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Jenna-Louise Coleman
In January 2010, I went to the Theatre Royal in Nottingham to see the pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk. It was a brilliant production with a cast that included Nigel Havers, the ventriloquist Paul Zardin and Jenna-Louise Coleman who played the gorgeous Princess Apricot.
I waited to meet the cast at the stage door afterwards, and got my programme signed by them all.
Jenna-Louise Coleman was born in 1986 in Blackpool. She went to Arnold School, a co-ed Independent school for 2-18 year olds in Blackpool. Jenna-Louise was the school's Head Girl in 2004. She has an older brother, Ben.
From the age of 10 she was determined to be an actress, taking full advantage of the school's excellent facilities for drama. She became closely involved with the In Yer Space Theatre Company which was formed in 1998 from past and present pupils at Arnold School. In Yer Space tours small scale productions to pro
Jenna-Louise Coleman
Jenna-Louise Coleman
professional venues in the north-west of England. Jenna-Louise took part in a number of these. She played Thomasina in Crystal Clear and Laura in The Woman who Cooked her Husband. She has also appeared in two plays at Keswick's 'Theatre by the Lake', and performed Lee Hall's monologue Spoonface Steinberg at the Edinburgh Fringe.
After leaving school, Jenna Louise began applying to various drama schools, including RADA and LAMDA, but then a part in a TV series came along. She was forced to make a choice and opted to put drama college on hold and take the part of Jasmine Thomas, niece of the local vicar, in the long-running ITV soap Emmerdale.
Jenna-Louise Coleman & Charley Webb in Emmerdale
Jenna-Louise Coleman & Jeff Hordley in Emmerdale
Jenna's character had a number of strong storylines, including a lesbian relationship with Debbie Dingle (played by her best friend Charley Webb) and having an abortion after finding herself pregnant by Debbie's father Cain Dingle (played by Jeff Hordley). Jasmine's
Jenna as Jasmine Thomas
relationship with the bent policeman Shane Doyle
Doyle, provided a dramatic storyline in 2008 when she killed Doyle (played by Paul McEwan) after he had tried to rape both her and her friend Debbie. Jenna-Louise said about the scene, "It was really violent. I had marks on my body where Paul held me down. He was shoving me about but I told him to go for it. I wanted it to look as realistic as possible. But I was really scared of him in that moment." Jasmine later tgirie
gives herself up to the police and confesses to the murder. She is sent for trial and imprisoned. This gave Jenna Louise the opportunity to move on after appearing in 159 episodes. "It was really sad to leave but I knew that it was time to go. I'd been in it for 4 years and I wanted to try something new."
Jasmine's kiss with Debbie Dingle in
Emmerdale
Jasmine is about to kill Doyle as he threatens to rape Debbie in Emmerdale
Whilst playing the role of Jasmine Thomas, Jenna was nominated in 2006 for 'Best Newcomer' at the 2006 British Soap Awards; 'Most Popular Newcomer' at the Nati
National Television Awards (UK); 'Sexiest Female' at the 2007 Inside Soap Awards and 'Best Dramatic Performance' at the 2009 British Soap Awards for her part in Emmerdale.
Inside Soap 2005
TV Now Awards 2007
TV Now Awards 2009
TV Soap Awards 2009
In October 2009, Jenna-Louise made her first appearance as 'hard girl' Lindsey James in the
BBC TV series Waterloo Road. At her previous school she was a model pupil, but after joining Waterloo Road, her behaviour becomes very disruptive, on account of her mother being arrested on suspicion of murdering her father. Jenna
Jenna-Louise says, "She becomes the ringleader and it’s almost as if she enjoys it. I think it’s like a
a defence mechanism for her, it makes her feel better when she sees others unhappy."
