Keeley Hawes: English Actress
Keeley Hawes is an esteemed English actress known for her roles on some of the finest British TV shows such as Spooks and Line of Duty. Additionally, she provided Lara Croft’s voice in several video games.
Tipping the Velvet and Our Mutual Friend were literary adaptations she appeared in before marrying Spooks co-star Matthew Macfadyen in 2004. One of her notable performances from 2014 was as Detective Inspector Lindsay Denton in Line of Duty.
Keeley Hawes’ Biography
Keeley Hawes is a household name, thanks to her roles on Spooks, Line of Duty, and Bodyguard. Additionally, she’s known as an expert behind the camera thanks to her production company Buddy Club; this allowed her to create and produce shows for TV. Born and raised in London where her parents drove black cabs, Keeley Hawes was discovered by talent scouts while shopping on Oxford Street and discovered as an actor by accident.
Keeley made her acting debut in the BBC mini-series Tipping the Velvet and quickly established herself in acting roles ranging from Jane Austen’s Persuasion and Sarah Waters’ adaptation of The Little Stranger to male impersonator music hall star Kitty Butler on Spooks; it cemented her status as an accomplished lead actress alongside Peter Firth, Hugh Simon, and Nicola Walker; it even led her to meet Matthew Macfadyen!
Hawes played Zoe Reynolds, an MI5 field operative tasked with using her intelligence and adaptability to survive, alongside Macfadyen who played her team leader Hawes and Macfadyen have since gone on to have two children, Maggie and Ralph together.
Keeley has established an impressive filmography. She appeared in Death at a Funeral, High-Rise, and Misbehavior as well as providing voices for several Lara Croft video games such as Tomb Raider: Legend, Underworld Guardian of Light & Anniversary.
Keeley made her television debut as Lady Agnes Holland in Upstairs, Downstairs’ 2010 relaunch as well as appearing as detective superintendent Martha Lawson for six episodes on Identity (ITV drama). Additionally, she played The Durrells (ITV comedy-drama), Russell T Davies’ 2020 drama serial Honour, and co-created and starred in the ITV series Finding Alice (co-creation and starring).
Keeley Hawes’ Filmography
Keeley Hawes has not only graced BBC dramas Tipping the Velvet and Wives and Daughters but has also appeared in multiple film and TV adaptations of classic and modern literature. In 1998’s Our Mutual Friend she played male impersonator music hall star Carl Carlton; 1999 saw her portray Diana Dors in the biopic The Blonde Bombshell; 2000 saw more literary adaptations such as The History Boys with Timothy Spall (2004-19) and Bletchley Park Codebreakers with Rory Kinnear).
From 2002 to 2004, Keeley made her mark as Zoe Reynolds on the long-running spy series Spooks, playing her character from 2002 until 2004. It became an immensely popular show, boasting such notable cast members as Peter Firth, Hugh Bonneville, Nicola Walker, and David Oyelowo among many more recognizable faces such as Keeley playing MI5 agent Zoe Reynolds who later went on to marry Matthew Macfadyen from Spooks!
After leaving The Casual Vacancy (2015) and The Missing (2016), Hawes went on to star as Dame Helen Mirren in ITV period drama The Durrells of Corfu from 2016 – 2019. Additionally, she appeared as a fictional Home Secretary alongside Richard Lintern and Michael Sheen for 2018’s Bodyguard series. Additionally, she made limited series appearances like The Casual Vacancy (2015) and The Missing (2016) as well as rejoining Jed Mercurio for the 2020 police corruption series Line of Duty where Hawes’ performance has been described as ‘masterful’ by critics alike.
Hawes first made her mark as Valerie Tozer in Russell T Davies’s drama serial It’s a Sin, before going on to appear as Dr. Susannah Zellaby in Sky Max sci-fi horror The Midwich Cuckoos that same year. Soon thereafter she co-created and served as executive producer of two ITV dramas (1921’s Honour and comedy-drama Finding Alice; both being co-created/executive produced/starring roles respectively. Additionally, she regularly appears as a guest presenter on shows like Sherlock and More presenting shows such as Sherlock before being asked by BBC to narrate Kate and William: A Royal Love Story shortly before the Royal wedding of 2011.
