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Lyndsey Marshal (born June 16, 1978) is an English actress who has appeared in plays, television shows and films. Well-known among London theatregoers, she is most famous internationally for her performance in The Hours and as the recurring character Cleopatra on HBO's Rome.
Lyndsey was born in Manchester, England in the summer of 1978. Growing up, her family had very little money: her father had lost sight of one eye after an accident, and was consistently unemployed. Her mother Sheila Marshal was the sole wage-earner, working as a cleaner.[2]
Though her father encouraged her to be a lawyer, Lyndsey originally aspired to work as an archeologist, applying to study French and the Classics at a university.[1] This all changed after a teacher persuaded her to apply for a two-week-long National Youth Theater course. She made it to the final audition, and won a place; her school helped her find jobs to cover the £1,000 bill.[2]
Her success in the program, and her enjoyment of it, encouraged her to study at the Royal Welsh College of Music in Drama in Cardiff. However, before completing the three-year course, her father died suddenly of a heart attack. Lyndsey went back home and decided to renounce acting; but once again, it was her teachers who pushed to return. “If you don’t come back,” one told her, “I’ll come up and drag you back myself.” [2] She consented, and even before graduating she was cast in Fireface at the Royal Court Theatre in London.
Lyndsey Marshal has since performed in ten other London plays, starring in two. She also appeared in five movies, including The Hours alongside Nicole Kidman, and has made several television appearances. Most recently, she reprised her role as Cleopatra for season two of HBO’s Rome , in which she appeared in five episodes.
- nomination 2006 Ian Charleston Award (The Hypochondriac)
- 2003 TMA Theatre Award Best Supporting Actress (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
- nomination 2002 Olivier Award Best Supporting Actress (The Boston Marriage)
- nomination 2002 Evening Standard Award Best Newcomer (Redundant / The Boston Marriage)
- 2001 Critics' Circle Theatre Award Best Newcomer (Redundant / The Boston Marriage)
- ^ a b Kennedy, Hannah (December 13, 2004), "20 Questions with...Lyndsey Marshal", What's On Stage, <http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=207&story=E8821101403877>
- ^ a b c Andersen, David & Witter, Lameen (December 15, 2001), "A Girl Less Ordinary", Telegraph, <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2001/12/15/btlynd.xml>
- ^ Hytner, Nicholas (February 15, 2007), National Theatre Plans for 2007, <http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/download.php?id=2936.>. Retrieved on March 25, 2007
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Manchester, England