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Julia Davis

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For other uses, see Julia Davis (disambiguation).

Julia Davis
Davis in 2019
BornAugust 1966 (age 58)
England
Occupations
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • director
  • writer
Years active1994–present
PartnerJulian Barratt (2000–present)
Children2

Julia Davis (born August 1966) is an English actress, comedian, director and writer. She is known for writing and starring in the BBC Three comedy Nighty Night (2004–2005) and the comedies Hunderby (2012–2015) and Camping (2016), which she also directed.

A nine-time BAFTA TV Award nominee, she won Best Comedy Writing for Hunderby in 2013 and the 2018 British Academy Television Award for Best Scripted Comedy for Sally4Ever. She has also received two RTS Awards and three British Comedy Awards. In addition to acting in her own works, she has appeared in a variety of other British television comedies, most notably portraying Dawn Sutcliffe in Gavin & Stacey (2007–2009, 2019, 2024). Her film roles include Love Actually (2003), Cemetery Junction (2010), Four Lions (2010), and Phantom Thread (2017).

Early life and education

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Julia Davis was born in England[a] in August 1966.[4][1] Her mother was a secretary, and her father a civil servant.[2] She grew up in Guildford, Surrey, before moving at the age of 14 to Bath in Somerset.[3] She was raised in the Church of England.[5]

After studying for a degree in English and drama at the College of Ripon and York St John, she returned to Bath working "dead-end jobs", starting a comedy double-act The Sisters of Percy with her friend Jane Roth at a local theatre group. It grew into an improv troupe with Welsh radio DJ Rob Brydon and Ruth Jones.[2][6]

Career

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1998–2006: Career beginnings, Human Remains and Nighty Night

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Davis decided to become a comedian after a long illness.[1] She secured her first comedy commission, Five Squeezy Pieces, from BBC Radio 4 in 1998.[7] The series was an all-female sketch comedy show, with Meera Syal, Arabella Weir, Maria McErlane, and Claire Calman.[5][8][9][2]

She first appeared on television in 1998 in the BBC sketch show Comedy Nation.[1] During their radio sketch series Five Squeezy Pieces, Arabella Weir introduced Davis to Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan who cast her as a regular cast member in the television sketch show Big Train (1998).[8][10] Her career gained a further boost in 1998 after she sent a tape of various characters to Steve Coogan, who invited her to write for and participate in his shows during his 1998 national tour.[2] Chris Morris, director of the Big Train pilot, cast her for his 1997–1999 radio series Blue Jam, its successor March–April 2000 TV show Jam, and Brass Eye.[2] Davis went on to appear in many comedy television shows including I'm Alan Partridge, I Am Not an Animal, Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible, Ideal and Nathan Barley.[11][12]

In November 2000, Human Remains, a dark comedy television series produced by Steve Coogan's production company Baby Cow,[1] co-written by and co-starring Rob Brydon and Davis, debuted on BBC Two. In the six-part series, Brydon and Davis played six different couples talking to camera about their unusual relationships. The last episode of The Office features Davis, who is heard on the phone as the voice of a woman from a dating agency in conversation with David Brent. Davis also appeared in 2003 film Love Actually.[13]

In 2004 and 2005, Davis wrote and starred in two series of the BBC Three dark comedy Nighty Night. The show is centred on her character of peroxide "blonde" sociopathic beauty therapist Jill Tyrell.[1]

2007–2010: Gavin & Stacey and Lizzie & Sarah

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From 2007 to 2009, she played Dawn Sutcliffe in Gavin & Stacey, a role which she reprised in 2019 for a Christmas special and in 2024 in the finale. In 2006, she appeared on Little Britain Abroad as a sexy Russian mail-order bride called Ivanka.

