Lucy Clare Davis (born 17 February 1973)[1][2] is an English actress best known for playing Dawn Tinsley in the BBC comedy The Office (2001–2003). She is also known for her roles as Hilda Spellman in the Netflix series The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018–2020), Dianne in the horror-comedy Shaun of the Dead (2004), and Etta Candy in Wonder Woman (2017). She played Eva in Disney Channel's action comedy series The Villains of Valley View, which premiered in 2022.

Lucy Davis
Davis in 2004
Born
Lucy Clare Davis

(1973-02-17) 17 February 1973 (age 51)
Birmingham, England
OccupationActress
Years active1993–present
Spouse
(m. 2006; div. 2011)
FatherJasper Carrott

Career

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Davis appeared briefly in an episode of The Detectives, a show created for and starring her father (Jasper Carrott).[3] She played Maria Lucas in the BBC's 1995 production of Pride and Prejudice, and also had a role in the 1996 Christmas special of One Foot in the Grave. After her breakthrough role as Dawn Tinsley in The Office, she appeared in the films Sex Lives of the Potato Men and Shaun of the Dead in 2004, whilst continuing to play Hayley Jordan in The Archers on BBC Radio 4. She gave up this last role when her other acting responsibilities made it impossible to continue, and the part was recast in September 2005.

Davis appeared in the third-season episode "Elephants and Hens" of UK TV programme Black Books.[4] In 2006, she appeared as the "Fashion TV" host on ABC's Ugly Betty, and later that year played writer Lucy Kenwright in NBC's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. In 2008, she appeared in several episodes of the US series Reaper. In 2010, she starred in ITV's six-episode comedy drama, Married Single Other, and also appeared in a guest role in The Mentalist alongside her then-husband Owain Yeoman.[citation needed] She also appears in the John Landis-produced thriller Some Guy Who Kills People.[5] In 2012, she had a guest voice part in Family Guy for the episode "Be Careful What You Fish For". She appeared in series two, episode eight of the BBC series Death in Paradise (2013). She became a Patron for the performing arts group Theatretrain in 2012.[6]

Davis played Etta Candy in the 2017 film Wonder Woman, the first live-action cinematic portrayal of the comic book character.[7] She said of the character: "She's a woman in a man's world and so being heard and seen aren't the easiest things, but it kind of doesn't deter her. Etta is unapologetically herself and I think that that's the thing that has drawn me to her the most... it took quite a while in my life to be unapologetically myself."[7]

Davis appeared in the Netflix series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina as Hilda Spellman, which aired from 2018 to 2020.[8] She is starring as Eva, known as the supervillain Surge, on the Disney Channel sitcom The Villains of Valley View which premiered on 3 June 2022.[9]

Personal life

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Davis is the daughter of Hazel Jackson and comedian Robert Davis, better known as Jasper Carrott. In December 1997, she underwent a kidney transplant after being diagnosed with kidney failure during a medical examination. Her mother donated the kidney.[10] Around Christmas 2005 she was again hospitalised for kidney failure, but recovered. She also has type 1 diabetes.[11][12]

On 9 December 2006, Davis married Welsh actor Owain Yeoman at St Paul's Cathedral, London. The wedding was attended by fellow The Office cast members and writers. She was entitled to marry there as her father is an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)[13] and St Paul's contains the chapel of the order. Davis and Yeoman separated in January 2011 and divorced in October 2011.[citation needed]

In 2007, Davis posed nude in the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals's campaign against the Guards Division's continued use of traditional bearskin caps.[14]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1997 The Gambler Dunya
2002 Nicholas Nickleby Maid
2004 Sex Lives of the Potato Men Ruth
Shaun of the Dead Dianne
2005 Rag Tale Debbs
2006 The TV Set Chloe McCallister
Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties Abby Westminster
2008 Shades of Ray Director #2
2009 All About Steve Patient
Bob Funk Janet
2011 Some Guy Who Kills People Stephanie
2014 Postman Pat: The Movie Director 1 Voice
2017 Wonder Woman Etta Candy

