2024 is a busy time for actress Anna Maxwell Martin, as she's appearing in numerous TV dramas, including A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, Until I Kill You and Ludwig with David Mitchell.
She's not one to be typecast, having given acclaimed performances as Julia in the BBC comedy Motherland, Esther Summerson in the period drama Bleak House and the formidable DCS Patricia Carmichael in Line of Duty.
TV shows with Anna Maxwell Martin
Here's everything you need to know about her most popular roles and upcoming programmes:
North & South (2004)
When she was 27, Anna Maxwell Martin appeared as 19-year-old Bessy Higgins in North & South on the BBC. Just like in the book by Elizabeth Gaskell, Bessy is dying of consumption from working in the cotton mills and befriends the main character, Margaret Hale (Daniela Denby-Ashe), but the pair could not be any different.
The show is led by Daniela Denby-Ashe and Richard Armitage (who plays John Thornton).
BBC/AmazonBleak House (2005)
One of her very first leading roles was in the BBC adaptation of Charles Dicken's novel Bleak House. The show was split into 15 episodes and Anna played Esther Summerson, the housekeeper to Mr Jarndyce who Denis Lawson played.
Esther's parentage is a mysterious secret, and she was raised by her aunt.
Motherland (2016-2022)
Motherland is one of Anna Maxwell Martin's most iconic roles to date. She plays Julia, a stressed and overwhelmed parent of two children. She has three friends: the blunt, sardonic single-mum Liz (Diane Morgan), the stay-at-home, kind-hearted, and unconfident Kevin (Paul Ready), and the high-flying executive, alcoholic Meg (Tanya Moodie). The group does not get on well with Amanda's (Lucy Punch) posse, but Anne (Philippa Dunne) often tries to include them.
Good Omens (2019)
Anna Maxwell Martin played Beezlebub in three episodes of Good Omens, a fantasy-horror series adapted from the novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. In the second series, the character is portrayed by Shelley Conn.
You can watch Good Omens on Amazon Prime Video.
Line of Duty, series 5 and 6 (2019-2021)
In 2019, Anna Maxwell Martin joined Line of Duty as the formidable DCS Patricia Carmichael, who was brought in to investigate Ted Hastings (played by Adrian Dunbar).
Fans loved to loathe her character, and writer Jed Mercurio gave her some fantastic lines, including her opening gambit: “For those of you who for whatever inexplicable reason don’t know, I’m Detective Superintendent Patricia Carmichael.”
Mandy, series 2 (2022)
She also had another role alongside her Motherland pal Diane Morgan in the BBC sitcom Mandy. The episode, which is from series 2, is called SpaceMandy.
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (2024)
Schoolgirl Pippa Fitz-Amobi investigates the case of a dead teenager who was killed by her boyfriend for her EPQ in this book adaptation of Holly Jackson's A Good Girl's Guide to Murder.
Anna plays Leanne, Pip's (Emma Myers) mother and wife of Victor (played by Gary Beadle).
Ludwig (2024)
Mixing comedy with drama, Ludwig is about a reclusive puzzle setter (David Mitchell) who is recruited by his sister-in-law, Lucy (Anna Maxwell Martin), to try to solve the case of his brother's disappearance. As they are identical twins, he assumes his brother's identity.
Speaking to the BBC about her character Lucy Betts-Taylor, Anna said: "What I like about her is that she is indomitable. She is always positive, like a puppy, despite what has happened to her. John is the Eeyore of the piece."
The show is airing on the 25th of September. Here's the trailer:
Until I Kill You (2024)
Anna Maxwell Martin will play a real person, Delia Balmer, in the upcoming ITV drama Until I Kill You.
The true crime miniseries is based on Delia's book Living with a Serial Killer, in which she writes that she was brutally attacked by her serial-killer boyfriend (played by Shaun Evans, Endeavour, Vigil) who managed to evade justice, despite confessing to her that he killed his previous girlfriend and disposed of her body in a canal.
Anna Maxwell Martin movies
As well as TV, Anna Maxwell Martin has appeared in several films. Check them out here:
Philomena (2013)
Judi Dench plays Philomena, an elderly woman who has spent 50 years looking for her son. She enlists the help of journalist Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan) help to find him. Anna plays Jane, Philomena's daughter.
The film is based on a true story of an Irish mother who was forced to give her son up for adoption.
Anna Maxwell Martin theatre
Constellations (2021)
Chris O'Dowd and Anna Maxwell Martin played modern-day star-crossed lovers in Constellations back in 2021. There were four different casts in total and it was one of the first plays to welcome audience members after the COVID lockdown.
Here's the synopsis: 'A quantum physicist and a beekeeper meet at a barbeque. They hit it off, or perhaps they don’t. They go home together, or maybe they go their separate ways. In the multiverse, with every possible future ahead of them, a love of honey could make all the difference.'
If you'd like to see Constellations: Anna Maxwell Martin & Chris O'Dowd, you can rent it from National Theatre Home.
The Constituent (2024)
Anna Maxwell Martin and James Corden took the stage in The Constituent at The Old Vic. The political play sees Anna take on the role of an opposition backbencher whose ideals of public office are tested by Corden.
How old is Anna Maxwell Martin?
She was born on the 10th May 1977, making her 47 years old.
Is Anna Maxwell Martin married?
In 2010, Anna Maxwell Martin married Roger Michell, a film director who directed Notting Hill. The pair had two daughters together - Maggie, 15, and Nancy, 13 - and announced their separation in 2020.
Sadly, Roger died the following year aged 65. Speaking about this difficult time to The Sunday Times, Anna said that acquaintances had crossed the road to avoid her and her children and would avoid talking about Roger's death.
"People are very bad at acknowledging pain or death or difficulty. I find it really odd. Is it a cultural thing? I’m really glad I’m not one of those people because when it happens I think — I feel sorry for you.
'You’ve cocked up. I know you’re scared but it’s about showing care, saying to someone, "How are you? Was that difficult? How are you feeling?"', Anna said.
When she was just 24 years old, Anna lost her dad Ivan, so is sure to stress the value of talking about a loved one after they're gone.
She said: "It’s really important. With my dad I forgot very quickly what he sounded like, then after 20 years I found a recording and heard his voice again. It was a shock and really hard.
"My girls miss (their father) all the time but they won’t have that "Oh my God!" moment — they can see him whenever they want. I go on the internet and listen to Roger often."
Who is Anna Maxwell Martin's boyfriend?
Anna Maxwell Martin has been linked to record label boss Ferdy Unger-Hamilton (52) and has described him as "very sensible, rocklike, level and practical".
Previously, she was dating a cameraman Richard Cornelius.
Is Anna Maxwell Martin related to Nicola Walker?
Anna Maxwell Martin and fellow actress Nicola Walker are occasionally mistaken for one another, but despite having slightly similar features, the pair are not related.
Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who is passionate about TV, film and theatre. She enjoys cooking, scrapbooking, playing board games and spending time with her pet dogs, tortoise and chickens.