Sian Clifford (born 7 April 1982) is an English actress. She is best known for playing Claire, the older sister of the titular character in the BBC comedy-drama series Fleabag (2016–2019)[1] and also portrayed Martha Crawley in the ITV/Amazon Studios series Vanity Fair (2018).[2] In 2020, she played Diana Ingram in the ITV series Quiz.[3]
Sian Clifford | |
|---|---|
 Clifford in 2020 | |
| Born | 7 April 1982 London, England |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2006–present |
For the second season of Fleabag, Clifford won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Female Comedy Performance, and received a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series as well as a Critics' Choice nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.[4][5][6]
Her theatre credits include Consent at the Harold Pinter Theatre,[7] Pains of Youth at the National Theatre,[8] and The Road to Mecca at the Arcola Theatre.[9]
Early life
editClifford was born in London on 7 April 1982, the daughter of an executive assistant mother and a father who works for the local council.[10] She grew up in the London borough of Ealing. She has two brothers, Alex and Elliot and a sister, Natalie, who is an art dealer in New York City.[11] Growing up, she knew she wanted to be an actress and participated in youth theatre. She worked for three years as a writing consultant before being accepted into Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).[10] While attending RADA, she met her future co-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge early on and they became friends. She earned a BA in acting from RADA in 2006.[12][13]
Career
edit2006–2015: Early career and theatre
editIn the first ten years of her professional acting career, Clifford became a prolific Off West End actress. In her first few years out of drama school, she was involved with Theatre503 in which she was involved the productions Without Laughing, Contraction, and Listening Out.[14] In March 2007, she acted in the play Not the End of the World at the Bristol Old Vic theatre.[15] Her first notable performance was playing Ismene in the Nottingham Playhouse production of Burial at Thebes at the Barbican which premiered in September 2007.[16][17]
In Summer 2008, she acted in a play called The Pendulum, written by her co-star Alexander Fiske-Harrison, at the Jermyn Street Theatre in the West End, which ran for the month of June,[18] and in the following month she took part in the annual Latitude Festival in the play Public Displays of Affection.[19] Clifford was in three theatre productions the next summer; in June she had a small role in a chamber opera titled Parthenogenesis at the Royal Opera House's Linbury Studio,[20] she co-starred in the Arcola Theatre play The Road to Mecca,[21][22] and she toured with the production Is Everyone Okay? which co-starred future Fleabag castmate Phoebe Waller-Bridge.[23][24]
Throughout September 2010, Clifford starred in the well-reviewed experimental theatre piece Pieces of Vincent at the Arcola Theatre.[25][26][27] For the rest of autumn 2010, she had a supporting role in the play Pains of Youth at the prestigious Royal National Theatre.[28][29] Finishing out the year, Clifford held the titular role in an original production of Beauty and the Beast, also at the Royal National Theatre. The production ran throughout the Christmas season and was critically successful.[30][31]
In 2014, she was one of the stars of the Nottingham Playhouse's production of Time and the Conways. Also that year, she took part in Good. Clean. Fun., a collection of short plays by Phoebe Waller-Bridge which included an early version of Clifford's Fleabag character Claire, as well as the Victorian-era play Fever at the Jermyn Street Theatre.[32][33]
During her career, Clifford has also participated in many workshops and readings for Off West End productions.[34] She has often collaborated with DryWrite and Nabokov theatre companies, theatre directors Vicky Jones (DryWrite), Lyndsey Turner (Royal National Theatre, Theatre503) and Andrew Steggall, and writer/actor Phoebe Waller-Bridge.[34]
2016–present: Fleabag and television
editIn 2016, Clifford had her breakthrough screen acting role in Fleabag, as Claire, Fleabag's uptight older sister and character foil.
Clifford was part of the cast of the play Gloria, part of Hampstead Theatre's 2017 season and the play's Off West End premiere.[35] In 2018, she had a recurring role in the ITV miniseries Vanity Fair and was in a production of Circle Mirror Transformation in Manchester.[36] Later that year, she was part of the cast in the West End production of Consent at the Harold Pinter Theatre.[37][38]
Fleabag returned in 2019 to huge fanfare. Clifford's performance in the show was widely praised and she was nominated for the Emmy Award for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and the Critics' Choice Award for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance. She later won the BAFTA Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance.
