Sinead Matthews


Sinead Matthews is an English actress whose credits include film, television, radio and stage. As well as having extensive theatre experience, her screen credits include He Knew He Was Right, Vera Drake, Pride & Prejudice, Ideal, Terry Pratchett's Hogfather, Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, Black Mirror, The Smoke, Jellyfish, The Crown, and Hullraisers.

Early life and education

Sinead Matthews was born in 1980 in Coventry, England.
She attended Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School in Coventry, then studied A-level drama at Stratford-upon-Avon College for two years between 1996 and 1998. She went on to study acting at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, graduating in 2003 with a BA in Acting.

Career

Whilst still at RADA, she secured her first professional acting role in the film Vera Drake in 2004. Matthews made her television debut in the 2004 costume drama He Knew He Was Right. In 2005, she starred as Betsey in the period drama Pride & Prejudice, alongside Keira Knightley. In 2009, she starred in Our Class, a new play by Tadeusz Slobodzianek at the NT and in Penelope Skinner's 2010 play Eigengrau at the Bush Theatre.
In 2013, she played a lead role in series one of Black Mirror, as Sarah in the episode "Be Right Back", with Domhnall Gleeson and Hayley Atwell. In August 2016, Matthews played Hermia/Fairy/Mistress Quince in A Midsummer Night's Dream, composed by Felix Mendelssohn, at The Proms. In 2019 she played Marcia Williams, political secretary to Prime Minister Harold Wilson, in season three of the TV series about the royal family, The Crown. From 2022 to 2023, she played a main role as Paula in the Channel 4 british sitcom Hullraisers.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2004Vera DrakeVery Young Woman
2005Pride & PrejudiceBetsy
2006Terry Pratchett's HogfatherVioletTV film
2007WednesdayLilyaShort film
2007Spring 1941Tania
2007Half Broken ThingsStephTV film
2007Who Gets the Dog?Claire EvansTV film
2008Happy-Go-LuckyAlice
2008In Love with BarbaraYoung BarbaraTV film
2008Trimming the FatReceptionistShort film
2009The Boat That RockedMiss Clitt
2010Nanny McPhee and the Big BangMiss Topsey
2011WreckersSharon
2013Bed TrickRachelShort film
2014Mr. TurnerQueen Victoria
2015The ProcessLeni
2015Across the SeaMotherShort film
2016The RoofBrooks' AssistantShort film
2016MotherShoe Shop AssistantShort film
2016KaleidoscopeAbby
2016Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find ThemMildredDeleted scenes only
2017DaphneBillie
2017National Theatre Live: Hedda GablerMrs. Elvsted
2017WrapsEmmaShort film
2018JellyfishKaren Taylor
2018Happy New Year, Colin BursteadLainey
2019The Wrong CarEllaShort film
2019A Serial Killer's Guide to LifeIzzy
2019MuscleSandra
2019Us Among the StonesAnna
2021I'm Not in LoveLena
2021Radio SilenceCassieShort film
2021IrisJuliaShort film
TBCNairn KayPost-production

Radio

I Love Stephen Fry – ChloeDiary of a Nobody – SarahAll Those Women – Jen