Lucy Punch

Lucy Punch
Punch in April 2011
Born
Lucy Alice T. Punch[1]

(1977-12-30) 30 December 1977 (age 47)
Hammersmith, London, England
Education
OccupationActress
Years active1998–present
Children1

Lucy Alice T. Punch (born 30 December 1977)[1][2] is a British actress. She has appeared in the films Ella Enchanted (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, Dinner for Schmucks, (both 2010) and Into the Woods (2014). She is also known for her role as Amy in Bad Teacher (2011), Amanda in the BBC series Motherland and Esmé Squalor in the Netflix series A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Early life and education

Punch was born on 30 December 1977 in Hammersmith, London, the daughter of Johanna and Michael Punch, who ran a market research company.[3] She was educated privately at Godolphin and Latymer School in Hammersmith, London.[4] She performed with the National Youth Theatre from 1993 to 1997, and began a course at University College London before dropping out to become an actress.[5]

Career

Punch (left) with the cast of You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger in 2010

Punch made her acting debut in a 1998 episode of The New Adventures of Robin Hood.[6] Her other TV credits include the naive daughter of Alison Steadman's character in the short-lived series Let Them Eat Cake which starred French and Saunders. She starred as a football player in the children's TV show Renford Rejects, and played the role of the victim Melissa Townsend in the 19th episode of Midsomer Murders.

In 2000, Punch appeared in the film Greenfingers. She made her stage debut as Elaine in Terry Johnson's West End adaptation of The Graduate (1967).[7] She has worked at the Royal Court and Bush theatres, both in London.[8]

In 2004, Punch played the receptionist Elaine Denham in Doc Martin. She left the television show The Class after appearing in 11 of the first 12 episodes.[9]

In 2006, she won the Best Actress award at the Monaco International Film Festival for her performance in Are You Ready for Love?[10] She played the murder victim and actress Eve Draper in Edgar Wright's film Hot Fuzz (2007).

Punch starred in Woody Allen's film You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010).[11] In August 2010, she appeared in BBC Two's three part police comedy-drama Vexed. In 2011, Punch appeared in Bad Teacher, portraying the sanctimonious school teacher Amy Squirrel.[12]

Punch was cast as Deena Pilgrim, the female lead in the TV pilot Powers,[13] but the role was recast.

From 2016, Punch played Amanda, leader of the "Alpha mums", in the BBC comedy series Motherland. In May 2024, it was announced that Punch will reprise her role as Amanda in the spin-off Amandaland, with Philippa Dunne and Joanna Lumley reprising their roles of Anne and Amanda's mother Felicity respectively.[14]

In 2017, Punch was cast in the role of Esmé Squalor in the second season of the Netflix comedy drama series A Series of Unfortunate Events,[15] a role that continued through the show's third and final season.

In December 2022, Punch reprised her role of Amanda in the Motherland Christmas special.[16][17]

Personal life

Punch dated James D’Arcy for about three years after they met during filming of the TV movie Come Together in 2002.[18] She gave birth to her first child, a son, in July 2015[19]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Greenfingers Holly
2001 It's Not Me, It's You Rose
2004 Ella Enchanted Hattie
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers Lead stewardess
Being Julia Avice Crichton
2005 Festival Nicky Romanowski
2006 Are You Ready for Love? Melanie Monaco International Film Festival – Angel Award for Best Actress
Stingray Lucy
2007 Hot Fuzz Eve Draper
Grindhouse Blonde in Don't trailer Uncredited
St Trinian's Verity Thwaites
2009 Big Breaks Alexis
(Untitled) The Clarinet
2010 Elektra Luxx Dolores
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger Charmaine
Dinner for Schmucks Darla
2011 A Little Bit of Heaven Sarah Walker
Take Me Home Tonight Shelly
Bad Teacher Amy Squirrel
A Good Old Fashioned Orgy Kate
2012 The Giant Mechanical Man Pauline
The Wedding Video Saskia
Yellow Amanda
Stars in Shorts Julie
Stand Up Guys Wendy
2013 Cottage Country Masha
2014 Someone Marry Barry Melanie Miller
Into the Woods Lucinda
She's Funny That Way Prostitute
Cake Nurse Gayle
2016 The Meddler Emily
2017 The Female Brain Lexi
2018 You, Me and Him Olivia
2019 How to Build a Girl Sylvia Plath
2021 With/In: Volume 1 Lucy Segment: "Leap"
Silent Night Bella
2022 Book of Love Jen Spencer
Confess, Fletch Tatiana Tasserly

