Alex Kingston
Alex Kingston | |
---|---|
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art | |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1980–present |
Spouses |
|
Children | 1 |
Relatives | Walter Renneisen (maternal uncle) |
Alexandra Elizabeth Kingston (born 11 March 1963)[1] is an English actress. Active from the early 1980s, Kingston became noted for her television work in both Britain and the US in the 1990s, including her regular role as Dr. Elizabeth Corday in the NBC medical drama ER (1997–2004) and her title role in the ITV miniseries The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders (1996), which earned her a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress.
Kingston's later credits include the recurring role of River Song in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who (2008–2015), Mrs. Bennet in the ITV period-drama fantasy Lost in Austen (2008), Dinah Lance in The CW's superhero fiction drama series Arrow (2013–2016), and Sarah Bishop in A Discovery of Witches (2018–2022).
Early life
Kingston was born and brought up in
Kingston was inspired to pursue acting by one of her teachers at
Career
1980–2007: Early career and breakthrough with ER
In 1980, Kingston made her television debut in three episodes of the children's drama series Grange Hill, while also appearing as an uncredited extra in the film The Wildcats of St Trinian's.[7] From the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, she performed on stage in twenty different theatrical productions, working extensively with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company.[8] Her classic Shakespearean roles included Calpurnia in Julius Caesar (1987), Cordelia in King Lear (1990), Hero in Much Ado About Nothing (1990–1991), Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1992) and Desdemona in Othello (1993).[9]
Around the same time, she could be seen playing small parts in television shows like A Killing on the Exchange (1987), Hannay (1989), Covington Cross (1992), Soldier Soldier (1993) and Crocodile Shoes (1994), and also had various guest roles in ITV's long-running police procedural The Bill (1988–1995). In film, she appeared in The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989) with Helen Mirren, The Infiltrator (1995) with Oliver Platt and Carrington (1995) with Emma Thompson, where she played writer Frances Partridge.[10]
In April 1996, she got her first regular television role as
The ER role helped propel Kingston's career to new heights, which led to a number of big-screen appearances in films like the Clive Owen neo-noir drama Croupier (1998)[13][14] and independent period drama Sweet Land (2005), as well as the crime dramas Essex Boys (2000) and Alpha Dog (2006).[7] In 2003, she battled Romans as the warrior queen of Britain in ITV's biopic Boudica, which was also released in the USA on PBS under the title Warrior Queen and marked the screen debut of Emily Blunt.[12][15]
In November 2005, Kingston guest starred as a vacationer whose husband gets kidnapped by a Mexican
2008–2015: Doctor Who and further television and stage work
In 2008, Kingston guest starred as Professor
In September 2008, Kingston took the part of
In both 2009 and 2010, Kingston had recurring roles as
In the early 2010s, Kingston played a housewife in the five-part supernatural drama
In July 2013, she played Lady Macbeth opposite Kenneth Branagh in the Manchester International Festival's production of Macbeth, which was broadcast live in cinemas worldwide as part of the National Theatre Live programme.[28] Following a nomination for Best Actress at the Manchester Theatre Awards,[29] she reprised her role with Branagh at the Park Avenue Armory in June 2014, making her New York stage debut.[30] Earlier in April, Branagh and Kingston took other classic Shakespearean lead roles in the two-and-a-half-hour adaptation of Antony and Cleopatra, broadcast on BBC Radio 3 as part of its celebration of the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth.[31]
2016–present: Recent work
During the late 2010s, she took a prominent role as Sarah Bishop in
In January 2023, she returned to the Royal Shakespeare Company for the first time since the early nineties in the role of Prospero in The Tempest.[40]
Personal life