In 2009, Davis appeared, in the guise of Steve Coogan's personal assistant Debbie Bidwoden, in the TV film Steve Coogan – The Inside Story.[14][15]

In 2010, she co-wrote and co-starred in Lizzie and Sarah with Jessica Hynes. The pilot aired on 20 March 2010 on BBC Two. It was made by Baby Cow Productions, and was considered even darker than Davis's previous work;[16] when the BBC did not commission a series, despite a Facebook campaign.[17]

2011–2014: Black Mirror, Psychobitches and Hunderby

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Davis has also starred in productions such as the BBC's For the Love of God, The Alan Clark Diaries, Fear of Fanny, in which she played the original celebrity chef Fanny Cradock, and Persuasion, an adaptation of the Jane Austen novel.[18] In December 2011, Davis appeared in "Fifteen Million Merits", an episode of the anthology series Black Mirror, as Judge Charity on the fictional talent show Hot Shot.[19]

On 22 December 2011, she appeared as Anne Yeaman in the Christmas special and finale of the BBC Three comedy How Not to Live Your Life.[20] Davis appeared in the pilot episode of Bad Sugar, shown on Channel 4 on 26 August 2012. A full series was set to air in 2013, but was cancelled due to availability of the cast and writers. In 2013, Davis played various characters in BBC sketch show It's Kevin and in Psychobitches on Sky Arts. She appeared in an episode of Inside No. 9 as a stage manager. Davis created, wrote and starred in Hunderby, which aired for two series on Sky Atlantic in 2012 and 2015. For Hunderby, Davis won the BAFTA TV Craft Award for Writing – Comedy.[21] At the 2013 BAFTA TV Awards, Hunderby was nominated for Best Scripted Comedy and Davis was nominated for Best Female Performance in a Comedy Programme.[22] At the 2012 British Comedy Awards, Hunderby won the awards for Best New Comedy and Best Sitcom.[23]

In 2014, she cowrote and starred in a pilot for Channel 4 called Morning Has Broken, about a struggling daytime TV host. A full series of Morning Has Broken was commissioned but ultimately did not happen.[24] She starred as an eccentric mother in the comedy short film The Bird.[25]

2015–present: Camping, Sally4Ever and podcast

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In 2015, Davis and Marc Wootton created and starred in BBC Radio 4 comedy series Couples, about couples in therapy. It was reported in 2015 that Davis had been commissioned for a new series, Robin's Test, which was later renamed Camping.[26]

In 2016, Davis wrote, directed and starred as shallow nymphomaniac "Fay" in Camping on Sky Atlantic. This was her directorial debut. At the 2017 BAFTA TV Awards, Camping was nominated for Best Scripted Comedy.[27] In 2017, Davis was featured in the Paul Thomas Anderson film Phantom Thread as Lady Baltimore.[28]

In 2018, Davis wrote, directed and starred in the comedy television series Sally4Ever on Sky Atlantic and HBO. Davis plays the character of Emma, who is having a lesbian affair with a woman called Sally, who is having a midlife crisis. At the 2019 BAFTA awards it won the award for Best Scripted Comedy and Davis was nominated for Best Female Performance in a Comedy Programme.[29] She also appeared in the film Fighting with My Family.[30]

Davis launched the podcast comedy Dear Joan And Jericha with comedian Vicki Pepperdine[31] in 2018. The series has 28 episodes as of May 2024.[32] Davis and Pepperdine published a book on the back of the podcast, Why He Turns Away: Dos and Don'ts From Dating to Death.[33]

Davis played socialite Maureen, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava, in BBC One historical drama A Very British Scandal, which premiered on BBC One on Boxing Day 2021.[34]

In 2022, Davis appeared in two episodes of The Outlaws, as Rita.[35]

Influences and reviews

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Davis cites Julie Walters as giving her the confidence to pursue a career in comedy.[36]

Discussing her influences for the character of Jill in Nighty Night, Davis told The Guardian that "Most of Jill is an amalgam of women I've seen or worked with in the West Country".[5]

In her book Reclaiming Female Authorship in Contemporary UK Television Comedy (2024) Laura Minor, lecturer in television studies at University of Salford, notes that Davis is known for creating boundary-pushing black comedy that centres female anti-hero characters.[37]

