Julia Sawalha

{{short description|English actress (born 1968)}}

{{Use British English|date=January 2012}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Julia Sawalha

| image = File:Julia Sawalha (cropped).jpg

| caption = Sawalha in 2023

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|9|9|df=y}}

| birth_place = Wandsworth, London, England

| education = Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts

| occupation = Actress

| years_active = 1981–present

| parents = Nadim Sawalha (father)

| relatives = {{ubl|Nabil Sawalha (uncle)|Nadia Sawalha (sister)}}

}}

Julia Sawalha (born 9 September 1968){{cite web |title=Julia Sawalha 'devastated and furious' at Chicken Run sequel 'ageism' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-53360154 |website=BBC News |access-date=28 February 2021 |date=10 July 2020}}{{Cite web |title=Julia Sawalha |url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba64b7f09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013113028/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba64b7f09 |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 October 2017 |access-date=11 April 2021 |publisher=British Film Institute |language=en}} is an English actress. She is best known for playing Saffron "Saffy" Monsoon in the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous (1992–2012). Her other television roles include as Lynda Day in Press Gang (1989–1993), as Hannah Greyshott in Second Thoughts (1991–1994) and its sequel series, Faith in the Future (1995–1998), Lydia Bennet in the television miniseries of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (1995), Georgina and Kid's vocal effects in Sheeep (2000–2001), Carla Borrego in Jonathan Creek (2001–2004) and Dorcas Lane in the BBC's costume drama Lark Rise to Candleford (2008–2011). Her film credits include Buddy's Song (1991), The Wind in the Willows (1996), Chicken Run (2000) and Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016).

Early life and education

Sawalha was born in Wandsworth, London, on 9 September 1968, and is the daughter of Roberta Lane and actor Nadim Sawalha.{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/18/nadia-sawalha-my-family-values |title=Nadia Sawalha: My family values |website=The Guardian |date=18 April 2014}} Her father was born in Madaba, Jordan.{{cite news |url=http://the-arab.blogspot.com/2009/10/arab-talks-tonadim-sawalha.html |title=The Arab Talks To....Nadim Sawalha |access-date=12 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100921051338/http://the-arab.blogspot.com/2009/10/arab-talks-tonadim-sawalha.html |archive-date=21 September 2010}} She was named after her paternal grandmother, a businesswoman who had received an award from Queen Noor for enterprise. She is of Jordanian, English and French Huguenot ancestry.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory/get_started/wdytya_celeb_gallery_09.shtml Julia's profile at BBC History]

Sawalha was educated at the Theatre Arts School, a fee-paying independent school which is part of the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts,{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/absolutely-fab-1583811.html |title=Absolutely fab |work=The Independent |author=Sarah Gristwood |date=26 November 1995 |access-date=7 August 2018}} based at the time in Clapham in south London, which she left at the age of fifteen.

Career

Sawalha made her debut in the 1982 BBC miniseries Fame Is the Spur,Chicken Run DVD Cast Bio and in 1988 played a small role in Inspector Morse,{{cite web |url= https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/julia-sawalha/credits/3030063269/ |title= Julia Sawalha Credits |work= tvguide.com |access-date= 21 January 2024}} on the episode "Last Seen Wearing". She first gained attention for her starring role in the Bafta award-winning ITV teenage comedy-drama Press Gang, which ran from 1989 to 1993.

In 1992, she appeared in episode "Parade" (S2 E4) of Bottom as Veronica Head, a beautiful young barmaid at the Lamb and Flag, whom Richie tries to woo by boasting falsely of his adventures in the Falklands.

From 1991 to 1994, she starred in the ITV family comedy Second Thoughts and continued with her character, Hannah (Lynda Bellingham's daughter), in the British Comedy Award-winning Faith in the Future (1995–1998). In 1994, she played Mercy (Merry) Pecksniff in the BBC production of Martin Chuzzlewit.

From 1989 to 1993, she starred in the TV series Press Gang, the story of some kids who start a newspaper for young people.

