Quick Facts
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Biography
Claire Louise Rushbrook (born 25 August 1971) is an English film, television and stage actress.
Rushbrook's theatre credits include West End productions of Three Sisters as Olga and Festen as Helene. Other stage roles include Mary Warren in The Crucible(Sheffield Crucible theatre), Sonia in Uncle Vanya (Almeida Theatre) and Mum in Market Boy (National theatre).
Her films include Mike Leigh's Secrets & Lies (1996) and Carine Adler's Under the Skin (1997) with Samantha Morton. On television, she has starred in The Sins(2000), Linda Green (2001–02), the sitcom Carrie And Barry (2004–05), Whitechapel (2009–13) and My Mad Fat Diary (2013–15), for which she received a 2014 BAFTA TV Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
She appeared in both seasons of Home Fires, in 2015 and 2016.
Background
Rushbrook was born in Hitchin, Hertfordshire and went to Fearnhill School in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, and then attended the Rose Bruford College.
She worked mainly in theatre for around five years before moving into film and television. She guest starred in the episodes "The Impossible Planet" and "The Satan Pit" in Doctor Who and had supporting roles in films Secrets & Lies and Spice World.
Her Doctor Who guest star status earned her a position in a Doctor Who celebrity edition of The Weakest Link but ended up being the fourth one voted off. She also appeared in the 2008 BBC comedy drama Mutual Friends and the 2009 ITV1 dramas Whitechapel and Collision, both alongside Phil Davis.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Secrets & Lies | Roxanne | |
| 1997 | Under the Skin | Rose Kelly | |
| 1997 | Crocodile Snap | Mum | Short film |
| 1997 | Spice World | Deborah | |
| 1999 | Plunkett & Macleane | Lady Estelle | |
| 2000 | Shiner | Ruth | |
| 2002 | Close Your Eyes | Grace | AKA Doctor Sleep |
| 2003 | A Changed Man | Anne Marie | Short film |
| 2007 | I Am Bob | Barlady | Short film |
| 2007 | Mary and Mick | Mary | Short film |
| 2019 | Spider-Man: Far From Home | Janice Lincoln | |
| 2020 | Ammonite | Eleanor Butters | |
| 2020 | Enola Holmes | Mrs Lane |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Casualty | Policewoman | "Love and Affection" |
| 1997 | Turning World | Julia Garnett | "1.1", "1.2", "1.3" |
| 1997 | Touching Evil | Julie Carney | "Killing with Kindness: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 1999 | Spaced | Yolanda | "Art" |
| 1999 | Shockers: The Visitor | Terri | TV film |
| 2000 | The Sins | Faith Blackwell | TV miniseries |
| 2001-02 | Linda Green | Michelle Fenton | Regular role |
| 2002 | The Stretford Wives | Elaine Massey Simmons | TV film |
| 2004 | Family Business | Rachel Brooker | "1.1" |
| 2004-05 | Carrie and Barry | Carrie | Main role |
| 2006 | Doctor Who | Ida Scott | "The Impossible Planet", "The Satan Pit" |
| 2006 | Afterlife | Jennifer | "Things Forgotten" |
| 2007 | Inspector George Gently | Valerie Lister | "Gently Go Man" |
| 2007 | Double Time | Sarah | TV film |
| 2008 | Ashes to Ashes | Trixie Walsh | "1.3" |
| 2008 | Mutual Friends | Leigh Cato | Main role |
| 2009 | New Tricks | Pamela Scott | "Death of a Timeshare Salesman" |
| 2009 | Enid | Dorothy Richards | TV film |
| 2009 | Collision | Karen Donnelly | TV miniseries |
| 2009-13 | Whitechapel | Caroline Llewellyn | Recurring role |
| 2010 | Lizzie and Sarah | Fiona | TV film |
| 2010 | Agatha Christie's Marple | Caroline | "The Blue Geranium" |
| 2011 | The Fades | Meg | TV miniseries |
| 2011 | Great Expectations | Mrs. Joe | TV miniseries |
| 2012 | Murder | Ellen Lowell | "Joint Enterprise" |
| 2012 | Mrs Biggs | Ruby Wright | "1.2", "1.3" |
| 2013 | The Mill | Mrs. Timperley | TV miniseries |
| 2013-15 | My Mad Fat Diary | Linda Earl-Bouchtat | Main role |
| 2015-2016 | Home Fires | Pat Simms | Main role |
| 2017 | Genius | Pauline Einstein | 4 episodes, recurring role |
| 2017 | Black Mirror | Police Detective | Episode: "Crocodile" |
| 2017 | Death in Paradise | Rachel Baldwin | 6.5 |
| 2018 | Requiem | Rose | 6 episodes, main role |
| 2018 | Kiri | Julie Burnett | 3 episodes, recurring role |
| 2018 | No Offence | DCI Marilyn Marchant | Series 3, main role |
| 2018 | The Split | Emma Graham | Series 1 Episode 4 |
| 2019 | Don't Forget the Driver | Fran | 6 episodes, main role |
| 2019 | Temple | Gloria Wilson | 7 episodes, main role |
Radio
| Date | Title | Role | Director | Station |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 September 2003 | The Sound of Solitary Waves | Libby | Claire Grove | BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play |
| 7 March 2007 | Time Breathes | Gemma | Claire Grove | BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play |
| 29 October 2008 | Love Contract | Emma | Claire Grove | BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play |
| 20 December 2009 – 27 December 2009 | Matilda | Mrs Wormwood | Claire Grove | BBC Radio 4 Classic Serial |