Personal life

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As of November 2022 Davis is in a long term relationship with comedian Julian Barratt of The Mighty Boosh.[38][17][39] The couple are parents to twin sons.[40]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1994 Flush Cleaner Short film
2001 The Parole Officer Insinuating Wife
2002 Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself Moira
2003 Hello Friend (voice) Short film
Love Actually Nancy the Caterer Cameo
2004 Shaun of the Dead News Reporter (voice) Uncredited role
Sex Lives of the Potato Men Shelley
2005 Dating Ray Fenwick Alison Short film
2006 Confetti Counsellor
2007 For the Love of God Mother (voice) Short film
Persuasion Elizabeth Elliot
2010 Come on Eileen Dee
The Lost Explorer Vera Cleghorn Short film
Cemetery Junction Mrs. Taylor
Four Lions Alice
2011 Arthur Christmas UNFITA OPS (voice)
2012 David's Fine Narrator Short film
2014 The Bird Mother Short film
2016 Brakes Livy
2017 Phantom Thread Lady Baltimore
2019 Fighting with My Family Daphne
2021 The Clearing Deb Short film
Sing 2 Linda Le Bon (voice)
2023 Run Rabbit Run Gail (Nightshift Nurse)
The Toxic Avenger Kissy Sturnevan
Sweat Tracy Short film

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1998 Comedy Nation Various Series 1
1998–2002 Big Train Series 1 & 2 (7 episodes)
1999 Coming Soon Kim Television film
People Like Us[1] Lisa Bell Series 1; Episode 1: "The Managing Director"
The Comedy Trail: A Shaggy Dog Story Horse Jockey Television Special
2000 Jam[1] Various Mini-series; Episodes 1–6
Human Remains Mini-series; Episodes 1–6. Also co-creator and writer
2001 Brass Eye Series 2; Episode: "Paedophilia"
Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible Stephanie Wise Episode 4: "And Now the Fearing..."
2002 Ella and the Mothers Nicola Television film
I'm Alan Partridge Kate Fitzgerald Series 2; Episode 6: "Alan Wide Shut"
2003 The Office Gillian (voice) Series 3; Episode 2: "Christmas Special: Part 2"
2004 The Alan Clark Diaries Jenny Easterbrook Episodes 1 & 2: "The March of the Grey Men" and "The Lady"
I Am Not an Animal Clair the Rat (voice) Episodes 1–6
AD/BC: A Rock Opera Ruth Television film
2004–2005 Nighty Night Jill Tyrell Lead role. Series 1 & 2 (all 12 episodes). Also creator, writer and associate producer.
British Comedy Awards for Best New Comedy
Nominated – British Academy Television Award for Best Comedy Performance
Nominated – British Comedy Award for Best Female Actress
2005 Nathan Barley Honda Poppet Episode 5
2006 Fear of Fanny Fanny Cradock Television film
Born Equal Sally Television film
Little Britain Abroad Ivanka Parts 1 & 2
2007 Persuasion Elizabeth Elliot Television film
2007–2009,
2019, 2024		 Gavin & Stacey Dawn Sutcliffe Series 1–3 & 2 Specials (10 episodes)
2008 Ideal Dawn Series 4; Episode 8: "The Future"
2009 10 Minute Tales Overbearing Midwife Episode 3: "Ding Dong"
Steve Coogan: The Inside Story Various Television film. Also writer
2010 Lizzie and Sarah Lizzie / Faith Television film. Also writer and associate producer
Checkov Comedy Shorts Popova Episode 2: "The Bear"
Little Crackers Susan Johnways Series 1; Episode 10: "Julia Davis's Little Cracker: The Kiss". Also writer and director
2011 Black Mirror Judge Charity Series 1; Episode 2: "Fifteen Million Merits"
How Not to Live Your Life Anne Yeaman Series 4; Episode: "It's a Don-derful Life"
2012 Uncle Wormsley's Christmas Mrs. Goodington Television film
Bad Sugar Daphne Cauldwell Television film (pilot)
2012–2015 Hunderby Dorothy Series 1 & 2 (10 episodes). Also creator and writer
British Academy Television Craft Award for Best Comedy Writing (2013)
British Comedy Awards for Best New Comedy Programme
British Comedy Award for Best Sitcom
Nominated – British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance (2013)
Nominated – British Academy Television Award for Best Situation Comedy (2013)
Nominated – British Academy Television Craft Award for Best Comedy Writing (2016)
2013 It's Kevin Various Episodes 1–4
Psychobitches Mini-series; Series 1; Episodes 1–5. Also writer (Episode 3)
2014 Inside No. 9 Felicity Series 1; Episode 5: "The Understudy"
Morning Has Broken Gail Sinclair Television film (pilot). Also creator and writer
2016 Camping Fay Mini-series; Episodes 1–6. Also creator, writer, director and executive producer.
Nominated – British Academy Television Award for Best Scripted Comedy (2017)
Nominated – British Academy Television Craft Award for Best Comedy Writing (2017)
2017 Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams Sally Morris Episode 4: "Crazy Diamond"
2018 Sally4Ever Emma Episodes 1–7. Also creator, writer and director
British Academy Television Award for Best Scripted Comedy (2019)
Nominated – British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance (2019)[29]
2020 The Shivering Truth Various Series 2; Episode 6: "The Holeways"
2021 Stath Lets Flats Kris Collins Series 3; Episode 3: "A Drink Because of Friendship"[41][42]
A Very British Scandal Maureen Guinness 3-part mini-series[43]
2022 The Outlaws Rita Series 2; Episode 2
2023 Love Me Kel Mini-series; Series 2; Episode 1: "Sluta håll med"
Safe Home Caitlyn Episode 3
2024 The Regime Marina Mini-series; Episode 5: "All Ye Faithful"
Person of Interest Dr. Kate Shelley Television film

