Actress Anna Friel has been in the acting game since she was a teenager, landing her first professional role at 13 in the series G.B.H as Michael Palin's daughter, before finding fame on Brookside. Over the years, she’s starred in several popular shows. Many people know her from the hit series Marcella, and now she’s back with the gripping drama Unforgivable - proving she’s as captivating as ever.
Here’s everything you need to know about Anna Friel, from her new drama series to her personal life and what’s next on her journey.
Anna Friel's upcoming movies and TV shows
There’s plenty to look forward to when it comes to Anna Friel’s new TV shows, including exciting book adaptations, dystopian fiction and Icelandic noir!
Unforgivable
Anna Friel returns to the small screen in Unforgivable, a powerful new drama penned by acclaimed writer Jimmy McGovern, known for his unflinching portrayal of complex moral dilemmas in series like Time, Cracker, and The Street.
Set and filmed in Liverpool, the 90-minute standalone episode delves into the profound impact of grooming and sexual abuse on the Mitchell family. Anna (played by Friel), is a mother grappling with the aftermath of her brother's actions, and the ripple effects on her family. The series also stars Anna Maxwell Martin, Bobby Schofield and David Threlfall.
The Girl Who Died
Anna Friel will star as Una, a weary teacher from Reykjavik who takes a troubled job in a remote Icelandic village. Based on Ragnar Jónasson’s bestselling novel, The Girl Who Died is a psychological Nordic thriller set in the eerie coastal village of Skálar. Gripped by unsettling dreams and rising tensions, Una must uncover the village’s buried secrets. Anna also serves as an executive producer on the series.
The Dream Lands
The Dream Lands is another upcoming project for the actress. Set in a near-future Margate struggling with climate change and inequality, the BBC drama follows a young woman’s fight for survival and love. Anna stars as Jas alongside a talented ensemble, including Pascale Kann, Connor Swindells, Katherine Parkinson and Golda Rosheuvel.
The six-part series is adapted from Rosa Rankin-Gee’s novel Dreamland and written by BAFTA-winning screenwriter Kayleigh Llewellyn.
Marcella
From 2016 to 2021, Anna Friel starred in Marcella, a gripping ITV crime drama about a detective returning to the force while struggling with mysterious blackouts. The show has three series: the first focuses on solving cold cases amidst personal turmoil; the second delves deeper into her past and mental health; and the third follows Marcella going undercover in Northern Ireland. The series is known for its dark, Nordic noir style and Anna's intense performance.
How old is Anna Friel?
Anna Friel is aged 49. She was born in Rochdale on the 12th July 1976 to Greater Manchester, to parents Desmond "Des" Friel, a former teacher and folk guitarist, and Julie Friel, a special education teacher.
She has one sibling, a brother, Michael Friel, who's a doctor.
Who is Anna Friel married to?
Anna Friel has never been married, but she has had two significant long-term relationships. She was with actor David Thewlis - best known for playing Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter films - from 2001 to 2010. Although the pair never married, they welcomed a daughter Gracie Ellen Mary Friel in July 2005.
After nearly a decade together, Anna Friel and David Thewlis separated in 2010 but have remained on great terms and continued to co-parent Gracie. They lived near each other and often shared parenting duties. Anna once said, “We do the school run together, or if Gracie needs new shoes, the three of us go shoe shopping together.”
After their split, Anna went on to date actor Rhys Ifans, star of Notting Hill and The King’s Man, from 2011 to 2014, after meeting on the set of the miniseries Neverland.
Speaking to Red, Anna explained that the end of their relationship wasn’t due to a lack of love, but rather the realities of their profession and time apart. “In both relationships, things didn’t break down because there was no love there,” she said. “In reality, it was just because we’d become friends, or we were spending too much time apart - and that’s actors for you, that’s our industry.” She added, “With David, there was no money involved in our separation and we have a daughter, so maybe that helps things.”
Is Anna Friel's daughter an actress?
No, David Thewlis and Anna Friel’s daughter, Gracie, is not an actress. In a 2020 interview, Anna shared that Gracie isn’t interested in following in her parents’ footsteps, despite growing up around film and TV sets. Speaking to the Mail Online, Anna said: “Her dad’s such a fine actor, she’s grown up on so many sets. She loves the creative world but she’s more into her music. Playing guitar is her escape.”
Gracie has spoken about her passion, saying: "I write a lot of songs with the guitar and I'm getting better the older I get."
Anna has always been extremely close to her daughter. “It has basically been the two of us since Gracie was five, so we’re a little unit,” she said. “During the third year of her life, she went to ten countries. Everywhere I go, I take her.”
Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who has watched hundreds of dramas and is passionate about TV, film and theatre. She enjoys cooking, scrapbooking, playing board games and loves going on walks with her three dogs.