Nell Marmalade Baxendale-Williams (born 13 September 1998), known as Nell Williams, is an English actress. In 2015, she portrayed a teen version of Cersei Lannister in the opening episode of Season 5 of the HBO series Game of Thrones. She starred in Blinded by the Light (2019), which received rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival, in the BAFTA winning film Elizabeth is Missing (2019), and in the film London Town (2016).
She played Glen Powell's teenage mother, Mary Redfellow in A24's How To Make A Killing (2026), and played Agatha in the Amazon MGM Studios series Young Sherlock (2026).
Early life She was born Nell Marmalade Elizabeth Baxendale-Williams on 13 September 1998 in Hackney, London, England. She is the first child of British-American film director David L. Williams and the English actress Helen Baxendale. She has two brothers.
Career Acting Williams was scouted in a National Youth Music Theatre production aged 11. She was cast in Caryl Churchill's Love and Information at the Royal Court Theatre, and played the Young Queen Elizabeth II in Peter Morgan's The Audience in the Gielgud Theatre, for which she received widespread recognition from national and international media.
In 2015, she portrayed a teen version of Cersei Lannister in the opening episode of Season 5 of the HBO series Game of Thrones. She starred in Blinded by the Light which received rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival in 2019.
She appeared in The Good Liar, and starred in Elizabeth Is Missing, which received BAFTA nominations for Best Single Drama, and won a Best Actress for Jackson. Williams received widespread praise for her "sterling" supporting performance as "rebellious Katy".
In 2022 she played in British independent breakthrough feature Inland, playing next to Mark Rylance, directed by 20 year old Fridtjof Ryder.
Williams' leading role as The Bride in Barney Norris' adaptation of Lorca's Blood Wedding, and her performance in the Arcola main stage's Don't Destroy Me earned her critical acclaim.
She is set to star in independent British folk horror feature film Deepest Darkest alongside Aggy K Adams.
Williams played Glen Powell's teenage mother, Mary Redfellow in A24's How to Make a Killing (2026). She played Agatha in Young Sherlock.
Art While in education, Williams's painting was selected by Wolfgang Tillmans to exhibit at the Royal Academy of Art summer exhibition.
Filmography Film
YearTitleRoleNotes 2016 London Town Vivian Daniels Premiered at 2016 Los Angeles Film Festival2019 Blinded by the Light Eliza Premiered at 2019 Sundance Film Festival The Good Liar LiliWarner Bros and Bron Studios. 2022 Inland DaisyPremiered at 2022 London Film Festival 2026 How to Make a Killing Mary RedfellowA24 and Studio Canal2027Deepest DarkestLilaFilming currently
Television Year Title Role Notes2012 The Revolting World of Stanley Brown Jess 12 episodes Loving Miss Hatto Young Birdy Television film 2013 National Theatre Live Elizabeth (teen) Episode: "The Audience" 2015 Game of Thrones Cersei Lannister (teen) Season 5Episode: "The Wars to Come" 2016 Grantchester Gilly Bradley Episode #2.6 2017 Will Agnes Austen Episode: "The Two Gentlemen"2019 Deep Water Sally Kallisto ITV. 6 episodes Elizabeth Is Missing Katy Television film 2022 We Hunt Together Maisie McBride Episode: "202" 2026 Young Sherlock Agatha Episode: #1.5
Theatre Year Title Role Notes 2012 Love and Information Royal Court Theatre, London, 2012 2013 The Audience Princess Elizabeth Gielgud Theatre, London, 20132024 Don't Destroy Me Arcola Theatre, London, 20242025Blood WeddingThe Bride
References
External links