Natasha Emma Little (born 2 October 1969) is an English actress. She is best known for her roles as Edith Thompson in the film Another Life, Lady Caroline Langbourne in the BBC miniseries The Night Manager, and Christina Moxam in the BBC miniseries Thirteen. Other credits include Wolf Hall (2015), the Black Mirror episode "Shut Up and Dance" (2016), Absentia (2018-2019), and War of the Worlds (2019–2021).
Early life Little was born in Liverpool, on 2 October 1969. Her mother was an English language teacher, and her father an NHS manager. For the first decade of her life, she lived in the Middle East, where her father set up immunisation clinics for the WHO. By the time she was 10, she had lived in 11 countries. Her family then moved back to England, and settled in Loughton, Essex. She attended Loughton County High School for Girls, and joined a Saturday drama group called the Epping Youth Theatre. She originally planned on a career in law, but was persuaded to apply to drama school by her teacher after her role in a school production of the musical Chicago. She attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 1994.
Career Little's first acting role after graduating was a part in the play The Tenth Man at the New End Theatre. She was talent-spotted whilst performing a play at the Latchmere pub theatre, and subsequently won the role of Jenny in the successful ITV drama London's Burning in 1995. She had roles in Vanity Fair (1998); Cadfael (1998); The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything (1999); Man and Boy; Far from the Madding Crowd; Murder in Mind (2003); playing Vicki Westbrook in the spy drama, Spooks (2003); The Crooked Man (2003); Angell's Hell (2005), and playing Lady Hamilton in the Ricky Gervais comedy Extras (2005).
Film credits include The Clandestine Marriage (1999); The Criminal (1999); Kevin & Perry Go Large (2000); Greenfingers (2000); Another Life (2001); Byron (2003); Vanity Fair (2004), in which she played Lady Jane Sheepshanks; The Queen of Sheba's Pearls (2004), and A Congregation of Ghosts 2009) among others.
Theatre roles include Voyage Round My Father; The Vagina Monologues; Les Mains; The Alchemist, and the Richard Eyre play The Novice. Little took her role in The Novice at the last minute. She was originally contracted to star in the film Enigma (2001), but the role was subsequently given to the actress Kate Winslet, who had previously turned the part down due to her pregnancy, but changed her mind. Little was paid her full fee of £300,000,How Kate Stole My Role; Hollywood big gun Kate Winslet nipped in to take Natasha Little's part in Enigma, but the former This Life actress isn't bitter Daily Record, 30 March 2002 (archived) and appeared in The Novice at the Almeida Theatre instead.
Little won the award for Best Actress in a Drama Series at the 1999 Biarritz International Television Festival for her role as Becky Sharp in Vanity Fair, and she also received a nomination for British Academy Television Award for Best Actress for the same role.
She played Ann Shapland in Agatha Christie's Poirot (Cat Among the Pigeons), Megan Hudson in Mistresses, Nemo's mother in Mr. Nobody, Flick in The Boys Are Back, and Allanah Mountstuart in Any Human Heart.
In 2008, Little appeared as a guest star in Foyle's War. In 2011, she portrayed the wife of hostage negotiator Dominic King (played by Trevor Eve) in the three-part drama Kidnap and Ransom, alongside Helen Baxendale. and played Elspeth Munro in the BBC drama Young James Herriot.
In 2013, she appeared in the premiere production of the play Longing. In 2015, she played Liz Cromwell in the BBC production of Wolf Hall. In 2016, she appeared in "Shut Up and Dance", an episode of the anthology series Black Mirror.
In 2018, Little appeared in Birches, a UK based feature based on the novel Silver Birches (published in 2009 by Adrian Plass), which was turned into a film directed by Randall Stevens, with screenplay by Mark Freiburger; it also starred Anna Acton and Todd Carty.
Little appeared in seasons 2 and 3 (during 2018 and 2019) of the Amazon Original Absentia. From 2019 to 2021, she starred alongside Gabriel Byrne and Daisy Edgar-Jones in the British-French production of War of the Worlds.
