Lisa Palfrey (born 9 February 1967) is a Welsh actress. She is known for playing the roles of Gwenny in House of America (1997), Mrs. Nice in Guest House Paradiso (1999), Maureen in Pride (2014), Mrs. Dai Bread 1 in Under Milk Wood (2015), Cynthia in the Netflix original television series Sex Education and Eleanor James in the Sky One original television series COBRA.
Early life Palfrey was born in Wales on 9 February 1967, her mother is Eiry Palfrey, an actress and author. She attended Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen, a Welsh-medium secondary school near Pontypridd.
Career Palfrey started acting at the age of 20 when she played the role of 15-year-old girl, Jane Sanderson, in the BBC One television series The District Nurse. Her first major role was in the film The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain. She has gone on to star in the cult film House of America, and appeared as Melanie Collier in the medical drama television series Casualty as well as Inspector Tracey McAndrew in the third series of the police procedural television series Line of Duty. She played the role of Rhiannedd Frost in the Welsh soap opera Pobol y Cwm.
Palfrey has performed in a number of plays, including the original production of David Eldridge's Festen, The Iceman Cometh, Under the Blue Sky, and Tom Wells's The Kitchen Sink.
In 2019, Palfrey played the role of Cynthia in the Netflix original series Sex Education.
In 2020, Palfrey played the role of government minister Eleanor James in the Sky One original television drama series COBRA, written by Ben Richards and starring Robert Carlyle as British Prime Minister Robert Sutherland. She played the part of Pam Green in the BBC Drama Chloe in 2022. In 2023 she filmed the BBC television feature Men Up, about the first clinical trials for the drug Viagra that took place in Swansea in 1994.
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes1995The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a MountainBlod Jones1997House of AmericaGwennyThe Deadness of DadMamShort film1999Guest House ParadisoMrs. NiceOh Little Town of BethlehemMichelleShort film2000Maybe BabyJan2003Y MabinogiArianrhodVoice role2008Poncho MamguNelDocumentary2011360Psychologist2014PrideMaureen2015Under Milk WoodMrs. Dai Bread 1Visiting Mr KeatsProfessor BellShort film2018National Theatre Live: Cat on a Hot Tin RoofBig Mama2019Make UpShirley 2021The FeastMair Bowen 2022Prey for the DevilSister Euphemia
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1987The District NurseJane SandersonEpisode: "A Flick of the Coin"1993Thicker Than WaterYoung MotherTV film1996Lord of MisruleAmy ClarkeTV film1997Soldier SoldierPrivate Diane SaltmarshEpisode: "Fit to Explode"The InvestigatorSergeant Kathy BartlettTV film1999Split SecondChristine MontgomeryTV film2001Mind GamesDC Rebecca LongtonTV filmThe BenchJules BowenEpisodes: S01 E01, S01 E032002Outside the RulesLola DaviesTV seriesGreen-Eyed MonsterDC Karen CarterTV filmCasualtyMelanie Collier8 episodes2003High HopesDominiqueEpisode: "Pretty Woman"2004The BillFee PatersonEpisode: "187: Shaken"The Inspector Lynley MysteriesLizzie ShakespeareEpisode: "If Wishes Were Horses"2006–2007Pobol y CwmRhiannedd FrostWelsh TV series2010Pen TalarDoctorEpisode: "Part 8"2013Family TreeLuba ChadwickRecurring role, 4 episodes2015The Bastard ExecutionerNia's motherEpisode: "Effigy/Ddelw"2016Line of DutyInspector Tracey McAndrew3 episodesAberfan: The Green HollowEdnaTV movie, documentaryHinterlandSioned JonesEpisode: "Aftermath"2019–2020Sex EducationCynthiaMain role2019Wild BillAudrey MerrickEpisode: "Bad Blood in the Soil"2020COBRAEleanor JamesMain role2021IntergalacticZeedaEpisode: S01 E02, S01 E022022PactBethMain roleThe Light in the HallNina2023Men UpTeresa RigbyTelevision film
Video game Doctor Who: Attack of the Graske (2005), as Mum
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