Imogen Gay Poots (born June 3, 1989) is an English actress. She played Tammy in the post-apocalyptic horror film 28 Weeks Later (2007), Linda Keith in the Jimi Hendrix biopic Jimi: All Is by My Side (2013), Debbie Raymond in the Paul Raymond biopic The Look of Love (2013), and Julia Maddon in the American action film Need for Speed (2014). Also in 2014, she portrayed Jess Crichton in A Long Way Down, alongside Pierce Brosnan and Aaron Paul. She appeared as Isabella "Izzy" Patterson in Peter Bogdanovich's She's Funny That Way. In 2016, she starred as Kelly Ann in the Showtime series Roadies. In 2019, she co-starred with Jesse Eisenberg in the films Vivarium and The Art of Self-Defense. In 2020, she played Laura in The Father (2020).
Early life and education Imogen Gay Poots was born in June 1989 at the Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital in Hammersmith, London, the daughter of Trevor Poots, a current affairs television producer from Belfast, and Fiona Goodall, a journalist and voluntary worker from Brighton. She has an older brother.
Raised in Chiswick, West London, Poots was privately educated, attending Bute House Preparatory School for Girls in Brook Green, Queen's Gate School in South Kensington, and Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith. While intending to become a veterinary surgeon, she began spending Saturdays at an improvisation workshop hosted by the Young Blood Theatre Company at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith. She abandoned her original career aspiration after fainting at the sight of veterinary surgery during work experience.
Attaining three A grades at A-level, she won a place at the Courtauld Institute of Art in 2008, but had it deferred for two years in order to pursue her acting career.
Career
Poots first appeared on-screen in a 2004 episode of Casualty and had a non-speaking role in 2006's V for Vendetta, but she was largely unknown when, at the age of 17, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo cast her in the horror film 28 Weeks Later, released in 2007. She then appeared in films such as Cracks (2009), Centurion (2010), and as the female lead in the 2011 remake of Fright Night alongside Anton Yelchin. Although Poots has never formally trained as an actress, according to Giles Hattersley, she developed her acting skills through a practical apprenticeship that may have served her well, as she is "compellingly natural" in front of the camera.
In 2011, she was chosen by fashion house Chloé to appear in a campaign for its eponymous fragrance shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. In 2012, she was selected to star in a Sofia Coppola-directed advertising campaign for a collaboration between fashion label Marni and high street retailer H&M.
In 2012, Poots played the acrimonious young violinist Alexandra Gelbart opposite Catherine Keener and Philip Seymour Hoffman in A Late Quartet. In 2013, she appeared in Greetings from Tim Buckley, Filth, and The Look of Love, and portrayed Linda Keith in the Jimi Hendrix biopic Jimi: All Is by My Side, alongside André Benjamin as Hendrix. In 2014, Poots starred in the romantic comedy That Awkward Moment and the action film Need for Speed, an adaptation of the video game series, and played Jess in the black comedy A Long Way Down. In 2015, she appeared opposite Owen Wilson in She's Funny That Way with Jennifer Aniston and Knight of Cups with Cate Blanchett, has been cast in the adaptation of Jess Walter's novel Beautiful Ruins, and reunited with Yelchin for Green Room. In 2016, she starred as Kelly Ann in the Showtime series Roadies.
In 2017, she played Honey in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, which was broadcast via National Theatre Live on 18 May 2017 from the Harold Pinter Theatre in the London West End. Her performance earned her a nomination for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Also that year, Poots starred in the Amy Herzog play Belleville at the Donmar Warehouse opposite James Norton.
In 2022, she began playing the role of the mysterious Autumn in the Prime Video science fiction neo-Western series Outer Range. The show was canceled in 2024.
She played Rose Dugdale, a wealthy and cultured member of the British upper class–turned–Provisional IRA member, in the 2023 film Baltimore. That same year, she played Lisa, a British volunteer in Palestine, in the drama film The Teacher.
In 2024, she starred in the romantic sci-fi film All of You opposite Brett Goldstein.
In 2025, she starred as swimmer Lidia Yuknavitch in Kristen Stewart's directorial debut, the psychological drama The Chronology of Water, earning widespread praise for her role. The same year, she played Thea in Nia DaCosta's film Hedda.
She will next star in an untitled film directed by Jeremy Saulnier and costarring Cory Michael Smith and Chase Sui Wonders.
Personal life From 2017 to 2023, Poots was in a relationship with fellow actor James Norton. She divides her time between London and New York City.
Filmography Film
Year Title Role Notes 2005 V for Vendetta Young Valerie Page2007 28 Weeks Later Tammy Harris Wish Jane Short film 2008 Me and Orson Welles Lorelei Lathrop2009 Cracks Poppy Waking Madison Alexis Solitary Man Allyson Karsch2010 Centurion Arianne Chatroom Eva2011 Jane Eyre Blanche Ingram Fright Night Amy Peterson Comes a Bright Day Mary Bright 2012 A Late Quartet Alexandra Gelbart2013 Greetings from Tim Buckley Allie Jimi: All Is by My Side Linda Keith Filth Amanda Drummond The Look of Love Debbie Raymond2014 That Awkward Moment Ellie Andrews A Long Way Down Jess Crichton Need for Speed Julia Maddon She's Funny That Way Isabella Patterson2015 Knight of Cups Della Green Room Amber A Country Called Home Ellie2016 Frank & Lola Lola Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping Ashley Wednesday Killing for Love Elizabeth Haysom Voice; documentary2017 Have Had Grace Short film Sweet Virginia Lila Mobile Homes Ali I Kill Giants Karen 2018 Age Out Joan2019 The Art of Self-Defense Anna Vivarium Gemma Also executive producer Castle in the Ground Ana Black Christmas Riley Stone 2020 The Father Laura French Exit Susan 2023 Baltimore Rose Dugdale The Teacher Lisa 2024 All of You Laura 2025 The Chronology of Water Lidia Yuknavitch Hedda Thea Clifton 2026 TBA Post-production
Television Year Title Role Notes 2004 Casualty Alice Thornton Episode: "Love Bites" 2008 Miss Austen Regrets Fanny Austen-Knight TV movie 2010 Bouquet of Barbed Wire Prue Sorenson Main cast, miniseries Christopher and His Kind Jean Ross TV movie 2016 Roadies Kelly Ann Mason Main cast 2020 I Know This Much Is True Joy Hanks Main cast, miniseries 2022–2024 Outer Range Autumn Main cast
Stage Year Play Role Theatre 2017 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Honey Harold Pinter Theatre Belleville Abby Donmar Warehouse
Awards and nominations Year Accolade Category Nominated work Result2007British Independent Film AwardBIFA Most Promising Newcomer 28 Weeks Later 2011Alliance of Women Film Journalists AwardMost Egregious Age Difference Between the Leading Man and the Love Interest (shared with Michael Douglas)Solitary Man2012Hamptons International Film FestivalBreakthrough PerformerKnight of Cups10 Actors to WatchA Late QuartetNapa Valley Film FestivalRising Star2013British Independent Film AwardBIFA Best Supporting Actress The Look of Love 2016Fright Meter AwardBest Supporting ActressGreen Room 2017The Stage AwardsThe Joe Allen Best West End DebutWho's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? WhatsOnStage AwardsBest Supporting Actress in a play 2018Laurence Olivier AwardBest Actress in a Supporting Role 2019Sitges Film FestivalBest ActressVivarium 2025Denver Film FestivalExcellence in Acting AwardThe Chronology of Water2026Girls on Film AwardsBest Performance in a Leading RoleBest Ensemble CastHedda
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