Jessica Amy Barden (born 21 July 1992) is an English actress. She began her career as a child actress and gained prominence through her role in the Channel 4 comedy-drama The End of the F***ing World (2017–2019). She received a British Independent Film Award nomination for her performance in Scarborough (2018).

Barden's other films include Tamara Drewe (2010), Hanna (2011), The Lobster (2015), The New Romantic (2018) and Pink Skies Ahead (2020). On television, she has since starred in the Foxtel drama Lambs of God (2019), the Netflix thriller Pieces of Her (2022) and the ITV romantic comedy You & Me (2023).

Early life Barden was born on 21 July 1992 in Northallerton, North Yorkshire. She comes from a working class background. Her father is a prison officer, and her mother is an accountant; she has two brothers. When she was three, the family moved to Wetherby, West Yorkshire. Barden attended Wetherby High School. She discovered acting through school and her father's love of film. She began taking classes at a local drama club and working as a television extra. She left school at 15.

Career Barden began her career as a child actress, making her television acting debut in 1999 with a role in an episode of the CITV series My Parents Are Aliens. She later appeared in episodes of the series No Angels and The Chase.

Barden was 14 when she joined the cast of the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, playing Kayleigh Morton from March 2007 until the Morton family's departure from the soap in September 2008. Barden made her film debut in the 2007 comedy-drama Mrs Ratcliffe's Revolution. In 2009, she played Pea in the stage production Jerusalem at the Royal Court Theatre in London, which then transferred to the Apollo Theatre in the West End.

In 2010, Barden appeared in the film Tamara Drewe, a dramatisation of the comic strip of the same name, for which Barden was nominated for Young British Performer of the Year by the London Film Critics' Circle. The following year, she played Sophie in Joe Wright's Hanna. From 2012 to 2014, she had film roles in the horror Comedown, the mystery-drama In the Dark Half, the psychological thriller Mindscape, and the indie Lullaby.

Barden was named a 2015 Screen International Star of Tomorrow. That year, she played Kit Carmichael in the two-part adaptation of Sadie Jones' debut novel The Outcast on BBC One and Liddy in a film adaptation of Thomas Hardy's Far from the Madding Crowd. In 2016, Barden played the titular role of the Channel 4 television film Ellen as well as Jasmine in the comedy film Mindhorn and Justine in the third series of Penny Dreadful on Sky Atlantic. She starred in the 2017 horror film Habit.

Also in 2017, Barden began starring in the Channel 4 and Netflix dark comedy-drama The End of the F***ing World as Alyssa, a role she would play for both series. She starred in the 2018 films The New Romantic, and Scarborough. For the latter, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the British Independent Film Awards, and National Film Awards UK. She won the IMDb Breakout Star Award, and was named a 2018 BAFTA Breakthrough Brit.

Barden appeared in the 2019 music videos for Conan Gray's "Maniac" and Ozzy Osbourne's "Under the Graveyard", as well as the film Jungleland and the Australian Foxtel series Lambs of God. She had lead roles in the 2020 films Holler and Pink Skies Ahead.

In January 2021, it was announced Barden had been cast as Jane in the 2022 Netflix thriller Pieces of Her, an adaptation of Karin Slaughter's novel of the same name.

In 2023, she appeared in the ITV romantic comedy-drama You & Me and the football film An Unsuitable Game.

In May 2024, Barden was cast as Young Valya Harkonnen (played by Emily Watson later in life) in the HBO series Dune: Prophecy.

Barden portrayed Victoria Wood in the 2026 documentary film Becoming Victoria Wood.

Barden provides vocals on the track "Finding Money" on the 2025 album We Will Annihilate Our Enemies by London band Real Lies.

Personal life Barden married Jungleland director Max Winkler in March 2021. On 19 October 2021, Barden announced she had given birth to their first child, a daughter. On 13 December 2024, Barden announced the birth of their second child.

Barden has opened up about her experiences with anxiety and therapy.

In a 2023 interview with The Daily Telegraph, Barden spoke out against "working class tourism" in acting and against middle and upper class actors who approach working class roles with a condescending or ignorant attitude, specifically calling out Emma Corrin for wanting to do a "gritty" film with an "outrageous accent".

Filmography Film Year Title RoleNotes 2007 Mrs Ratcliffe's Revolution Mary Ratcliffe 2010 Tamara Drewe Jody Long 2011 Hanna Sophie 2012 Comedown Kelly In the Dark Half Marie 2013 Mindscape Mousey 2014 Lullaby Meredith 2015 Far from the Madding Crowd Liddy The Lobster Nosebleed Woman 2016 Mindhorn Jasmine 2017 Habit Lee 2018 The New Romantic Blake Conway Scarborough Beth 2019 Jungleland Sky 2020 Holler Ruth Pink Skies Ahead Winona 2024 Hearts of Stone Agatha Short film 2026 Becoming Victoria Wood Victoria Wood Documentary film

Television YearTitleRoleNotes 1999 My Parents Are Aliens Girl in School Episode: "The Date" 2005 No Angels Lucy Episode #2.3 2006 The Chase Amy Episode #1.2 2007–2008 The Nations Favourite Kayleigh Morton Series regular 2011 Comedy Showcase Barmaid Episode: "Chickens" 2012 Vera Stella Macken Episode: "The Ghost Position" 2013 Coming Up Ruby Episode: "Sammy's War" Chickens Barmaid / Penny 3 episodes 2015 The Outcast Kit Carmichael 2 episodes 2016 Murder Jess Episode: "The Big Bang" 2016 Ellen Ellen Television film Penny Dreadful Justine 6 episodes 2017–2019 The End of the F***ing World Alyssa Main role 2019 Lambs of God Sister Carla 4 episodes 2020 Better Things Herself 2 episodes 2020 Urban Myths Barbra Streisand Episode: "When Joan Kissed Barbra" 2021 Robot Chicken Rey, Additional characters Voice role; 4 episodes 2022 Pieces of Her Jane Main role 2023 You & MeEmmaMain role 2023–2024 American Horror Stories Bestie Episode: "Bestie" Casting chairwoman Episode: "Tapeworm" Hailey Doherty Episode: "Leprechaun" 2024 Dune: Prophecy Young Valya Harkonnen2026Monster: The Lizzie Borden StoryNance O’Neil4 episodes 2027 The Cadburys Maria

Radio YearTitleRoleNotes 2021 SteelHeads Joleen Main role

Music videos YearArtistSong 2019 Conan Gray "Maniac" 2019 Ozzy Osbourne "Under the Graveyard"

Stage Year Title Role Notes 2018 Night School Sally Harold Pinter Theatre, London

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2011 London Critics' Circle Film Awards Young British Performer of the Year Tamara Drewe 2015 Screen International Stars of Tomorrow 2018 BAFTA Breakthrough Brit 2018 IMDb Awards Breakout Stars Award The End of the F***ing World, Scarborough, The New Romantic 2019British Independent Film Award (BIFA)Best Supporting ActressScarborough 2020National Film Awards UK 2020NME Awards 2020Best TV Actor

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