Ruby Barker
{{Short description|British actress (born 1996)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ruby Barker
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|12|23|df=y}}
| birth_place = Islington, London, England
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Actress
| years_active = 2015–present
}}
Ruby Barker (born 23 December 1996) is a British actress. She is best known for playing Marina in the Netflix period drama Bridgerton (2020–2022). She was awarded Best Actress at the British Urban Film Festival for her starring role in the film How to Stop a Recurring Dream (2020).
Early life
Barker was born in Islington to parents from Ireland and Montserrat. She joined her sister Harriet in the foster care system just after she was born, and the two were adopted. Barker spent her early childhood in London and Winchester before growing up in Glasgow until her teen years.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/how-bridgertons-ruby-barker-keeps-her-curls-healthy-and-bouncy|title=How Bridgerton's Ruby Barker Keeps Her Curls Healthy and Bouncy|journal=Vogue|first=Akili|last=King|date=26 February 2021|accessdate=13 June 2021}} While living in Glasgow, she took weekend classes at the Elizabeth Murray School of Dance. Her earliest acting experience was in an RBS advertisement.{{Cite journal|url=https://yorkmix.com/york-mystery-plays-starring-role-bbc-ruby-next/|title=From the York Mystery Plays to a starring role on the BBC: What Ruby did next…|journal=YorkMix|date=11 December 2016|accessdate=13 June 2021}}
Her parents eventually separated, and Barker moved to Church Fenton, a village in the Selby District of Yorkshire, with her mother and stepmother. She attended Tadcaster Grammar School nearby.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/14163784.meet-yorks-newly-appointed-mary-and-joseph/|title=Meet York's newly appointed Mary and Joseph....|journal=York Press|first=Mike|last=Laycock|date=23 December 2015|accessdate=13 June 2021}}{{Cite journal|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19144137.film-bridgerton-star-ruby-barker-swaps-lace-up-corsets-leggings-new-film-stop-recurring-dream/|title=Film: Bridgerton star Ruby Barker swaps lace-up corsets for leggings in her new film How To Stop A Recurring Dream|journal=Herald Scotland|date=9 March 2021|accessdate=13 June 2021}} She planned to study international relations at the London School of Economics after taking a gap year, but decided to pursue drama instead. She worked at the National Railway Museum in York while participating in local theatre productions.{{Cite journal|url=http://thebritishblacklist.co.uk/tbb-talks-to-break-out-star-of-bridgerton-ruby-barker-about-new-film-how-to-stop-a-recurring-dream/|title=TBB talks to… Break out star of Bridgerton Ruby Barker about new film How to Stop a Recurring Dream|journal=The British Blacklist|first=Whelan|last=Barzey|date=11 March 2021|accessdate=13 June 2021}}
Career
Barker played Mercy and Titivillus in the 2015 National Centre for Early Music production of Mankind.{{Cite web|url=https://hiddentheatre.com/archive/mankind-york-2015/|title=Mankind - York 2015|website=Hidden Theatre|date=26 January 2016 |accessdate=13 June 2021}} She was discovered by Royal Shakespeare Company director Phillip Breen, who cast her as Mary in the 2016 York Mystery Plays and helped her get signed with an agency.{{cite news |last1=Hickling |first1=Alfred |title=York Mystery Plays review – an epic medieval disaster movie |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/jun/02/york-minster-mystery-plays-review-philip-mcginley |work=The Guardian |date=2 June 2016 |accessdate=3 October 2020}}{{cite web |title=Cast list, 2016 Production |url=http://www.yorkmysteryplays.org/default.asp?idno=217 |publisher=York Mystery Plays |accessdate=3 October 2020}}{{cite podcast|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/ruby-barker-on-how-bridgerton-has-changed-her-life/id1449286054?i=1000507410028|title=Ruby Barker on how Bridgerton has changed her life|website=PLT: Behind Closed Doors|host=Nat O'Leary|date=2 February 2021|access-date=6 April 2019}} Barker then began to appear on television, landing a recurring role as Daisie in the fifth series of the CBBC teen fantasy series Wolfblood. In 2018, Barker starred as Private Sarah Findlay in the play Of Close Quarters at Sheffield Theatres.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/uk-regional/article/Full-Cast-Announced-For-Sheffield-Theatres-And-Out-Of-Joints-Co-Production-Of-CLOSE-QUARTERS-20180924|title=Full Cast Announced For Sheffield Theatres And Out Of Joint's Co-Production Of Close Quarters|journal=BroadwayWorld|first=Steph|last=Wild|date=24 September 2018|accessdate=13 June 2021}}
In 2020, Barker began playing Marina in the Shondaland-produced Netflix period drama Bridgerton. She made her feature film debut opposite Lily-Rose Aslandogdu in the thriller film How to Stop a Recurring Dream.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/mar/09/how-to-stop-a-recurring-dream-review-ruby-barker|title=How to Stop a Recurring Dream review – Ruby Barker lends class to kidnap thriller|journal=The Guardian|first=Cath|last=Clarke|date=9 March 2021|accessdate=13 June 2021}}{{Cite journal|url=https://www.nme.com/features/film-interviews/bridgerton-ruby-barker-interview-how-to-stop-a-recurring-dream-2897681|title='Bridgerton' star Ruby Barker on her buzzy new kidnap thriller|journal=NME|first=Beth|last=Webb|date=11 March 2021|accessdate=13 June 2021}} For her performance, she was awarded Best Actress at the British Urban Film Festival. In 2022, Barker made her London stage debut in Running with Lions at the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith.{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/Ruby-Barker-Will-Lead-RUNNING-WITH-LIONS-at-The-Lyric-Full-Casting-Announced-20211220|title=Ruby Barker Will Lead RUNNING WITH LIONS at The Lyric; Full Casting Announced|website=BroadwayWorld|first=Stephi|last=Wild|date=20 December 2021|accessdate=3 January 2022}} She has a role in the 2024 horror film Baghead.{{Cite journal|url=https://deadline.com/2021/06/bridgerton-ruby-barker-baghead-movie-1234782921/|title='Bridgerton' Actress Ruby Barker Joins Studiocanal & Picture Company's Horror Thriller 'Baghead'|journal=Deadline|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro|date=28 June 2021|accessdate=28 June 2021}}
