Fiona Button
Born
Lausanne, Switzerland
NationalityBritish
Alma materWebber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art
University of Birmingham
OccupationActress
Years active2007–present
Spouse
Henry Fleet
​
(m. 2014)​
Children1

Fiona Button is an English actress. She is best known for playing Rose Defoe in The Split.

Early life and education

Button was born in Lausanne, Switzerland,[1] and grew up in Newbury, Berkshire.

She made her professional stage debut at the Watermill Theatre in Newbury aged 10 in the Wizard of Oz. She attended Park House School and the sixth form of St. Bartholomew's School. She studied drama at the University of Birmingham before enrolling at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 2007.[citation needed]

Career

Television

After graduating, Button played parts in Midsomer Murders and The Bill. In 2008, she played Lucy Bedford in The Palace. From 2010 to 2012 she played Tess Roberts in two series of Lip Service. From 2014 to 2016 she played Jennifer Chambers in series 1 and 2 of Grantchester. In 2018, she was cast as Rose Defoe in the BBC series The Split.

Button has made guest appearances in How Not to Live Your Life, Outcasts, Foyle's War, Cardinal Burns, Pramface, You, Me and the Apocalypse and as Vera in My Mother and Other Strangers.

Theatre

Button made her West End debut in 2007 in Rock 'n' Roll by Tom Stoppard playing young Esme and Alice. In 2009 she appeared in Madame de Sade for the Donmar Warehouse opposite Judi Dench and Rosamund Pike, then as Sonya in Vanya at the Gate Theatre. In 2010 she played Rachel in the original cast of Posh at the Royal Court Theatre,[2] then Mabel Chiltern in An Ideal Husband at the Vaudeville Theatre.[3]

In 2013 Button originated the role of Wendy in Wendy and Peter Pan for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Written by Ella Hickson, it is a feminist reimagining of Barrie's original novel, putting Wendy 'the girl who would grow up' in the spotlight.[4] The show became a sell out hit and the production was revived in 2015.

In 2014 Button went on to play Annabella in 'Tis Pity She's a Whore at the Globe Theatre. Dominic Maxwell from The Times said of her performance, "Button has the ability to transmit the knottiest thoughts from behind an easy, poised demeanour. She is an exceptional performer."[5]

In 2016 she played Stef in They Drink It in the Congo at the Almeida Theatre. In 2018 she played Cecily Cardew in The Importance of Being Earnest in the West End.[6]

Personal life

Button married screenwriter Henry Fleet in 2014 and they have a daughter..[7]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2012 We'll Take Manhattan Lavinia TV film
2015 Bugsplat! Gina McCutcheon TV film
2018 The Importance of Being Earnest Cecily Cardew
2021 No One Is Talking About This Storyteller Short film
2022 Fisherman's Friends: One and All Petra


Television

Year Title Role Notes
2007 The Bill Susie Matthews Episode: "Behind Closed Doors"
Midsomer Murders Willow McKinley Episode: "The Axeman Cometh"
2008 The Palace Lucy Bedford Recurring role; 5 episodes
2010 How Not to Live Your Life Jenny Episode: "Don's Angry Girlfriend"
2010–2012 Lip Service Tess Roberts Series regular; 12 episodes
2011 Outcasts Trix Episode: "Series 1, Episode 3"
2012 Cardinal Burns Various roles Series regular; 5 episodes
2013 Pramface Gaby Episode: "The Edge of Hell"
Foyle's War Mary Nelson Episode: "Sunflower"
2014–2016 Grantchester Jennifer Chambers Recurring role; 3 episodes
2015 You, Me and the Apocalypse Skye Recurring role; 2 episodes
2016 My Mother and Other Strangers Vera Curtis Episode: "Vera"
2018–2022 The Split Rose Series regular; 17 episodes
2019 Flack Annie Episode: "Anthony"
2020 Out of Her Mind Lucy Series regular; 6 episodes
2021 Trying Sky Episode: "Big Heads"
2023 Death in Paradise Hannah Roberts Episode: "Murder on the High Seas"