Keeley Hawes’ Awards
Keeley Hawes was an immensely popular television and movie actress, winning many awards and accolades along the way. From 2002-2004 she played Zoe Reynolds in Spooks; later that same year, she reprised that role again in Ashes to Ashes from 2008-10, with another appearance from 2006 to 2007 as Rosie in Vicar of Dibley. Additionally, Hawes made several film appearances such as Death at a Funeral (2007) High-Rise (2015) Misbehaviour (2021), and To Olivia (2021); as Lara Croft she provided voiceover work in the Tomb Raider video game franchise from 2001 until 2016 while providing voiceover voice acting voiceover work as Lara Croft for Tomb Raider video games from 2001-2016 as Lara Croft voiceover role since 2001 until 2016.
Keeley Hawes has won two Golden Globe awards and been nominated for five Emmy awards, most notably for her portrayal of Home Secretary Julia Montague in BBC’s period drama Bodyguard. Additionally, she appeared in Upstairs Downstairs (2009) revival, the limited series The Casual Vacancy (2015) and The Missing (2016) as well as the ITV drama series The Durrells of Corfu (2016-19). Recently Hawes and co-star Matthew MacFadyen collaborated again for the 2018 thriller Bodyguard which won both BAFTA and Golden Globe awards for best TV drama.
Hawes has also shown her artistic prowess through painting exhibitions at various shows, being a patron of Royal Academy Schools as well as serving on the board of charity The Art Fund.
British actor Matt Macfadyen and British actor Maggie Lammle share two children, Maggie and Ralph. They currently reside in London where she often posts photos of Buster her beloved pug, on social media.
Hawes has won four Critics’ Choice Television Awards for her performances as Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie and received nominations three more times. Additionally, she earned nominations for BAFTA TV Dagger Awards for roles she portrayed on The Bletchley Circle: Series 2, The Honourable Woman, Line of Duty, and Happy Valley.
At the 2022 Emmy Awards, Hawes won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her work in HBO’s Succession. She beat out strong competition from Better Call Saul, Euphoria, Ozark, Severance, and Squid Game to take home this honor.
Personal Life
Keeley Hawes is both an accomplished actor and producer, having worked on multiple television series such as Line of Duty and Bodyguard as well as appearing in films like High-Rise and Misbehavior. Additionally, she voiced Lara Croft for the Tomb Raider video game franchise.
Hawes was born in London, England to parents who worked as taxi cab drivers; her mother stayed home. Hawes was the youngest of four siblings. Later moving to Kent with her family and attending Sylvia Young Theatre School before beginning to book small professional roles like Our Mutual Friend and Tipping the Velvet adaptations.
She has garnered high critical acclaim for both film and TV performances, starting with Zoe Reynolds in Spooks as an intelligence officer; then playing Lindsay Denton on BBC drama Line of Duty and Julia Montague in the political thriller Bodyguard.
She earned two BAFTA nominations for her work on both series. Additionally, she has appeared in many TV period pieces such as The Durrells, It’s A Sin, and Mrs. Wilson.
Hawes first married Spencer McCallum in 2002 before they divorced two years later in 2004. Hawes then went on to marry Matthew Macfadyen from Spooks the following November and had two children together; Maggie and Ralph from that marriage as well as Myles from her initial union.
Hawes can frequently be seen sharing her posts on Instagram with her husband and children as well as sharing images of their dog, Buster. She was even chosen as the face for Boots No 7 cosmetics!
Hawes has established herself as one of Britain’s premier actors through her performances in movies and television dramas, both film and otherwise. Recently she ventured into directing, having directed an episode of the television series The Durrells where she starred. Additionally, she will star alongside Matthew Macfadyen (her husband) in a new BBC adaptation of Howards End which will premiere later in 2020; both actors will also share Tom Wambsgans roles on Succession!