Kingston met English actor Ralph Fiennes while they were both students at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. They were together for ten years before marrying in 1993. In 1995, Fiennes began an affair with his Hamlet co-star Francesca Annis and left Kingston the following year; they were divorced in 1997.[41] In a 2006 interview, she admitted to considering and nearly attempting suicide after her separation from Fiennes.[42]
At the end of 1998,[41] Kingston married Florian Haertel, a German writer and freelance journalist, having met him the previous year on a blind date arranged by friends;[43] they had a daughter, Salome Violetta Haertel, born 28 March 2001.[44] Kingston and Haertel separated in 2009.[45] On 30 October 2009, Haertel sued Kingston for dissolution of the marriage, and the divorce was finalised in 2013.[46]
Kingston appeared on the BBC genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are? in September 2012, investigating the lives of her great-grandfather Will Keevil and her four-times great-grandmother, Elizabeth Braham.[47][48]
In 2015, Kingston married Jonathan Stamp, a television producer, in an Italian ceremony.[49]
Kingston has lived in the United States,[50] and moved back to the UK in 2019.[51]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1980 | The Wildcats of St. Trinian's
|
Schoolgirl | Uncredited |
1989 | The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover | Adele | |
1994 | A Pin for the Butterfly | Mrs. Solomon | |
1995 | Carrington | Frances Partridge | |
1996 | Saint-Ex | Chic Party Guest | |
1998 | Croupier | Jani de Villiers | |
1999 | This Space Between Us | Peternelle | |
2000 | Essex Boys | Lisa Locke | |
2005 | Sweet Land | Brownie | |
2005 | The Poseidon Adventure | Suzanne Harrison | |
2006 | Alpha Dog | Tiffany Hartunian | |
2007 | Crashing | Diane Freed | |
2009 | Sordid Things | Eve Manchester | |
2011 | Like Crazy
|
Jackie | |
Ghost Phone: Phone Calls from the Dead | Sheila | ||
2013 | Bukowski | Katharina Bukowski | Unreleased |
2016 | Happily Ever After | Ria | |
2018 | Deadpan | Tamara | Short film |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1980 | Grange Hill | Jill Harcourt | 3 episodes |
1986 | Henry's Leg | Noreen | Miniseries |
1987 | A Killing on the Exchange | Ellen | Miniseries |
1988–1995 | The Bill | Dr. Howard / Lisa / Maggie Fisher | 4 episodes |
1989 | Hannay | Kirsten Larssen | Episode: "The Terrors of the Earth" |
The Play on One | Daniella | Episode: "These Foolish Things" | |
1992 | Covington Cross | Helen | Episode: "Cedric Hits the Road" |
1993 | Foreign Affairs
|
Actress | TV film |
Soldier Soldier | Ursula Kröhling | Episode: "Camouflage" | |
1994 | Woman of the Wolf | Woman (voice) | TV film |
Crocodile Shoes | Caroline Carrison | 5 episodes | |
1995 | The Infiltrator | Anna | TV film |
1996 | The Knock | Katherine Roberts | 13 episodes |
Last of the Czars | Alexandra (voice) | 3 episodes | |
The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders | Moll Flanders | Miniseries | |
1997 | Weapons of Mass Distraction | Verity Graham | TV film |
1997–2009 | ER | Dr. Elizabeth Corday | 160 episodes |
2003 | Boudica | Boudica | TV film; a.k.a. Warrior Queen |
2005 | The Poseidon Adventure | Suzanne Harrison | TV film |
Without a Trace | Lucy Costin | Episode: " Viuda Negra "
| |
2008 | Freezing | Serena Wilson | Episode #1.3 |
Lost in Austen | Mrs. Bennett
|
Miniseries | |
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Patricia Alwick | Episode: " Art Imitates Life "
| |
2008, 2010–2013, 2015 | Doctor Who | River Song | 15 episodes[19] |
2009 | Hope Springs | Ellie Lagden | 8 episodes |
2009–2010 | FlashForward | Fiona Banks | 3 episodes |
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Miranda Pond | 4 episodes | |
2010 | Ben Hur | Ruth | Miniseries |
2011 | Private Practice | Dr. Marla Thomkins | 2 episodes |
Marchlands | Helen Maynard | Miniseries | |
2012 | Upstairs Downstairs | Dr. Blanche Mottershead | 5 episodes |
Who Do You Think You Are? | Herself | Episode: "Alex Kingston" | |
NCIS | Miranda Pennebaker | Episode: "Gone" | |
2013–2016 | Arrow | Dinah Lance | 7 episodes |
2014 | Chasing Shadows | Ruth Hattersley | Miniseries[52] |
2015 | American Odyssey | Jennifer Wachtel | 2 episodes |
2016, 2021 | Blue Bloods | Commander Sloane Thompson | 2 episodes |
2016 | Transformers: Rescue Bots | Quickshadow (voice) | 5 episodes |
Shoot the Messenger | Mary Foster | 8 episodes | |
