Jessica Raine (born Jessica Lloyd; May 14, 1982) is an English actress. She rose to prominence as Nurse Jennifer Lee in Call the Midwife (2012–2014) and in 2013 played Verity Lambert in An Adventure in Space and Time. Raine portrayed Jane Rochford in the 2015 TV series Wolf Hall, and Catherine Parr in Becoming Elizabeth in 2022, and has played the lead role in The Devil's Hour since 2022. She has also had roles in stage and radio plays.
Early life and education Raine was born Jessica Lloyd in in Eardisley, Herefordshire, where she was raised on a farm. She is the younger of two daughters of farmer Allan Lloyd (descended from the Lloyd family of Baynham Hall, who were well known for generations as bonesetters alongside their farming activities), and his wife Sue.
Raine was educated in Kington, Herefordshire, and wanted to be an actress from the age of 13, as her father starred in amateur dramatics with the Eardisley Little Theatre. In sixth form she studied theatre at A-Level, and a BTEC in photography at Hereford College of Arts.
Raine studied drama and cultural studies at the University of the West of England, Bristol. After graduating, she was turned down by every drama school she applied to, so went to Thailand and taught English as a second language.
Career Theatre Returning home after a year, she applied to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art a second time and was accepted. Moving to London in anticipation of starting her course, she worked part-time as a waitress and for BT Group.
After graduating in 2008, Raine began a successful stage career, initially cast as Lesley Sharp's goth daughter in Simon Stephens's Harper Regan. She played Tamsin Greig's 16-year-old daughter in David Hare's Gethsemane.
Raine played at the National Theatre in Mike Bartlett's Earthquakes in London as teenage wild-child Jasmine; and then as a secretary in the revival of Clifford Odets's Rocket to the Moon. She also appeared in Ghosts and Punk Rock, for which she won the Manchester Evening News Award for Best Supporting Actress.
She played a role in the Young Vic's revival of The Changeling. In 2012 Raine starred in Beyond Ballets Russes at the London Coliseum.
Screen Raine's first screen credits were an appearance in a 2009 episode of Garrow's Law and a small role in the 2010 film Robin Hood.
She starred as the lead character Jenny Lee in the first three series of the BBC One drama Call the Midwife. On 9 March 2014, it was announced that Raine was leaving the show at the end of series three to pursue a film career in the United States.
Raine was a guest star in the 2013 Doctor Who episode "Hide". Later that year, she appeared as Doctor Whos original producer, Verity Lambert, in the fact-based drama An Adventure in Space and Time, showing the creation of the series as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.
In February 2014, Raine joined the cast of the BBC Two police drama Line of Duty for series two as Detective Constable Georgia Trotman, working for the AC12 anti-corruption unit.
In July 2015, Raine played Tuppence Beresford in the series Partners in Crime based on Agatha Christie's Tommy and Tuppence stories, though the series is set in 1952 rather than the 1920s.
In 2017, Raine played Alison Laithwaite in The Last Post, which she has described as her "favourite character I've played so far, ever. It was a real transformation. She's kind of self-destructive, witty and she's climbing the walls with frustration and boredom, but she just wants to have fun."
In 2019, Raine played Genevieve Taylor, a British liaison officer for Europol in the Netherlands, in the BBC One drama series Baptiste.
Since 2022 she has played the lead role in the British TV thriller series The Devil's Hour, opposite Peter Capaldi.
In 2026, Raine played the lead role in Two Weeks in August, a British drama series created by Catherine Shepherd. The Guardian gave the series a five star review, saying that Raine, who played Zoe, delivered "an extraordinary performance".
Radio On radio, she has played Felice in the Murray Gold play Kafka the Musical, broadcast in April 2011 on BBC Radio 3. She also played the part of Kasey in Ed Harris' radio play The Wall, broadcast in February 2011 on BBC Radio 3.
Personal life Raine began a relationship with fellow actor Tom Goodman-Hill sometime after they met while appearing in the 2010 production of the play Earthquakes in London. After Goodman-Hill's divorce, they married on 30 August 2015. The couple have a child together, born in February 2019.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2010 Robin Hood Princess Isabel of Gloucester 2011 Elsewhere Cath Short film 2012 The Woman in Black Joseph's nanny 2018 Benjamin Billie 2019 Black Shore Holly Short film Carmilla Miss Fontaine
Television Year Title Role Notes 2009 Garrow's Law Ann Porter Episode: #1.2 2012–2014 Call the Midwife Jennifer Lee Main cast (series 1–3) 2013 Doctor Who Emma Grayling Episode: "Hide" An Adventure in Space and Time Verity Lambert Television film 2014 Line of Duty DC Georgia Trotman Episode: "The Ambush" 2015 Wolf Hall Jane Rochford Main cast Fortitude Jules Sutter Main cast (series 1) Partners in Crime Tuppence Beresford Main cast 2016 Jericho Annie Quaintain Main cast Inside No. 9 Kathy Episode: "The Devil of Christmas" 2017 The Last Post Alison Laithwaite Main cast 2018 Patrick Melrose Julia Miniseries; main cast Informer Emily Waters Main cast 2019 Baptiste Genevieve Taylor Main cast (series 1) 2022 Becoming Elizabeth Catherine Parr Main cast2022–presentThe Devil's HourLucy Chambers Main cast 2026 Two Weeks in August Zoe Main cast
Radio Year Title RoleRadio station2009The Girl at the Lion d'OrAnne LouvertBBC Radio 42010Sarah and KenLornaBBC Radio 32010–2011I, ClaudiusMessalinaBBC Radio 42011The WallKaseyBBC Radio 3Kafka the MusicalFelice BauerBBC Radio 3Life and FateZinaBBC Radio 4The High WindowMerle DavisBBC Radio 42012Ethan FromeMattieBBC Radio 4 Extra2013JillElizabeth DowlingBBC Radio 42014Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?Rachael RosenBBC Radio 42016The MuseNarratorBBC Radio 4 Extra2016–2017The Forsyte SagaFleur MontBBC Radio 42018VampirellaThe CountessBBC Radio 32019The PallisersLady Glencora PalliserBBC Radio 42020Endell StreetNarratorBBC Radio 4
Stage Year Title RoleVenue2008Harper ReganSarah ReganNational Theatre2008–2009GethsemaneSuzette GuestNational Theatre 2009 Punk Rock Lily CahillRoyal Exchange / Lyric Hammersmith2010GhostsRegineDuchess TheatreEarthquakes in LondonJasmineNational Theatre2011Rocket to the MoonCleo SingerNational Theatre2012The ChangelingBeatrice-JoannaYoung Vic2013RootsBeatieDonmar Warehouse2016XGildaRoyal Court Theatre2020BubbleMorganNottingham Playhouse
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result2009Manchester Evening News Theatre AwardsBest Supporting ActressPunk Rock2010Ian Charleson AwardsBest Performance in a PlayGhosts2012South Bank Sky Arts AwardThe Times Breakthrough Award: TV DramaCall the Midwife 2014 Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries An Adventure in Space and Time
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