Lindsey James is a central character during Series 5, with the schoolgirl providing a very dramatic role for Jenna Louise who fou
Jenna-Louise Coleman & Tom Chambers
in Waterloo Road
Jenna with Eva Pope in Waterloo Road
Jenna-Louise as Lyndsey James
in Waterloo Road
Lyndsey James in court in Waterloo Road
found it strange to be back at school. “I'm 23 so it’s been a whil
Jenna-Louise as Lyndsey James
During December 2009 and January 2010, Jenna Louise played Princess Apricot in Nottingham Theatre Royal's lavish pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk with Paul Zardin and Nigel Havers.
Jenna as Princess Apricot
Jenna-Louise & Paul Zardin in Jack and the Beanstalk
Stunningly attractive and very articulate when she is being interviewed, Jenna Louise Coleman has begun to appear on 'chat shows', including three times on ITV's Loose Women in 2006 & 2008.
Jenna & Carol McGaffin on Loose Women
Jenna interviewed on This Morning in 2009
while since I left school and you really feel like you're sixteen again."
Jenna-Louise signed my Jack and the Beanstalk programme
VIDEOS
Jenna interviewed on BBC Breakfast in 2012
In 2011, Jenna Louise played the role of upper-class Susan Brown, daughter of a rich industrialist, in the adaptation for TV of JohnB
John Braine's Room at the Top for the BBC, starring Matthew McNulty It was intended to be broadcast in April 2011 but a copyright dispute caused it to be cancelled.
cancelled. The dispute was eventually resolved, and the 2-part series was broadcast on BBC4 in September 2011. This drama provided a real contrast to Waterloo Road for Jenna-Louise
Jenna-Louise Coleman & Matthew McNulty
in Room at the Top
Jenna-Louise, filled as it was with steamy sex scenes which involved her appearing topless.
Earlier, in March 2011, Jenna-Louise was seen in the role of Annie Desmond, a cheeky cockney stewardess in four episodes of ITV's Titanic.
Titanic. Annie falls for Paoli, an Italian waiter, played by Glen Blackhall, in this reworking of the Titanic story by Julian Fellowes. Also in 2011, Jenna-Louise made herbig
Jenna-Louise Coleman with Glen Blackhall
her big screen debut as Connie in the Marvel Comics' superhero spectacular Captain America: The First Avenger.
in Titanic
Film debut as Connie
2012 has brought more success to Jenna-Louise, with the filming of a five-part drama by Stephen Poliakoff Dancing on the Edge. Set in 1930s London, it tells the tale of a black jazz group called The Louis Lester
However, it is her association with the long-running series Doctor
Lester Band as they rise to fame entertaining aristocratic guests at exclusive parties in the capital. Jenna Louise
Louise plays the part of Rosie Williams in the production, which is set to air in 2013.
As Oswin in Asylum of the Daleks
Doctor Who which will bring Jenna-Louise Coleman wide and long-lasting recognition among the viewing public. Her first appearance in the series was in October
Jenna-Louise as Clara Oswin the barmaid in
October 2012, as Oswin Oswald in the episode Asylum of the Daleks. In this she is converted into a Dalek cyborg, and meets
She is reintroduced as Clara Oswin in the 2012 'Christmas Doctor Who' special The Snowmen, as a woman from the 1890s who works as both a barmaid and a children's governess. She is shown round the TARDIS by the Doctor (Matt Smith), but he fails to save her from death at the hands ofan
Doctor Who: The Snowmen
meets an untimely end.
Jenna-Louise Coleman & Matt Smith in
Doctor Who: The Snowmen
Doctor Who: The Snowmen
Jenna as Clara Oswin the governess in
of an 'ice-woman'. After searching, he eventually finds another Clara Oswin Oswald in 2012, and it is she who is set to become his companion for the show's seventh series.
Since 2011, Jenna-Louise Coleman has been in a relationship with actor Richard Madden (Robb Stark in the TV series Game of Thrones).
(left) Jenna-Louise Coleman in the
Richard Madden in Game of Thrones
seventh series of Doctor Who
Who is Jenna-Louise Coleman? fansite