Robyn Cara

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| alma_mater = Birmingham School of Acting

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| years_active = 2016–present

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Robyn Cara is a British actress. On television, she is known for her roles in the Apple TV+ series Trying (2020–2022), the Channel 4 comedy-drama Ackley Bridge (2021–2022), the Sky Max series The Rising (2022), and the Netflix series Bodkin (2024). Her films include Doctor Jekyll (2023).

Early life

Cara grew up in a small village.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/fashion/fashion-news/a60667717/robyn-cara-interview/|title=Secrets of the Stylish: Getting premiere ready with Robyn Cara|magazine=Harper's Bazaar|first=Amy|last=de Klerk|date=2 May 2024|accessdate=4 May 2024}} She joined the National Youth Theatre and graduated from the Birmingham School of Acting{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/uk-regional/article/Made-in-Colchester-Announces-their-Casting-for-MUCH-ADO-ABOUT-NOTHING-20160919|title=Made in Colchester Announces their Casting for MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING|website=BroadwayWorld|first=Liz|last=Cearns|date=19 September 2016|accessdate=25 September 2023}} (now the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire) in 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bcu.ac.uk/conservatoire/acting/our-graduates/2016-graduates|title=Acting Graduates - 2016|website=Royal Birmingham Conservatoire|accessdate=25 September 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bcu.ac.uk/news-events/news/birmingham-trained-talent-on-tv-in-2022|title=Birmingham trained talent on TV in 2022|website=Birmingham City University|date=12 January 2022|accessdate=25 September 2023}}

Career

Upon graduating from drama school in 2016, Cara made her professional stage debut as Hero in Much Ado About Nothing at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester. This was followed by roles in The Importance of Being Earnest at the Theatr Clwyd, Anya Reiss's adaptation of Oliver Twist at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in London,{{Cite web|url=https://openairtheatreheritage.com/actors/robyn-cara/WYwyzCoAAHUVhTqC|title=Roby Cara - Our Heritage|website=Regent's Park Open Air Theatre|accessdate=14 January 2024}} and The Be All & End All at York Theatre Royal.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2018/may/13/the-be-all-and-end-all-review-york-theatre-royal-imogen-stubbs-jonathan-lewis|title=The Be All and End All review – intense drama for testing times|journal=The Guardian|first=Clare|last=Brennan|date=13 May 2018|accessdate=14 January 2024}} Cara starred as Leonie in Ambreen Razia's BBC Three comedy pilot Hounslow Diaries in 2018 with Razia and Mandeep Dhillon.{{Cite web|url=https://yourcinemafilms.com/2018/11/the-hounslow-diaries-london-live/|title='The Hounslow Diaries': Ambreen Razia & Robyn Cara Talk More About The Show|website=Your Cinema|date=November 2018|accessdate=14 January 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/robyn_cara/|title=Robyn Cara|website=British Comedy Guide|accessdate=14 January 2024}} She made her feature film debut in the 2019 direct-to-video action film We Die Young as Rincon's (David Castañeda) sister Gabriela.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/we-die-young-2019|title=We Die Young|website=Roger Ebert|first=Simon|last=Abrams|date=1 March 2019|accessdate=14 January 2024}}