From 1992 to 2012, Sawalha played strait-laced daughter Saffron "Saffy" Monsoon in the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous, alongside Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley. She appeared in the 1995 BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice as Lydia Bennet, with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth. From 1999 to 2000, she voiced Mouse in the HIT Entertainment/Grand Slamm Children's Films/CITV TV series Kipper. She voiced Ginger in DreamWorks/Aardman Animations' Chicken Run (2000).

From 2000 to 2001, she voiced Georgina and provided Kid's vocal effects in the HIT Entertainment/Grand Slamm Children's Films/CBBC TV series Sheeep. She also played "Dawn the Wise Man" in The Flint Street Nativity on Christmas Eve. In 2000, she appeared as Janet, the Australian barmaid in the first series of the British sitcom Time Gentlemen Please. She also played the much put-upon PA to "Zak" in Argos TV adverts during 2002–2004, along with Richard E. Grant.{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/jul/26/advertising |title=Withnail star takes Argos upmarket |work=The Guardian |date=26 July 2002 |access-date=29 January 2018}}

She joined actor Ioan Gruffudd in the TV adaptations, of C. S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower novels, as the captain's wife Maria. The following year, she became Alan Davies's co-star in Jonathan Creek after Caroline Quentin left, appearing in a Christmas Special ("Satan's Chimney"). She returned for a series between 2003 and 2004.

In 2006, she participated in the third series of the genealogy documentary series Who Do You Think You Are?{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/07_july/18/bbcone.shtml |title=BBC ONE Autumn 2006 |publisher=BBC |date=18 July 2006}} tracing her family's roots, which are Jordanian Bedouin on her father's side and French Huguenot on her mother's. She also appeared in the pilot of BBC 1's A Taste of My Life presented by Nigel Slater.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/tv_and_radio/tasteofmylife_pilot.shtml BBC Food – A Taste of My Life Pilot episode description]{{Dead link|date=December 2016}}

After a two-year break, she was back on screen in May 2007, competing in the BBC dog training celebrity reality show The Underdog Show. She then returned to acting in two successive BBC costume dramas: as Jessie Brown in 2007 series Cranford, followed by Lark Rise to Candleford from 2008 to 2011. She provided the voice acting for Sister Hannah (also known as "Hammer"), a main character in the 2008 Xbox 360 video game Fable II.{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/3394828/Fable-II-game-review.html |title=Fable II game review |work=The Telegraph |date=3 November 2008 |access-date=29 January 2018}} In autumn 2014, Sawalha played the part of Jan Ward in BBC One's thriller miniseries Remember Me. On 9 May 2015, she read the account of a member of the Women's Land Army at VE Day 70: A Party to Remember in Horse Guards Parade, London, which was broadcast live on BBC1.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} In 2016, she appeared in an episode of Midsomer Murders, and reprised her role as Saffy Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie.

In July 2020, she made a statement revealing Aardman Animations intended to recast her character of Ginger in the upcoming sequel to Chicken Run, stating that she is now considered to sound too old, and commented "I have officially been plucked, stuffed & roasted". The decision was met with widespread criticism with some finding the decision ageist. She even released video clips online, dubbing over her original voice lines to prove her voice still sounded the same.{{Cite web |last=Grater |first=Tom |date=10 July 2020 |title='Chicken Run' Actress Julia Sawalha Says She Is Being Re-Cast In Sequel For "Sounding Too Old" |url=https://deadline.com/2020/07/chicken-run-julia-sawalha-recast-sequel-sounding-too-old-1202982441/ |access-date=11 April 2021 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=10 July 2020 |title=Chicken Run 2 Called Ageist For Recasting Original Main Characters |url=https://screenrant.com/chicken-run-2-ageist-recast-ginger-voice-actress/ |access-date=11 April 2021 |website=ScreenRant |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=10 July 2020 |title='Chicken Run' Star Julia Sawalha is Being Replaced in the Sequel Because Her Voice Sounds "Too Old" |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/julia-sawalha-chicken-run-voice-actress-replaced/ |access-date=11 April 2021 |website=/Film |language=en-US}}

