Michelle Duncan

Michelle Duncan
Michelle Duncan in 2019 (Photo by Ruth Crafer)
Born
Michelle Duncan

(1978-04-14) 14 April 1978 (age 46)
Alma materQueen Margaret University
St Andrews University
Occupation
  • Actress
Years active1997–present

Michelle Duncan (born 14 April 1978) is a Scottish-Canadian actress, known for Driving Lessons (2006), Atonement (2007) and The Broken (2008). She portrayed Shelley Stern in the biographical drama film Bohemian Rhapsody (2018).

Early life

The Perth-born Duncan studied and trained in acting at Queen Margaret University School of Drama before studying English and classics at St. Andrews University.

Career

Duncan's television roles include Sugar Rush, Doctor Who,[1] Low Winter Sun, and Lost in Austen. She played Princess Diana in a TV film, Whatever Love Means, opposite Olivia Poulet as Camilla Parker Bowles and Laurence Fox as Prince Charles.[2][3]

Her film work includes Atonement, The Broken, and as Rupert Grint's love interest[4] in Driving Lessons with Julie Walters. Duncan's role in Atonement was particularly praised by The New Yorker theatre critic Anthony Lane:[5] Duncan's stage work includes Time and the Conways (Bath Theatre Royal/ touring), A Midsummer Night's Dream [6] and The Burning at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Further television work includes New Tricks[7][8] and Call the Midwife.[9] Duncan lent her voice to an adaptation of The Little Mermaid[10] by Hans Christian Andersen at Little Angel Puppet Theatre in 2006 alongside Dame Judi Dench, Sir Michael Gambon, Rory Kinnear, Claudie Blakley, Rosamund Pike, Claire Rushbrook and Peter Wight.

In 2003, Duncan spent a season with Theatre Alba, appearing in the company's productions of The Burning and The Enchauntit Gairden.[11]

In 2007 she was cast as Portia [12] in The Merchant of Venice at Shakespeare's Globe, but was unable to continue after the previews and was replaced by Kirsty Besterman. In 2012 Duncan appeared alongside Amanda Hale in Scrubber,[13] a film written and directed by Romola Garai. In 2013, Duncan appeared in the third series of the BBC TV drama Luther[14] and Case Histories.[15] In 2014, she appeared in the ITV drama Grantchester.

In 2015, she starred alongside Ruth Negga, Douglas Henshall and Tom Brooke in Scott Graham's[16] film Iona.[17] The closing gala film of the Edinburgh Film Festival.[18] She took the role of Bea[19] (originally performed by Helen Baxendale) in Deborah Bruce's play The Distance, directed by Charlotte Gwinner, for Sheffield and the Orange Tree Theatres.[20][21]

In 2017, she starred opposite Jamie Robson in Oscar nominated director Charlotte Wells' short film Blue Christmas. Then in the following year she played Shelley Stern in the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody.

In 2022, Duncan was cast in Star Wars: Andor where she plays the role of Roboda Beehaz. In the same year, Duncan starred opposite Dougray Scott in the short film Slay and Prepare the Animal for Meat, directed by Oisin Kearney and written by Ciara Elizabeth Smyth. She also played the role of Caroline Dupayne opposite Bertie Carvel in Dalgliesh Series 2: The Murder Room.

In 2023, Viaplay announced that Duncan had been cast in the Rebus reboot series based on the crime novels of author Ian Rankin.[22]

Theatre

Year Title Role Company Theatre Director Notes
2003 The Burning The Girl Theatre Alba Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh Charles Nowosielski play by Stewart Conn
2003 The Enchauntit Gairden Princess Honeysuckle Theatre Alba Duddingston Kirk Gardens, Edinburgh Charles Nowosielski play by Charles Mackenzie

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1997 Waterloo Short film
2006 Driving Lessons Bryony
Sucking Is a Fine Quality in Women and Vacuum Cleaners The Wife Short film
Chôshû Faibu Emily
2007 Atonement Fiona Maguire
2008 The Broken Kate Coleman
2012 Scrubber Neighbour Short film
2015 Iona Elizabeth
2017 Blue Christmas Lily Short film
2018 Bohemian Rhapsody Shelley Stern

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Are You Afraid of the Dark? Andrea Episode: "The Tale of the Time Trap"
2005 Sea of Souls Claire Morrison 2 episodes
Sugar Rush Miss Forbes
Whatever Love Means Princess Diana TV movie
2006 Doctor Who Lady Isobel Episode: "Tooth and Claw"
Low Winter Sun Det Con Louise Cullen TV movie
2008 Lost in Austen Charlotte Lucas 2 episodes
2012 New Tricks Georgia Wright Episode: "The Girl Who Lived"
2013 Case Histories Rachel Stewart Episode: "Nobody's Darling"
Luther Kiera Mills
Call the Midwife Jeanette Heckford
2014 Grantchester Annabel Morrison
2019-21 Hanna False Marissa 2 episodes
2019 Elizabeth is Missing Mrs Palmer TV movie
2021 Baptiste Sally
2022 Andor Roboda Beehaz Episode: "The Eye"
2023 Dalgliesh Episode: "The Murder Room" Caroline Dupayne

Awards and nominations

Year Nominated work Award Category Result Ref.
2005 Sea of Souls BAFTA Scotland Best First-Time Performance Nominated
2008 Atonement Gold Derby Awards Best Ensemble Cast Nominated

References

  1. ^ "Dr Who".
  2. ^ "Exclisive: Charles' Love secrets on TV". Daily Mirror. 23 August 2005.
  3. ^ "Affairs to Remember". 19 November 2005.
  4. ^ "Rupert Grint Archives".
  5. ^ "Conflicting Stories". The New Yorker.
  6. ^ "A Midsummer Night's Dream review at Duddingston Kirk Manse".
  7. ^ "New Tricks".
  8. ^ BBC. "Call the Midwife series 3 episode 8". Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  9. ^ "Call the Midwife".
  10. ^ "The Little Mermaid review at Little Angel London".
  11. ^ The Burning / The Enchauntit Gairden, Theatre Alba production programme, August 2023
  12. ^ "Portia played by Michelle Duncan".
  13. ^ "Scrubber". Archived from the original on 12 December 2021.
  14. ^ "Luther".
  15. ^ "Case Histories".
  16. ^ "Scott Graham". IMDb.
  17. ^ "Iona".
  18. ^ "EIFF Announces the World Premiere of Iona as 2015 Closing Night Gala".
  19. ^ "Cast announced for The Distance". 17 September 2015.
  20. ^ "The Distance review at Sheffield's Crucible Lyceum Studio – 'intelligent and wickedly comic'".
  21. ^ "The Distance". 9 December 2015.
  22. ^ Scotland, Screen (2 May 2023). "Filming commences in Scotland for new TV drama Rebus". Screen Scotland. Retrieved 31 May 2023.