Following the second series of Fleabag, Clifford starred in more film and television roles. She had a small role in the independent dark comedy film A Serial Killer's Guide to Life in 2019. In 2020, Clifford had guest roles on the television shows Hitmen on Sky One and Liar. She starred opposite Matthew Macfadyen in the April 2020 miniseries Quiz, based on the 2001 Charles Ingram Who Wants to Be A Millionaire? scandal. Clifford later co-starred in the Sky comedy series Two Weeks to Live.[39]
In May 2021, Clifford starred as Iris in the Inside No. 9 episode "Lip Service".[40][41] In July 2021, Clifford voiced GS-8 in Star Wars: The Bad Batch.[42]
Personal life
editClifford is a vegan and practises daily meditation.[43] In 2016, she launched a digital wellness and meditation platform called Still Space.[44]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Dark Matters: Twisted But True | Ida Thomas | TV series documentary (Episode: "Agent Orange, Ben Franklin") | [45] |
| 2013 | Midsomer Murders | PC Milton | TV series (Episode: "Schooled in Murder") | [45] |
| 2014 | Paddy | Meg | Short | [46] |
| 2016–2019 | Fleabag | Claire | TV series (12 episodes) | [47] |
| 2017 | Fry-Up | Rosie | Short | [46] |
| 2018 | Dodgy Dave | Stephanie | Short | [48] |
| Vanity Fair | Martha Crawley | TV miniseries (5 episodes) | [49] | |
| White Lies | Mum | Short | ||
| 2020 | A Serial Killer's Guide to Life | Cynthia | [48] | |
| Hitmen | The Accountant | TV series (Episode: "Money") | ||
| Liar | Ruby Allen | TV series (Episode: "2.5") | ||
| Quiz | Diana Ingram | TV miniseries (3 episodes) | [47] | |
| The Duke | Dr. Unsworth | [50] | ||
| Two Weeks to Live | Tina Noakes | TV series (6 episodes) | ||
| 2021 | Inside No. 9 | Iris | TV series (Episode: "Lip Service") | |
| Star Wars: The Bad Batch | GS-8 (voice) | TV series (Episode: "Common Ground") | ||
| Robot Chicken | Sigourney Weaver, Maleficent, Vicki Gunvalson (voice) | TV series (Episode: "May Cause Numb Butthole") | ||
| 2022 | Life After Life | Sylvia Todd | TV series | [51] |
| See How They Run | Edana Romney | [52] | ||
| His Dark Materials | Agent Salmakia | TV series (3 episodes) | ||
| Chevalier | Madame de Genlis | Searchlight Pictures | ||
| 2023 | Unstable | Anna Bennet | TV series | [53] |
| The Magician's Elephant | Gloria Matienne (voice) | Netflix film | ||
| 2024 | Doctor Who | Kind Woman | TV series (Episode: "Empire of Death") | |
| Everyone Else Burns | Maude | TV series (series 2) | ||
| Young Woman and the Sea | Charlotte | Disney+ Original film; received limited theatrical release | ||
| TBA | Mother Mary | TBA | Post-production | [54] |
References
edit- ^ Gee, Catherine (24 September 2016). "Fleabag's sex scenes are the filthiest on TV. But the heartbreak makes it revolutionary". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 9 October 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
- ^ Bley Griffiths, Eleanor (8 February 2019). "Meet the cast of Vanity Fair". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 25 November 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
- ^ "7 Questions with… Sian Clifford and Michael Jibson: 'Quiz raises bigger questions than whether the Ingrams are guilty or not'". BT. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ "71st Emmy Awards Nominees and Winners". Television Academy. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
- ^ "BAFTA TV 2020: Nominations for the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards and British Academy TV Craft Awards". British Television Academy. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ "Critics' Choice Awards". Critics' Choice Association. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
- ^ Berrington, Katie. "How #MeToo Has Impacted This Summer's Most Topical Play". Retrieved 22 October 2018.
