7 Places to Watch BAFTA Award-Winning Actress Joanna Scanlan
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Joanna Scanlan was a popular winner at Sunday's BAFTA Film Awards, picking up the Leading Actress prize for her role in the poignant indie film After Love. We're celebrating her victory by taking a look back at seven TV roles that have made her one of the U.K.'s most reliable entertainment performers. Here's where else to catch Scanlan, a subtle stalwart of both comedy and drama series.
1. The Thick of It (2005-2012)
Created by Armando Iannucci before he devised Veep, this British political sitcom features one of Peter Capaldi's most memorable characters. He clearly relishes playing Malcolm Tucker, the U.K. government's aggressive and super-sweary communications director. Scanlan co-stars in all four seasons as Terri Coverley, a fellow communications exec who's comparatively old-fashioned and often rather complacent in her job. It's a great showcase for her laser-sharp comic timing. You can watch a clip of Scanlan in action on YouTube, but steel yourself for some very strong language.
2. Getting On (2009-2012)
Scanlan co-created and starred in this acclaimed BBC sitcom set in the geriatric ward of an NHS hospital. She plays Sister Den Flixster, a senior nurse whose ability to do her job is hampered by the piles of paperwork on her desk. Peter Capaldi directed the first two seasons of Getting On, which was praised for offering a gritty and realistic depiction of hospital life without skimping on laughs along the way. A U.S. remake starring Laurie Metcalf, Alex Borstein and Niecy Nash aired on HBO from 2013-2015.
3. No Offence (2015-2018)
Created by Shameless's Paul Abbott, this edgy police procedural follows a cop squad investigating violent crimes in Manchester, Northern England. Scanlan stars as D.I. Viv Deering, a senior officer who doesn't exactly follow the letter of the law: in season one, she even hatches a plan to kill one of her suspects. You won't always agree with Deering's choices, but Scanlan's nuanced performance makes her a character you'll fully understand, if not necessarily approve of.
4. Hold the Sunset (2018-2019)
British comedy greats John Cleese and Alison Steadman lead the terrific cast of this BBC sitcom available in the U.S. on BritBox. They play Edith and Phil, a retired couple whose plan to emigrate to a sunny Mediterranean island is thwarted when Edith's grown-up son Roger (Jason Watkins) has a mid-life crisis and decides to move back home. Scanlan has a regular supporting role as Sandra, Edith's daughter, who doesn't think her mother should be quite so forgiving of Roger's self-made predicament.
5. The Accident (2019)
This harrowing British miniseries, available in the U.S. on Hulu, follows the members of a fictional Welsh community as they fight for justice following a terrible explosion on a construction site. Scanlan plays a grieving mother whose daughter died tragically in the blast. It's a sensitive, empathetic performance that allows Scanlan to play opposite Sarah Lancashire in some especially moving scenes.
6. The Larkins (2021)
Scanlan stars opposite Doctor Who alum Bradley Walsh in this hit British comedy-drama series based on H. E. Bates' novel The Darling Buds of May. They play Ma and Pop Larkin, a loving married couple bringing up their large, sprawling family in rural England in the 1950s. Pop's money-making schemes aren't always entirely legitimate, but the overall vibe is cozy and comforting. It's great "lazy Sunday" viewing that you can watch on Acorn TV, ideally with a traditionally British snack like tea and crumpets.
7. Joanna Scanlan's Welsh Language Journey (2021)
When she was three years old, Scanlan moved with her family from England to North Wales, where her mother and father ran a hotel. This documentary, made by Welsh network S4C, follows her efforts to learn the Welsh language, which is becoming more prevalent again after being given "official language status" in Wales in 2011. Scanlan dropped a few words of of Welsh into her BAFTA acceptance speech Sunday, so she clearly took something away from the experience.
Do you have a favorite Joanna Scanlan role to date?