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1998 The New Adventures of Robin Hood Queen Stephanie Episode: "Orphans"
1999 Renford Rejects Sue White Main role (series 2)
Days Like These Helen Foreman 3 episodes
Let Them Eat Cake Eveline 4 episodes
1999–2001 Big Bad World Melissa 4 episodes
2000 Cinderella Regan Television film
The 10th Kingdom Sally Peep 3 episodes
2001 People Like Us Kate Episode: "The Actor"
Midsomer Murders Melissa Townsend Episode: "Tainted Fruit"
Goodbye, Mr Steadman Linda Mortimer Television film
2002 Come Together Amy Television film
I Saw You Esther Episode: "Episode 1.1"
2003 Second Nature Car Rental Girl Television film
Dinotopia Shayna Episode: "Night of the Wartosa"
2004 My Family Sarah Episode: "Luck Be a Lady Tonight"
Doc Martin Elaine Denham Main role (series 1)
2005 Survivors Juliet Savage Episode: "In Deep Water"
2006 Agatha Christie's Poirot Susannah Henderson Episode: "After the Funeral"
2007 The Class Holly Ellenbogen Main role
Comedy Showcase: Ladies and Gentlemen Alice Pilot
The Sarah Silverman Program Sally Episode: "Ah, Men"
The Omid Djalili Show Miss Fanny Dashett Episode 1.2
Two Families Irene Television film
2008 Fairy Tales Fenola Gay Episode: "Cinderella"
Wainy Days Angel Episode: "Angel"
1% Candace Television film
2010 Vexed DI Kate Bishop 3 episodes
2012–2013 Ben and Kate Beatrice Joan "BJ" Harrison Main role
2013 Hello Ladies Mother Episode: "The Wedding"
2014 Kroll Show Violet Episode: "Cake Train"
Robot Chicken Daenerys Targaryen/Arya Stark/Janice Rand (voice) Episode: "Rebel Appliance"
2016 New Girl Genevieve 2 episodes
2016–2022 Motherland Amanda 20 episodes
2018–2019 A Series of Unfortunate Events Esmé Squalor Main role
2019 The Conners Kyle's mom Episode: "Preemies, Weed and Infidelity"
2020 What We Do in the Shadows Lilith Episode: "Witches"
2021 The Prince Kate Middleton (voice) Main role
Gossip Girl Saskia Bates Episode: "Once Upon a Time in the Upper West"
2021–2022 Bloods Jo Main role
2022 Avenue 5 Dawn Djopi 2 Episodes
2024 No Good Deed Trish 1 episode "Letters of Intent"
2025 Animal Control Fiona Holcomb Episode "Giraffes, Gorillas, and Penguins"
TBA Amandaland Amanda Upcoming series[20]

Stage

Year Title Role Notes
2000 The Graduate Elaine Gielgud Theatre
2001 Boy Gets Girl Harriet Royal Court Theatre[21]
2002 A Carpet, A Pony and A Monkey Kate Bush Theatre[22]
2014 Great Britain Paige Britain Theatre Royal Haymarket[23]

Awards

References

  1. ^ a b "Lucy Punch - Birth Name: Lucy Alice T. Punch". tvguide.com. TV Guide, a Fandom company. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Lucy Punch, celebrity". TV Guide. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  3. ^ Goodman, Jillian (22 June 2011). "Bad Teacher's Lucy Punch on her 'Über-Goddess' Co-star Cameron Diaz, Playing the Slut, and Women in Comedy". Vulture.com. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  4. ^ White, Adam (29 April 2022). "Lucy Punch: 'I moved to the States because I kept getting cast as posh idiots'". independent.co.uk. The Independent. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  5. ^ Smiley, Tavis (16 June 2011). "Actress Lucy Punch". PBS. Archived from the original on 24 February 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  6. ^ "Lucy Punch". Hollywood. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  7. ^ Eyre, Hermione (3 December 2010). "Lucy Punch is making a mark on Hollywood". This is London. Archived from the original on 14 January 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  8. ^ Clapp, Susannah (11 November 2001). "Eric and Ernie for ever". The Observer. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
    - Koenig, Rhoda (27 May 2002). "A Carpet, a Pony and a Monkey, Bush Theatre, London". The Independent. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  9. ^ Adalian, Joseph (11 January 2007). "'Class' to air on Net first". Variety. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  10. ^ a b "ANGEL FILM AWARDS". Monaco International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 21 February 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  11. ^ Jay A. Fernandez (29 May 2009). "Woody Allen welcomes Brit Lucy Punch". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2 June 2009.
  12. ^ "Lucy Punch cast in Bad Teacher". Reuters. 8 February 2010. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  13. ^ "'Powers' TV Series Casts Deena Pilgrim" Archived 24 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, 21 June 2011, MTV
  14. ^ "BBC Comedy Motherland spin-off Amandaland announced for BBC One and iPlayer". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  15. ^ Petski, Denise (9 June 2017). "'Series of Unfortunate Events': Nathan Fillion, Tony Hale, Sara Rue, Lucy Punch & Roger Bart Join Season 2 Cast". Deadline. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  16. ^ Seale, Jack (23 December 2022). "Motherland Christmas special review – you'll laugh, gasp in shock ... then punch the air". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  17. ^ Sigee, Rachael (23 December 2022). "Motherland, BBC One, review: As chaotic and emotional as a family Christmas". iNews. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  18. ^ Fear, Helen (16 March 2022). "Lucy Punch: From Motherland's Amanda to Bloods' Jo". entertainmentdailyuk.com. Digitalbox Publishing Ltd. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  19. ^ "Lucy Punch on How She Named Her Baby Boy". TeamCoco. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  20. ^ "BBC Comedy Motherland spin-off Amandaland announced for BBC One and iPlayer". bbc.co.uk/mediacentre. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  21. ^ Boy Gets Girl review by Timothy Ramsden, 24 November Archived 10 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine, at reviewsgate.com
  22. ^ A Carpet, A Pony and A Monkey, "Lucy Punch in a bravura performance of comic verve" by Amanda Hodges at londontheatre.co.uk
  23. ^ "Lucy Punch stars in West End Great Britain". Whats on Stage. 11 August 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
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