Alexandra Elizabeth Roach (born 20 August 1987) is a Welsh actress best known for her roles as Becky in Utopia and DS Joy Freers in No Offence. She has also made appearances in series including Being Human, Inside No. 9, Black Mirror and Killing Eve.
Life and career Roach was born in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, Wales. A number of her relatives, including her father Jeff (who went on to work for the Welsh Rugby Union), her brother and her sister, have been part of the police force at one point. A fluent Welsh speaker, Roach appeared in long-running television soap Pobol y Cwm in her early teens and won Best Juvenile Actor in a Soap at the Children in Entertainment Awards. After leaving the series in 2005, she spent time with the National Youth Theatre of Wales before going on to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
She has described how her Welsh accent counted against her in an early audition for a television role. "This old guy was the director and he was so well spoken, and he asked me where I was from, and I told him: 'Wales, Swansea,' and he just blanked me and turned to the casting director and said, 'oh no, she's not right'" ... So I said, 'I'm not going to do it in this voice, I'm going to do it with an English accent,' and he was like, 'no, honestly, there's no point'. He just wouldn't look at me, he wasn't listening to me."
In May 2010, Roach appeared in The Door Never Closes by Rex Obano at the Almeida Theatre. A number of high-profile roles followed, including Sasha in Being Human, Beth Partridge in Candy Cabs, and The Suspicions of Mr Whicher (in which she played notorious child murderer Constance Kent).
Roach starred as a young Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. She appeared as Helene in Sky Comedy's Hunderby in autumn 2012, and was cast as Molly in the film adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's 2003 novel Private Peaceful. She was included on the Screen International "Stars of Tomorrow" list in 2011. In 2013, she starred in the British TV series Utopia.
On 3 June 2013, Roach appeared in the fifth episode of the ITV comedy Vicious, as Ash's vegan girlfriend Chloe. She returned to the role for one episode in June 2015. On 8 August 2014, she appeared in the inaugural episode of the BBC One TV comedy drama film Walter, in which she played a Welsh-speaking detective. In 2015, she starred in the TV series No Offence as DS Joy Freers.
In 2016, she became engaged to club promoter Jack Scales, whom she later married.
Roach was a presenter at the 2017 BAFTA Cymru Awards ceremony.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2011 The Iron Lady Young Margaret Thatcher2012 Electric Cinema: How to Behave Modern Day Woman Short film Private Peaceful Molly Monks Anna Karenina Countess Nordston Night of the Loving Dead Felicity Short film Girls' Night Out Princess Elizabeth2013 Trap for Cinderella Do One Chance Julie-Ann Cooper: Mrs. Paul Potts That Night Girl Short film; also writer2014 Cuban Fury Helen Testament of Youth Winifred Holtby2016 The Huntsman: Winter's War Doreena Pregnant Pause Steph Short film 2017 Memento Mori (unknown) Short film 2018 The Orgy Meg Short film2019 The Kid Who Would Be King Miss Foster A Guide to Second Date Sex Laura 2022 This Is Christmas Amanda 2025 Pink Rita Short film
Television Year Title Role Notes 2001–2005 Pobol Y Cwm Elin Owen Unknown episodes 2010 The IT Crowd Stenographer Episode: "Reynholm vs Reynholm"2011 Being Human Sasha Episode: "Type 4" Candy Cabs Beth Partridge 3 episodes New Tricks Nina Ward Episode: "Moving Target" The Suspicions of Mr Whicher Constance Kent Episode: "The Murder at Road Hill House" 2012 Loserville Kathryn Television film 2012–2015 Hunderby Helene Series 1 and 2; 10 episodes 2013 The Thirteenth Tale Hester Barrow Television film 2013–2014 Utopia Becky Main role. Series 1 and 2; 11 episodes 2013, 2015 Vicious Chloe 2 episodes: "Dinner Party" (2013), and "Stag Do" (2015)2014 Under Milk Wood Mae Rose Cottage Television film Walter DS Anne Hopkins Television film Crackanory Montserrat Bligh Episode: "Man's Best Friend & Return to Sender" 2015–2018 No Offence DS Joy Freers Main cast. Series 1–3; 16 episodes2017 Inside No. 9 Nina Episode: "The Riddle of the Sphinx" Black Mirror Carrie Episode: "Black Museum" 2018 On the Edge Becca Mini-series; episode: "That Girl" 2018–2019 Hold the Sunset Felicity 2 episodes: "Roger the Carer" and "The Lemming Family"2019 Sanditon Diana Parker 7 episodes Sticks and Stones Jess Benson Mini-series, 3 episodes2020 Death in Paradise Bethan Miller Episode: "Murder on Mosquito Island" Killing Eve Rhian 2 episodes: "Beautiful Monster", and "Are You Leading or Am I?" Zog and the Flying Doctors Sunburnt Mermaid (voice) Television short film 2021 Viewpoint Zoe Sterling Mini-series, 5 episodes 2022 Y Golau (The Light in the Hall) Cat Mini-series; 6 episodes2023 Bodies Maggie Mini-series, 3 episodes Men Up Ffion Jenkins Television film2024 Inside No. 9 Party Guest Episode: "Plodding On" Nightsleeper Abby Aysgarth Mini-series; 6 episodes 2025 Lazarus Jenna Lazarus Mini-series, 6 episodes 2026 Death Valley Angela Vaughan Series 2; episode 1 Hunting Alice Bell Fran Mini-series. Completed
Video games Year Title Role (voice) Notes 2029 Du Lac & Fey: Dance of Death Mary Jane Kelly 2022 Elden Ring Asimi
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