In January 2024, Sawalha participated in the fifth series of The Masked Singer as the character "Bubble Tea". She was eliminated and unmasked in the fourth episode.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/masked-singer-bubble-tea-julia-sawalha-ab-fab-b2482214.html|title=Masked Singer unveils Bubble Tea’s identity as Ab Fab star to shock of guest judge Jennifer Saunders|website=Independent|last=Muir|first=Ellie|date=21 January 2024|access-date=22 January 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2024/01/20/masked-singer-shocker-bubble-tea-judges-tv-legend-co-star-20146766/|title=Even The Masked Singer’s Julia Sawalha expected backlash after Bubble Tea reveal|website=Metro|last=Miller|first=Adam|date=20 January 2024|access-date=22 January 2024}}

Personal life

On 1 January 2004, tabloid newspapers reported that she had married Alan Davies, with whom she co-starred in the television series Jonathan Creek. Both she and Davies, who avoided discussing their private lives in public, denied this, and took legal action against the reports.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/showbiz/3371721.stm |title=TV stars act over marriage report |work=BBC News |date=6 January 2004}}{{cite news |url= http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/style/fashion/trends/article62122.ece |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150529003157/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/style/fashion/trends/article62122.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 May 2015 |title=Relative Values: Nadia and Julia Sawalha |work=The Sunday Times |location=London |date=1 April 2007 |url-access=subscription}}

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable"
Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

1991

| Buddy's Song

| Kelly

| rowspan=3|Supporting Role

1995

| In the Bleak Midwinter

| Nina Raymond (Ophelia)

1996

| The Wind in the Willows

| The Jailer's Daughter

2000

| Chicken Run

| Ginger

| Voice

rowspan="2" | 2001

| Venus and Mars

| Marie

| rowspan=2|Supporting Role

2002

| The Final Curtain

| Karen Willet

2016

| Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie

| Saffron 'Saffy' Monsoon

| Main Role

=Television=

class="wikitable"
Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

1981

| Keep It in the Family

| Walk-On

| Uncredited
Episode: "A Game of No Chance"

rowspan="3" | 1982

| Fame Is the Spur

| Amy

| Episode: "1.2"

Educating Marmalade

| Good Girl

| 4 episodes

The Pirates of Penzance

| Daughter

| Uncredited
Television film

1988

| Inspector Morse

| Rachel

| Episode: "Last Seen Wearing"

1989–1993

| Press Gang

| Lynda Day/Young Katherine Hill

| 43 episodes
RTS Television AwardBest Actor

1990

| Spatz

| Chloe Fairbanks

| Episode: "The Sound of Muzak"

rowspan="2"| 1991

| El C.I.D.

| Trudy

| Episode: "Thursday's Child"

Casualty

| Nikki Watson

| Episode: "Living in Hope"

1991–1994

| Second Thoughts

| Hannah Greyshott

| 47 episodes

1992

| Bottom

| Veronica Head

| Episode: "Parade"

1992–2012

| Absolutely Fabulous

| Saffron 'Saffy' Monsoon

| 39 episodes

1993

| Parallel 9

| Herself

| Episode: "Episode 2.5"

rowspan="3"| 1994

| Lovejoy

| Joanna Whymark

| Episode: "Double-Edged Sword"

Keeper

| Alison

| tv short

Martin Chuzzlewit

| Mercy Pecksniff

| 6 episodes

1995

| Pride and Prejudice

| Lydia Bennet

| 6 episodes
TV mini-series

1995–1998

| Faith in the Future

| Hannah Greyshott

| 22 episodes

rowspan="2"| 1996

| French and Saunders

| Herself

| Episode: "Baywatch"

Tales from the Crypt

| Teresa

| Episode: "The Kidnapper"

rowspan="3"| 1997

| McLibel!

| Helen Steel

| "Episode 1.1"
TV mini-series

Ain't Misbehavin'

| Dolly Nightingale

| 3 episodes

An Audience with the Spice Girls

| Herself

| TV special

rowspan="2"| 1998

| Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Not!

| Saffron 'Saffy' Monsoon

| video

Light Lunch

| Herself

| Episode: "The Future's Bright, the Future's Funny"

rowspan="3"| 1999

| The Curse of Fatal Death

| Emma

| Charity spoof TV movie by Comic Relief

The Flint Street Nativity

| Wise Man

| TV movie

Late Lunch

| Herself

| Episode: "#2.14"

