Meet the other Ms Boleyn
She charmed the nation as Nurse Jenny Lee in BBC’s popular Call The Midwife. But now Jessica Raine is set to take on the Tudors with a starring role in a forthcoming BBC adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s bestselling novel Wolf Hall. 
No confirmed portraits of Jane Boleyn (née Parker), Lady Rochford survive, but this one by Hans Holbein is believed by some historians to be of her
Playing Anne Boleyn’s ruthless sister-in-law, Lady Rochford, she will star in the BBC Two drama, which is scheduled to be broadcast next year, alongside other celebrated actors including Damian Lewis, Mark Rylance and Claire Foy.
In a recent interview, she revealed: ‘I am really up for playing someone a million miles from Jenny, much as I love her.’ And Mantel’s bloody and Machiavellian Wolf Hall should provide such an opportunity. Expect heads to roll.
Born Jessica Lloyd, to farmer Allan Lloyd and his wife Sue (who, incidentally, trained as a nurse), she grew up in rural Hertfordshire. Motivated by her father’s love of amateur dramatics, along with regular trips to London to see West End shows, Jessica decided at the age of 13 that she wanted to pursue a career in acting. A bright student, she went on to read drama and cultural studies at the University of the West of England.
Today her star is on the rise, but following her graduation from university, Jessica was rejected from several drama schools – an experience that, she has admitted, ‘really made me question what I was doing’. She took time out to refl ect, travelling to Thailand to teach English. A year later she returned, refreshed MEET THE and reinvigorated, and reapplied to the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada). This time she was awarded a place.
The acceptance was clearly inspired as, following her training at Rada, she immediately won a role at the National Theatre. With her ‘unblemished look of a porcelain doll’, a 20-something Jessica made an impression playing a succession of teenagers. First was the clever yet unusual Sarah in Harper Regan, followed by Suzette, the troubled daughter of the Home Secretary in David Hare’s Gethsemane. The accolades poured in, with her performances described as ‘touching’, ‘horribly funny’ yet ‘never exaggerated’. Jessica relished the roles, describing them as the chance ‘to be the teenager I never was’.
In 2009, Jessica landed a part in Garrow’s Law, followed by a small yet scene-stealing role in Ridley Scott’s 2010 blockbuster, Robin Hood. These onscreen appearances were a sign of things to come. In 2012 her theatre work was going from strength to strength (with productions at the Young Vic and the London Coliseum) when she auditioned for her fi rst major television role.
Jessica Raine as Nurse Jenny in Call The Midwife
The character of Jenny in Call The Midwife seemed made for her. Based on the real-life midwife Jenny Lee, author of the Call The Midwife books, the role demanded an elegant yet plucky, sensitive yet strong figure to bring her to life for a new audience. With Jessica taking the leading role, and with a cast that included Jenny Agutter and Miranda Hart, the show was a hit. Around 10 million people tuned in to watch the opening episode of the first series, and another series was swiftly commissioned.
Her face well known, Jessica was chosen to appear in another stalwart of British television, Doctor Who. She guest-starred in an episode in 2013, and later took up a part in An Adventure In Space And Time, a drama celebrating the 50th anniversary of the series. The diff erent direction appealed to Jessica, so much so that she announced earlier this year that she would be leaving Call The Midwife to pursue other roles. ‘I would like to explore comedy,’ she revealed in an interview with the Daily Mirror. ‘I want to do more theatre and I definitely want a future in film. I love science fiction.’
With a rumoured move to Hollywood also imminent, it seems this young actress is just getting started.
No confirmed portraits of Jane Boleyn (née Parker), Lady Rochford survive, but this one by Hans Holbein is believed by some historians to be of herPlaying Anne Boleyn’s ruthless sister-in-law, Lady Rochford, she will star in the BBC Two drama, which is scheduled to be broadcast next year, alongside other celebrated actors including Damian Lewis, Mark Rylance and Claire Foy.
In a recent interview, she revealed: ‘I am really up for playing someone a million miles from Jenny, much as I love her.’ And Mantel’s bloody and Machiavellian Wolf Hall should provide such an opportunity. Expect heads to roll.
Born Jessica Lloyd, to farmer Allan Lloyd and his wife Sue (who, incidentally, trained as a nurse), she grew up in rural Hertfordshire. Motivated by her father’s love of amateur dramatics, along with regular trips to London to see West End shows, Jessica decided at the age of 13 that she wanted to pursue a career in acting. A bright student, she went on to read drama and cultural studies at the University of the West of England.
Today her star is on the rise, but following her graduation from university, Jessica was rejected from several drama schools – an experience that, she has admitted, ‘really made me question what I was doing’. She took time out to refl ect, travelling to Thailand to teach English. A year later she returned, refreshed MEET THE and reinvigorated, and reapplied to the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada). This time she was awarded a place.
The acceptance was clearly inspired as, following her training at Rada, she immediately won a role at the National Theatre. With her ‘unblemished look of a porcelain doll’, a 20-something Jessica made an impression playing a succession of teenagers. First was the clever yet unusual Sarah in Harper Regan, followed by Suzette, the troubled daughter of the Home Secretary in David Hare’s Gethsemane. The accolades poured in, with her performances described as ‘touching’, ‘horribly funny’ yet ‘never exaggerated’. Jessica relished the roles, describing them as the chance ‘to be the teenager I never was’.
In 2009, Jessica landed a part in Garrow’s Law, followed by a small yet scene-stealing role in Ridley Scott’s 2010 blockbuster, Robin Hood. These onscreen appearances were a sign of things to come. In 2012 her theatre work was going from strength to strength (with productions at the Young Vic and the London Coliseum) when she auditioned for her fi rst major television role.
Jessica Raine as Nurse Jenny in Call The MidwifeThe character of Jenny in Call The Midwife seemed made for her. Based on the real-life midwife Jenny Lee, author of the Call The Midwife books, the role demanded an elegant yet plucky, sensitive yet strong figure to bring her to life for a new audience. With Jessica taking the leading role, and with a cast that included Jenny Agutter and Miranda Hart, the show was a hit. Around 10 million people tuned in to watch the opening episode of the first series, and another series was swiftly commissioned.
Her face well known, Jessica was chosen to appear in another stalwart of British television, Doctor Who. She guest-starred in an episode in 2013, and later took up a part in An Adventure In Space And Time, a drama celebrating the 50th anniversary of the series. The diff erent direction appealed to Jessica, so much so that she announced earlier this year that she would be leaving Call The Midwife to pursue other roles. ‘I would like to explore comedy,’ she revealed in an interview with the Daily Mirror. ‘I want to do more theatre and I definitely want a future in film. I love science fiction.’
With a rumoured move to Hollywood also imminent, it seems this young actress is just getting started.