Holliday Clark Grainger (born 27 March 1988), also credited as Holly Grainger, is an English screen and stage actress. Some of her prominent roles are Kate Beckett in the BAFTA award-winning children's series Roger and the Rottentrolls, Lucrezia Borgia in the Showtime series The Borgias, Robin Ellacott in the BBC One crime drama Strike, Rachel Carey in the Peacock/BBC One conspiracy thriller The Capture, and Estella in Mike Newell's 2012 film adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1861 novel Great Expectations.
Early life Grainger was born on 27 March 1988 in Didsbury, Manchester. Her maternal grandfather was Italian. Her first experience of acting was at the age of five when she was scouted for a BBC TV series. She appeared in many television shows and independent films as a child actress.
Grainger attended Parrs Wood High School from 1999 to 2006, and in 2007 began studying for a degree in English literature at the University of Leeds; however, she eventually opted for The Open University, as it allowed her to continue acting alongside her studies.
Career Roles followed in Casualty, Doctors and Dalziel and Pascoe. Grainger played Megan Boothe in Where the Heart Is, Stacey Appleyard in Waterloo Road and Sophia in Merlin. In 2011, she appeared in the television series The Borgias, playing Lucrezia Borgia opposite Jeremy Irons as Pope Alexander VI. The series, created by Neil Jordan and shot in Hungary, ran for three seasons.
After her role as Emily in the film The Scouting Book for Boys (2009), she played one of the Rivers sisters opposite Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender in Cary Fukunaga's 2011 retelling of Jane Eyre, and had a minor role in Bel Ami alongside Robert Pattinson and Uma Thurman. In June 2011, she was cast in the leading role of Estella in Mike Newell's film adaptation of Great Expectations, opposite Jeremy Irvine and Helena Bonham Carter. The movie, screened at Toronto International Film Festival 2012, had its European premiere as the closing night film of the BFI London Film Festival. She had a minor role in the 2012 film Anna Karenina as Baroness Shilton.
On stage, in 2013 she appeared in Disassociation, a play by Luke Bailey, at The Lowry in Salford. In the same year, she played Bonnie Parker in the 2013 TV mini-series Bonnie & Clyde. She was one of the female leads in the 2014 film The Riot Club, adapted from the play Posh, alongside Max Irons. In the same year, she appeared on stage in Anton Chekhov's play Three Sisters at the Southwark Playhouse. Grainger played Cinderella's stepsister Anastasia Tremaine in Kenneth Branagh's 2015 film version of Cinderella.
In 2016, Grainger starred in Disney's The Finest Hours. On 20 June 2016, World Refugee Day, Grainger, as well as Jack O'Connell, featured in a film from the United Nations' refugee agency UNHCR to help raise awareness of the global refugee crisis. The film, titled Home, has a family take a reverse migration into the middle of a war zone. It is inspired by primary accounts of refugees, and is part of UNHCR's #WithRefugees campaign, which also includes a petition to governments to expand asylum to provide further shelter, integrating job opportunities, and education. Home, written and directed by Daniel Mulloy, went on to win a BAFTA Award and a Gold Lion at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity among many other awards.
In 2017, she appeared in a film adaptation of the novel Tulip Fever alongside Alicia Vikander. From 2017, she plays Robin Ellacott in the TV series Strike (aired in the United States and Canada as C.B. Strike) based on the novels by J. K. Rowling. Grainger played one of the two lead female roles in the feature film Animals, along with Alia Shawkat. Based on the novel by Emma Jane Unsworth, who also wrote the script, the film was directed by Sophie Hyde and filmed in Dublin. In 2018, she co-starred in the film Tell It to the Bees alongside Anna Paquin, an adaptation of the 2009 novel of the same name by Fiona Shaw. Since 2019, Grainger stars in the BBC conspiracy thriller The Capture.
Personal life In May 2021, she had twin children with her partner Harry Treadaway, himself a twin (brother of Luke Treadaway).
