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Susannah Fielding

Susannah Fielding (born Susannah Glanville-Hearson, 10 June 1985) is an English actress recognized for her acclaimed performances in theatre, television, and film, spanning classical stage roles to contemporary comedy series.^[1]^[2] Born in Poole, Dorset, Fielding grew up in a single-parent household in Hampshire, completing her A-levels at Christ's Hospital School in West Sussex before training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, from which she graduated early in 2007 to pursue professional acting opportunities.^[3]^[4]^[5] Her early career included local theatre productions starting at age 13, leading to her professional debut as Rosa in the National Theatre's 2007 production of The Rose Tattoo, directed by Nicholas Hytner.^[6]^[7]^[8] Fielding received widespread praise for her theatre work, particularly her portrayal of Portia in the Almeida Theatre's 2014 production of The Merchant of Venice, directed by Rupert Goold, for which she won the Ian Charleson Award—the UK's premier honor for classical performances by actors under 30.^[9]^[10] Other notable stage credits include Margery Pinchwife in The Country Wife at Chichester Festival Theatre (2017) and Roxane in the Royal Shakespeare Company's Cyrano de Bergerac (2025).^[7]^[11] On television, she has built a strong profile in British and American series, beginning with roles in Wallander (2008), Midsomer Murders (2010), and Doctor Who (2010) as Lilian.^[12]^[13] She gained prominence as Chloe in the comedy Pete Versus Life (2010–2012), followed by guest appearances in Catastrophe (2015), Lovesick (2016), and Black Mirror (2016).^[3]^[14] Fielding's international breakthrough came as Brooke in the CBS sitcom The Great Indoors (2016–2017), co-starring Joel McHale and Stephen Fry, and she later shone as Jennie Gresham, the fictional co-anchor opposite Steve Coogan's Alan Partridge, in the BBC's This Time with Alan Partridge (2019–2021).^[15]^[16] Recent credits include Olivia Thorne in Netflix's Who Is Erin Carter? (2023), Allegra in Daddy Issues (2024), and Susie in BBC's Here We Go (2025).^[12]^[17] In film, Fielding debuted in the ensemble thriller 4.3.2.1. (2010) while upcoming projects include Deep Cover (2025) as Ruth.^[14]^[6]^[18]

Early life and education

Early life

Susannah Glanville-Hearson was born on 10 June 1985 in Poole, Dorset, England. She was raised in Havant, Hampshire, in a single-parent household by her mother, whose strength and resilience profoundly shaped her early development and fostered her own sense of perseverance.^[3]^[19]^[4] Fielding's childhood was marked by extensive family travels that exposed her to diverse cultures and environments from a young age. One particularly memorable adventure occurred when she was eight years old, backpacking across Australia with her mother; during the trip, she fondly recalled stroking a baby kangaroo and exploring the Blue Mountains, experiences that highlighted the adventurous spirit instilled by her family.^[19] Upon entering the acting profession, she adopted the stage name Susannah Fielding to comply with Equity, the British actors' trade union, which requires unique professional names. Her birth surname, Glanville-Hearson, was deemed too aristocratic-sounding and cumbersome to spell, prompting the change; as she explained, "Glanville-Hearson makes me sound like an aristocrat, which is far from the truth. Fielding is a lot easier to spell, too!"^[20] From a young age, Fielding showed a passion for performing, beginning her involvement in local theatre productions at 13 through groups like the Dynamo Youth Theatre in Havant. These early experiences ignited her interest in the arts and laid the groundwork for her future career.^[21]^[22]^[19]

Education

Fielding completed her A-levels at Christ's Hospital School, a means-tested charitable boarding school in West Sussex, where she developed a deep engagement with theatre through school productions and access to professional performances.^[3] It was during this time that she first fell in love with acting, inspired by the school's exceptional theatre facilities and visiting companies.^[4] A particularly formative experience was an excursion to see the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of The Tempest, which sparked her passion for Shakespearean roles.^[23] She later trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where she received comprehensive instruction in acting techniques, including voice, movement, and classical text work.^[24] Fielding graduated in 2007 with first-class honours, completing her course early to make her professional debut in Tennessee Williams's The Rose Tattoo at the National Theatre.^[25] This specialized training honed her skills in ensemble performance and character development, laying the foundation for her focus on theatre, particularly in classical repertoire.^[24]

Career

Theatre

Fielding made her professional stage debut at the National Theatre shortly after graduating from Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Her early theatre credits from 2007 to 2010 included ensemble and supporting roles in several productions there.^[3]

The Rose Tattoo (2007, as Rosa Delle Rose, National Theatre, London, directed by Nicholas Hytner)
Philistines (2007, as Polya, National Theatre, London, directed by Howard Davies)
Much Ado About Nothing (2007–2008, as Hero, National Theatre, London, directed by Nicholas Hytner)
The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other (2008, ensemble, National Theatre, London, directed by James MacDonald)^[26]

Subsequent credits include:

