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Julia Sawalha

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Julia Sawalha
Sawalha in 2023
Born (1968-09-09) 9 September 1968 (age 56)
Wandsworth, London, England
EducationItalia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts
OccupationActress
Years active1981–present
ParentNadim Sawalha (father)
Relatives

Julia Sawalha (born 9 September 1968)[1][2] is an English actress. She is best known for playing Saffron "Saffy" Monsoon in the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous (1992–2012). Her other television roles include as Lynda Day in Press Gang (1989–1993), as Hannah Greyshott in Second Thoughts (1991–1994), and its sequel series, Faith in the Future (1995–1998), Lydia Bennet in the television miniseries of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (1995), Georgina and Kid's vocal effects in Sheeep (2000–2001), Carla Borrego in Jonathan Creek (2001–2004), and Dorcas Lane in the BBC's costume drama Lark Rise to Candleford (2008–2011). Her film credits include Buddy's Song (1991), The Wind in the Willows (1996), Chicken Run (2000) and Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016).

Early life and education

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Sawalha was born in Wandsworth, London, on 9 September 1968, and is the daughter of Roberta Lane and actor Nadim Sawalha.[1][3] Her father was born in Madaba, Jordan.[4] She was named after her paternal grandmother, a businesswoman who had received an award from Queen Noor for enterprise. She is of Jordanian, English and French Huguenot ancestry.[5]

Sawalha was educated at the Theatre Arts School, a fee-paying independent school which is part of the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts,[6] based at the time in Clapham in south London, which she left at the age of fifteen.[6]

Career

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Sawalha made her debut in the 1982 BBC miniseries Fame Is the Spur,[7] and in 1988 played a small role in Inspector Morse,[8] on the episode "Last Seen Wearing". She first gained attention for her starring role in the Bafta award-winning ITV teenage comedy-drama Press Gang, which ran from 1989 to 1993.[8]

In 1992, she appeared in episode "Parade" (S2 E4) of Bottom as Veronica Head, a beautiful young barmaid at the Lamb and Flag, whom Richie tries to woo by boasting falsely of his adventures in the Falklands.

From 1991 to 1994, she starred in the ITV family comedy Second Thoughts and continued with her character, Hannah (Lynda Bellingham's daughter), in the British Comedy Award-winning Faith in the Future (1995–1998). In 1994, she played Mercy (Merry) Pecksniff in the BBC production of Martin Chuzzlewit.[8]

From 1992 to 2012, Sawalha played strait-laced daughter Saffron "Saffy" Monsoon in the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous,[8] alongside Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley. She appeared in the 1995 BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice as Lydia Bennet, with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth. From 1999 to 2000, she voiced Mouse in the HIT Entertainment/Grand Slamm Children's Films/CITV TV series Kipper. She voiced Ginger in DreamWorks/Aardman Animations' Chicken Run (2000).[8]

From 2000 to 2001, she voiced Georgina and provided Kid's vocal effects in the HIT Entertainment/Grand Slamm Children's Films/CBBC TV series Sheeep. She also played "Dawn the Wise Man" in The Flint Street Nativity on Christmas Eve. In 2000, she appeared as Janet, the Australian barmaid in the first series of the British sitcom Time Gentlemen Please. She also played the much put-upon PA to "Zak" in Argos TV adverts during 2002–2004, along with Richard E. Grant.[9]

She joined actor Ioan Gruffudd in the TV adaptations,[8] of C. S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower novels, as the captain's wife Maria. The following year, she became Alan Davies's co-star in Jonathan Creek after Caroline Quentin left, appearing in a Christmas Special ("Satan's Chimney"). She returned for a series between 2003 and 2004.

In 2006, she participated in the third series of the genealogy documentary series Who Do You Think You Are?[10] tracing her family's roots, which are Jordanian Bedouin on her father's side and French Huguenot on her mother's. She also appeared in the pilot of BBC 1's A Taste of my Life presented by Nigel Slater.[11]