In 2020, Cara landed her first major television roles when she began playing Jen in the Apple TV+ comedy Trying and also appeared in the BBC One miniseries Life as Kat. The following year, Cara joined the cast of the Channel 4 school comedy-drama Ackley Bridge for its fourth series as Kayla Afzal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.channel4.com/press/news/interview-robyn-cara-yasmin-al-khudhairi-ryan-dean-shobhit-piasa-and-carla-woodcock-who|title=Interview with Robyn Cara, Yasmin Al-Khudhairi, Ryan Dean, Shobhit Piasa and Carla Woodcock who play Kayla, Fizza, Johnny, Tahir, and Marina|website=Channel 4 Press|date=19 April 2021|accessdate=9 January 2024}} She would reprise her role as Kayla for its fifth and final series in 2022. She returned to the stage in Playfight at the Finborough Theatre.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/playfight|title=Review: Playfight – 'Direct and disarming'|website=The Stage|author=Frey Kwa Hawking|date=6 April 2021|accessdate=14 January 2024}} Also in 2022, Cara starred as Katie Sands in the Sky Max supernatural series The Rising{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/04/clara-rugaard-sky-the-rising-1234744701/|title=Clara Rugaard to Lead Sky's Supernatural Crime Thriller 'The Rising' Based on Belgian Series 'Hotel Beau Séjour'|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Jake|last=Kanter|date=27 April 2021|accessdate=25 April 2022}} and featured in the BBC Three horror series Red Rose as Alyssa Penrose, who dies in the first episode.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a43020540/netflix-red-rose-ending-explained/|title=Netflix's Red Rose ending explained|journal=Cosmopolitan|first=Sophie|last=Williams|date=22 February 2023|accessdate=14 January 2024}} In 2023, Cara starred in the horror film Doctor Jekyll.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2022/film/global/lindsay-duncan-simon-callow-doctor-jekyll-1235206560/|title=Lindsay Duncan, Simon Callow Join 'Doctor Jekyll'; Principal Photography Wraps (Exclusive)|work=Variety|first=Naman|last=Ramachandran|accessdate=4 July 2023|date=16 March 2022}}

Cara gained further prominence through her role as Emmy Sizergh in the 2024 Netflix series Bodkin. For her performance, Cara was nominated for a Gotham Television Award. She has an upcoming role in the USA Network series The Rainmaker, an adaptation of the John Grisham novel of the same title.{{Cite journal|url=https://deadline.com/2024/09/robyn-cara-the-rainmaker-1236078142/|title='Bodkin' Star Robyn Cara Joins 'The Rainmaker' In Series Regular Role|journal=Deadline|first=Rosy|last=Cordero|date=4 September 2024|accessdate=4 September 2024}}

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
2019 \| We Die Young \| Gabriela \| Direct-to-video
2023 \| Doctor Jekyll \| Maeve \|
TBA \| Land of Legend \| Daria \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

2019

| We Die Young

| Gabriela

| Direct-to-video

2023

| Doctor Jekyll

| Maeve

TBA

| Land of Legend

| Daria

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
2018 \| Hounslow Diaries \| Leonie \|
2020 \| Life \| Kat \| Miniseries, 4 episodes
2020–2022 \| Trying \| Jen \| 12 episodes
2021–2022 \| Ackley Bridge \| Kayla Afzal \| Main role (series 4–5)
2022 \| The Rising \| Katie Sands \| 8 episodes
2022 \| Red Rose \| Alyssa Penrose \| 2 episodes
2024 \| Bodkin \| Emmy Sizergh \| Main role

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

2018

| Hounslow Diaries

| Leonie

2020

| Life

| Kat

| Miniseries, 4 episodes

2020–2022

| Trying

| Jen

| 12 episodes

2021–2022

| Ackley Bridge

| Kayla Afzal

| Main role (series 4–5)

2022

| The Rising

| Katie Sands

| 8 episodes

2022

| Red Rose

| Alyssa Penrose

| 2 episodes

2024

| Bodkin

| Emmy Sizergh

| Main role

Stage

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
2016 \| Much Ado About Nothing \| Hero \| Mercury Theatre, Colchester
2017 \| The Importance of Being Earnest \| Cecily \| Theatr Clwyd, Mold
2017 \| Oliver Twist \| Agnes / Rose \| Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London
2018 \| The Be All & End All \| Frida \| York Theatre Royal, York
2021 \| Playfight \| Zainab \| Finborough Theatre, London

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

2016

| Much Ado About Nothing

| Hero

| Mercury Theatre, Colchester

2017

| The Importance of Being Earnest

| Cecily