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life | Naomi Shropshire | Miniseries | |
Crushed | Cricket Stella | Unaired Hulu pilot[53] | |
2017 | Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero | Vlurgen (voice) | Episode: "Mr. Rippen" |
2018–2022 | A Discovery of Witches | Sarah Bishop | 20 episodes |
2019 | The Widow | Judith Gray | 8 episodes |
2022 | Dodger | Lucifer | 2 episodes |
Treason | Audrey Gratz | 5 episodes[54] |
Radio
Year | Title | Role | Production | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1992 | Père Goriot | Delphine / Victorine | BBC Radio 4 | Four-part dramatisation |
1994 | John Dollar | Charlotte | BBC Radio 3 | Self-adapted by author Marianne Wiggins |
2006 | Rebecca | Narrator | BBC Radio 2 | Abridged eight-part version |
2007 | Murder She Thought | BBC Radio 4 | Story: "Dear George" by Cathy Ace | |
2014 | Antony and Cleopatra | Cleopatra | BBC Radio 3 | Two-and-a-half-hour adaptation starring Kenneth Branagh |
2021 | Nuremberg | Madeleine Jacob | BBC Radio 4 | Story: "He Pointed to the Sky" by Jonathan Myerson |
Audio
Year | Title | Role | Production | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2007 | Mary Stuart | Mary Stuart | L.A. Theatre Works | Recorded before an audience at the Skirball Cultural Center |
2010 | Tartuffe | Elmire | Recorded at The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood | |
2012 | The Angel's Kiss: A Melody Malone Mystery | Narrator | AudioGO | |
2015–2023 | The Diary of River Song
|
River Song | Big Finish Productions | Series 1–12 |
2016 | Five Short Stories by Women | Narrator | L.A. Theatre Works | Story: "Once Upon a Time" |
2016–2017 | Doom Coalition | River Song | Big Finish Productions | 5 stories |
2017 | Seven | Inez McCormack | L.A. Theatre Works | Recorded before an audience at the James Bridges Theater |
2020 | Peter Pan | Narrator | Penguin Audio | |
2019 | The Eighth of March | River Song | Big Finish Productions | Story: "Emancipation" |
Ravenous | Story: "Companion Piece" | |||
UNIT: The New Series | Story: "The Power of River Song" | |||
Transference | Sam Ross | Non-Doctor Who eight-part psychological thriller | ||
The Legacy of Time | River Song | Story: "Lies in Ruins" | ||
The Other Queen | Narrator | Simon & Schuster Audio | ||
2020 | The Lives of Captain Jack | River Song | Big Finish Productions | Story: "R&J" |
Arkham County | Henrietta | Audible | Original seven-hour drama with Stanley Tucci in the lead role | |
The Tenth Doctor and River Song | River Song | Big Finish Productions | 3 stories | |
2021 | A Narrow Door | Narrator | Orion Books | |
Doctor Who: The Ruby's Curse | AudioGO | Also writer | ||
Dalek Universe | River Song | Big Finish Productions | Story: "The First Son" | |
2022 | Peladon | Story: "The Poison of Peladon" | ||
Marple: Twelve New Mysteries | Narrator | HarperAudio | Story: "Evil in Small Places" |
Video games
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
2012 | Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock | River Song (voice) |
Stage work
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1997 | British Academy Television Awards | Best Actress | The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders
|
Nominated |
1998 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (shared with the cast) | ER | Won |
1999 | Won | |||
2000 | Nominated | |||
2001 | Nominated | |||
2008 | Doctor Who Magazine Awards | Best Guest Actress | Doctor Who (episodes: "Silence in the Library" / "Forest of the Dead") | Won |
2009 | TV Land Awards
|
Icon Award | ER | Won |
2010 | Airlock Alpha Portal Awards | Best Special Guest | Doctor Who (episode: "Time of Angels") | Won |
Doctor Who Magazine Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Doctor Who | Won | |
2011 | Airlock Alpha Portal Awards | Best Special Guest | Doctor Who (episode: "Day of the Moon") | Nominated |
2012 | SFX Awards | Best Actress | Doctor Who | Won |
Airlock Alpha Portal Awards | Best Special Guest | Doctor Who (episode: "Let's Kill Hitler") | Nominated | |
2013 | Anglophenia's Fan Favorites Women's Tournament | Woman of the Year | — | Won |
Manchester Theatre Awards | Best Actress | Macbeth | Nominated | |
2016 | Saturn Awards | Best Guest Performance in a Television Series | Doctor Who (episode: "The Husbands of River Song") | Nominated |
Bibliography
Novels
- ISBN 978-1-78594-713-1
References
- ^ "Happy Birthday, Alex Kingston: A River Song Top 10".
