Daisy Edgar-Jones
Daisy Jessica Edgar-Jones (born 24 May 1998) is an English actress who gained international acclaim for her leading role as Marianne Sheridan in the 2020 BBC and Hulu miniseries Normal People, an adaptation of Sally Rooney's novel that explored themes of love and class in contemporary Ireland.[1] Born in Islington, London, to a Scottish father, Philip Edgar-Jones, a television executive, and a Northern Irish mother, Wendy Edgar-Jones, she was raised in the Muswell Hill area and showed early interest in performance, winning a local ice-dancing competition at age seven dressed as a character from Cats.[2][3] Edgar-Jones attended The Mount School for Girls and Woodhouse College before training with the National Youth Theatre from age 14, where she auditioned with a monologue from Romeo and Juliet.[4] Her professional screen debut arrived at age 17 in the 2016 Christmas special of the BBC comedy Outnumbered, followed by a recurring role as Olivia Marsden in the ITV drama Cold Feet from 2016 to 2020.[5] She then portrayed the teenage Emily Gresham in the 2019–2021 Epix series War of the Worlds, marking her entry into science fiction television.[1] Building on Normal People's success, which earned her a nomination for the BAFTA Television Award for Best Actress, Edgar-Jones transitioned to film with a supporting role in Pond Life (2018), before leading the Hulu horror-thriller Fresh (2022) opposite Sebastian Stan.[6] She received further recognition for her performance as Brenda Lafferty in the FX on Hulu limited series Under the Banner of Heaven (2022), earning a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series.[7] In 2022, she starred as Kya Clark in the drama Where the Crawdads Sing, adapted from Delia Owens's novel, and in 2024, she took on her first major blockbuster role as Kate Carter in the disaster film Twisters, a standalone sequel to Twister (1996) co-starring Glen Powell.[1] In 2025, she starred as Muriel in the romantic drama On Swift Horses opposite Jacob Elordi. As of 2025, Edgar-Jones had expanded her influence beyond acting, serving as an ambassador for the EE BAFTA Film Awards' "Set The Stage" initiative to support young filmmakers, while preparing for upcoming projects including a lead role as Elinor Dashwood in an adaptation of Sense and Sensibility.[8][9]Early life and education
Childhood and family
Daisy Edgar-Jones was born on 24 May 1998 in the borough of Islington, London, England.[10][5] She is the only child of her parents, Wendy Edgar-Jones and Philip Edgar-Jones.[11][12] Her mother, of Northern Irish descent, worked as a film production editor, while her father, of Scottish descent, is a filmmaker who has held senior roles in television production.[13][14][3] Edgar-Jones was raised in the Muswell Hill area of London, where her family's involvement in the film and television industry provided early immersion in the arts.[5][14] This environment, shaped by her parents' professional backgrounds, fostered a close-knit family dynamic and influenced her initial interest in performing, which began to develop during her school years.[15][3]Schooling and training
Daisy Edgar-Jones attended The Mount School for Girls, an independent day school in Mill Hill, North London, for her primary education. This private institution provided her early formal schooling in a structured environment focused on girls aged 3 to 16.[16] For her secondary education, she enrolled at Woodhouse College, a state sixth-form college in Finchley, North London, where she completed her A-levels in drama, English language, and history. She excelled academically, earning an A* in drama, an A in English language, and a B in history, which supported her growing interest in performance arts.[17] At the age of 14, Edgar-Jones was accepted into the National Youth Theatre, a prestigious program that offers training and opportunities for young actors. There, she participated in workshops and stage productions, including a notable role in the theatre's adaptation of The Reluctant Fundamentalist. To accommodate her emerging acting schedule, she opted for self-directed study through The Open University, enabling flexible continuation of her education alongside professional pursuits.[18][19][20]Career
2016–2019: Early roles in television and theatre