The Merchant of Venice (2011, as Portia, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon and tour, directed by Rupert Goold)
School for Scandal (2011, as Lady Teazle, Theatre Royal Bath, directed by Jamie Lloyd)
All New People (2012, as Kim, [Noël Coward Theatre](/page/Noël Coward_Theatre), London, directed by Zach Braff)
American Psycho (2013, as Evelyn Williams, Almeida Theatre, London, directed by Rupert Goold)
A Midsummer Night's Dream (2013, as Hermia, [Noël Coward Theatre](/page/Noël Coward_Theatre), London, directed by Michael Grandage)
Trelawny of the 'Wells' (2013, as Imogen Parrott, Donmar Warehouse, London, directed by Joe Wright)
Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies (2014, as Anne Boleyn, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon and West End transfer, directed by Jeremy Herrin)
An Enemy of the People (2014, as Petra Stockmann, Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, directed by Daniel Evans)
The Merchant of Venice (2014, as Portia, Almeida Theatre, London, directed by Rupert Goold)^[9]
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (2010, as Candela, Belasco Theatre, New York, directed by Bartlett Sher)
The Beaux' Stratagem (2015, as Mrs. Sullen, National Theatre, London, directed by Simon Godwin)
Bull (2015, as Isobel, Young Vic, London, directed by Clare Lizzimore)
The Crossing Plays (2016, various roles, Royal Court Theatre, London, directed by Richard Twyman)
The Complete Walk: Twelfth Night (2016, as Viola, filmed stage adaptation for BBC Shakespeare Lives, directed by Jessica Swale)
The Country Wife (2018, as Margery Pinchwife, Chichester Festival Theatre, directed by Jonathan Munby)
A Midsummer Night's Dream (2019, as Titania, Bridge Theatre, London, directed by Nicholas Hytner)
Cyrano de Bergerac (2025, as Roxane, Royal Shakespeare Company, Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, directed by Simon Evans)^[27]

Fielding won the 2014 Ian Charleson Award for her performance as Portia in the Almeida Theatre's production of The Merchant of Venice.^[9]

Television

Wallander (2008): Sonja Hokberg (guest appearance in episode "Firewall")
Doctor Who (2010): Lilian (guest appearance in episode "Victory of the Daleks")
Midsomer Murders (2010): Jessica Peach (guest appearance in episode "The Silent Land")^[28]
Pete Versus Life (2010–2011): Chloe (main role, 4 episodes)
Lovesick (2014, 2018): Phoebe (guest appearances, 2 episodes)
Catastrophe (2015): Samantha (guest appearance, 1 episode)^[29]
Black Mirror (2016): Carol (guest appearance in episode "Nosedive")^[30]
The Great Indoors (2016–2017): Brooke (main role)
This Time with Alan Partridge (2019–2021): Jennie Gresham (main role, 12 episodes)
The Cockfields (2021): Esther (main role, series 2)^[31]
Who Is Erin Carter? (2023): Olivia Thorne (main role)
Daddy Issues (2024): Allegra (recurring role)
Here We Go (2025): Susie (guest appearance in episode "Mum's Bad Tooth")
Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators (2025): Emma Keeler (guest appearance in episode "An Honest Fellow")

Film

Watching (2010, short film, as Annie; directed by Max Myers)^[32]
4.3.2.1 (2010, as Jas; directed by Noel Clarke and Mark Davis)
First Night (2010, as Debbie; directed by Christopher Menaul)^[33]
Kill Keith (2011, as Dawn; directed by Andy Thompson)^[34]
The Knot (2012, as Julie; directed by Jesse Lawrence)^[35]
One Day in Hell (2013, short film, as Dina; directed by Tim Hart)^[36]
Set Fire to the Stars (2014, as Rebeca; directed by Andy Goddard)
The Batsman and the Ballerina (2015, short film, as Ruth; directed by Matthew Murdoch)^[37]
The Complete Walk: Twelfth Night (2016, short film, as Viola; directed by Jessica Swale)^[38]
Aria (2021, short film, as Jenny; directed by Christopher Poole)^[39]
Death on the Nile (2022, as Katherine; directed by Kenneth Branagh)^[40]
Deep Cover (2025, as Ruth; directed by Tom Kingsley)^[41]

Video games

Susannah Fielding has contributed voice and motion-capture performances to various video games, primarily in supporting and lead roles across major franchises.^[42]^[43]

Personal life

Relationships

Fielding's most notable public relationship was with actor Tom Hiddleston, which began in 2008 while they were co-starring in an episode of the BBC series Wallander.^[48] The couple dated for three years, during which they were frequently spotted together at events, including the Toronto International Film Festival in 2011, fueling tabloid speculation about their romance.^[49] Their breakup was amicable and occurred in November 2011, attributed to demanding acting schedules that left little time for personal life; Hiddleston later confirmed the split in a 2012 interview, stating, "The fact is we've split up. The relationship ran its course."^[50]^[51] Following the relationship, Fielding has maintained a low profile regarding her romantic life, emphasizing privacy to avoid media intrusion. In a 2021 interview, she reflected on the experience, noting she was "very young and very naive" and witnessed the isolating aspects of fame, which influenced her preference for British television over Hollywood projects that attract gossip column attention.^[52] This approach has allowed her to navigate subsequent personal matters away from public scrutiny, with no further confirmed relationships disclosed.

Interests and lifestyle

Susannah Fielding is a devoted animal lover who owns a cat and has expressed a strong affinity for rescuing stray animals, such as spending her spare time mending injured squirrels.^[53] If not pursuing acting, she has stated that she would have chosen to become a veterinary nurse, highlighting her passion for caring for animals.^[53]^[19] Fielding enjoys a low-key lifestyle centered on quiet home activities, describing her happiest moments as pottering in the garden with her cat or sharing red wine with close friends.^[19] This preference for relaxed, intimate settings underscores her appreciation for simple pleasures amid the demands of her profession. Her family's globetrotting experiences during childhood, including a memorable backpacking trip to Australia at age eight, have influenced her adventurous side while fostering gratitude for the broad horizons they provided.^[19] Among her favorite foods and drinks, Fielding particularly cherishes British comforts like a cup of tea paired with Battenberg cake, ideally shared with loved ones.^[19] She values honest relationships and personal growth, drawing inspiration from her mother's remarkable resilience, which has shaped her emphasis on supportive family bonds despite the challenges of a demanding career.^[19]

Acting credits