Gemma Whelan
English actress (born 1981)
title: "Gemma Whelan" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["living-people", "english-film-actresses", "english-stand-up-comedians", "english-women-comedians", "actresses-from-leeds", "21st-century-english-actresses", "english-stage-actresses", "english-television-actresses", "english-video-game-actresses", "english-voice-actresses", "1981-births", "wftv-award-winners", "people-educated-at-the-king's-high-school-for-girls", "comedians-from-leeds"] description: "English actress (born 1981)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemma_Whelan" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary English actress (born 1981) ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| image | Gemma Whelan (cropped).jpg |
| caption | Whelan at Antwerp Convention 2014 |
| birth_name | Gemma Elizabeth Whelan |
| birth_date | |
| birth_place | Leeds, England |
| occupation | Actress, comedian |
| years_active | 2005–present |
| spouse | Gerry Howell |
| children | 2 |
| :: |
| image = Gemma Whelan (cropped).jpg | caption = Whelan at Antwerp Convention 2014 | birth_name = Gemma Elizabeth Whelan | birth_date = | birth_place = Leeds, England | occupation = Actress, comedian | years_active = 2005–present | spouse = Gerry Howell | children = 2
Gemma Elizabeth Whelan (born 1981) is an English actress and comedian known for portraying Yara Greyjoy in the HBO fantasy-drama series Game of Thrones and as her stand-up character Chastity Butterworth. She also plays Kate in all 4 series of the comedy Upstart Crow (2016–2018), Detective Eunice Noon on the first series of The End of the F***ing World (2017), Geraldine on the third series of Killing Eve (2020), and DCI Kerry Henderson in both series of DI Ray (2022–2024).
Early life and education
Gemma Elizabeth Whelan was born in Leeds in 1981 and grew up in the Midlands.
She attended The King's High School for Girls in Warwick and the London Studio Centre.
She was hospitalised for anorexia nervosa as a teenager. She regards her recovery from the illness as her greatest achievement, and says that the experience has shaped her personality and how she approaches things.
Career
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Gemma_Whelan_2.jpg" caption="Whelan at the [[End of the Road Festival]], 2013"] ::
As a stand-up comedian, Whelan won the 2010 Funny Women Variety Award. She performed at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe with her show Chastity Butterworth & The Spanish Hamster. In 2014, she recorded a pilot chat show as her character Chastity Butterworth for BBC Radio 4, which was in development in October 2015. She also featured in other shows as this character.
On screen, she has played supporting roles in several films and TV shows, including in the 2010 films Gulliver's Travels and The Wolfman. She played Kate (appearing in all 18 main episodes, as well as three Christmas specials) in Ben Elton's BBC Two comedy Upstart Crow, and was a series regular on The End of the F***ing World. She also played roles in other comedies, including Uncle and The Agency.
In August 2011, she was cast as Yara Greyjoy, elder sister of Theon, of House Greyjoy of the Iron Islands, in the HBO fantasy-drama television series Game of Thrones, and appeared as a recurring cast member from the second season onward.
In 2017, she portrayed Karen Matthews in the two-part TV drama The Moorside, based on the 2008 disappearance of nine-year-old Shannon Matthews. In 2019, she appeared as Marian Lister in the BBC drama Gentleman Jack.
In 2020, she portrayed Mrs Weston née Taylor in a film adaption of Jane Austen's Emma, directed by Autumn de Wilde.
In February 2020, a stage adaptation of Upstart Crow opened at the Gielgud Theatre, London, Whelan reprising the role of Kate. Whelan returned to the West End stage as Kate when the play was revived at the Apollo Theatre in 2022.
Whelan appears as DCI Kerry Henderson in the police drama series, DI Ray, written by Maya Sondhi and produced by Jed Mercurio, to series 2 in 2024.
Personal life
Whelan lives in London with her husband, the comedian and actor Gerry Howell, and their two children.
