Biography for
Jessica Hynes More at IMDbPro »

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As both a writer and performer, Jessica Hynes has worked prolifically in television, film and theatre. Born in Lewisham, South London in 1972, she was brought up in Brighton, Sussex. At school, she would write bizarre sci-fi stories. Aged 15, she joined the National Youth Theatre and left home aged 18. She then moved to London and took bit parts as an actress and comedienne. She worked on stage with Katy Carmichael who would later appear as Twist in 'Spaced', they both joined Simon Pegg on the sketch show 'Six Pairs of Pants'. Simon Pegg recommended Jessica for a part on another sketch show, 'Asylum', which was directed by Edgar Wright. Simon and Jessica became friends immediately and decided that they wanted to write comedy together. They came up with 'Spaced' a sitcom about dysfunction among a group of strange twenty-somethings. Edgar Wright was brought in to direct and the show was filmed in 1998 in North London, during Jessica's first pregnancy. An instant success, 'Spaced' was commissioned for a second series and Jessica moved on to work in films, winning two British Comedy Awards. She was nominated for an Olivier Award for her work in the play 'The Night Heron' in 2001, during filming of series 2. She was also nominated for a Best Actress BAFTA Award for the film 'Tomorrow La Scala'. Jessica, Simon and Edgar was reunited for the film 'Shaun of the Dead' in which Jessica played Simon's school-friend Yvonne. Her second child was born in 2002. She is now working mainly in film, and is still writing comedy.

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Trivia

Has three children: a son, born 1998; a daughter, born 2003; and a daughter, Flora, born 2006.

She was nominated for a 2003 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role of 2002 for her performance in The Night Heron performed at the Royal Court Theatre Downstairs.

Auditioned for, and was accepted into the prestigious National Youth Theatre at the age of 15.

In 2007 she changed her stage name to her married name Jessica Hynes, some years after getting married.

Nominated for the 2009 Tony Award for Best Performance for a Featured Actress in a Play for "The Norman Conquests".

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