Radio

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Year Title Role Notes
1997 Blue Jam Various [44]
1998 Five Squeezy Pieces [45][46][47]
2020 Edith Sitwell in Scarborough Lady Ida [48]

Footnotes

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  1. ^ The BFI entry[1] and The Guardian interview say she was born in Bath, Somerset;[2] The Independent interview says that she grew up in Guildford, Surrey was schooled in the Home Counties, and her parents moved to Bath when she was 14.[3] There does not seem to be a reliable secondary source stating second name or other initials.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Davis, Julia (1966-) Biography". BFI Screenonline. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Davis, Julia (10 August 2012). "Julia Davis: laughing in the dark". The Guardian (Interview). Interviewed by Burkeman, Oliver. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  3. ^ a b Davis, Julia (25 August 2012). "Julia Davis: 'I don't want to offend anyone'". The Independent (Interview). Interviewed by Gilbert, Gerard.
  4. ^ "Find and update company information". GOV.UK. 7 June 2018. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Jeffries, Stuart (17 December 2004). "I am drawn to extremes". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  6. ^ "What's occurring with Ruth Jones?". BBC South East Wales. 3 December 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Five Squeezy Pieces". BBC Programme Index. BBC. 18 November 1998. Retrieved 29 April 2022. 18th Nov 1998, 23:00 on BBC Radio 4 FM ( Source: Radio Times)
  8. ^ a b "Something of the night". 11 November 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2018 – via www.thetimes.co.uk. This led to her being cast in the all-female sketch show Five Squeezy Pieces in ...
  9. ^ Delaney, Sam (3 January 2004). "Interview: comedy writer Julia Davis". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  10. ^ Gibsone, Harriet (22 October 2018). "Julia Davis: 'I'm worried there's going to be a backlash'". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  11. ^ "Curriculum Vitae: Julia Davis". Independent Talent Group. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  12. ^ "Julia Davis". Independent Talent Group. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  13. ^ Read, Bridget (9 November 2018). "Julia Davis's Signature Comedy of Discomfort Lands Stateside". Vogue. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Steve Coogan – The Inside Story – BBC2 Factual". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  15. ^ Harvey, Chris (27 August 2012). "Julia Davis on Hunderby, Sky Atlantic: 'My horror of cruelty is why I write about it.'". The Daily Telegraph.
  16. ^ Nicholson, Rebecca (18 March 2010). "Lizzie and Sarah: has the BBC lost its nerve over this dark comedy?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014.
  17. ^ a b Morgan, Eleanor (10 April 2010). "Dark star: Julia Davis". The Guardian.
  18. ^ Boyle, Laura (18 July 2011). "Almost Persuaded: ITV's Persuasion". Jane Austen Centre.
  19. ^ "Black Mirror Episode 2 – 15 Million Merits". Channel 4. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  20. ^ "Its a Don-derful Life". BBC. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  21. ^ "2013 Television Craft Writer – Comedy". BAFTA Awards. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  22. ^ "Bafta TV awards: full nominations". 9 April 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  23. ^ Fletcher, Alex (12 December 2012). "Whitehall, 'Hunderby' win Comedy Awards". Digital Spy. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  24. ^ "Missed it! Julia Davis's aborted Channel 4 comedy 'Morning Has Broken'". Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide. 10 December 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  25. ^ "'The Bird': five things you didn't know about starlings". Time Out London. 13 July 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  26. ^ Billen, Andrew. "Julia Davis: 'The snogging scene was like making porn, except we made it look funny'". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  27. ^ "2017 Television Scripted Comedy". BAFTA Awards. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  28. ^ "Paul Thomas Anderson on Phantom Thread". British Film Institute. 31 December 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  29. ^ a b Goodacre, Kate (12 May 2019). "Here are all the BAFTA TV Award winners for 2019". Digital Spy. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  30. ^ O'Sullivan, Charlotte (1 March 2019). "Fighting With My Family is a comedy that makes us see stars". Evening Standard. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  31. ^ Bakare, Lanre; Davies, Hannah J.; Fernando, Shehani; Slaney, Rowan (29 June 2018). "Dear Joan and Jericha: agony aunts of the most ribald kind – podcasts of the week". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  32. ^ "Dear Joan and Jericha (Julia Davis and Vicki Pepperdine) on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  33. ^ sarah-carson (5 November 2020). "Dear Joan and Jericha: 'Funerals are great places to meet men'". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  34. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (10 December 2021). "'The Crown' Star Claire Foy in Amazon, BBC's 'A Very British Scandal' – First Trailer Revealed". Variety. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  35. ^ Dray, Kayleigh. "BBC One's The Outlaws: the second series of this hilarious comedy-thriller is finally here and we also have a new companion podcast". Stylist. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  36. ^ AnOther (7 March 2016). "The Full Interview: Björk and Julia Davis". AnOther. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  37. ^ "Reclaiming Female Authorship in Contemporary UK Television Comedy". Edinburgh University Press Books. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  38. ^ "The New Yorker Studios to Present "The Clearing" Starring Julian Barratt and Julia Davis, on December 9th". Fabuk Magazine. 25 November 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  39. ^ Walker, Tim (5 November 2010). "Julia Davis: TV executives crush comedy". The Telegraph.
  40. ^ Dickens, Andrew (2012). "Interview: Julia Davis". Stylist. Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014. I've lived on my own quite a lot before, and I do like my solitude. Now I've got twins, it's quite hard to be on my own.
  41. ^ "Julia Davis and Charlie Cooper join Stath Lets Flats : News 2021 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide".
  42. ^ "This Country's Charlie Cooper and Julia Davis join Stath Lets Flat series 3". 3 September 2021.
  43. ^ "A Very British Scandal". bbc.co.uk/mediacentre. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  44. ^ "radiohaha -- Blue Jam". Angelfire. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  45. ^ Lavalie, John. "Five Squeezy Pieces". Titles & Air Dates Guide. epguides.com. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  46. ^ Arnold, Steve. "Five Squeezy Pieces". BritishComedy.org.uk. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  47. ^ "radiohaha -- Five Squeezy Pieces". Angelfire. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  48. ^ "Edith Sitwell in Scarborough". bbc. 17 March 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
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