Filmography
Film
::data[format=table]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Madness of the Dance | Sister Grace | Short film |
| 2008 | Frites | Marie-Anne | Short film |
| Shortbread and Tea | Mildred | ||
| 2009 | Ding Dong | Dr. Pretty | Short film |
| 2010 | The Wolfman | Gwen's Maid | |
| Gulliver's Travels | Lilliputian Rose | ||
| c. 2011 | Like Buses | Girl 1 on bench | Short film dir. by Gary Keller, written by James Acaster |
| (Available to watch on YouTube) | |||
| 2014 | Santageddon | Gemma | Short film |
| 2016 | Prevenge | Len | |
| Wise Girl | Noodles | Short film | |
| 2017 | The Blue Door | Caretaker | Short film by Megan Joyce Pugh and Ben Clark of 13th Door Films with ALTER |
| (Available to watch on YouTube) | |||
| Tad the Lost Explorer and the Secret of King Midas | Tiffany / Henchwoman (voice) | English version | |
| Keyed Alike | Coley | Short film | |
| Sump | Kate | Short film | |
| 2018 | Surviving Christmas with the Relatives | Miranda | |
| 2020 | Emma. | Miss Taylor / Mrs. Weston | |
| 2021 | Hireth | Eve (voice) | Short film |
| TBA | The Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde | In production | |
| :: |
Television
::data[format=table]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | The Enforcers | Holly | |
| 2009 | 10 Minute Tales | Pretty Nurse | Episode: "Ding Dong" |
| 2010 | The Persuasionists | Josephine | 3 episodes |
| 2011 | Threesome | Wendy | Episode: "It's Not Cheating" |
| Living Doll | Moaning Mona | ||
| For the Win | Various | Pilot | |
| 2012 | Comedy Blaps | Bar Waitress / Lost Woman in Park / Girlfriend | 2 episodes: "Dr. Brown: Episodes 1 & 2" |
| Ruddy Hell! It's Harry & Paul | Various | Series 4; Episode 5 | |
| Cardinal Burns | Claire | ||
| 2012–2014, | |||
| 2016–2019 | Game of Thrones | Yara Greyjoy | Recurring role, 16 episodes |
| 2013 | The Day They Came to Suck Out Our Brains! | (unknown) | Mini-series; Episode: "The Wrath of Ken" |
| Nick Helm's Heavy Entertainment | Various | ||
| Claudia O'Doherty Comedy Blaps | Sarah | Mini-series, 3 episodes | |
| 2014 | Live at the Electric | Chastity Butterworth | 3 episodes |
| Siblings | Ruth | Episode: "Vet Drugs" | |
| Badults | Juliet | Series 2; Episode 2: "Neighbours" | |
| Mapp & Lucia | Quaint Irene Coles | 3 episodes | |
| 2014–2016 | Almost Royal | Narrator (voice) | 13 episodes |
| 2015 | Asylum | Journalist | Mini-series; Episode: "Strange Bedfellows" |
| The Art of Foley | Pippa | Mini-series; 3 episodes | |
| Not Safe for Work | Davina | Mini-series; Episode 5 | |
| Murder in Successville | Nurse Adele | Episode: "Dr. Death" | |
| 2015–2017 | Uncle | Veronica | 5 episodes |
| 2016 | Comedy Playhouse | Chloe | Series 17; Episode 2: "Broken Biscuits" |
| Morgana Robinson's The Agency | Kat Cassidy | 7 episodes | |
| 2016–2018 | Hetty Feather | Ida Battersea | 14 episodes |
| 2016–2020 | Upstart Crow | Kate | Recurring role, 18 episodes and 3 specials |
| 2017 | Decline and Fall | Diane Fagan | Mini-series; 2 episodes |
| The Moorside | Karen Matthews | Mini-series; 2 episodes | |
| The Crown | Patricia Campbell | Series 2; Episode 5: "Marionettes" | |
| Queers | Bobby | Mini-series; Episode 7: "The Perfect Gentleman" | |
| The End of the F***ing World | DC Eunice Noon | 5 episodes | |
| Eat Your Heart with Nick Helm | Herself | 1 episode | |
| 2017–2022 | Horrible Histories | Various | 7 episodes |
| 2018 | Danger Mouse | Ego (voice) | Series 2; Episode 29: "For Your Insides Only" |
| 2019 | Star vs. the Forces of Evil | Additional voices | Series 4; Episode 20: "Pizza Party/The Tavern at the End of the Multiverse" |
| 2019–2022 | Gentleman Jack | Marian Lister | 16 episodes |
| 2020 | White House Farm | Ann Eaton | Mini-series; 6 episodes |
| Untitled Pajama Men Project | Glenda | ||
| Killing Eve | Geraldine Martens | Series 3; 6 episodes | |
| 2021 | Frayed | Hannah | Series 2; 2 episodes |
| Inside No. 9 | Columbina, a Maid | Series 6; Episode 1: "Wuthering Heist" | |
| 2021–2024 | The Tower | DI/DS Sarah Collins | Main role, 11 episodes |
| 2022–2024 | DI Ray | DCI Kerry Henderson | 10 episodes |
| 2024 | Cristóbal Balenciaga | Prudence Glynn | 6 episodes |
| Inside No. 9 | Party Guest | Series 9; Episode 6: "Plodding On" | |
| Funny Woman | Lynda Jay | Series 2; 2 episodes | |
| The Cleaner | Lara | Series 3; Episode 2: "The Baby" | |
| :: |
Stage
::data[format=table]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Newsrevue | Various | Edinburgh Festival |
| 2006 | Shakespeare for Breakfast | Petruchio | C Venues |
| Celebrity Love Panto Island | Various | Canal Cafe Theatre | |
| 2008 | Red Death Lates | (unknown) | Gideon Reeling |
| Improvathon | Bunny Valentine | The Sticking Place | |
| 2009 | Infinite Variety | Various | Whoopee Productions New Players Theatre |
