Ella Summer Purnell (born 17 September 1996) is an English actress best known for her roles as Jackie in the Showtime drama series Yellowjackets, Jinx in the Netflix animated television series Arcane, and Gwyn in the Paramount+/Nickelodeon animated series Star Trek: Prodigy. She is also known for her roles in the films Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016), Churchill (2017), and Army of the Dead (2021).
Ella Purnell | |
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![]() Purnell in 2017 | |
Born | Ella Summer Purnell (1996-09-17) 17 September 1996 (age 26) Whitechapel, London, England |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 2009-present |
Ella Summer Purnell[1] was born in the Whitechapel area of East London on 17 September 1996 and raised in Bethnal Green.[2] She attended Bethnal Green Montessori, Forest School, the City of London School for Girls, and the Young Actors Theatre Islington.[3] She also attended weekly classes at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, studying acting, singing, and dance, and was represented by their in-house talent agency.
In 2008, Purnell beat hundreds of other girls for a role in Oliver! at London's Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.[4] Towards the end of her time in Oliver!, she won the role of Young Ruth in Mark Romanek's Never Let Me Go – a feature film based on the book by Kazuo Ishiguro.[5] It was released in 2010 to positive reviews. She was then cast as Kayleigh in Gustavo Ron's Ways to Live Forever, adapted from the book by Sally Nicholls,[6] and as Mia in the Juan Carlos Fresnadillo film Intruders.[7] Purnell was named by Screen International as one of 10 UK Stars of Tomorrow.[8] She also appeared in the BBC HD Film Short Candy in June 2011.
In 2013, Purnell appeared in the feature film Kick-Ass 2 as the character Dolce. She also appeared as a main character in the independent film, WildLike, and as a teenage version of the character Maleficent in Disney's 2014 film Maleficent. In 2016, Purnell starred in Tim Burton's adaptation of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, based on the novel of the same name, by Ransom Riggs.[9] In 2017, she played Mia in Access All Areas.[10] Later that year, Purnell appeared in the historical drama film Churchill, playing Winston Churchill's secretary Helen Garrett.[11]
In 2018, Purnell appeared as Hester Argyll in the BBC mini-series Ordeal By Innocence, based on the Agatha Christie book of the same name.[12] Later that year, Purnell starred in the leading role of the Starz show Sweetbitter, based on Stephanie Danler's novel of the same name.[13] She played Tess, a naive 22-year-old who moves to New York City to pursue a new life, and gets caught up in the world of fine dining.[14] It was announced in December 2019 that Starz had cancelled the series.[15] In 2020, Purnell played Lady Maria Grey in Julian Fellowes's period drama Belgravia, co-produced by ITV and Epix.[16] In 2021, she began starring as Jackie in the Showtime drama series Yellowjackets.[17] Later that year she voiced Gwyn in the animated series Star Trek: Prodigy and Jinx in the Netflix animated Arcane (TV series).
As of 2019, Purnell resides in Los Angeles, California. [18]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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2010 | Never Let Me Go | Young Ruth | |
Ways to Live Forever | Kayleigh | ||
2011 | Candy | Candy | Short film |
Intruders | Mia | ||
2013 | Kick-Ass 2 | Dolce | |
2014 | Wildlike | MacKenzie | |
Maleficent | Teen Maleficent | ||
2016 | The Journey is the Destination | Amy | |
The Legend of Tarzan | Young Jane Porter | Uncredited | |
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children | Emma Bloom | ||
2017 | Churchill | Helen Garrett | |
Access All Areas | Mia | ||
2018 | UFO | Natalie | |
2021 | Army of the Dead | Kate Ward |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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2015 | Cyberbully | Megan | Television film |
2018 | Ordeal by Innocence | Hester Argyll | Miniseries, 3 episodes |
2018–2019 | Sweetbitter | Tess | Main role, 14 episodes |
2020 | Belgravia | Lady Maria Grey | Miniseries, 6 episodes |
2021–present | Star Trek: Prodigy | Gwyn | Voice role Main role, 10 episodes |
2021-present | Yellowjackets | Jackie | Main role, 10 episodes |
2021-present | Arcane | Jinx | Voice role Main role, 9 episodes |
2022 | Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas | Kate Ward | Voice role, upcoming series |
TBA | Fallout | Main role, upcoming series |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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2017 | Natives | A | Southwark Playhouse |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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2022 | Star Trek Prodigy: Supernova | Gwyn | Voice role |
Year | Work | Organizations | Category | Result |
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2015 | WildLike | Los Angeles Independent Film Festival | Best Actress | Won |
Hill Country Film Festival | Best Actress | Nominated | ||
Gasparilla International Film Festival | Best Female Performance | Won | ||
Naperville Independent Film Festival | Best Actress | Nominated | ||
Twister Alley International Film Festival | Best Actress – Feature Film | Won | ||
Myrtle Beach International Film Festival | Best Actress | Won | ||
Richmond International Film Festival | Best Actress | Won | ||
2021 | Arcane | Annie Awards | Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production | Won |
Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production | |
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General | |
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National libraries |