Jessica Hynes

Jessica Hynes is a British actress, writer, and director who has made a name for herself on both stage and screen. She was born on October 30, 1972, in Lewisham, London, as Jessica Stevenson. She started her career in the entertainment industry in the early 1990s, and since then, has become one of the most recognizable faces in British television and film.

Hynes started her career in theater, and her stage credits include "The Night Heron," "The Norman Conquests," and "The Plough and the Stars." She made her West End debut in 2002 in the play "The Night Heron," which was directed by Katie Mitchell. Her performance in the play earned her critical acclaim and helped establish her as a talented actress.
In 1999, Hynes gained national attention for her role in the British sitcom "Spaced," which she co-wrote with Simon Pegg. The show, which aired on Channel 4, followed the lives of two twenty-somethings who pretend to be a couple to rent a flat. The show was a critical and commercial success and helped launch Hynes and Pegg's careers.
Hynes has also appeared in a number of popular films, including "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason," "Shaun of the Dead," and "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." In "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason," Hynes played Magda, Bridget's friend and colleague. In "Shaun of the Dead," she played Yvonne, the ex-girlfriend of one of the main characters. And in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," she played Mafalda Hopkirk, a Ministry of Magic employee.
Hynes has also had a successful career in television. She has appeared in a number of popular British shows, including "Doctor Who," "Black Books," and "Twenty Twelve." In "Doctor Who," she played Joan Redfern, a love interest of the Doctor who appears in the episode "Human Nature." In "Black Books," she played Fran Katzenjammer, the owner of a bookshop. And in "Twenty Twelve," she played Siobhan Sharpe, a public relations consultant.
In addition to her acting work, Hynes has also worked as a writer and director. She wrote and directed the 2007 film "Magicians," which starred David Mitchell and Robert Webb. She also wrote and directed the television series "Up the Women," which aired on BBC Four in 2013. The show was set in 1910 and followed a group of women who form a suffrage movement.
Hynes has been nominated for and won a number of awards throughout her career. In 2007, she won a BAFTA for Best Female Comedy Performance for her role in "The Royle Family." She has also been nominated for a BAFTA for her work in "Spaced" and "Twenty Twelve."
Hynes' most recent work includes a role in the BBC One drama "Years and Years." The show, which aired in 2019, follows the lives of a family over a 15-year period as political and social changes take place in the UK. Hynes played the role of Edith Lyons, a political activist who becomes a member of parliament.