Personal life
Barker was hospitalised in 2022 for mental health reasons, stating that she was "really unwell for a really long time" and had "all this intergenerational trauma bundled up inside" her.{{Cite web |last=Glenn |first=Garner |date=May 26, 2022 |title=Bridgerton's Ruby Barker Reveals Hospitalization for Mental Health: 'I've Been Really Unwell' |url=https://people.com/health/bridgerton-ruby-barker-hospitalization-mental-health/ |access-date=2022-05-28 |website=people.com |language=en}} She was discharged from the hospital by 30 May 2022.{{cite news |last1=Owoseje |first1=Toyin |date=May 27, 2022 |title='Bridgerton' star Ruby Barker says she's hospitalized due to mental health problems |publisher=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/27/entertainment/bridgerton-ruby-barker-intl-scli-gbr/index.html |access-date=May 27, 2022}}{{Cite web |date=May 30, 2022 |first=Mary Ellen |last=Cagnassola |title=Bridgerton's Ruby Barker Grateful for Support After Mental Health Treatment: 'I Feel Less Alone' |url=https://people.com/health/bridgerton-ruby-barker-grateful-for-support-after-mental-health-treatment/ |access-date=2022-05-31 |website=people.com |language=en}} Her mental health had reportedly declined while filming Bridgerton season 1 and resulted in two crises.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/1388968/bridgertons-ruby-barker-shares-she-experienced-2-psychotic-breaks|title=Bridgerton's Ruby Barker Shares She Experienced 2 Psychotic Breaks|website=E! News|first=Lindsay|last=Weinberg|date=30 October 2023|accessdate=28 June 2023}}
In January 2023, Barker lost her father. To honour his legacy, she became an ambassador for the charity Cruse Bereavement Support.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/bridgerton-marina-thompson-ruby-barker-interview-cruse-beareavement-cameo-mental-health-b1088677.html|title=Bridgerton's Ruby Barker opens up about finding purpose again after losing her dad to cancer|journal=Evening Standard|first=Tina|last=Campbell|date=19 June 2023|accessdate=28 June 2024}} Barker broke her arm while rock climbing in March 2024.{{Cite web |last=Barker |first=Ruby |date=9 September 2024 |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C4TnUTkPqW9/?igsh=MTgwYzlibnd4aHpwZw== |access-date=15 April 2024 |website=Instagram}}
Acting credits
= Film =
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes
!Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020
| How to Stop a Recurring Dream | Yakira | | | |||
| 2024
| Baghead | Katie | | |
= Television =
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes
!Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017
| Daisie | 6 Episodes | | |||
| 2017, 2019
| Doctors | Nina Hobbs / Shelley Williams | 2 episodes | | |||
| 2020
| Cobra | Georgia Nixon | 1 episode | | |||
| 2020–2022
| Marina Thompson / Lady Marina Crane | Main role (season 1) |{{cite web |last1=Allen |first1=Ben |title=When is Bridgerton released on Netflix? What's it about? |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/on-demand/2020-03-25/bridgerton-netflix/ |publisher=RadioTimes |accessdate=2 October 2020}}{{cite news |title=One To Watch: Ruby Barker & Miika Bryce Whiskeyjack |publisher=ET Canada |url=https://etcanada.com/video/488d0e6c-3e5c-11eb-abf6-0242ac110002/one-to-watch-ruby-barker-miika-bryce-whiskeyjack/ |url-status=dead |access-date=21 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216103658/https://etcanada.com/video/488d0e6c-3e5c-11eb-abf6-0242ac110002/one-to-watch-ruby-barker-miika-bryce-whiskeyjack/ |archive-date=16 December 2020}} |
== Audio ==
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Title !Role !Notes !Ref. |
| 2021–2022
| Buttercup | BBC Radio 4, two-part radio play |
= Theatre =
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year | Title | Role
!Director !Venue | Notes
!Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015
| Mankind | Mercy / Titivillus |Laura Elizabth-Rice |National Centre for Early Music | | |||
| 2016
| Mary | |{{N/a}} |York Minster, York | |||
| 2018
| Of Close Quarters | Private Sarah Findlay |Kate Wasserberg | | |||
| 2022
| Running With Lions | Imani |Sian Carter | |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Award !Category !Work !Result ! Ref. |
| 2020
| Best Actress | How To Stop A Recurring Dream | {{won}} |
| 2021
| Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Bridgerton | {{nom}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|8659047}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barker, Ruby}}
Category:21st-century British actresses
Category:Actresses from Glasgow
Category:Actresses from North Yorkshire
Category:Black British actresses
Category:British people of Irish descent
Category:British people of Montserratian descent
Category:Actors from Selby District
Category:Actors from the London Borough of Islington