Tanya Moodie

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Tanya Moodie is a Canadian actress and producer, best known for her work on Motherland, The Clinic, and her many stage credits, which include productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Court Theatre, the National Theatre and the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord. Tanya Moodie was born on 16 April 1972 in Ottawa, Canada, to Jamaican parents. She moved to England at the age of 17, when she was offered a place at RADA, where she was later employed as an associate teacher and council member. Moodie's first television role was in the comedy So Haunt Me in 1994, followed by a starring role as Hunter in Neil Gaiman's 1996 fantasy mini-series Neverwhere (1996). She featured in guest roles in various series in the 2000s, and in 2008–9 had a regular role in Irish medical drama The Clinic. She also played the role of John Watson's therapist Ella Thompson in Sherlock. In 2016 she played Gertrude in Simon Godwin's production of Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company. From 2019, Moodie starred as Meg in the BBC comedy series Motherland. In a 2021 interview with the Huffington Post, Moody shared that she was proud of the feedback she had received about her character's cancer storyline: "There’s been people who have written me very personal messages saying that they’re going through [cancer] right now or their parents are, and they say we’ve really shown what it’s like. I’m really happy that that’s happened – I didn’t expect it to. I didn’t finish filming and say ‘I really feel like I’ve nailed what it’s like to go through this journey’, because it’s so subjective and unique to people." In 2020, Moodie starred in the third series of Tin Star as Catherine Mckenzie. The series was created by Rowan Joffé. In April 2022, Moodie featured as Regina in series 1 episode 4 of Ten Percent. Moodie appeared in Sam Mendes' film Empire of Light, released in the US in December 2022, and the UK in January 2023. Moodie appears alongside Olivia Colman, Colin Firth and Micheal Ward. Also in December 2022, Moodie reprised her role as Meg in the Christmas special of Motherland, titled "Last Christmas". The episode garnered wholly positive reviews from critics. In March 2023, Moodie appeared as Serena in two episodes of the Cash Carraway-created Rain Dogs.

Filmography

Movies and shows, newest first

2025
The Girlfriend
TV show Isabella Russell-Bailey
2025
Hostages
Movie Rochelle
2025
Patience
TV show Jessica Shaw
2024
Dune: Prophecy
TV show Anirul (voice)
2024
JOY
Movie Muriel
2023
The Change
TV show Joy
2023
Silo
TV show Judge Meadows (uncredited)
2022
Motherland: Last Christmas
Movie Meg
2022
Empire of Light
Movie Delia
2022
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
TV show Gundabale Earthauler
2022
The Sandman
TV show Night
2022
The Pentaverate
TV show Mrs Snee
2022
The Man Who Fell to Earth
TV show Portia
2021
National Theatre Live: Trouble in Mind
Movie Wiletta Mayer
2019
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Movie General Parnadee
2019
Get Real Dude
Movie

More credits

2019
The Mallorca Files
TV show Abbey Palmer
2019
The Feed
TV show Sue Cole
2019
Good Omens
TV show God
2018
Care
Movie Nurse Jamaal
2018
A Discovery of Witches
TV show Agatha Wilson
2017
Motherland
TV show Meg
2017
Absentia
TV show Lt. Diane Campbell
2017
Tin Star
TV show Catherine McKenzie
2016
RSC Live: Hamlet
Movie Gertrude
2015
Legacy
Movie Estelle
2013
Dicte
TV show Grace
2012
Playhouse Presents
TV show J-LO (voice)
2011
The Body Farm
TV show Margot
2010
Sherlock
TV show Ella
2007
Lewis
TV show Felicity Prior
2007
Skins
TV show Layla
2006
Rabbit Fever
Movie Kate Hopwell
2005
The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 3: From Sark to the Finish
Movie Guam Ravillion
2005
Archangel
TV show Velma
2004
Sea of Souls
TV show Alisha
2003
Promoted to Glory
Movie Clem
2003
The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 1: The Moab Story
Movie Guam Ravillion
2002
Brook by Brook
Movie Self
1999
Dr Willoughby
TV show Geraldine