Tanya Moodie
Born (1972-04-16) 16 April 1972 (age 51)
Ottawa, Canada
NationalityBritish
Alma materRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art
Occupation(s)Actor, producer
Years active1994–present
Children1

Tanya Moodie (born 16 April 1972)[1] is a Canadian-born British actress and producer,[2][3] best known for her work on Motherland, The Clinic, and her many stage credits, which include productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Court Theatre, the National Theatre and the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord.

Early life and education

Tanya Moodie was born on 16 April 1972 in Ottawa, Canada, to Jamaican parents.[4] She moved to England at the age of 17, when she was offered a place at RADA, where she was later employed as an associate teacher and council member.[5]

Career

Moodie's first television role was in the comedy So Haunt Me in 1994, followed by a starring role as Hunter in Neil Gaiman's 1996 fantasy mini-series Neverwhere (1996). She featured in guest roles in various series in the 2000s, and in 2008–9 had a regular role in Irish medical drama The Clinic. She also played the role of John Watson's therapist Ella Thompson in Sherlock.

In 2016 she played Gertrude in Simon Godwin's production of Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company.[6][7][8][9]

From 2019, Moodie starred as Meg in the BBC comedy series Motherland.[10][11] In a 2021 interview with the Huffington Post, Moody shared that she was proud of the feedback she had received about her character's cancer storyline: "There’s been people who have written me very personal messages saying that they’re going through [cancer] right now or their parents are, and they say we’ve really shown what it’s like. I’m really happy that that’s happened – I didn’t expect it to. I didn’t finish filming and say ‘I really feel like I’ve nailed what it’s like to go through this journey’, because it’s so subjective and unique to people."[12]

In 2020, Moodie starred in the third series of Tin Star as Catherine Mckenzie. The series was created by Rowan Joffé.[13]

In April 2022, Moodie featured as Regina in series 1 episode 4 of Ten Percent.[14] Moodie appeared in Sam Mendes' film Empire of Light, released in the US in December 2022, and the UK in January 2023. Moodie appears alongside Olivia Colman, Colin Firth and Micheal Ward.[15] Also in December 2022, Moodie reprised her role as Meg in the Christmas special of Motherland, titled "Last Christmas". The episode garnered wholly positive reviews from critics.[16]

In March 2023, Moodie appeared as Serena[17] in two episodes of the Cash Carraway-created Rain Dogs.

Personal life

Moodie has one child, a daughter,[18] and was married to a yoga teacher before they separated. Her brother Andrew Moodie is a noted Canadian playwright.[19]

Moodie is an art lover, collecting works by Abe Obedina.[20]

Politically, Moodie is a supporter of the Women's Equality Party.[21] She has practised yoga and Buddhism since 1994,[22] and claimed in an interview in 2021, "cut me in half, you’ll see Buddhism down the middle".[23]

Moodie is an ambassador for the Park Theatre, London.[24]

Awards and nominations

Moodie was nominated for a 2017 UK Theatre Award for Best Performance for her performance as Wiletta in Trouble in Mind by Alice Childress. Other nominations include Best Actress at the London Evening Standard Theatre Awards, as well as an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre for her performance as Esther in Intimate Apparel at the Park Theatre. In the same year she was nominated for an Olivier for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre for her performance as Makeda in The House That Will Not Stand at the Tricycle Theatre. Her portrayal of Rose in August Wilson's Fences opposite Lenny Henry in the West End earned her a nomination for Best Actress in the 2014 What's On Stage Awards.

At the 2020 Royal Television Society Programme Awards, Moodie was presented with the Breakthrough Award for her role in Motherland.[25][26]

Filmography

Film

Year Film Role Notes
2019 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker General Bellava Parnadee
2022 Empire of Light Delia

