Siobhan Hewlett (Wikipedia)
Siobhan Hewlett is an Irish film, television, radio and theatre actress. She is also a producer, poet and artist. Siobhán and her film director brother, Patrick, started the production company Rabbit in the Moon productions in early 2015.
Hewlett is to start shooting the leading role of journalist Faith Harrington in The Show, a feature film created by comic book writer Alan Moore. Hewlett is also producing and starring in a feature length adaptation of short story, The Thing About Cassandra by Neil Gaiman.
Hewlett, alongside family friend Benedict Cumberbatch was chosen to represent The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity as one of their ambassadors in 2017.
Hewlett was born in London and grew up between the west coast of Ireland and Whitstable in Kent. Her father was the comedy sitcom actor Donald Hewlett, known for his roles in It Ain’t Half Hot Mum and You Rang, M’Lord?. Her mother is the actress Therese McMurray. Hewlett attended Wellesley House School, Downe House School and The King’s School, Canterbury on art scholarships. Whilst at The King’s School, Canterbury, she was spotted in a production by the theatrical agent Lorraine Hamilton and subsequently studied acting at Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London, graduating in 2003.
Hewlett’s grandmother was the last Captain of The Bluebells, a high-kicking dance troupe who performed around Europe and South America in the 1920s and ’30s, working with Mistinguett, Josephine Baker and Jacques Tati. Siobhan’s grandfather was a renowned vaudeville knockabout comic. Her maternal grandparents were variety artists represented by Lew Grade who met whilst performing for the judges and diplomats at the Nuremberg War Trials. Her great-grandmother was the world-famous contortionist Cochranes “Eve”.
Whilst still at drama school at 19, Hewlett was chosen by French film director Antoine de Caunes to play the leading role in Monsieur N, a role that required she learnt French.
She starred at the Donmar Warehouse opposite Simon Russell Beale in Christopher Hampton‘s play The Philanthropist to critical acclaim. “The luscious and accomplished Araminta was played by the luscious and accomplished Siobhan Hewlett, whose electrifying stage presence would have stolen any other show.” -The independent “And can there have been a funnier seduction scene when Siobhan Hewlett, who gives the vamp the perfect amount of boisterous blankness, ruffles Simon Russell Beale’s hair.”- The Times
Hewlett starred in the British comedy series Fortysomething opposite Hugh Laurie and Benedict Cumberbatch for ITV.
Hewlett played the leading role in Irina Palm, the indie hit at the Berlin international Film Festival, opposite Marianne Faithfull and Kevin Bishop.
In 2012, Hewlett started working with comic book writer Alan Moore and photographer/director Mitch Jenkins on a series of films “Showpieces”. The first starred her solely in the role of “Faith,” a journalist from Northampton. “Showpieces” is part of a vast new occult noir fiction called The Show. The first part of the story is told through three episodic short films – ‘Show Pieces’. Show Pieces’ are the first films by Alan Moore written specifically for the screen. The development of the short films led to the creation of a book featuring the full colour storyboards, the original screenplays and additional background material written by Alan Moore about the universe of The Show. Set in the town of Northampton, UK, Show Pieces is an occult noir thriller starring Hewlett, Darrell D’Silva and Andrew Buckley. Alan Moore also appears playing a small but important part in the story. Hewlett worked as executive producer on “Showpieces”.
Hewlett is a singer, published artist and poet. Her first exhibition was at The Osborne Studio Gallery, Belgravia, London in 2008.
Hewlett’s theatre credits include Kitty in Etta Jenks and the Finborough Theatre with Chris O’Dowd, Daniela Nardini and Clarke Peters, directed by Che Walker; Ginny in Relatively Speaking with Peter Bowles; The Waltz of the Toreadors at Chichester Festival Theatredirected by Angus Jackson; and Donny’s Brain by Rona Munro at Hampstead Theatre opposite Ryan Early.