A British writer and actress, born on January 11, 1961 in Merseyside London. She studied history at Cambridge University, and began her career in 1997. She was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Female Performance in a Comedy Role. Her work includes Notes on a Scandal (2006), Stardust (2007), The Other Boleyn Girl (2008), The Invisible Woman (2013), and Testament of Youth (2014).