- ^ Lee, Veronica (9 March 2006). "'I wouldn't say I was strong...'". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
- ^ "Alex Kingston: Who Do You Think You Are?". Who Do You Think You Are?. BBC One. 19 September 2012. Event occurs at 29:53. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
- ^ Bauckham, Jon (18 September 2012). "Alex Kingston". Who Do You Think You Are Magazine. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
- ^ "(article in German)" (in German). Echo-online.de. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
- ^ a b c "Alex Kingston | A Brief History Of Time (Travel)". www.shannonsullivan.com. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "Search | RSC Performances | Shakespeare Birthplace Trust". collections.shakespeare.org.uk. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "Alex Kingston | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "Review by Kate MacDonald". www.otago.ac.nz. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "Television in 1997 | BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ a b c Bridget Byrne (7 June 2004). "ER Can Dr. Corday". E News. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "BBC - Films - review - Croupier". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ Oh, Sheryl (15 June 2021). "An Exploration of The Splendid Allure of Emily Blunt". Film School Rejects. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ ""One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" returns with Christian Slater at Garrick from 21 March 2006". 15 February 2006. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
- ^ Heather (23 May 2006). "Alex Kingston slams skinniness of the Desperate Housewives". Fametastic. Archived from the original on 27 January 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
- ^ Duncan, Andrew (27 August 2011). "Doctor Who: Alex Kingston interviewed". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
- ^ a b "The Doctor and River Song Reunite for a Spectacular Christmas". BBC. The Doctor Who Team. 2 September 2015. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
- ^ "The Diary of River Song". Big Finish. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- ^ "With the 'ER' finale, it's all about endings". Los Angeles Times. 3 April 2009. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "BBC One - Upstairs Downstairs - Dr Blanche Mottershead". BBC. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "Chasing Shadows on DVD - A Chat With Alex Kingston". The Huffington Post UK. 29 September 2014.
- ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (4 February 2011). "Private Practice Exclusive: Shrink Role Fits ER Alum Alex Kingston". TVLine.com. Retrieved 21 May 2013.
- ^ Hibberd, James (22 January 2013). "'Arrow' scoop: 'ER' actress is Laurel's mom". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 21 May 2013.
- ^ "Canary Cry - Arrow". www.cbsnews.com. 25 April 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ Trumbore, Dave (28 April 2016). "Arrow Recap: Canary Cry Is a Canary in the Coal Mine". Collider. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "Kenneth Branagh and Alex Kingston "MACBETH"". Manchester International Festival. 2014. Archived from the original on 21 September 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
- ^ "The 2013 Manchester Theatre Awards nominations". There Ought To Be Clowns. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ Mcdermon, Daniel (20 August 2013). "Branagh's 'Macbeth' Coming to New York's Park Avenue Armory in 2014". The New York Times.
- ^ "BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3, Antony and Cleopatra". BBC. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "Who Is Naomi In The 'Gilmore Girls' Revival? Alex Kingston's Character Brings Some Drama For Rory". Bustle. 25 November 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ Nealon, Sarah (16 November 2016). "Doctor Who star Alex Kingston in new thriller Shoot The Messenger". Stuff. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "Alex Kingston pens new Doctor Who novel". Radio Times. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "Alex Kingston confirmed to reprise River Song role for Doctor Who: Time Fracture". Radio Times. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "Doctor Who star returning as River Song for Time Fracture event". Digital Spy. 15 June 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "Dodger". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "'Dodger' starring Christopher Eccleston comes to CBBC in February". CultBox. 19 January 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ TVZone (1 September 2022). "DODGER RETURNS TO CBBC FOR NEW ADVENTURES". TVZoneUK. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "New RSC season to include The Tempest starring Alex Kingston | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. 27 September 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ a b Sheldon, Michael (14 August 2003). "'I'm not afraid to take risks'". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
- ^ Walls, Jeannette (31 May 2006). "Dissing the desperately skinny 'Housewives'". Today.com. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
- ^ Freeman, Hilary (22 June 2004). "At my age, if we want to have another child, this is the time to do it". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
- ^ "Salome Violetta Haertel". Variety. 5 June 2001. Archived from the original on 27 June 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
- ^ Curtis, Nick (1 June 2011). "Doctor Who is the closest thing to theatre on TV". thisislondon. Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 18 August 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
- ^ "FLORIAN HAERTEL VS ALEXANDRA KINGSTON". UniCourt. 20 December 2018. Archived from the original on 19 December 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
- ^ "Alex Kingston". Who Do You Think You Are?. Series 9. Episode 6. 19 September 2012. 59 minutes in. BBC. BBC One. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ "Alex Kingston: The ER and Doctor Who star discovers a forebear who made a small fortune from houses of ill repute". Who Do You Think You Are?. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- Mirror.co.uk. 19 July 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- ^ "Alex Kingston". The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (Interview). Interviewed by Craig Ferguson. Los Angeles: CBS. 6 January 2011.
- ^ "Alex Kingston: 'I don't want to play King Lear – let's create new heavy hitting roles for women'". The Stage. 16 September 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- ^ "Reece Shearsmith, Alex Kingston and Noel Clarke to star in Chasing Shadows". ITV Presscentre. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
- ^ "Colm Feore, Alex Kingston & Jacob Vargas Join Hulu Pilot 'Crushed'". Deadline Hollywood. 9 February 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
- RadioTimes. 25 December 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
External links
- Alex Kingston at IMDb