After a two-year break, she was back on screen in May 2007, competing in the BBC dog training celebrity reality show The Underdog Show. She then returned to acting in two successive BBC costume dramas: as Jessie Brown in 2007 series Cranford,[8] followed by Lark Rise to Candleford from 2008 to 2011.[8] She provided the voice acting for Sister Hannah (also known as "Hammer"), a main character in the 2008 Xbox 360 video game Fable II.[12] In autumn 2014, Sawalha played the part of Jan Ward in BBC One's thriller miniseries Remember Me.[8] On 9 May 2015, she read the account of a member of the Women's Land Army at VE Day 70: A Party to Remember in Horse Guards Parade, London, which was broadcast live on BBC1.[citation needed] In 2016, she appeared in an episode of Midsomer Murders,[8] and reprised her role as Saffy Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie.[8]

In July 2020, she made a statement revealing Aardman Animations intended to recast her character of Ginger in the upcoming sequel to Chicken Run, stating that she is now considered to sound too old, and commented "I have officially been plucked, stuffed & roasted". The decision was met with widespread criticism with some finding the decision ageist. She even released video clips online, dubbing over her original voice lines to prove her voice still sounded the same.[1][13][14][15]

In January 2024, Sawalha participated in the fifth series of The Masked Singer as the character "Bubble Tea". She was eliminated and unmasked in the fourth episode.[16][17]

Personal life

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On 1 January 2004, tabloid newspapers reported that she had married Alan Davies, with whom she co-starred in the television series Jonathan Creek. Both she and Davies, who avoided discussing their private lives in public, denied this, and took legal action against the reports.[18][19]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1991 Buddy's Song Kelly Supporting Role
1995 In the Bleak Midwinter Nina Raymond (Ophelia)
1996 The Wind in the Willows The Jailer's Daughter
2000 Chicken Run Ginger Voice
2001 Venus and Mars Marie Supporting Role
The Final Curtain Karen Willet
2016 Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie Saffron 'Saffy' Monsoon Main Role

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1981 Keep It in the Family Walk-On Uncredited
Episode: "A Game of No Chance"
1982 Fame Is the Spur Amy Episode: "1.2"
Educating Marmalade Good Girl 4 episodes
The Pirates of Penzance Daughter Uncredited
Television film
1988 Inspector Morse Rachel Episode: "Last Seen Wearing"
1989–1993 Press Gang Lynda Day/Young Katherine Hill 43 episodes
RTS Television Award – Best Actor
1990 Spatz Chloe Fairbanks Episode: "The Sound of Muzak"
1991 El C.I.D. Trudy Episode: "Thursday's Child"
Casualty Nikki Watson Episode: "Living in Hope"
1991–1994 Second Thoughts Hannah Greyshott 47 episodes
1992 Bottom Veronica Head Episode: "Parade"
1992–2012 Absolutely Fabulous Saffron 'Saffy' Monsoon 39 episodes
1993 Parallel 9 Herself Episode: "Episode 2.5"
1994 Lovejoy Joanna Whymark Episode: "Double-Edged Sword"
Keeper Alison tv short
Martin Chuzzlewit Mercy Pecksniff 6 episodes
1995 Pride and Prejudice Lydia Bennet 6 episodes
TV mini-series
1995–1998 Faith in the Future Hannah Greyshott 22 episodes
1996 French and Saunders Herself Episode: "Baywatch"
Tales from the Crypt Teresa Episode: "The Kidnapper"
1997 McLibel! Helen Steel "Episode 1.1"
TV mini-series
Ain't Misbehavin' Dolly Nightingale 3 episodes
An Audience with the Spice Girls Herself TV special
1998 Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Not! Saffron 'Saffy' Monsoon video
Light Lunch Herself Episode: "The Future's Bright, the Future's Funny"
1999 The Curse of Fatal Death Emma Charity spoof TV movie by Comic Relief
The Flint Street Nativity Wise Man TV movie
Late Lunch Herself Episode: "#2.14"
1999–2000 Kipper Mouse (voice) 4 episodes
2000 Mirrorball Freda Keill TV short
The Hatching of 'Chicken Run' Herself TV special
Poultry in Motion: The Making of Chicken Run TV special
HBO First Look Episode: "The Hatching of Chicken Run"
Stars in Their Eyes Episode: "Cerys Matthews"
Bob Martin Episode: "Through the Keyhole"
Masterchef Episode: "#10.14"
The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything Catherine Parr TV movie
2000–2001 Time Gentlemen Please Janet Wilson 21 episodes
Sheeep Georgina (voice), Kid (various noises), Jaunita Luftfita (voice), Penny (voice), Princess Grazelightly (voice), Additional voices 26 episodes
2001–2004 Jonathan Creek Carla Borrego 7 episodes
2003 Hornblower Maria Mason/Hornblower TV movie
2003–2004 Comedy Connections Narrator (voice) 14 episodes
2004 White Box Saffron TV movie
The Story of Absolutely Fabulous Herself TV special
2006 A Taste of My Life
Who Do You Think You Are? Episode: "Julia Sawalha"
2007 The Underdog Show Unknown episodes
The Graham Norton Show Episode: "#1.7"
Cranford Jessie Brown 5 episodes
2008–2011 Lark Rise to Candleford Dorcas Lane 40 episodes
2009 The Alan Titchmarsh Show Herself Episode: "9 March 2009"
2013 Agatha Christie's Marple Mrs. Cresswell Episode: "Greenshaw's Folly"
2014 Remember Me Jan Ward 3 episodes
2016 Midsomer Murders Penny Henderson Episode: "Saints and Sinners"
2020 It's Pony Jill Sneekly (voice) Unknown episodes
2024 Vera Helen Rushton Episode: "Tender"
The Masked Singer UK Participant Unmasked as Bubble Tea.

