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Rochelle Neil

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Rochelle Neil
Born
Rochelle Neil
OccupationActress
Years active2006–present
Television
Spouse
Jesper Borulf
​
(m. 2012)​
Children1

Rochelle Neil is an English television and stage actress. She began her career in theatre. On television, she is known for her roles in the Sky One drama Das Boot (2020), the HBO series The Nevers (2021–2023), and the ITV miniseries Three Little Birds (2023).

Early life

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Neil was born in the East London Borough of Waltham Forest. She is of Jamaican and Grenadian descent.[1] Neil began attending the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts when she was 13.[2]

Career

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Neil made her professional stage debut in Fantastic Mr Fox at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in 2007.[3] She played Mayme in Lynn Nottage's Evening Standard Theatre Award-nominated Intimate Apparel at the Park Theatre.[4] To prepare for the latter role, Neil learned ragtime piano.[5] She appeared in two Triforce Film Festival short films: Gracie with Kate Dickie and Could You Be My Match.[6]

Neil played Adina in the television film adaptation of Zadie Smith's NW and had a recurring role as Jessica in the fifth series of the BBC Two and Showtime sitcom Episodes.[7] In 2018, Neil was invited to take part in the BAFTA Newcomers Program in Los Angeles.[8] While in Los Angeles, Neil performed the voice and motion capture of Faye in the EA video game Anthem.[9]

In 2020, Neil joined the cast of the German Sky One war series Das Boot for its second season as Cassandra Lloyd, a Harlem jazz singer.[10][11] As announced in 2019,[12] Neil played Annie Carbey, a criminal with the ability to control fire, in the 2021 HBO science fiction drama series The Nevers.[13][14] After being pulled from HBO Max, the latter half of The Nevers episodes were released on Tubi in 2023. Also in 2021, Neil played Yvonne in the second series of the BBC Scotland thriller Guilt.[15]

Neil starred as the lead character Leah Whittaker in Lenny Henry's 2023 miniseries Three Little Birds for ITVX, inspired by his mother's story of arriving in Britain from Jamaica in the 1950s.[16] To prepare for the role, Neil read her own Jamaican grandmother's memoir.[17] She described the role as "a gift for an actor" due to the characters development,[18] but told The Independent that the role took an emotional toll, saying "When we finished filming, I stayed in Coventry for an extra week because I just couldn’t stop crying" but that she saw it as a quintessentially "British story, because everyone’s lives changed. Everyone was exposed to new music, new culture… The UK as we know it now would not be the same country if it wasn’t for the immigration that has happened. It’s everyone’s story."[19]

Personal life

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Neil is based between Stockholm and London and is married with a daughter.[20][21]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2004 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban School Girl Uncredited
2012 Love & War Woman Short film
Café Short film
2014 The Guvnors Steph
2015 Could You Be My Match Jada Short film
Gracie Younger Gracie Short film
2016 The Hand of The Creator Zoe
2018 Nika Sarah Short film
2019 Terminator: Dark Fate C-5 CO-Pilot

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2006 Genie in the House Dancer Episode: "Do You Want to Dance?"
2010 Law & Order: UK Sally-Anne Hope Episode: "Skeletons"
2013, 2015 Doctors Kelly Abraham / Laura Garson 2 episodes
2015 Death in Paradise Shelly Kennedy Episode: "The Perfect Murder"
2016 NW Adina Television film
2017 Episodes Jessica 4 episodes (series 5)
Hailmakers Celeste Pilot
2018 Free Rein: The Twelve Neighs of Christmas Gigi Christmas special
2020 Das Boot Cassandra Lloyd Main role; season 2 (7 episodes)
2021–2023 The Nevers Annie Carbey Main role
2021 Guilt Yvonne 4 episodes (series 2)
2023 Three Little Birds Leah Whittaker Miniseries

Video games

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Stage

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Year Title Role Notes
2007 Fantastic Mr Fox Mrs Weasel Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London
2009 Chicago Go-to-Hell-Kitty New Theatre Oxford
2011–2012 Ghost Ensemble Piccadilly Theatre, London
2013 Soul Sister Tina Turner (understudy) Hackney Empire / Savoy Theatre, London
2014 Intimate Apparel Mayme Ustinov Studio, Bath / Park Theatre, London

References

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  1. ^ "'Three Little Birds' interview: Rochelle Neil plays Leah in '50s Windrush drama". British Period Dramas. 22 October 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  2. ^ Snow, Georgia (21 June 2014). "Rochelle Neil: actor". The Stage. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Rochelle Neil - Our Heritage". Open Air Theatre. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Park Theatre". Park Theatre. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  5. ^ Coveney, Michael (10 July 2014). "Intimate Apparel (Park Theatre)". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  6. ^ "Actress Rochelle Neil Turning Heads Everywhere She Goes". Vintage Media Group. 12 December 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Rochelle Neil". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  8. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (24 July 2018). "Coming To America: BAFTA LA Expands Newcomers Program To International Talent & Biz". Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  9. ^ Green, Jake (2019-03-01). "Anthem Voice Actors - Here's the Voice Cast For Anthem". USgamer. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  10. ^ Pickard, Michael (22 April 2020). "Back in deep water". Drama Quarterly. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  11. ^ "Sky Studios to fund and distribute future seasons of award-winning Sky Original Das Boot". Sky. 5 December 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  12. ^ Petski, Denise (30 July 2019). "'The Nevers': Joss Whedon's HBO Sci-Fi Drama Series Adds 12 To Cast". Deadline. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  13. ^ Donahue, Ann (11 April 2021). "'The Nevers': Fire Eating, Androgyny, and Jack the Ripper — Just Normal Prep for an HBO Role". IndieWire. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  14. ^ Radish, Christina (16 May 2021). "'The Nevers' Stars Nick Frost, Rochelle Neil and Vinnie Heaven on Characters You Don't Want to Mess With". Collider. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  15. ^ "Guilt - Interview with Rochelle Neil (Yvonne)". Memorable TV. 12 October 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  16. ^ "Rochelle Neil, Yazmin Belo and Saffron Coomber announced as the leads of ITV's Three Little Birds". Banijay UK. 18 November 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  17. ^ Olivia Emily (21 October 2023). "'There Was A Lot Of Joy On Set': Rochelle Neil On Three Little Birds – Interview". Country & Town House. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  18. ^ Jones, Brian (February 6, 2024). "'The Nevers' Star Rochelle Neil on Playing a 'Fighter' in New Series 'Three Little Birds' (Exclusive)". Pop Culture. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  19. ^ Vassell, Nicole (22 October 2023). "Lenny Henry and the cast of Three Little Birds on their powerful Windrush drama: 'Our long existence here isn't a fairytale'". The Independent. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  20. ^ Poole, Cameron (24 April 2024). "Three Little Birds - Rochelle Neil, Yazmin Belo, Saffron Coomber". 1883 Magazine. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  21. ^ Gonzalez, Elliot (22 October 2023). "I TALK TO Rochelle Neil". I Talk Telly. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
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