Edgar-Jones began her professional acting career in television with a guest role as Kate in the 2016 Christmas special of the BBC comedy series Outnumbered. Later that year, at the age of 17, she secured her first major recurring role as Olivia Marsden, the teenage daughter of characters Adam and Karen, in the ITV comedy-drama Cold Feet, appearing in the series from 2016 through 2020 and gaining substantial exposure in British television. In 2017, she made her next television appearance as Jessica Thompson, the daughter of a physician, in two episodes of the BBC forensic drama Silent Witness. Transitioning to theatre, Edgar-Jones made her stage debut in 2017 with the National Youth Theatre's production of The Reluctant Fundamentalist at The Yard Theatre in London, an adaptation of Mohsin Hamid's novel directed by Ayesha Tharker, where she portrayed the character April. This role marked her entry into professional stage work following her training with the National Youth Theatre. She also made her film debut in 2018 with a supporting role in the comedy-drama Pond Life.[21] During 2018 and 2019, Edgar-Jones continued building her television resume with supporting roles that highlighted her versatility. She appeared as Delia Rawson in the BBC One and HBO co-production Gentleman Jack, a historical drama series created by Sally Wainwright, playing the cousin of Ann Walker in several episodes of the first season. Additionally, in 2019, she took on the role of Emily Gresham, a blind teenager, in the first season of the Canal+ and FOX sci-fi series War of the Worlds, adapted from H.G. Wells' novel and starring alongside Gabriel Byrne. These parts represented her shift from initial guest spots to more developed characters in ensemble casts. Throughout this period, Edgar-Jones faced the challenge of balancing her emerging acting career with continued education, ultimately enrolling in the Open University to pursue studies flexibly around her professional commitments. This arrangement allowed her to maintain academic progress without the constraints of a traditional university schedule, reflecting the demands of her early professional transition.2020–present: Breakthrough with Normal People and subsequent projects
Daisy Edgar-Jones achieved international breakthrough with her portrayal of Marianne Sheridan in the 2020 BBC Three and Starz miniseries Normal People, an adaptation of Sally Rooney's novel that explored the complex relationship between two young Irish students. Her performance, noted for its emotional depth and vulnerability, garnered critical acclaim and propelled her to prominence during the early COVID-19 lockdowns, when the series became a cultural phenomenon. Edgar-Jones expanded into leading film and television roles in 2022, beginning with the horror-thriller Fresh, where she starred as Noa, a young woman who discovers her date's dark secret about human consumption, directed by Mimi Cave for Hulu and Searchlight Pictures. That year, she also portrayed Brenda Lafferty in the FX on Hulu limited series Under the Banner of Heaven, depicting the real-life Mormon murder victim whose story highlighted tensions within the LDS community, opposite Andrew Garfield. Additionally, she led as Kya Clark in the mystery drama Where the Crawdads Sing, adapted from Delia Owens' novel and directed by Olivia Newman for Sony Pictures, embodying the reclusive "Marsh Girl" accused of murder in 1960s North Carolina. By 2024, Edgar-Jones took on high-profile projects across genres, starting with the action-disaster film Twisters, where she played meteorologist Kate Carter pursuing tornado research in Oklahoma, co-starring with Glen Powell and grossing over $370 million worldwide. That autumn, she returned to theatre as Maggie in a revival of Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the Almeida Theatre in London, delivering a performance praised for its fiery intensity in Rebecca Frecknall's production opposite Kingsley Ben-Adir (December 2024–February 2025).[22] In 2025, she starred as Muriel in the romantic drama On Swift Horses, a 1950s-set story of hidden desires and gambling ambitions adapted from the novel by Shannon Pufahl and released theatrically on April 25, marking her debut as an executive producer alongside Jacob Elordi.[23] Looking to 2025 and beyond, Edgar-Jones was cast as Elinor Dashwood in Focus Features' adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, directed by Alice Waddington, with principal photography underway in the UK as of June 2025.[24] She is also set to lead the period thriller Bad Bridgets for LuckyChap Entertainment, portraying an Irish immigrant alongside Emilia Jones in a story of revenge and mayhem inspired by the book Bad Bridget: Crime, Mayhem and the Lives of Irish Emigrant Women, directed by Rich Peppiatt and slated to film in Ireland and Northern Ireland starting spring 2026.[25] Additionally, she has been cast as a lead in the Disney+ dark relationship comedy series Mosquito alongside Nicholas Hoult, created by Tony McNamara.[26] Throughout this period, Edgar-Jones has evolved her career by embracing diverse genres—from intimate romances and horrors to action blockbusters and historical dramas—while stepping into producing to shape narratives that resonate with her interests in complex female characters.Filmography
