Jessica Faye Gunning (born 1 January 1986) is an English actress. She has appeared in the TV series White Heat (2012), What Remains (2013), Back (2017–2021), and The Outlaws (2021–2024). For her breakout role in the miniseries Baby Reindeer (2024), she received a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award.[1]
Jessica Gunning | |
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Born | Jessica Faye Gunning 1 January 1986 Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, England, UK |
Occupation | Actress |
Early life and education
editGunning was born on New Years Day 1986 in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire.[2]
She was educated at Holmfirth High School near Huddersfield before attending Rose Bruford College, graduating in 2007.[3][4]
Career
editGunning began her stage career at the National Theatre in productions including Much Ado About Nothing and Major Barbara.[5][when?]
On television, she guest-starred in the 2008 Doctor Who episode "Partners in Crime".[6] She also appeared in Mutual Friends before taking a recurring role as Angela in Law & Order: UK in 2009.[7] She was also in Life of Riley as well as playing Branita in the TV pilot Lizzie and Sarah, written by Julia Davis and Jessica Hynes.[citation needed]
In 2012, she played the character of Orla in the BBC television series White Heat.[8] This was followed by a lead role as Melissa Young in BBC drama What Remains.[9] In 2013, Gunning also played the part of Summer in an episode of Great Night Out for ITV and the following year starred as Siân James in the Golden Globe- and BAFTA-nominated film Pride,[10] finishing 2014 in That Day We Sang, a television film written and directed by Victoria Wood.[citation needed]
In other television work, Gunning was also seen in The Scandalous Lady W on BBC Two and played Shirley Allerdyce in Sky Atlantic's series Fortitude. She played the character of WPC Kath Morgan in Prime Suspect 1973, DC Sophie Carson in In the Dark and Umm Walid in the Channel 4 drama The State.[when?][citation needed]
In 2019, Gunning performed on stage alongside Cate Blanchett at the National Theatre in When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other, written by Martin Crimp and directed by Katie Mitchell.[11]
Gunning played Jan in the Channel 4 comedy Back and in 2021 appeared as Diane Pemberley in BBC One's The Outlaws, created by Stephen Merchant. Gunning reprised her Outlaws role for series 2 and 3 in 2022 and 2024 respectively, joining the writing team of the show for one episode of the third series.[12]
In 2024, Gunning played Martha Scott in the Netflix drama-thriller Baby Reindeer.[13]
Personal life
editGunning is a lesbian, having come out to her family and friends in November 2022.[14] She confirmed her sexuality in a June 2024 interview, describing herself as a "big old gay".[15] Discussing her coming out experience, Gunning said that it was a "mega, mega thing for [her] [...] adding that although she was "surrounded by gays" and that "all [her] friends are gay" so she "wasn't repressing anything", it was just that [she] didn’t think that [she] could be [gay].[16]
Filmography
editTelevision
editYear | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2007 | It's Adam and Shelley | Scarlet | 1 episode |
2008 | Doctor Who | Stacy Campbell | Episode: "Partners in Crime" |
Mutual Friends | Maryka | 1 episode | |
2009–2010 | Life of Riley | Annie the babysitter | 3 episodes |
2009–2014 | Law & Order: UK | Angela | 29 episodes |
2010 | Lizzie and Sarah | Branita | TV film |
Doctors | Ann Turnbull | Episode: "Daddy's Home" | |
2011 | Holby City | Gwen Bishop | Episode: "Blue Valentine" |
2012 | White Heat | Orla | 6 episodes |
Little Crackers | Matron | Episode: "Caroline Quentin's Little Cracker: Nutcracker" | |
2013 | Great Night Out | Summer | 1 episode |
Common Ground: Adventure Venture | Emma | Episode: "Fergus & Crispin" | |
Quick Cuts | Annie | 3 episodes | |
What Remains | Melissa Young | 4 episodes | |
2014 | That Day We Sang | Pauline | TV film |
2015 | The Scandalous Lady W | Mary Sotheby | TV film |
Top Coppers | Romero | Episode: "The Twist of the French Nicker" | |
2015, 2018 | Fortitude | Shirley Allerdyce | 10 episodes |
2015, 2024 | Inside No. 9 | Shona / Party Guest | 2 episodes |
2016 | Jericho | Mabel | 5 episodes |
2017 | Urban Myths | Border Officer | Episode: "Bob Dylan: Knocking on Dave's Door" |
Prime Suspect 1973 | WPC Kath Morgan | 6 episodes | |
In the Dark | DC Sophia Carson | 4 episodes | |
The State | Umm Walid | 4 episodes | |
What About Barb? | Barb | TV film | |
2017–2021 | Back | Jan | 12 episodes |
2018 | Trollied | Donna Calabrese | 7 episodes |
Strike: Career of Evil | Holly Brockbank | 2 episodes | |
Tourist Trap | Maxine | 1 episode | |
2019 | MotherFatherSon | Pam | 3 episodes |
2020 | Isolation Stories | Stranger | Episode: "Mel" |
2021–present | The Outlaws | Diane Pemberley | 17 episodes; also writer of 1 episode |
2024 | Baby Reindeer | Martha Scott | 7 episodes |
Film
editYear | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2012 | Ghost in the Machine | Noreen | Short |
2014 | Pride | Siân James | |
2016 | Love is Thicker than Water | Emily | |
2019 | The Mermaid of Mevagissey | Nessa | Short |
2020 | Summerland | Mrs Bassett | |
TBA | The Magic Faraway Tree | Dame Washalot | Filming |
References
edit- ^ Gonzalez, Shivani (17 July 2024). "Emmy Nominees 2024: The Complete List". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- ^ Cormack, Morgan (15 April 2024). "Who is Jessica Gunning? Baby Reindeer star who plays Martha in Netflix series". Radio Times. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ Holmfirth's Jessica Gunning has been in Doctor Who, Law & Order and now she's set to star in BBC drama White Heat, Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 29 February 2012. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
- ^ Denby Dale actor joins Holmfirth actress to star in BBC drama, Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 7 March 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
- ^ National Theatre company members – Jessica Gunning[permanent dead link], National Theatre, 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
- ^ BBC Website Doctor Who Partners in Crime. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ Jessica Gunning at IMDb Retrieved 11 March 2012.
- ^ White Heat characters – Orla, BBC website. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
- ^ What Remains Press Pack BBC website, 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
- ^ Surprise Pride Marches into Golden Globes Race Variety, 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
- ^ Clapp, Susannah (27 January 2019). "The week in theatre: When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other and more – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
- ^ "The Outlaws' Jessica Gunning returns as Diane Pemberley for series three". BBC Media Centre. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
- ^ Butt, Maira (21 April 2024). "Richard Gadd's Baby Reindeer co-star 'checked in' on him during difficult scenes". The Independent. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ Wratten, Marcus (4 June 2024). "Baby Reindeer's Jessica Gunning comes out publicly as gay". PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ "Baby Reindeer star Jessica Gunning comes out: "I realised I was a big, old gay"". diva-magazine.com. 4 June 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ Damshenas, Sam (4 June 2024). "'I'm a big old gay': Baby Reindeer star Jessica Gunning comes out". Gay Times. Retrieved 4 June 2024.