Theatre credits

Year Title Role Venue Ref
2007 The Lesson Claire Arcola Theatre, London [8]
World's End Kat The Pleasance, Edinburgh [9]
Rock 'n' Roll Alice/Young Esme Duke of York's Theatre, London [10]
2008 Ring Round the Moon Isabelle Playhouse Theatre, London [11]
Hay Fever Sorel Bliss Royal Exchange, Manchester [12]
2009 Madame de Sade Anne Wyndham's Theatre, London [13]
Vanya Sonya Gate Theatre, London [14]
2010 Posh Rachel Royal Court Theatre, London [15]
An Ideal Husband Miss Mabel Chiltern Vaudeville Theatre, London [16]
2012 The Girl with the Yellow Dress Celia Theatre503, London [17]
Heartbreak House Ellie Dunn Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester [18]
2013 King Lear Cordelia Theatre Royal, Bath [19]
Wendy & Peter Pan Wendy Darling Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon [20]
2014 'Tis Pity She's a Whore Annabella Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, London [21]
2016 They Drink It in the Congo Stef Almeida Theatre, London [22]
2018 The Importance of Being Earnest Cecily Cardew Vaudeville Theatre, London [23]

References

  1. ^ Editorial Staff (16 December 2013). "20 Questions with... Fiona Button, star of RSC's Wendy and Peter Pan". WhatsOnStage.com.
  2. ^ Terri Paddock (16 April 2010). "Review Round-up: Were Critics Outclassed at Posh?". WhatsOnStage.com.
  3. ^ Michael Coveney (11 November 2010). "An Ideal Husband". WhatsOnStage.com.
  4. ^ Holly Williams (15 December 2013). "And what about Wendy? Introducing a feminist return to Peter Pan's roots". The Independent. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  5. ^ Dominic Maxwell (30 October 2014). "'Tis Pity She's a Whore, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, SE1". The Times. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  6. ^ Fiona Mountford (27 July 2018). "Fiona Button on The Importance of Being Earnest: 'It's a lot to do with sex. Oscar Wilde would have loved it'". Go London.
  7. ^ Fiona Mountford (17 July 2018). "Fiona Button on The Importance of Being Earnest: 'It's a lot to do with sex. Oscar Wilde would have loved it'". Evening Standard. London. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  8. ^ "THE LESSON". Arcola Theatre. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  9. ^ McBay, Nadine (20 August 2007). "World's End". Metro.co.uk. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  10. ^ "20 Questions with... Fiona Button, star of RSC's Wendy and Peter Pan". WhatOnStage. 16 December 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  11. ^ Billington, Michael (20 February 2008). "Theatre - Ring Round the Moon". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  12. ^ Shenton, Sarah (24 July 2004). "You Write The Reviews: Hay Fever, Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester". The Independent. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Madame de Sade". British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  14. ^ "VANYA". Gate Theatre. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  15. ^ Cooke, Rachel (4 April 2010). "Laura Wade: the girl in the Tories' soup". The Observer. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  16. ^ Billington, Michael (11 November 2010). "An Ideal Husband - review". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  17. ^ Marlowe, Sam (30 March 2012). "The Girl in the Yellow Dress at Theatre 503, SW11". The Times. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  18. ^ Billington, Michael (13 July 2012). "Heartbreak House – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  19. ^ Baber, Andy (1 August 2013). "King Lear, Theatre Royal Bath, until August 10". Gazette & Herald. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  20. ^ Billington, Michael (19 December 2013). "Wendy and Peter Pan – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  21. ^ Billington, Michael (29 October 2014). "'Tis Pity She's a Whore review – naked passion illuminated by candlelight". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  22. ^ Brennan, Clare (28 August 2016). "They Drink It in the Congo review – on the rocky road of good intentions". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  23. ^ Mountford, Fiona (17 July 2018). "Fiona Button on The Importance of Being Earnest: 'It's a lot to do with sex. Oscar Wilde would have loved it'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 16 January 2022.

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