Emma Lowndes

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Emma Lowndes
Born1975 (age 48–49)
Irlam, Salford, England
Years active2001–present
Partner(s)Jason Merrells
(2012–present)

Emma Lowndes (born 1975) is an English actress, known for portraying Bella Gregson in Cranford, Mary Rivers in Jane Eyre and Margie Drewe in Downton Abbey.

Background[edit]

Brought up in Irlam, near Manchester, Lowndes attended Irlam Primary School and Urmston Grammar School,[1] where she was Head Girl.[2] She studied English at the University of York before training at RADA,[2] graduating in 2000.[3] Her training was partly funded by the Salford Sports and Arts Trust, established by Albert Finney and Harold Riley to assist the city's young talent.[1]

Lowndes is the eldest of three siblings born to Eric and Suzanne Lowndes. She has a younger brother, footballer Nathan Lowndes, and a sister, Katie Lowndes.[1] Lowndes lives in London with her partner, Jason Merrells and their daughter.

Career[edit]

Lowndes' television credits include Waking the Dead, Burn It, Afterlife, Doctors, Vera, Silent Witness, Heartbeat, Downton Abbey and Moving On. She also played Mary Rivers in the 2006 BBC adaptation of Jane Eyre and Bella Gregson in Cranford.

Lowndes has appeared in the films All or Nothing (2002), This Little Life (2003), Mother's Milk (2011) and Frozen (2005). She has lent her voice to the radio dramas Whitby Pier, Aperture and Hanging,[4] and played Sarah Badger in the 2001 The Tomorrow People audio drama, The New Gods.

Her theatre work includes Whose Life Is It Anyway?,[2] The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, The Seagull, Port and Cold Meat Party.[4] She has also appeared in productions of Thérèse Raquin, Measure for Measure, Topless Mum and Three More Sleepless Nights.[5] She joined the cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre, London from 24 May 2017, playing the role of Ginny Potter.[6]

Awards[edit]

Lowndes won Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 2003 Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards for productions of Port and The Seagull at the Royal Exchange Theatre.[7] Her role in The Seagull also earned her a nomination at the 2003 Ian Charleson Awards.[4]

Filmography[edit]

Television[edit]

Year Show Episode Role Notes
2002 Lenny Blue DC Kerry Allen Television film
Heartbeat A Girl's Best Friend (2002) Teresa Period crime drama
2003 Burn It Jane Drama series
2004 Von Trapped Leisl 'Lee' Moogan Television film
2005 The Walk Gillian Television film
Waking the Dead Straw Dog (parts one and two) (2005) Young Grace Foley Police procedural
2006 Jane Eyre Episode 1.4 (2006) Mary Rivers Miniseries
Afterlife A Name Written in Water (2006) Zoe Supernatural drama
2007 Cranford June 1842 (2007)
August 1842 (2007)
November 1842 (2007)
April 1843 (2007)
Bella Gregson Comedy drama
2008 Doctors Attack of the Centorts: Part 1 (2008)
Attack of the Centorts: Part 2 (2008)
Mia Arnell Soap opera
The Royal Blood's Thicker Than Water (2008) Penny Darnby Period medical drama
Heartbeat Missing Persons (2008) Julie Period crime drama
2009 Moving On The Rain Has Stopped (2009) Alice Anthology series
Cranford August 1844 (2009)
October to December 1844 (2009)
Bella Gregson Comedy drama
Paradox Episode 1.5 (2009) Julie Hughes Sci-fi crime drama
2010 Survivors Episode 2.4 (2010)
Episode 2.5 (2010)
Sally Post-apocalyptic drama
2011 Silent Witness First Casualty: Parts 1 & 2 (2011) Claire Lockford Crime drama
Vera Little Lazarus Renagh Salter Crime drama
2014 Downton Abbey (Series 5) Mrs Margie Drewe Period drama
2015 The Musketeers Emilie (episode 2.4) Emilie Drama series
2020 Call the Midwife Episode 9.1 (2020) Brenda Donnelly Period medical drama

Film[edit]

Year Film Role Notes
2002 All or Nothing Party Girl
2003 This Little Life Nurse Anne
2005 Frozen Receptionist Uncredited
2019 Military Wives Annie

Selected theatre performances[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Donohue, Simon (29 January 2004). "Why posh is not my voice choice". City Life. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012.
  2. ^ a b c Talk of the Town: Watch this Face: Emma Lowndes The Independent. Retrieved on 2009-08-18.
  3. ^ Masterpiece Theatre | Jane Eyre | Who's Who Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2009-08-18.
  4. ^ a b c National Theatre: Company Members: Emma Lowndes National Theatre. Retrieved on 2009-08-18.
  5. ^ Emma Lowndes | London Theatre Database Archived 24 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2009-08-18.
  6. ^ Longman, Will (30 March 2017). "Who are the new Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cast?". Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  7. ^ Donohue, Simon (3 December 2003). "Comedy is king at M.E.N. Awards". City Life. Retrieved 18 August 2009.

External links[edit]