Laura Carmichael

The ethereal beauty Laura Carmichael is an award-winning stage and screen actress widely known for her superb portrayal of Lady Edith Crawley in ITV’s award-winning period drama series, Downton Abbey.

Carmichael was born and raised in Southampton, and later attended the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, graduating in 2007. She spent the next few years in various odd jobs, including teaching, while auditioning for fringe theatre productions. She was about to head off with a tour of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night to Dubai, when she was asked to read for a part in Downton Abbey. She was cast as Lady Edith, a role which subsequently bought her worldwide recognition. She has since gone on to star in a number of TV shows, including Marcella, The Secrets She Keeps, and The Spanish Princess. Her movie debut came in 2011’s BAFTA-winning big-screen adaptation of John Le Carré’s spy thriller, Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy, playing opposite Gary Oldman and Colin Firth. Her other films include A United Kingdom, with Rosamund Pike, Madame Bovary, with Mia Washikowska, and, of course, 2019’s big-screen adaptation of Downton Abbey. She made her West End debut in Uncle Vanya, playing opposite Anna Friel.

Carmichael is an occasional user of Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.