- ^ Spencer, Charles (30 October 2009). "Pains of Youth at the National Theatre, review". ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
- ^ Gardner, Lyn (29 June 2010). "The Road to Mecca | Theatre review". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
- ^ a b Butter, Susannah (8 March 2019). "Fleabag actress Sian Clifford on why this season packs a punch". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 22 April 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- ^ "Contact | Space Gallery St Barth". spacegallerystbarth.com. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- ^ Broster, Alice (12 March 2019). "Who Is Sian Clifford? The 'Fleabag' Actress Has Conquered Stage & Screen, All While Running Her Own Website". Bustle. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ^ Fabrique. "Sian Clifford — RADA". www.rada.ac.uk. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- ^ "Credits". Monica Bertei British Actress and Voice-Over Artist. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ Mahoney, Elisabeth (21 March 2007). "Theatre review: Not the End of the World / Old Vic, Bristol". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ "Theatre review: The Burial at Thebes at Nottingham Playhouse". British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ Billington, Michael (20 September 2007). "Theatre review: The Burial at Thebes / Pit, Barbican, London". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ Billington, Michael (9 June 2008). "Theatre review: The Pendulum / Jermyn Street Theatre, London". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ "Latitude 2008". nabokov. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ "Parthenogenesis at Linbury Studio Theatre - Opera". Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ Cavendish, Dominic (29 June 2010). "The Road to Mecca, Arcola theatre, London, review". ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ Gardner, Lyn (29 June 2010). "The Road to Mecca | Theatre review". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ "Is Everyone Okay?". Daily Info. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ "Is Everyone Ok?". nabokov. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ Billington, Michael (7 September 2010). "Pieces of Vincent | Theatre review". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ Tripney, Natasha. "Pieces of Vincent review at Arcola London | Review | Theatre". The Stage. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ "Theatre Review: Pieces Of Vincent @ Arcola Theatre". Londonist. 7 September 2010. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ Theatre, National. "Pains of Youth at National Theatre, Cottesloe - West End".
- ^ Callan, Paul (31 October 2009). "Pains Of Youth: National Theatre, London". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ Spencer, Charles (2 December 2010). "Beauty and the Beast, National Theatre, review". ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ "Beauty and the Beast, National Theatre | reviews, news & interviews | The Arts Desk". theartsdesk.com. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ Day, Elizabeth (10 January 2016). "Foul-mouthed, frank, funny: generation rent finds its comic voice". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ Billington, Michael (17 June 2014). "Fever/District 6 review – insights into South Africa's past traumas". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ a b "Sian Clifford CV". United Agents. 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ "GLORIA". Hampstead Theatre. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Circle Mirror Transformation". HOME. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ Haynes, Natalie (29 May 2018). "Consent review – bracingly clever courtroom drama". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Consent at Harold Pinter Theatre | in the West End". www.nationaltheatre.org.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ Clarke, Stewart (26 June 2019). "'Game of Thrones' Star Maisie Williams to Star in Sky Comedy 'Two Weeks to Live'". Variety. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ Power, Ed (24 May 2021). "Inside No 9, episode 3, review: Fleabag's Sian Clifford hits the mark in Line of Duty send-up". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
- ^ Fear, Helen (24 May 2021). "Sian Clifford guest stars as Iris in Inside No 9 – but what else has she been in?". Entertainment Daily. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
- ^ "GS-8 Voice". Behind the Voice Actors. Archived from the original on 21 July 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ "My Fashion Life: Sian Clifford AW19". www.matchesfashion.com. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- ^ "Still Space". Still Space. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- ^ a b Rosenfeld, Laura (15 September 2016). "The 'Fleabag' Cast Is Just One Reason To Watch This Buzzy New Comedy". Bustle. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
- ^ a b "BBC Comedy confirms Bafta winning Fleabag will return to BBC Three in 2019". BBC. 25 August 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
- ^ a b Blake, Meredith (20 September 2019). "'Fleabag' scene-stealer Sian Clifford's Emmy nod was 16 years in the making". LA Times. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
- ^ a b Heath, Paul (18 October 2019). "'A Serial Killer's Guide To Life' Set For January 2020 Release". The Hollywood News. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
- ^ Steafel, Eleanor (3 March 2019). "Fleabag's Sian Clifford: 'Phoebe and I really are like sisters'". Telegraph. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
- ^ "Sian Clifford". United Agents. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ Kanter, Jake (20 April 2021). "Thomasin McKenzie & Sian Clifford To Lead Cast For BBC Adaptation Of Kate Atkinson's 'Life After Life'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ^ Donnelly, Matt (29 July 2021). "Star-Studded Searchlight Murder Mystery 'See How They Run' Reveals Full Cast, First Look Image". Variety. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
- ^ "Rob Lowe, John Owen Lowe Netflix Comedy Series 'Unstable' Adds Six to Cast". Variety.
- ^ Greenwood, Douglas; Mahale, Jenna. "A24's popstar movie melodrama is getting even more star-studded". i-d.vice.com. Vice Media Group. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
