Abigail Tarttelin (born 13 October 1987) is an English writer, actress, and podcast presenter.
Early life Tarttelin was born in Grimsby, Humberside (now North East Lincolnshire). At the age of 16 she trained with the National Youth Theatre, and later the New York Film Academy school in France where she acted in various short films. Career
Film and television Tarttelin's first prominent role was Fenella in The Butterfly Tattoo, adapted from the Philip Pullman novel of the same name. Following this she played the lead in independent sci-fi film Triple Hit (previously titled Schrödinger's Girl) portraying three versions of the same woman in parallel worlds. She also attended the Cannes Film Festival and San Diego Comic-Con with both films. Retrieved 3 May 2026 In 2010 she appeared in bilingual thriller Taxi Rider.
Tarttelin has also appeared in the British comedy films, Beyond the Pole starring Stephen Mangan, Acts of Godfrey, starring Simon Callow, Harry Enfield, and Celia Imrie, and award winning independent sci-fi film Whatever Happened to Pete Blaggit?.
As a screenwriter she has worked with Academy Award short film shortlist filmmaker Chris Jones, and wrote the screenplay for the TV pilot The Danelaw which she also directed. Other projects as director include four music videos, two of which were for her own band GIRLBOY, plus trailers for all three of her novels Flick, Golden Boy, and Dead Girls. Directing Work Retrieved 03 May 2026.
Her involvement with Equity saw her elected as Chairperson for the inaugural Young Members' Committee, Equity Young Member's Committee Retrieved 3 May 2026 and in 2016 was a judge for the British Independent Film Awards. Abigail Tarttelin | Retrieved 3 May 2026
Writing
Tarttelin's debut novel, Flick, was first published by Beautiful Books in April 2011, then republished in 2015 by W&N. The story follows a disaffected teenage boy named Flick in a small factory town in northern England, where "bleak and sometimes treacherous circumstances make the taste of a love affair even sweeter." It was hailed "a slow-burn cult classic" by GQ who found it "both authentic and compelling"
In 2013, she published her second novel Golden Boy, about an intersex teenager. It has since been published in Chinese,不能說的病歷書 / Bu neng shuo de bing li shu, WorldCat, 2013 SpanishEl chico de oro, WorldCat, 2013 and Portuguese.Menino De Ouro , Livraria da Folha, 2013 It won a 2014 Alex Award from the American Library Association, was one of School Library Journal's best books of 2013, and was shortlisted for the 2014 LAMBDA Award for Best Debut LGBT Fiction. The book has been well received by readers and the film rights are also in discussion.Meet Max, 16, a Golden Boy and intersex , GayStarNews, 31 May 2013Clare Calvet's Book of the Week: Golden Boy - Nightlife - (ABC), Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 19 June 2013.Three Reasons This Intersex Lesbian Loved Abigail Tarttelin’s "Golden Boy", Hida Viloria at Autostraddle, 6 August 2013.They asked me to name my price: how Abigail Tarttelin went from waitress to hot young author with a £100,000 advance, Evening Standard, 23 May 2013.Interview with Abigail Tarttelin, Mandy Huckins at The Washington Independent Review of Books, 16 May 2013.
Her third novel, Dead Girls, was published in 2018. It is set in a small English village and is narrated in first person by eleven-year-old Thera Wilde, who takes matters into her own hands following the sudden disappearance of her best friend.Dead Girls Retrieved 4 May 2026
Tartellin has also published short fiction as well as exceprts from longer, previously unpublished works on her official website,Fiction #8, Kiyokoma Dayze Retrieved 4 May 2026 Fiction #4, Young Girls Retrieved 4 May 2026 and has two forthcoming novels, Remontada, Fiction #1, the football novel Retrieved 4 May 2026 and Ordinary Woman Turns 30. Intro to my Arts Council England-funded novel, about turning 30 in Hackney Retrieved 4 May 2026
Non-fiction publications she has written for include Glamour, The New York Times, The Guardian, The Independent, and Huffpost. Meet Abigail Retrieved 3 May 2026 Podcasts
In 2024 Tarttelin hosted the Arts Council England funded podcast Writing Coercive Control, which she produced in association with Clear Lines Festival. Six episodes were released in which she interviewed six female authors about how they incorporated ideas relating to coercive control in their work. Writing Coercive Control Retrieved 3 May 2026.
The following year she began co-presenting From Below the Balcony, a podcast produced by British campaign group Republic, where she interviews vocal republicans, most notably journalists and politicians, from across the British Commonwealth about their experiences with the British Monarchy and reasons for supporting republicanism. From Below the Balcony. Retrieved 03 May 2026.
Personal life
Tarttelin identifies as queer. Abigail Tarttelin Retrieved 3 May 2026.
Filmography
Year Title Role Notes2006 La GeodeUnnamed female leadStudent short film La Geode Retrieved 03 May 2026 2008 Jack Says Club Waitress The Butterfly Tattoo Fenella Adapted from the novel by Philip Pullman 2009 Triple Hit Rebecca/Anastasia/Sarah Also titled Schrödinger's Girl Beyond the Pole Airline Passenger (uncredited) Adrift Maki Student short film2010Taxi RiderBeverlyShort film 2011Acts of GodfreyBeauty Therapist (uncredited) 2011 British Independent Film Awards nominee, "Raindance Award"Whatever Happened to Pete Blaggit?Nurse Chéri LeFou2011 British Independent Film Festival award winner, "Best Feature Film"2016The DanelawFrankieTV Pilot, also writer and director2017Catcalling VirginShort film, additional writing Abigail Tarttelin Retrieved 03 May 2026
Bibliography Flick, London, April 2011. Golden Boy, London, W&N, 9 May 2013. Dead Girls, London, Pan MacMillan 03 May 2018.
Recognition and honours In 2009 she was one of two actresses listed in Moviescope magazine's "ones to watch" selection of British artists working in independent film.
Her novel Golden Boy, was described as a "dazzling debut" by Oprah's Book Club.10 Dazzling Debut Novels to Pick Up Right Now, Oprah's Book Club Published in 2013, the book was translated into several languagesEl chico de oro, World CatMenino De Ouro getting some air time! , Abigail Tarttelin, 3 December 2013不能說的病歷書 / Bu neng shuo de bing li shu, World Cat and placed her on the Evening Standard's 2013 "25 people under 25" list. She is a 2014 recipient of the Alex Awards.
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