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Lorraine Ashbourne

Actor

Lorraine Ashbourne

Born January 7, 1961 in Manchester, England, UK35 films

Lorraine Ashbourne (born 1961 in Manchester) is an English stage, film and television actress. She attended Wilbraham High School, when living in Fallowfield. She joined Stretford Children's Theatre. She took part in the University of Manchester Stage Society and Manchester Youth Theatre. She joined the Webber Drama School on 19 April 1982. Ashbourne has appeared on British series and television films, including: Playing the Field (1998), Unforgotten (2017), Grantchester (2017), Maigret in Montmartre (2017), Midsomer Murders (2018), The Street, and Jericho.

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As a stage actor, Lorraine regularly appeared at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, portraying roles such as Kate Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer and Emilia in Othello, acting in both of these alongside her husband Andy Serkis.

In 2019, she starred as Barbara Castle in The Crown (2019), and from 2020, she starred as Mrs. Varley in Bridgerton. She played Joan Nuthall in Alma's Not Normal (2020), and was Daphne Sparrow in Sherwood (2022). She played Karen in I Hate Suzie (2024), and appeared in After the Flood (2024)

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The best way into Lorraine Ashbourne's work
A Street Cat Named Bob posterFirst watchA Street Cat Named Bob20167.9as Local Housing OfficerJames Bowen, a homeless busker and recovering drug addict, has his life transformed when he meets a stray ginger cat.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
King Kong poster6.9King Kong2005Breathe poster7.4Breathe2017Child 44 poster6.3Child 442015The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim poster6.5The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim2024Blinded by the Light poster6.9Blinded by the Light2019The Selfish Giant poster7.2The Selfish Giant2013I Used to Be Famous poster6.9I Used to Be Famous2022Fever Pitch poster6.4Fever Pitch1997

Filmography

35 films as actor
  1. TBATwentyDianna
  2. 2024The Lord of the Rings: The War of the RohirrimOlwyn (voice)
  3. 2024Hitpig!Big Bertha (voice)
  4. 2024National Theatre Live: Till The Stars Come DownAunty Carol
  5. 2023AllelujahMrs Earnshaw
  6. 2022I Hate Suzie TooKaren
  7. 2022I Used to Be FamousCheryl
  8. 2020A Christmas CarolMrs Cratchit (voice)
  9. 2020No Masks
  10. 2019The BindRuth
  11. 2019Blinded by the LightKathy
  12. 2018The Queen and IViolet
  13. 2017BreatheFirst Woman
  14. 2016A Street Cat Named BobLocal Housing Officer
  15. 2016Adult Life SkillsMarion
  16. 2016Bunny and CliveBunny
  17. 2015Child 44Anna
  18. 2014Emotional FuseboxMarion
  19. 2013The Selfish GiantMary
  20. 2010Thorne: ScaredycatRuth Brigstocke
  21. 2010Oranges and SunshineNicky
  22. 2009Victoria Wood: What Larks! Or... What I Did on My HolidaysAthlete
  23. 2009Victoria Wood's Midlife Christmas
  24. 2008A Bunch of AmateursJane Jarvis
  25. 2006Housewife, 49Dot
  26. 2005King KongTheatre Actor
  27. 2001The MartinsLil
  28. 2000A Christmas CarolSue Cratchett
  29. 1997Fever PitchPaul's Mum
  30. 1995Jack & SarahJackie
  31. 1995Number SixSusan Taylor
  32. 1993Fighting for Gemma
  33. 1989ResurrectedReeva
  34. 1988The DressmakerFactory Girl
  35. 1988Distant Voices, Still LivesMaisie