| 2010 | Stephen & the Sexy Partridge | Chanel | Trafalgar Studios |
| 2013 | One Man, Two Guvnors | Rachel Crabbe | Royal National Theatre |
| Dark Vanilla Jungle | Andrea | Supporting Wall & Pleasance Theatre | |
| Chastity Butterworth & the Spanish Hamster | Chastity Butterworth | Pajama Men Productions | |
| 2014 | Dark Vanilla Jungle | Andrea | Supporting Wall |
| 2015 | Radiant Vermin | Jill and others | Soho Theatre |
| 2019 | Pinter Seven: A Slight Ache | Flora | Harold Pinter Theatre |
| 2020 | The Upstart Crow | Kate | Gielgud Theatre |
| 2024 | Underdog: The Other Other Brontë | Charlotte Brontë | National Theatre |
| :: |
Video games
::data[format=table]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Soul Sacrifice | Terrwyn | Voice roles |
| 2014 | Dragon Age: Inquisition | Threnn / Maryden / Winterwatch Tower Cultist / Redcliffe Soldier / Redcliffe Villager / Emerald | |
| Graves Civilian / Svarah Sun-Hair - Jaws of Hakkon DLC / Avvar - Jaws of Hakkon DLC | |||
| 2015 | Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward | Igeyorhm / Vidofnir | |
| Dragon Age: Inquisition - Trespasser | Maryden | ||
| Guitar Hero Live | (unknown) | ||
| 2017 | Mass Effect: Andromeda | Pathfinder Zevin Raeka | |
| Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III | Eldar | ||
| 2021 | Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker | Ameliance / Galene | |
| 2022 | Elden Ring | Lady Tanith | |
| TBA | Squadron 42 | Becca Farneway | Voice and motion capture |
| :: |
Audio
::data[format=table]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBA | Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions | Pomona Sprout | |
| :: |
Awards and nominations
::data[format=table]
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Funny Women Awards | Best Variety | Herself | ||
| 2016 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Game of Thrones | last1=McKenzie | |
| 2017 | WFTV Awards | The MAC Best Performance | Herself | url=https://wftv.org.uk/events-gallery/2017-wftv-award-winners | |
| :: |
References
References
- Tripney, Natasha. (20 March 2024). "Gemma Whelan: 'Right below my heart is a quiet place that has always burned to do this'". [[The Stage]].
- Lash, Jolie. (9 April 2012). "'Game Of Thrones' Newcomer Gemma Whelan Talks Yara Greyjoy".
- (31 March 2018). "From King's High to Hollywood". Independent Education Today.
- "Alumni Gallery". londonstudiocentre.org.
- Mwitumwa, Monde. (2 May 2022). "DI Ray actress Gemma Whelan's age, family, and tough health battle".
- "Funny Women Award Winners".
- Hall, Julian. (2013-08-07). "Edinburgh Festival 2013: Chastity Butterworth & The Spanish Hamster -".
- "The Chastity Butterworth Show – Radio 4 Chat Show".
- (13 October 2015). "Chastity Butterworth TV chat show in development".
- Whelan, Gemma. (24 October 2015). "Circuit Training 86: The Secret Worlds of Gemma Whelan".
- "Live at the Electric".
- "Gemma Whelan". [[Spotlight (company).
- (18 May 2011). "The Spotlight on ... Gemma Whelan". London is Funny.
- Vineyard, Jennifer. (6 July 2016). "Game of Thrones' Gemma Whelan on Yara's Sexuality and Freezing on Set". [[New York (magazine).
- "Gemma Whelan: Miss Taylor, Mrs. Weston".
- (17 February 2020). "The Upstart Crow review – authentically Shakespearean right down to the puffling pants". [[The Guardian]].
- (8 September 2022). "Full cast for The Upstart Crow with David Mitchell announced {{!}} WhatsOnStage".
- Whelan, Gemma. (5 June 2022). "New crime show 'DI Ray' tackles racism in a different way: star Gemma Whelan".
- Vick, Megan. (21 July 2024). "'DI Ray' Season 2, Finale Recap: "Enemy Within"".
- Hibbs, James. (2 May 2023). "Line of Duty star joins cast of DI Ray as filming begins on season 2".
- "Meet the cast of ITV thriller DI Ray".
- Roper, Kerri-Ann. (30 November 2018). "Gemma Whelan: 'I'm out pushing my buggy around and I truly look like a bag lady... but it's fine'". [[Belfast Telegraph]].
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVvoJfuDuSg The Blue Door]
- Swift, Andy. (7 February 2019). "Disney's ''Star vs. the Forces of Evil'' Ending With Season 4". [[TVLine]].
- (14 April 2020). "Whelan 'star-struck' to join the cast of spy thriller Killing Eve". The Yorkshire Post.
- Billington, Michael. (2015-03-12). "Radiant Vermin review – Philip Ridley's nightmare tale of a dream home". The Guardian.
- "Pinter at the Pinter: Pinter Seven".
- "Upstart Crow – The Comedy".
- (January 29, 2017). "Screen Actors Guild Awards 2017: Complete Winners List". ABC News.
- Nolfi, Joey. (December 14, 2016). "SAG Awards nominations 2017: See the full list".
- "Meet the 2017 Women in Film and Television Award Winners". Women in Film & Television UK.
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