Film
Edgar-Jones made her feature film debut in the 2018 independent comedy-drama Pond Life, playing the supporting role of Cassie.[27] For her leading role as Noa in the 2022 horror film Fresh, Edgar-Jones received a nomination for Best Actress at the Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Film Awards.[28] The film itself earned recognition with a win for Best Horror at the Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards.[29] In 2022, Edgar-Jones was honored with the Leopard Club Award at the Locarno Film Festival, recognizing her as an emerging talent in contemporary cinema for her contributions across film projects that year.[30] Her performance as Kya Clark in the 2022 mystery drama Where the Crawdads Sing did not yield personal acting nominations but contributed to the film's broader acclaim, including a win for Best Song ("Carolina") at the MTV Movie & TV Awards.[31] In 2025, she starred as Muriel in the drama On Swift Horses, opposite Jacob Elordi and Will Poulter; the film has received mixed reviews but no major individual award nominations for her performance as of November 2025.[32] For the 2024 disaster film Twisters, in which she starred as Kate Carter, Edgar-Jones has not received major individual award nominations to date. The film, however, achieved significant commercial success as one of the year's top-grossing releases and earned a Golden Globe nomination for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement.[33] As of November 2025, Edgar-Jones's upcoming film roles in the Jane Austen adaptation Sense and Sensibility (2025) and the period thriller Bad Bridgets (in production) have no awards or nominations announced, given their pre-release status.[9][25]Television
Daisy Edgar-Jones made her television debut in 2016 with a recurring role as Olivia Marsden, the daughter of the character David Marsden, in the ITV comedy-drama series Cold Feet, appearing in 27 episodes across seasons 6 through 8 (2016–2020).[34] The role marked her entry into professional acting, portraying a troubled teenager navigating family dynamics in the long-running series.[10] In 2017, she guest-starred as Jessica Timpson in two episodes ("Discovery: Part One" and "Discovery: Part Two") of the BBC One forensic crime drama Silent Witness season 20, playing the daughter of a missing schoolteacher caught in a high-profile abduction investigation.[35][36] Edgar-Jones took on a supporting role as Delia Rawson in the 2019 HBO/BBC One historical drama Gentleman Jack season 1, appearing in 2 episodes including "Oh Is That What You Call It?" and "Most Women Are Dull and Stupid," where she portrayed a young woman entangled in the social circles of 19th-century landowner Anne Lister.[37] The series, created by Sally Wainwright, highlighted her ability to handle period settings and ensemble dynamics.[38] From 2019 to 2021, she starred as Emily Gresham, a central figure in a family surviving an alien invasion, in the first two seasons (16 episodes total) of the sci-fi thriller War of the Worlds on Canal+ and EPIX, with her character's arc spanning the initial outbreak and subsequent survival efforts across the seasons.[39]) Her breakthrough came in 2020 with the lead role of Marianne Sheridan in the 12-episode Hulu/BBC Three miniseries Normal People, adapted from Sally Rooney's novel, where she depicted a complex, introspective young woman in a turbulent romance during her school and university years; the series significantly elevated her profile in the industry.[40][41] In 2022, Edgar-Jones led the seven-episode FX on Hulu limited series Under the Banner of Heaven as Brenda Wright Lafferty, portraying the ambitious wife of an LDS church member whose murder investigation exposes tensions within a Mormon community in 1980s Utah.[42][43] The role drew on real events from Jon Krakauer's book, emphasizing her character's faith, independence, and tragic fate.[44]| Year(s) | Title | Role | Episodes | Network/Platform | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–2020 | Cold Feet | Olivia Marsden | 27 | ITV | Recurring; daughter of David Marsden in family comedy-drama |
| 2017 | Silent Witness | Jessica Timpson | 2 | BBC One | Guest; involved in abduction storyline |
| 2019 | Gentleman Jack | Delia Rawson | 2 | HBO/BBC One | Supporting; period drama ensemble role |
| 2019–2021 | War of the Worlds | Emily Gresham | 16 | Canal+/EPIX | Lead; sci-fi survival narrative across seasons 1–2 |
| 2020 | Normal People | Marianne Sheridan | 12 | Hulu/BBC Three | Lead miniseries; romantic drama adaptation |
| 2022 | Under the Banner of Heaven | Brenda Lafferty | 7 | FX on Hulu | Lead miniseries; true-crime Mormon murder story |