Jemima Rooper


Jemima Rooper is an English actress. Having started as a child actress in television series, she has appeared in numerous film and theatre roles.

Early life

Born in Hammersmith, London, Rooper is the daughter of TV journalist Alison Rooper. She attended Redcliffe Gardens School in Chelsea and the Godolphin and Latymer School. While working on The Famous Five, she passed eight GCSEs with A* and A grades. From there she went to MPW sixth form college where she got three A-grade A levels. Rooper bought her first home at the age of 19.

Career

Rooper expressed a wish to be an actress at the age of nine and contacted an agent. Her first professional roles were in the 1993 film The Higher Mortals and the 1994 film Willie's War. In 1996, she appeared in all episodes as George in Enid Blyton's The Famous Five.
She said:
After several small roles in British TV series, Jemima took the role of Nicki Sutton in the popular Channel 4 teenage series As If, which successfully ran for three years. Her next appearance was in the supernatural drama Hex where she played a lovable lesbian ghost named Thelma. Hex aired on Sky One and ran for two series between 2004 and 2005.
Rooper made her Hollywood debut in The Black Dahlia. In 2008 she starred in the TV series Lost in Austen. In 2013 she played a role as Medusa in Atlantis. Also guest starred in Agatha Christie's Poirot. She also played a lead role in Her Naked Skin, a new play at the National Theatre. In December 2010, Rooper was cast in the musical Me and My Girl at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre, alongside Miriam Margolyes. Having been featured in films including The Railway Children, ''A Sound of Thunder, Kinky Boots, One Chance and The F Word since 2003, she has since appeared in numerous guest roles on British series including Father Brown. As a voice actress, Rooper voiced companion Izzy Sinclair in Doctor Who, in Big Finish Productions audio dramas.
In September 2023, Rooper starred in the Channel 5 drama series The Inheritance'', appearing alongside Samantha Bond, Rob James-Collier, Gaynor Faye and Adil Ray.

Stage

Rooper was seen on stage in One Man, Two Guvnors, which was favourably reviewed. She has since appeared in Blithe Spirit and Breeders in the West End.

Theatre

Where Do We Live – Royal Court Theatre, Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, May 2002 Us and Them – Hampstead Theatre, June 2003 A Respectable Wedding – Young Vic, April 2007 Her Naked Skin – National Theatre, July 2008 The Great Game: Afghanistan – Tricycle Theatre, April – June 2009The Power of Yes – National Theatre October 2009All My Sons – Apollo Theatre, May – October 2010 Me and My Girl – Jan 2011 One Man, Two Guvnors- National Theatre June 2011 Blithe Spirit – Gielgud Theatre, March 2014 Breeders by Ben Ockrent – St James Theatre, September 2014Blithe Spirit – Ahmanson Theater, Los Angeles, December 2014 – January 2015 Hand to God – Vaudeville Theatre, London, February 2016