Personal life Little lives in the Leytonstone area of London with actor Bo Poraj, whom she married in May 2003. They have two sons.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1997 Supply & Demand NCIS – Reception TV film 1998 Far from the Madding Crowd Fanny Robin TV film1999 The Criminal Sarah Maitland The Clandestine Marriage Fanny The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything Lady Lionbrain TV film2000 Kevin & Perry Go Large Anne Boleyn Greenfingers Primrose Woodhouse2001 Another Life Edith Jessie Thompson The Island of the Mapmaker's Wife Finley Descotes 2002 Man and Boy Gina Silver TV film2003 Byron Augusta Leigh TV film The Crooked Man Lisa Talbot TV film2004 Vanity Fair Lady Jane Sheepshanks Crawley The Queen of Sheba's Pearls Peggy Pretty 2005 Angell's Hell Lucy TV film2009 Mr. Nobody Mother Nemo The Boys Are Back Flick A Congregation of Ghosts Daphne du Maurier2012 We'll Take Manhattan Peggy Shrimpton TV film Blood Lily Fairburn 2013 Welcome to the Punch Jane Badham 2016 Una Yvonne 2019 Birches Angela2020 The Bet Isabel Getting to Know You Abby
Television Year Title Role Notes 1994 Between the Lines Shipping Office Clerk Episode: "The End User: Part II" 1995–1996 London's Burning Jenny Recurring role, 11 episodes 1997 This Life Rachel Series regular, 20 episodes1998 Big Women Saffron Episode: "Well, I'm Sorry" Vanity Fair Becky Sharp Mini-series – main role – 6 episodes Cadfael Melangell Episode: "The Pilgrim of Hate" The Bill Claire Episode: "Bad Feelings" 1999 Love in the 21st Century Amanda Episode: "Masturbation" 2002 Dickens Ellen Ternan Mini-series2003 Murder in Mind Hat Vezey Episode: "Stalkers" Spooks Vicki Westbrook Recurring role, 5 episodes 2005 Extras Lady Hamilton Episode: "Ross Kemp & Vinnie Jones" 2007 Silent Witness Alice Huston Episode: "Hippocratic Oath"2008 Foyle's War Rose Dawson Episode: "Broken Souls" Agatha Christie's Poirot Ann Shapland Episode: "Cat Among the Pigeons"2009 Mistresses Megan Hudson Series 2 regular, 6 episodes The Bill Ms. Stephanie Anderson Episode: "Conviction: Judgment Day" 2010 Any Human Heart Allanah Mountstuart Mini-series2011 New Tricks Sarah Winslow Episode: "Old Fossils" Young James Herriot Mrs. Munro Mini-series – 3 episodes 2011–2012 Kidnap and Ransom Sophie King Series regular – 6 episodes 2011–2013 Case Histories Julia Land Recurring role, 5 episodes2013 Moving On Sonia Episode: "Friends Like These" Breathless Elizabeth Powell Mini-series 2014 Masterpiece Mystery Episode: "Breathless, Part 1"2015 Father Brown Harriet Greensleeves Episode: "The Owl of Minerva" Wolf Hall Liz Cromwell Mini-series – 3 episodes DCI Banks Elaine Foster Episode: "Ghosts"2016 Thirteen Christina Moxam Main role – 5 episodes The Night Manager Caroline Langbourne Mini-series – 4 episodes Black Mirror Karen Episode: "Shut Up and Dance"2017 Death in Paradise Victoria Baker Episode: "Erupting in Murder" Midsomer Murders Melody Henderson Episode: "Last Man Out"2018 Silent Witness Zoe McMorris Episode: "Family" Press Sarah Allen Mini-series – 3 episodes 2019–2020 Absentia Special Agent Julianne Gunnarsen Main role – 20 episodes 2019–2021 War of the Worlds Sarah Gresham Main role – 16 episodes 2021 Dalgliesh Matron Mary Taylor Episode: "Shroud for a Nightingale" 2021 Ragdoll Andrea Wyld 5 episodes 2022 Ten Percent Charlotte Nightingale Main role – 8 episodes
Video games YearTitleRoleNotes 2009 Dragon Age: Origins Nan/Lady Landra/Redcliffe Priest Voice only 2010 Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening Mistress Woolsey/Ser Rylock/Amaranthine Guards Voice only2011 Dragon Age II Janeka/Chateau Haine Party Guest Voice only Star Wars: The Old Republic Sith Warrior (Female) Voice only 2012 007 Legends Pussy Galore Voice only 2013 Star Wars: The Old Republic – Rise of the Hutt Cartel Sith Warrior (Female) Voice only 2014 Star Wars: The Old Republic – Shadow of Revan Sith Warrior (Female)/Imperial Scout Voice only 2015 Star Wars: The Old Republic – Knights of the Fallen Empire Sith Warrior Voice only 2016 Star Wars: The Old Republic – Knights of the Eternal Throne Sith Warrior (Female) Voice only 2017 Total War: Warhammer II Morathi the Hag Sorceress Voice only 2018 Vampyr Beatrice/Carolyn/Doris Voice only2019 Blood & Truth Anne Marks Voice only Star Wars: The Old Republic – Onslaught Sith Warrior (Female) Voice only
Theatre Year Title Role Venue Notes1994 My Favorite Year Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London The Tenth Man Thérèse Hampstead Theatre, London 1996 The Alchemist Doll Common Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Birmingham & Royal National Theatre, London Understudy to Josie Lawrence 2000 The Novice Jessica Almeida Theatre, London 2003 The Vagina Monologues Arts Theatre, London 2006 A Voyage Round My Father Elizabeth Donmar Warehouse, London & Wyndham's Theatre, London 2013 Longing Tania Hampstead Theatre, London 2018 Again Louise Trafalgar Theatre, London
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref.1999 BAFTA Television Awards BAFTA TV Best Actress Vanity Fair FIPADOC Awards Best Actress in TV Series and Serials Vanity Fair RTS Television Awards Best Actress Vanity Fair 2002 Cherbourg-Octeville Festival of Irish & British Film Best Actress Another Life
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