[56] She did not win the category, which was awarded to another performer.^[57] In 2018, Bamber won third prize at the Ian Charleson Awards for her portrayal of Hilde Wangel in Henrik Ibsen's The Lady from the Sea at the Donmar Warehouse.^[58] The awards, established to recognize outstanding classical performances by actors under 30 and announced annually by The Sunday Times, presented the third prize—valued at £500—to Bamber at a ceremony held at the National Theatre on 18 May 2018.^[59] This accolade highlighted her nuanced depiction of the rebellious younger sister in the 2017 production directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah. No further theatre-specific awards or nominations for Bamber have been recorded through 2025.^[60]

Film and television awards

Bamber's breakthrough in film awards came in 2018 when she won the Best Actress award at the Orlando Film Festival for her leading role as Erin in the independent drama High Resolution, directed by Justin Chon.^[10] In 2022, she received the Actress Award at the inaugural Soho House Awards, recognizing her standout television performances as Mandy Rice-Davies in the BBC historical drama The Trial of Christine Keeler and Angela Knippenberg in the Netflix true-crime series The Serpent.^[61] In 2025, Bamber won the Best Actress award at the Boston Film Festival for her role as Lucy Gladwell in the film Ambleside.^[62]