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1993 The Detectives Young Girl #1 Episode: "Strangers in Paradise"
1994 Blue Heaven Secretary Episode #1.3
Woof! Eileen Tully Episode: "Get Me to the Church"
1995 Casualty Sarah Jackson Episode: "Branded"
The Bill Jude Mackie Episode: "Charity and Beating"
Pride and Prejudice Maria Lucas 5 episodes
1996 Scene Julie Episode: "Alison"
One Foot in the Grave Mrs. Blanchard Episode: "Starbound"
1997 The Grand Maggie Rigby Episode #1.5
1999–2000 Belfry Witches Old Noshie 13 episodes
2000 Doctors Nicky Andrews Episode: "False Alarm"
2001 Big Bad World Harry Episode: "Tory Girl"
Bernard's Watch Madeleine 6 episodes
2001–2003 The Office Dawn Tinsley Main character; 14 episodes
2002 Murder in Mind Kerry Episode: "Passion"
Holby City Kelly Bridges Episode: "Sweet Love Remembered"
Dalziel and Pascoe Jax / Angela Ripley 2 episodes
2003 The Afternoon Play Laura Episode: "The Real Arnie Griffin"
2004 Black Books Becky Episode: "Elephants and Hens"
The Legend of The Tamworth Two Sundance (voice) TV movie
2006–2007 Ugly Betty Fashion TV Anchor 2 episodes
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip Lucy Kenwright 16 episodes
2007 Californication Nora Episode: "Hell-A Woman"
2008 Reaper Sara 3 episodes
2008–2009 Phineas and Ferb Crash (voice) 2 episodes
2010 Married Single Other Lillie 6 episodes
The Mentalist Daphne Valiquette Episode: "18-5-4"
2012 Family Guy Joanne Finn (voice) Episode: "Be Careful What You Fish For"
2013 Death in Paradise Vicky Woodward Episode #2.8
The Neighbors Helen Redding Kemper Episode: "The Neighbours"
2015 NCIS Janice Brown Episode: "Lockdown"
2015–2016 Maron Emily 6 episodes
2016–2017 Better Things Macy 8 episodes
2018–2020 Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Hilda Spellman Main cast
Tigtone Queen 9 episodes
2019 Bob's Burgers Princess Paula McCartney (voice) Episode: "Bed, Bob and Beyond"
Carmen Sandiego The Mechanic (voice) Episode: "The Need For Speed Caper"
2022–23 The Villains of Valley View Eva/Surge Main role

Radio

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Year Title Role Notes
1995–2005 The Archers Hayley Jordan

References

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  1. ^ "Lucy's tweet about her birthday". Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Lucy Davis". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  3. ^ Gee, Catherine (16 February 2010). "Lucy Davis on Married Single Other". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 13 June 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  4. ^ "Black Books". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  5. ^ "First Look: Images From Some Guy Who Kills People". 15 March 2010. Archived from the original on 29 June 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2020 – via bloody-disgusting.com.
  6. ^ "Patrons". Theatretrain. Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  7. ^ a b From ‘The Office’ to ‘Wonder Woman’: Get to Know Lucy Davis Archived 27 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine by Angelique Jackson 12:08 PM PDT, 26 May 2017
  8. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (16 February 2018). "Netflix's Sabrina The Teenage Witch Series Casts Lucy Davis as Aunt Hilda". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 17 February 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
  9. ^ Jacobs, Meredith (28 April 2022). "Disney Sets Superhero Shows 'The Villains of Valley View' and 'Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion' (VIDEO)". Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  10. ^ "Comedian's daughter saved by kidney transplant". BBC. 23 December 1997. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
  11. ^ "The Office star Davis hospitalised for kidney failure". Contactmusic.com. 2 January 2006. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
  12. ^ "Lucy Davis | Diabetes UK"
  13. ^ "Office star marries at St Paul's". BBC. 9 December 2006. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2006.
  14. ^ Donohue, Alex (13 August 2007). "The Office star strips for Peta anti-fur campaign". Campaign. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
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