1999–2000

| Kipper

| Mouse (voice)

| 4 episodes

rowspan="8"| 2000

| Mirrorball

| Freda Keill

| TV short

The Hatching of 'Chicken Run'

| rowspan="6" | Herself

| TV special

Poultry in Motion: The Making of Chicken Run

| TV special

HBO First Look

| Episode: "The Hatching of Chicken Run"

Stars in Their Eyes

| Episode: "Cerys Matthews"

Bob Martin

| Episode: "Through the Keyhole"

Masterchef

| Episode: "#10.14"

The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything

| Catherine Parr

| TV movie

rowspan="2" | 2000–2001

| Time Gentlemen Please

| Janet Wilson

| 21 episodes

Sheeep

| Georgina (voice), Kid (various noises), Jaunita Luftfita (voice), Penny (voice), Princess Grazelightly (voice), Additional voices

| 26 episodes

2001–2004

| Jonathan Creek

| Carla Borrego

| 7 episodes

2003

| Hornblower

| Maria Mason/Hornblower

| TV movie

2003–2004

| Comedy Connections

| Narrator (voice)

| 14 episodes

rowspan="2" |2004

| White Box

| Saffron

| TV movie

The Story of Absolutely Fabulous

| rowspan="5" | Herself

| rowspan="2" | TV special

rowspan="2" | 2006

| A Taste of My Life

Who Do You Think You Are?

| Episode: "Julia Sawalha"

rowspan="3" |2007

| The Underdog Show

| Unknown episodes

The Graham Norton Show

| Episode: "#1.7"

Cranford

| Jessie Brown

| 5 episodes

2008–2011

| Lark Rise to Candleford

| Dorcas Lane

| 40 episodes

2009

| The Alan Titchmarsh Show

| Herself

| Episode: "9 March 2009"

2013

| Agatha Christie's Marple

| Mrs. Cresswell

| Episode: "Greenshaw's Folly"

2014

| Remember Me

| Jan Ward

| 3 episodes

2016

| Midsomer Murders

| Penny Henderson

| Episode: "Saints and Sinners"

2020

| It's Pony

| Jill Sneekly (voice)

| Unknown episodes

rowspan="2"| 2024

| Vera

| Helen Rushton

| Episode: "Tender"

The Masked Singer UK

| Participant

| Unmasked as Bubble Tea.

=Video games=

class="wikitable"
Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

2008

| Fable II

| Hannah/Hammer

| Xbox 360 game

2020

| World of Warcraft: Shadowlands

| Additional voices

| Computer game

Theatre

class="wikitable"
Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

1985–1986

| The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

| Lucy

| Newcastle Playhouse

1987–1988

| Peter Pan

| Wendy

| Newcastle Opera House

rowspan="2" | 1997

| The Illusion

| Isabelle

| Royal Exchange Theatre

Dearest Daddy...Darling Daughter

| Daughter

| Young Vic Theatre

1998–1999

| The Memory of Water

| Catherine

| Churchill Theatre

Awards and nominations

class="wikitable"

! Year

! Award

! Category

! Work

! Result

! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

1993

|Royal Television Society Television Awards

|Best Actor - Female

|Press Gang

| {{won}}

|{{Cite web |title=Julia Sawalha - Awards |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0768018/awards/ |access-date=2024-04-02 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}

2009

|Monte-Carlo Television Festival Golden Nymph

|Outstanding Actress - Drama Series

|Lark Rise to Candleford

| {{nom}}

|

2011

| 16th National Television Awards

| Drama Performance

| Lark Rise to Candleford

| {{nom}}

| align="center" | {{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a277960/national-television-awards-2011-nominees.html|title=National Television Awards 2011 - Nominees|last=Wightman|first=Catriona|date=21 September 2010 |website=Digital Spy |access-date=21 September 2010}}

2012

| 17th National Television Awards

| Drama Performance: Female

| Lark Rise to Candleford

| {{nom}}

| align="center" | {{cite web|last=Wrightman|first=Catriona|title=National Television Awards 2012: The nominees|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a342357/national-television-awards-2012-the-nominees.html|work=Digital Spy|access-date=9 February 2012|date=27 September 2011}}

References

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}