Video games

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Year Title Role Notes
2008 Fable II Hannah/Hammer Xbox 360 game
2020 World of Warcraft: Shadowlands Additional voices Computer game

Theatre

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Year Title Role Notes
1985–1986 The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Lucy Newcastle Playhouse
1987–1988 Peter Pan Wendy Newcastle Opera House
1997 The Illusion Isabelle Royal Exchange Theatre
Dearest Daddy...Darling Daughter Daughter Young Vic Theatre
1998–1999 The Memory of Water Catherine Churchill Theatre

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
1993 Royal Television Society Television Awards Best Actor - Female Press Gang Won [20]
2009 Monte-Carlo Television Festival Golden Nymph Outstanding Actress - Drama Series Lark Rise to Candleford Nominated [20]
2011 16th National Television Awards Drama Performance Lark Rise to Candleford Nominated [21]
2012 17th National Television Awards Drama Performance: Female Lark Rise to Candleford Nominated [22]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Julia Sawalha 'devastated and furious' at Chicken Run sequel 'ageism'". BBC News. 10 July 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Julia Sawalha". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Nadia Sawalha: My family values". The Guardian. 18 April 2014.
  4. ^ "The Arab Talks To....Nadim Sawalha". Archived from the original on 21 September 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  5. ^ Julia's profile at BBC History
  6. ^ a b Sarah Gristwood (26 November 1995). "Absolutely fab". The Independent. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  7. ^ Chicken Run DVD Cast Bio
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Julia Sawalha Credits". tvguide.com. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Withnail star takes Argos upmarket". The Guardian. 26 July 2002. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  10. ^ "BBC ONE Autumn 2006". BBC. 18 July 2006.
  11. ^ BBC Food – A Taste of my Life Pilot episode description[dead link]
  12. ^ "Fable II game review". The Telegraph. 3 November 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  13. ^ Grater, Tom (10 July 2020). "'Chicken Run' Actress Julia Sawalha Says She Is Being Re-Cast In Sequel For "Sounding Too Old"". Deadline. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  14. ^ "Chicken Run 2 Called Ageist For Recasting Original Main Characters". ScreenRant. 10 July 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  15. ^ "'Chicken Run' Star Julia Sawalha is Being Replaced in the Sequel Because Her Voice Sounds "Too Old"". /Film. 10 July 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  16. ^ Muir, Ellie (21 January 2024). "Masked Singer unveils Bubble Tea's identity as Ab Fab star to shock of guest judge Jennifer Saunders". Independent. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  17. ^ Miller, Adam (20 January 2024). "Even The Masked Singer's Julia Sawalha expected backlash after Bubble Tea reveal". Metro. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  18. ^ "TV stars act over marriage report". BBC News. 6 January 2004.
  19. ^ "Relative Values: Nadia and Julia Sawalha". The Sunday Times. London. 1 April 2007. Archived from the original on 29 May 2015.
  20. ^ a b "Julia Sawalha - Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  21. ^ Wightman, Catriona (21 September 2010). "National Television Awards 2011 - Nominees". Digital Spy. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  22. ^ Wrightman, Catriona (27 September 2011). "National Television Awards 2012: The nominees". Digital Spy. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
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