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1994 So Haunt Me Elspeth 4 episodes
1996 Neverwhere Hunter Miniseries, 5 episodes
1999 Boyz Unlimited Carolyn Monroe 2 episodes
Maisie Raine Patricia 1 episode
Dr Willoughby Geraldine 1 episode
2000 The Bill Gina King 1 episode
Always and Everyone Cassie Jennings 1 episode
2001 High Stakes Lynsey Hodmore 1 episode
2002; 2010 Holby City Alice Morgan / Yetunde Bello 2 episodes
2002 The Queen's Nose Adult Sophie 1 episode
2003 In Deep Cavendish 2 episodes
Prime Suspect DC Lorna Greaves 2 episodes
Absolute Power Isabelle Lux 1 episode
2004 Shane Drama Teacher 1 episode
2005 Archangel Velma Television film
2007 Sea of Souls Alisha 2 episodes
Silent Witness DI Helen Lawlor 2 episodes
2008 Casualty Jeannie 1 episode
2008-2009 The Clinic Dr. Grace Safete Main role, 16 episodes
2009 The Street Maria 1 episode
2010-2017 Sherlock Ella 3 episodes
2011 The Body Farm Margot 1 episode
2012 Skins Layla 1 episode
Lewis Felicity Prior 1 episode
2014 Playhouse Presents J-LO Voice role, 1 episode
Common Jennifer Fielding Television film
Dicte Grace Toulou Aboka Recurring role, 8 episodes
2017-2020 Absentia Lt. Diane Campbell Recurring role, 6 episodes
2018-2022 A Discovery of Witches Agatha Wilson Main role, 13 episodes
2018 Enterprice Sheila 4 episodes
2019 Clink Merrill Potts 1 episode
The Feed Sue Cole Recurring role, 7 episodes
The Mallorca Files Superintendent Abbey Palmer 4 episodes
2019-2022 Motherland Meg 13 episodes
2020 Thunderbirds Are Go Chief Carter Voice role, 1 episode
Tin Star Catherine McKenzie 6 episodes
2021 This Time with Alan Partridge Izzy Barnes 1 episode
2022 The Man Who Fell to Earth Portia 2 episodes
Ten Percent Regina Series 1 episode 4
The Pentaverate Mrs. Snee 3 episodes
2023 Rain Dogs Serena 2 episodes
Silo Judge Meadows 3 episodes
The Change Joy 5 episodes
2024 The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2[27]

References

  1. ^ "Tanya Moodie IMDb". IMDb. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  2. ^ Jays, David (16 March 2016). "'She's willing to go to the frontier': the fearless Tanya Moodie". The Guardian.
  3. ^ "Tanya Moodie RADA". RADA. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Moodie Blues: She may be down today, but actress Tanya Moodie is very up-beat about her future as she talks to Steve Pratt about roles in TV's Prime Suspect and theatre's tragic Medea, which has seen her too busy to take a honeymoon". The Northern Echo. 6 November 2003. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  5. ^ Thompson, Jessie (16 April 2018). "Tanya Moodie on why theatre won't achieve diversity with 'just good intentions'". Evening Standard.
  6. ^ Shenton, Mark (6 September 2016). "Mark Shenton: Colour-blind casting will have succeeded only when we no longer notice it". The Stage. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  7. ^ Cole, Emily (16 December 2015). "Paapa Essiedu and Tanya Moodie among cast of RSC's Hamlet". What's On Stage. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Royal Shakespeare Company: Hamlet". Radio Times. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  9. ^ "RSC Announces Casting for 2016 Production of Hamlet at Stratford-upon-Avon". Playbill. 18 December 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  10. ^ Strick, Katie (6 November 2019). "Tanya Moodie: I'm nothing like my Motherland character". Evening Standard. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  11. ^ Jones, Ellen E (19 March 2020). "Tanya Moodie: Motherland, mindfulness and my Medea freakout". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  12. ^ Percival, Ash (23 May 2021). "Motherland Star Tanya Moodie's Secrets From Set: 'I'm Breathless With Laughter Before We Even Film'". Huffington Post. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  13. ^ Mitchell, Tamika (10 December 2020). "TBB TALKS TO… TANYA MOODIE ABOUT HER CAREER AND HER NEW ROLE IN SKY ATLANTICS TIN STAR". The British Blacklist. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  14. ^ Swale, Jessica (24 June 2022). "TV Review: Ten Percent". Ought To Be Clowns. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  15. ^ Heath, Paul (14 November 2022). "Sam Mendes' new film 'Empire Of Light' gets a full trailer". The Hollywood News. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  16. ^ Seale, Jack (23 December 2022). "Motherland Christmas special review – you'll laugh, gasp in shock ... then punch the air". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  17. ^ Hibbs, James (4 April 2023). "Meet the cast of Rain Dogs". Radio Times. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  18. ^ Jones, Alice (13 October 2015). "Olivier Award nominee Tanya Moodie on being a black, fortysomething actress and single mother". Independent. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  19. ^ Gaetan Charlebois and Anne Nothof, "Moodie, Andrew". Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia, November 16, 2021.
  20. ^ "On my radar: Tanya Moodie's cultural highlights". the Guardian. 11 December 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  21. ^ Tanya Moodie (23 April 2016). Tanya Moodie: Give half your votes to equality on 5 May - WE think that's fair (Video). Women's Equality Channel via YouTube. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  22. ^ Bromwich, Kathryn (11 December 2021). "On my radar: Tanya Moodie's cultural highlights". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  23. ^ Carson, Sarah (14 December 2021). "Tanya Moodie: 'I don't want to talk about racism every day. It's exhausting'". iNews. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  24. ^ "Park Theatre Ambassadors". Park Theatre. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  25. ^ "TANYA MOODIE WINS RTS AWARD FOR MOTHERLAND". Hello Merman. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  26. ^ "Tanya Moodie: Motherland, mindfulness and my Medea freakout". the Guardian. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  27. ^ ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ Season 2 Adds Ciarán Hinds, Rory Kinnear and Tanya Moodie

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