Tamzin Claire Merchant (born 4 March 1987) is an English actress and author. She is most notable for her roles as Georgiana Darcy in the film Pride & Prejudice (2005), as Catherine Howard in The Tudors (2009–2010) and as Anne Hale in Salem (2014–2017).
Early life Merchant was born 4 March 1987, in Haywards Heath, Sussex, England. She was educated at Windlesham House School and Brighton College, although she has also lived in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. After twice deferring university places to concentrate on her acting career, she eventually studied English and Drama with Education at Homerton College, Cambridge.
Career Merchant's early credits include Margo Durrell in the 2005 BBC television film My Family and Other Animals, and Georgiana Darcy in the 2005 film Pride and Prejudice. In 2006 she appeared in two more BBC dramas, as Sara Fox, the daughter of Alan Davies and Michelle Gomez, in the comedy The Good Housekeeping Guide, and as Probationer Eastwood in the historical drama Casualty 1900s.
In 2007, while studying at the University of Cambridge, she performed in an audio production of Lady Windermere's Fan as Lady Agatha, while in 2008 she appeared in the ensemble drama Radio Cape Cod in which she plays a summer theatre camper. She appears in the music video for Jamie T's "If You've Got The Money" and in Belle and Sebastian's "Nobody's Empire". In 2009, she played Alice Davies in Princess Kaiulani.
She was cast playing Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII, in the third-season and its finale and features heavily in several episodes of the fourth (and final) season of The Tudors (2009).
Merchant played Daenerys Targaryen in the unaired pilot of the HBO series Game of Thrones, based on George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels. The pilot was poorly received, and as a result the first episode was completely remade. Merchant was replaced in her role as Daenerys by Emilia Clarke.
She played Miranda in the DCI Banks episodes "Playing with Fire - Part 1" and "Playing with Fire - Part 2". In early 2012, Merchant played the 17-year-old Rosa Bud in the BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens' The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
Merchant was a series regular for 3 seasons of Salem on WGN America from 2014 to 2017.
In 2019 Merchant was cast as a series regular on the Amazon Prime series Carnival Row. The series premiered on 30 August and was renewed for a second season.
In 2020, she starred as Lucy the lead role in the multi-award winning short film Gifts of the Heart, for which she won The Cutting Room International Short Film Festival Best Actress in a Short (CRISFF Award).
In 2025, she starred alongside John Malkovich, Sean Bean, Miranda Richardson, and Anton Lesser in the biographical drama film: The Yellow Tie.
Other work She wrote the children's book The Hatmakers (2021). Following this, she wrote and published three more books: The Mapmakers (2023), The Troublemakers (2024), The Mythmakers (2025).
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes2005Pride & PrejudiceGeorgiana Darcy2008Radio Cape CodAnna2009Princess KaiulaniAlice Davies 2011Jane EyreMary RiversRed Faction: OriginsLyra Mason2012Second WindAnna2014CopenhagenSandra 2015Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's CurseRhonuDirect-to-video filmSarah2016The DancerKate2017Dragonheart: Battle for the HeartfireQueen RhonuDirect-to-video film2020Running NakedSara2020Gifts of the HeartLucy Short film 2022A Midsummer Night's DreamHelenaJames and LuciaHelen Fleischmann-Joyce2025The Yellow TieOrtancia
Television Year Title Role Notes2005My Family and Other AnimalsMargo Durrell Television film 2006The Good Housekeeping GuideSara FoxCasualty 1906Probationer Eastwood2008BonekickersHelenaEpisode: "Army of God"2009–2010The TudorsCatherine HowardMain role (seasons 3–4), 6 episodes 2009Game of ThronesDaenerys TargaryenUnaired pilot 2011Red_Faction: OriginsLyraTelevision filmDCI BanksMiranda AspernEpisodes: "Playing with Fire - Part 1", "Playing with Fire - Part 2"2012The Mystery of Edwin DroodRosa BudTelevision film (2 parts)2013Murder on the Home FrontMolly CooperTelevision film2014–2017SalemAnne HaleMain roleNominated—Fangoria Chainsaw Award - Best TV Supporting Actress (2017)2017SupergirlLyra StraydRecurring role, 5 episodes2019Thanks for the MemoriesJoyce Conway2 episodes (the entire film)2019–2023Carnival RowImogen SpurnroseMain role 2023Tom JonesAunt Harriet4 episodes
Music videos Year Title Artist2006"If You Got the Money"Jamie T2007"Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control)"Groove Armada feat Mutya Buena2014"Nobody's Empire"Belle and Sebastian
Stage Year Title Role Notes2008Hay Fever JackieQueens' College, Cambridge2008Dahling You Were MarvellousSister 3, Hanger-onADC Theatre2009Breakfast at NightChorusADC Theatre2009The 24hr PlaysGroup 1 ProducerADC Theatre2010Cigarettes and ChocolateGemmaADC Theatre
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2017 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Best TV Supporting Actress Salem 2017 Oxford International Film Festival (OXIFF) Best Screenplay Juliet Remembered 2020 Global Independent Film Awards Best Actress in a Lead Role (Bronze) Gift of the Heart (short) 2020 The Cutting Room International Short Film Festival Best Actress in a Short (CRISFF Award) Gift of the Heart (short)
References
External links