CAST

SHIRLEY HENDERSON as Alice (Marie Antoinette, Harry Potter)

Shirley Henderson grew up in Fife in Scotland and studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.  After graduating she embarked upon a stage career that included spells at the National Theatre under the direction of Peter Hall, the Royal Court, the Traverse, Hampstead, the Citizens, and most recently in Anna Weiss at the Whitehall Theatre under the direction of Michael Attenborough.  

Her first on-screen role saw her playing opposite Robert Carlyle in the popular TV series Hamish Macbeth which led to roles in Rob Roy and Trainspotting.  In 1999 Michael Winterbottom cast Henderson in his film Wonderland.  This sparked an ongoing relationship which continued with her performances in The Claim, 24 Hour Party People and A Cock and Bull Story.

Following her role in Mike Leigh’s Topsy Turvy, Henderson attracted the first of many award nominations and wins.  These include a Scottish BAFTA for the highly acclaimed Frozen for which she also won Best Actress at the Cherbourg-Octeville Film Festival (she is the only actress to have won this award twice – the second time for BAFTA nominated American Cousins), a British Independent Film Award nomination for Frank van Passel’s Villa des Roses and the Best Actress Award at the Bordeaux Film Festival in 2003 for the quirky black comedy Wilbur (Wants to Kill Himself).  She received a London Film Critics nomination for her role alongside Colin Farrell in the Irish hit InterMission, and in May 2003 Shirley was voted Best Actress in the Bowmore/Scottish Screen/Sunday Times film awards (the Scottish ‘Oscars’).  

Henderson appeared as Bridget’s chardonnay-swilling sidekick, Jude, in Bridget Jones’ Diary and The Edge of Reason.  She also starred in acclaimed director Shane Meadows’ spaghetti western, Once Upon a Time in the Midlands which was screened in the Director’s Fortnight section of Cannes.  More recently she starred in Marie Antoinette directed by Sofia Coppola for Columbia Picturesand continues to appear in the Harry Potter films as the tragic Moaning Myrtle. 

Television work for Henderson includes the lavish BBC production Charles II: The Power and the Passion, The Taming of the Shrew, The Way We Live Now, Dirty Filthy Love, and an episode of Dr Who for the BBC.  She has just completed filming Wedding Belles for Channel 4, written by Irvine Welsh and directed by Phil John.

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