BETWEEN starring in Game of Thrones and her critically-acclaimed performance as Karen Matthews in BBC drama The Moorside its been a busy year or so for Gemma Whelan.
Here’s what we know about the Leeds-born actress and her role in Channel 4’s new series The End Of The F***ing World…
Who is Gemma Whelan?
Gemma Whelan is a 35-year-old actress born and raised in Leeds, UK.
She will be known to most as playing the role of warrior Yara Greyjoy in the smash-hit fantasy series, Game of Thrones.
Gemma also drew the plaudits for her gripping portrayal of Karen Matthews in hit TV drama The Moorside.
She recently appeared in Decline and Fall, a star-studded BBC adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s satire.
The star also took on the role of Veronica in the BBC3 sitcom Uncle, as well as Morgana Robinson’s The Agency last year.
However, she also actively works as a comedian, winning an award for her stand-up shows in 2010 from the Funny Women Variety Awards.
Proving there’s more than one string to her bow, she is also a professional dancer – specialising in tap dance and jazz – and is a member of London-based dance troupe the Beaux Belles.
However, she has previously admitted that her profile in the spotlight is so far not bright enough to disrupt her daily routine.
In June 2016, she told Good Morning Britain: “People don’t really recognise me. It’s happening a little bit more now because I’ve more do to this season [of Game of Thrones].”
What is Game of Thrones and who does Gemma play?
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Game of Thrones is a sprawling HBO fantasy epic with an all-star cast featuring the likes of Emilia Clarke and Lena Headey.
The series is based on author George RR Martin’s fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire.
Gemma is the hardy Yara Greyjoy who has become the leader of the Iron Islands after the death of her father.
She seeks to return her people to their rightful place as a powerful House within the world of Westeros.
By teaming up with Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen and her dragons she hopes to defeat both Jon Snow’s House Stark and the House of Lannister who rule the kingdom from Kings Landing.
Who does she play in The End Of The F***ing World?
Gemma is also starring in Channel 4’s new series The End Of The F***ing World – which started on October 24 and runs for eight episodes.
The End of the F***ing World invites viewers into the confused lives of teen outsiders James and Alyssa.
It follows them as they decide to escape from their families and embark on a road trip to find Alyssa’s estranged father.
As the pair get caught up in a series of violent events, they find themselves on a journey of discovery that becomes progressively ominous, trailed by two uniquely mismatched police detectives, Eunice and Teri.
Gemma takes on the role of DC Eunice Noon who she describes as “a bit odd” but also smart and funny.
Who did she play in Decline and Fall?
The BBC show tells the story of Paul Pennyfeather who is wrongly expelled from Oxford University for indecent exposure after he falls victim to a prank by members of the Bollinger Club.
He takes a job as a teacher at a public school in Wales and ends up falling for the mother of one of his pupils.
Gemma plays the straight-talking Diane ‘Dingy’ Fagan – the daughter of the Llanabba school’s headmaster.
She also appears to be attached to shady butler Philbrick, with him stating they are ‘deeply in love’.
Who did she play in The Moorside?
In The Moorside, Gemma took on the challenging role of Karen Matthews – the mum of ‘missing’ Shannon Matthews.
Karen was seen pleading on TV in 2008 for the safe return of her daughter Shannon, as West Yorkshire Police spent £3.2million in efforts to find her.
BBC
Hundreds of neighbours also joined in the 24-day search for the nine-year-old.
She was eventually discovered drugged inside the base of a double bed in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.
It was then revealed that Karen had orchestrated the plot, so she could bag the £50,000 reward money with her accomplice Michael Donovan.
She was eventually found less than a mile away at the home of Donovan, the uncle of Craig Meehan – who was Karen’s boyfriend at the time.
They had planned to release the schoolgirl, ‘discover her’ then take her to a police station and claim the reward before splitting.
Karen Matthews was dubbed ‘the most hated mum in Britain’ for the crime.
Gemma completely invested herself in the role, looking the spitting image of the real life Karen.
