Zoë Tapper (born 26 October 1981) is an English actress who first came to prominence playing Nell Gwynne in Richard Eyre's award-winning film Stage Beauty in 2004. She is known for portraying Anya Raczynski in Survivors, and Mina Harker in Demons.
Zoë Tapper | |
|---|---|
| Born | 26 October 1981 Bromley, Greater London, England |
| Alma mater | Royal Central School of Speech and Drama |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Spouse | Oliver Dimsdale |
| Children | 2 |
Early life and education
editTapper was born in Bromley, Kent. She trained at the Academy Drama School and the Central School of Speech and Drama, from which she graduated in the spring of 2003, days before taking on her first film role.[1]
Career
editOn stage Tapper has appeared in Epitaph for George Dillon in the West End, and Othello at Shakespeare's Globe.
Following her film debut in Stage Beauty, Tapper played Gwendolyn in Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont (2005), alongside Joan Plowright, and Diana Shaw in These Foolish Things (2006), alongside Anjelica Huston.
Her television credits include Mary Collins in A Harlot's Progress for Channel 4, Jane in Oliver Parker's The Private Life of Samuel Pepys, Gemma in the first series of the Sky One drama Hex, and Jenny Maple in the BBC miniseries Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky. She also played Hermia in ShakespeaRe-Told: A Midsummer Night's Dream, the 2005 BBC adaptation/modernisation of Shakespeare's play of the same name.
In 2008, Tapper portrayed Sheila Steafel in the BBC television play The Curse of Steptoe, and Anya Raczynski in the BBC remake of Survivors, alongside Max Beesley, Paterson Joseph and Julie Graham. She also played Selina Dawes in the ITV adaptation of the novel Affinity, opposite Anna Madeley as Margaret Prior. It premiered at the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, and in the UK on 28 December 2008 on ITV.
In 2009, she appeared in the ITV fantasy drama series Demons as blind vampire-turned-monster hunter Mina Harker.[2] She played Effie Gray in the BBC Two period drama Desperate Romantics. In 2010, she played Hannah in the BBC television pilot Reunited.
In 2013, Tapper appeared as Ellen Love in Mr Selfridge.[3]
Personal life
editTapper has one brother. She is married to the actor Oliver Dimsdale. In 2011, they had a daughter.[3][1] They have since had another daughter.
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Stage Beauty | Nell Gwynn | |
| 2005 | Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont | Gwendolyn | |
| 2006 | These Foolish Things | Diana Shaw | |
| 2008 | Affinity | Selina Dawes | |
| 2010 | Baseline | Jessica | |
| 2012 | The Grind | Nancy | |
| Cheerful Weather for the Wedding | Evelyn | ||
| What You Will | Katie Reed | ||
| Blood | Jemma Vern | ||
| 2018 | Death Do Us Part | Karen | |
| 2019 | Stand Still | Susannah | Short film. Also writer and executive producer |
| 2020 | The Good Traitor | Zilla Sears | |
| Big Boys Don't Cry | Anthea | ||
| Natives | Hayley | Short film | |
| 2021 | A Violent Man | Claire Keats |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | The Private Life of Samuel Pepys | Jane | Television film |
| 2004 | Cutting It | Nanda Levigne | Series 3; episode 3 |
| Hex | Gemma | Series 1; episodes 1–4 | |
| 2005 | Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky | Jenny Maple | Mini-series; episodes 1–3 |
| Jericho | Karen Gower | Mini-series; episode 4: "The Hollow Men" | |
| ShakespeaRe-Told | Hermia | Mini-series; episode 4: "A Midsummer Night's Dream" | |
| 2006 | Foyle's War | Susan Davies | Series 4; episode 1: "Invasion" |
| Hotel Babylon | Mrs. Radley | Series 1; episode 2 | |
| A Harlot's Progress | Mary Collins | Television film | |
| 2007 | Agatha Christie's Marple | Kay Strange | Series 3; episode 3: "Towards Zero" |
| 2008 | The Curse of Steptoe | Sheila Steafel | Television film |
| Small Dark Places | Ester Hamilton | Television short film | |
| 2008–2010 | Survivors | Dr. Anya Raczynski | Series 1 & 2; 12 episodes |
| 2009 | Demons | Mina Harker | Mini-series; episodes 1–6 |
| Desperate Romantics | Effie Ruskin / Effie Millais | Mini-series; episodes 1–3, 5 & 6 | |
| 2010 | Reunited | Hannah | Television film |
| Coming Up | Jennifer / Chloe / Woman | Series 8; episode 6: "Eclipse" | |
| 2011 | Zen | Donatella Pirotta | Mini-series; episode 3: "Ratking" |
| 2013 | Mr Selfridge | Ellen Love | Series 1; episodes 1–6 & 8–10 |
| 2014 | The Musketeers | Alice Clerbeaux | Series 1; episode 8: "The Challenge" |
| 2015 | Valentine's Kiss | Sophie Whiteley | Mini-series; episodes 1 & 2 |
| Lewis | Elizabeth Capstone | Series 9; episodes 5 & 6: "What Lies Tangled: Parts 1 & 2" | |
| 2017 | Safe House | Sam Stenham | Series 2; episodes 1–4 |
| 2017–2020 | Liar | Katy Sutcliffe | Series 1 & 2; 12 episodes |
| 2018 | Nightflyers | Joy d'Branin | Episodes 1–4 & 10 |
| 2020 | Grantchester | Betsey Granger | Series 5; episode 3 |
| 2021 | The One | Kate Saunders | Episodes 1–8 |
| 2022 | Rules of the Game | Vanessa Jenkins | Mini-series; episodes 1–4[4] |
| 2022–present | Grace | Cleo Moray | Series 2–6; 18 episodes |
| 2025 | I, Jack Wright | Georgia Wright | Episodes 1–6 |
Video games
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire | Captain Aeldys (voice) | |
| Battlefield V | Voice Acting Talent (voice) | ||
| 2019 | Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers | Oracle of Light / Theva (voice) |
References
edit- ^ a b Didcock, Barry. "Free spirit: Zoe Tapper". Sunday Herald. Archived from the original on 19 June 2009. Retrieved 8 July 2009.
- ^ Cult | Demons | Characters | Mina Harker – ITV Drama Archived 4 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "Zoe Tapper: I kept getting cast as bawdy wenches and harlots". The Daily Telegraph. 8 February 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
- ^ "Rules Of The Game". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
External links
edit- Zoe Tapper at IMDb