Riann Steele is an American-born British actress. She began her career in theatre. Her films include Treacle Jr. (2010), Sket (2011), and The Creeping (2022). On television, she starred in the E4 comedy Crazyhead (2016) and the NBC series Debris (2021).

She had recurring roles in the BBC medical soap Holby City (2009–2010) and the Channel 4 sitcom Lovesick (2014–2016), and season 5 of the Syfy series The Magicians (2020).

Early life

Steele was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Ealing, West London. She studied at the Arts Educational School (ArtsEd).^[1]

Career

After completing her studies, Steele appeared in various Royal Shakespeare Company productions, including A Midsummer Night's Dream, Love's Labours Lost and Hamlet (including its subsequent BBC television film adaptation in 2009) alongside David Tennant. From 2009 to 2010, she played Nurse Lauren Minster in Holby City. Her first feature film role was opposite Aidan Gillen in 2010's Treacle Jr..^[2] In 2012, she starred in the film Sket as Shaks, the girlfriend of a violent gang leader portrayed by Ashley Walters,^[3] and in Doctor Who (series 7) as Queen Nefertiti.^[4] She has also appeared as Cleo, a therapist, in the Channel 4/Netflix comedy series Lovesick and also appeared as Sydney Halliday in four episodes of NCIS: New Orleans Season 4.

In 2021, Steele played the role of Finola Jones in the NBC drama Debris, whose pilot was written by J. H. Wyman.^[5]

Select filmography