Freya Hannan-Mills (born 2004) is an English actress, playwright, and director. She first came to national attention as a "writing prodigy" in 2017 when her play Mushy Peas and Battered Bits was performed by Jude Law at the Lyric Hammersmith. Since 2024, she has established an international screen career, notably appearing as Eliza Shakespeare in Chloé Zhao's 2025 film Hamnet.
Early life and career Hannan-Mills was born in Wallasey, Wirral, in 2004. She attended Birkenhead Prep School before being home-educated during her early teens to balance her creative commissions. She later attended Bedales School in Hampshire and spent time in Vermont in 2018 as an exchange student at The Putney School.
Hannan-Mills' creative career began in playwriting. In 2016, she performed with the Complicite theatre company in the production Seen and Not Heard at the Southbank Centre. Her play Snow Angels (2017) was staged at the Lyric Theatre, London, after winning a place in the Daunt Books Anthology. That same year, her play Mushy Peas and Battered Bits was performed by Jude Law at the Lyric Hammersmith Gala. Hannan-Mills made her screen debut that same year in the BBC drama Doctors.
In 2020, her film Swallow won the Film the House award for Best Short Film Under 16, following its selection for the BFI Southbank's TriForce Short Film Festival.
Her performance as Nina in Justin Anderson's Swimming Home (2024) received critical praise; The Times described her performance as "striking," while Variety noted her "perceptive" portrayal. Sight and Sound further highlighted her presence in the adaptation. In 2024, she achieved breakout success starring as Alice Haynes in the psychological thriller series The Cuckoo alongside Jill Halfpenny. The series became a commercial hit on Netflix, reaching the number one spot on the platform's TV charts in the United Kingdom. She played Eliza Shakespeare in Chloé Zhao's Hamnet (2025). The following year she led the supernatural horror film Sticks and Stones, portraying Sam Evans, a teenager accused of murder.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 2024 Swimming Home Nina 2024 Here After Robin Miller 2025 Hamnet Eliza Shakespeare 2026 Sticks and Stones Sam Evans Post-production; Lead role
Television Year Title Role Notes 2017 Doctors Jasmine Wilson Episode: "Role Models" 2021 Whitstable Pearl Chloe Mills Episode: "Woodness" 2024 The Cuckoo Alice Haynes Miniseries; Lead role 2024 Ellis Maggie Bradley Episode: "Hanmore"
Awards and nominations Year Association Category Nominated work Result 2018 Film the House Awards Best Short Film (Under 16) Turning Tides 2020 Film the House Awards Best Short Film (Under 16) Swallow 2022 Directors UK Best Film Direction (Under 19) I'll Be Back Tomorrow
References
External links
Freya Hannan-Mills at The Artists Partnership Freya Hannan-Mills at Casarotto Ramsay & Associates