She's currently starring in series five of Last Tango in Halifax and the second series of The Split, so it's safe to say actress Nicola Walker is in high demand. The 49-year-old has had a hugely successful acting career, having won awards for her performances in her television and theatre work, and has been in the business since the 90s. Want to know more about Nicola? Here's all you need to know.
WATCH: Nicola Walker stars in The Split series two
Who is Nicola Walker?
Nicola was born in East London and is the younger of two children. According to Wikipedia, Nicola started acting from a young age, as an attempt to speak to boys. The actress then went on to study at Cambridge University and joined the prestigious acting group Footlights, where many well-known actors have been trained, such as Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson and Hugh Laurie. During Nicola's time at Footlights, her fellow budding-actor friends included comedian Sue Perkins and future Spooks colleague David Wolstencroft.
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© Photo: RexNicola has appeared in many TV shows over the years
After Cambridge, Nicola went on to study at the highly-esteemed Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and went on to appear in many small performances at Edinburgh Fringe and London Fringe festivals.
What is Nicola Walker best known for?
Thanks to her impressive acting talent, Nicola has been fortunate enough to be in plenty of well-known television, film and theatre productions. Currently, however, she's probably best known for starring in hit BBC dramas Last Tango in Halifax, now on series five, and The Split, now on series two. In Last Tango in Halifax, Nicola plays the troublemaking-yet-loveable Gillian, Alan's daughter who ended season four by marrying Robbie, despite the knowledge that she had murdered his adopted brother (and her former husband) Eddie, and deciding that she would have to divorce him as soon as their honeymoon was over.
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© Photo: BBCNicola as Hannah Stern in The Split
In The Split, Nicola plays Hannah Stern, a partner in a prestigious law firm who's currently battling between her husband Nathan and her lover Christie. Nicola Walker's other work Nicola has starred in many other television and film projects. The actress has appeared in shows such as Unforgotten, River, Babylon and New Tricks. One of her first major TV roles was in Pie in the Sky alongside Richard Griffiths. The 49-year-old has appeared in film titles such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Thunderbirds and an adaptation of Oliver Twist.
Nicola has also had a successful career on the stage. She appeared in highly-acclaimed play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and won an Olivier Award for her role. She has also appeared in the West End production of A View from the Bridge, alongside Mark Strong, and went on to star in the Broadway production of the same play.
© Photo: BBCThe actress also stars in Last Tango in Halifax
Nicola Walker's family
Nicola is married to Barnaby Kay, a fellow actor. Barnaby has appeared in TV shows and films such as Casualty, Doctor Who, Shakespeare in Love and many more. Like Nicola, Barnaby has also appeared on the stage. He has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company for many productions and appeared in the West End performance of A Streetcar Named Desire. In 2006, Nicola and Barnaby welcomed their son, and named him Harry for a very special reason. The couple chose it because it was the name of Nicola's Spooks co-star Peter Firth's character, Sir Harry Pearce. How sweet!
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