Acting credits
Film YearTitleRole2009The Scouting Book for BoysEmilyAwaydaysMolly Carty2010ColetteColette2011Jane EyreDiana Rivers2012Great ExpectationsEstella HavishamAnna KareninaBaronessBel AmiSuzanne RoussetRachaelSamantha2014The Riot ClubLaurenGoblin?Liz2015CinderellaAnastasia Tremaine2016HomeHollyThe Finest HoursMiriam Webber2017Tulip FeverMariaMy Cousin RachelLouiseRobot & ScarecrowRobot2018Tell It to the BeesLydia Weekes2019AnimalsLaura2025Mickey 17Red HairTBAHalo of StarsEmm
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1994–1997All Quiet on the Preston FrontKirstyMain Role1997The Missing PostmanHarrietTelevision Film1998–2000Roger and the RottentrollsKate BeckettMain Role (Series 3-4)2000DaddyfoxYoung MaggieTelevision FilmCasualtyKatie StoppardEpisode: "Seize the Night"Comin' Atcha!PaulineEpisode: "The Day Off"2001Dalziel and PascoeNichola CrowleyEpisode: "Walls of Silence"DoctorsNita HarmerEpisode: "Writing to Charlie"2002SparkhouseOlder Lisa BoltonMiniseries; Main Role2003The Illustrated MumStar WestwardTelevision FilmThe RoyalCarole GreenEpisode: "Coffin Fit"2003–2005Where the Heart IsMegan BootheMain Role (Series 7–9)2005Magnificent 7Louise JacksonTelevision FilmDoctorsHolly LeavisEpisode: "Indestructible"No AngelsSimoneSeries 2, Episode 52006New Street LawKatie LewisSeries 1; Episode 1Johnny and the BombRose BushellMiniseries; Main Role2007Waterloo RoadStacey AppleyardSeries 2; 4 EpisodesThe Bad Mother's HandbookCharlotte CooperTelevision Film2008MerlinSophiaSeries 1; Episode 7Waking the DeadNicola BennetSeries 7; Episodes 5 & 6Dis/ConnectedJennyTelevision FilmFairy TalesLeeza GruffEpisode: "Billy Goat"The Royal TodayAbigailSeries 1; Episode 3M.I. HighLeah RetsamEpisode: "It's a Kind of Magic"2009Blue MurderJess BurgessEpisode: "Having It All"Robin HoodMegEpisode: "A Dangerous Deal"Mark's Brilliant BlogMaryTelevision FilmDemonsRubyMiniseries; Main Role2010Any Human HeartTess ScabiusMiniseries; 2 EpisodesStanley ParkDirty DebbieEpisode: "Pilot"Five DaughtersAliceMiniseries; 2 EpisodesAbove SuspicionSharon BilkinMain Role (Series 2)2011–2013The BorgiasLucrezia BorgiaMain Role2013Bonnie & ClydeBonnie ParkerMiniseries; Lead Role2015Lady Chatterley's LoverLady Constance ChatterleyTelevision Film2017Philip K. Dick's Electric DreamsHonorEpisode: "The Hood Maker"2017–presentStrikeRobin EllacottLead role2018Patrick MelroseBridget Watson-ScottMiniseries; 2 Episodes2019–presentThe CaptureRachel CareyLead role2022Impact WinterDarcy DunravenVoice; Main Role2025The Stolen GirlRebecca WalshMiniseries; Main Role
Theatre YearTitleRoleVenue2009DimetosLydiaSouthwark Playhouse, London2014Three SistersIrinaDonmar Warehouse, London
Accolades YearAwardCategoryNominated workResult2011Golden Nymph AwardsOutstanding Actress in a Drama SeriesThe Borgias2013Empire AwardsBest Female NewcomerGreat Expectations2014Critics' Choice Television AwardsBest Actress in a Movie/MiniseriesBonnie & ClydeSatellite AwardsBest Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film 2019Kingston Reelout Film FestivalOutstanding Lead PerformanceTell it to the BeesBritish Independent Film AwardsBest ActressAnimals2022TV Times AwardsFavourite Dramatic PerformanceThe Capture
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