
Lydia Leonard
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lydia Leonard (born 5 December 1980) is a British actress.
She was born in Paris to an Irish mother, a teacher, and Anglo-French father, a financial accountant; she lived in France until the age of five.
Originally, Leonard wanted to be a barrister, which she considers to be a profession very similar to acting onstage. Her first acting role was in Nativity spectacle in school, where she played King Herod. Leonard went from Bedales School to graduate from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in 2003, and then won a BBC Radio Drama Carleton Hobbs bursary.
Her radio credits include playing Lady Mabel in a twelve-part adaptation of Anthony Trollope's series of political novels, and Goodwill in The Pilgrim's Progress. On television she had an ongoing role in 50s-set detective series Jericho starring Robert Lindsay, and appeared in True True Lie (2006) and The Long Walk to Finchley (2008), along with a cameo in Rome (2006, The Stolen Eagle), and as a nurse in the BBC's Casualty 1909.
Leonard appeared on stage as Polyxena in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of Hecuba starring Vanessa Redgrave and alongside Francesca Annis in the National Theatre's production of Time and the Conways. In 2005 Leonard appeared as Caroline Cushing in the original Donmar Theatre and West End productions of Frost/Nixon.
In 2008 Leonard played a major role in the BBC re-make of The 39 Steps. Part of the Christmas scheduling, its first showing was the most watched program on BBC One on that day. Leonard starred as Cynthia in Joanna Hogg's 2010 feature film Archipelago.
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Known For

TV
Midsomer Murders
Phoebe Frears
1997

TV
The Crown
Cherie Blair
2016

TV
Spooks
Martha Ford
2002

TV
Foyle's War
Marion Greenwood
2002

TV
Absentia
Laurie Colson
2017

TV
Rome
Julia
2005

TV
Gentleman Jack
Mariana Lawton
2019

TV
Wolf Hall
Jane Rochford
2015

TV
McDonald & Dodds
Lucy Holgate
2020

TV
Ashes to Ashes
Sara Templeton
2008

TV
Down Cemetery Road
Defence Minister Talia Ross
2025

TV
A Woman of Substance
Olivia Wainwright
2026

TV
River
Marianne King
2015

TV
We Are Lady Parts
Clarice
2021

TV
Red Election
Beatrice Ogilvy
2021

TV
Jericho
Angela
2005

TV
The Line of Beauty
Penny Kent
2006

TV
A Very Royal Scandal
Esme Wren
2024

Film
Last Christmas
Marta Andrich
2019

TV
Ten Percent
Rebecca Fox
2022
Filmography
2026TVA Woman of Substanceas Olivia Wainwright2025TVDown Cemetery Roadas Defence Minister Talia Ross2024TVA Very Royal Scandalas Esme Wren2023FilmNorthern Comfortas Sarah2022TVTen Percentas Rebecca Fox2021TVRed Electionas Beatrice Ogilvy2021FilmAll These Men That I've Doneas Unnamed2021TVWe Are Lady Partsas Clarice2020FilmHilary Mantel: Return to Wolf Hallas Self - Reader (voice)2020TVMcDonald & Doddsas Lucy Holgate2020TVFlesh and Bloodas Natalie2019FilmLast Christmasas Marta Andrich2019TVGentleman Jackas Mariana Lawton2017TVAbsentiaas Laurie Colson2017TVQuacksas Caroline Lessing2017TVApple Tree Yardas Bonnard2016TVThe Crownas Cherie Blair2016FilmThe Prevailing Windsas The Hiker2015TVRiveras Marianne King2015TVLife In Squaresas Young Virginia Woolf2015TVWolf Hallas Jane Rochford2013TVLucanas Melissa2013FilmBorn Of Waras Olivia2013FilmThe Fifth Estateas Alex Lang2013FilmLegendary: Tomb of the Dragonas Katie2013FilmPlaydate2011FilmArchipelagoas Cynthia2008FilmThe 39 Stepsas Victoria Sinclair2008FilmMargaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to Finchleyas Joyce2008TVAshes to Ashesas Sara Templeton2006TVThe Line of Beautyas Penny Kent2006FilmTrue True Lieas Dana2005TVJerichoas Angela2005TVRomeas Julia2002TVFoyle's Waras Marion Greenwood2002TVSpooksas Martha Ford1997TVMidsomer Murdersas Phoebe Frears