View text source at Wikipedia


Lorraine Stanley

Lorraine Stanley
Stanley in 2021
Born
Lorraine Marie Stanley

(1976-06-28) 28 June 1976 (age 48)
EducationArts Educational Schools
Years active1999–present
PartnerMark Perez (2014–present)
Children1

Lorraine Marie Stanley (born 28 June 1976) is an English actress, known for playing Kelly in the 2006 film London to Brighton and Karen Taylor in the BBC soap opera EastEnders (2017–2024).

Early life

[edit]

Lorraine Marie Stanley was born on 28 June 1976 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, the daughter of June (née Almy), and David Stanley.[1] She was brought up in Portsmouth by her parents, who divorced when she was ten years old.[2] She has Scottish and Polish ancestry from her father and mother respectively.[1] She then trained at London's Arts Educational Schools.[3]

Career

[edit]

Stanley's made her acting debut in 2000, when she appeared in the crime drama film Gangster No. 1 in a minor role as the attacker's friend. She also appeared in episodes of The Bill and London's Burning.[4]

In 2006, Stanley took the lead role in the neo-noir crime film London to Brighton. She portrayed Kelly, a prostitute who is coerced into procuring an 11-year-old girl for a paedophile.[1]

In 2014, Stanley was cast to play the role of Simone in Spencer Hawken's 2016 film No Reasons.[5]

EastEnders

[edit]

In 2004, Stanley appeared as a young Mo Harris in the EastEnders spin off Pat and Mo which aired in April 2004 and revealed what caused the feud between Mo and sister-in-law Pat Butcher, who was played by Emma Cooke.[6]

In 2016, Stanley appeared in EastEnders as Thelma Bragg, the mother of Linzi Bragg who enters an illegal relationship with Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick). She appeared in eight episodes.[7][8]

A year later, Stanley returned to EastEnders, this time on a permanent basis portraying Karen Taylor, the head of the newly introduced Taylor family, who arrived in June 2017.[9] In July 2023, it was announced that Stanley had been "written out" of the show after six years, and Stanley's final scenes aired on 8 December 2023 though she later returned for a one-off appearance on 25 December.[10] On 24 January 2024 it was confirmed she would return to the series in February less than 3 months since her departure.

Personal life

[edit]

Stanley and her partner Mark Perez have been together since 2014, and have a daughter, named Nancy, born in 2015.[11]

Filmography

[edit]
Film
Year Title Role Notes
2000 Gangster No. 1 Attacker's Friend
2001 Royalty Kelly Short film
2006 London to Brighton Kelly Lead role
Nominated—2006 London Film Critics Circle Award for British Actress of the Year[12]
2008 Eden Lake Nat
Cass Linda
2009 Three Moments in Heaven Woman Short film
In Passing Maureen Short film
2010 Rough Cut Prison councillor Short film
Dead Cert Chelle
Made in Dagenham Monica
2011 Big Fat Gypsy Gangster Flossy Straight-to-DVD film
2012 The Devil's Dosh Gertrude Short film
2013 The Gift Cyclist Short film
2014 He Who Dares Marie
Top Dog Julie
The Hooligan Factory Sharon
The Guvnors Cheryl
The Hooligan Wars Cookie
Essex Boys Retribution Regina
2015 Riot Drake's mother
Suffragette Mrs. Coleman
Legend Blind Beggar Barmaid
2016 Wee King of Nowhere Mum Short film
100 Streets Tina
The Receptionist Helen
No Reasons Simone
2018 Trigger Finger! Tanya Short film
2019 Break Clause Christy
Television
Year Title Role Notes
2001 The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Maid Television film
The Bill Michelle Piper Episode: "Happy and Glorious"
Anybody's Nightmare Prison Officer 2, Holloway Television film
2002 London's Burning Fran Season 14, Episode 8
2003 Rehab Sonya Television film
2004 EastEnders: Pat and Mo Young Mo Harris TV special
EastEnders spin-off
Making Waves Wessex Sailor Season 1, Episode 1
2007 Casualty Linda Grogan Episode: "No Return"
A Class Apart Mandy Television film
The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle Unnamed Season 1, Episode 4
The Inspector Lynley Mysteries Maggie Episode: "Know Thine Enemy"
2008 Trial & Retribution Sarah Randal 2 episodes
He Kills Coppers Stan's wife Television film
Waking the Dead Susan Carlyle 2 episodes
The Bill Kim Yates Episode: "Lifesaver"
2010 Casualty Izzy McQueen Episode: "Last Roll of the Dice"
Law & Order: UK Julie Reid Episode: "Broken"
2011 Coming Up Mary Episode: "Home"
2012 Call the Midwife Pearl Winston Season 1, Episode 1
Casualty Janel Abel Episode: "The Blame Game"
2013 Way to Go Betty with Dog Episode: "The Bitter End"
Mayday Angie TV mini-series; 3 episodes
The Tunnel Dean Atkinson's mother Season 1, Episode 6
2014 Doctors Liz McWhinnie 3 episodes
Chasing Shadows Kay Amos TV mini-series; 2 episodes
Babylon Sandy Season 1, Episode 3
2015 Holby City Casey Williams Episode: "Infallible"
Cradle to Grave Jean Season 1, Episode 6
2016 EastEnders Thelma Bragg 8 episodes
2017–2024 EastEnders Karen Taylor Series regular
2018 British Soap Award for Best Newcomer[13]
2019 Inside Soap Award for Funniest Female[14]
2020 Inside Soap Award for Funniest Performance[15]
Shortlisted—2018 Inside Soap Award for Funniest Female[16]
Shortlisted—2019 British Soap Award for Best Actress[17]
Shortlisted—2019 TV Choice Award for Best Soap Actress[18]
Longlisted—2019 Inside Soap Award for Best Actress[19]
2020 EastEnders: Secrets from the Square Herself Episodes: "Tiffany, Keegan and Karen" and "Karen, Chantelle and Gray"

Theatre

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1999 Widowers' Houses National Theatre, UK tour
2004 To Kill A Mockingbird Scout Mercury Theatre, Colchester
2008 Days of Significance Tricycle Theatre
The Frontline Val Shakespeare's Globe
Mine Shared Experience
2014 Wildefire Gail Wilde Hampstead Theatre

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Wilson, Sophie (22 April 2007). "Tipped for the top". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 9 June 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2008.
  2. ^ "2007's next big things". The Independent. 30 December 2006. Retrieved 29 May 2009.
  3. ^ "Former South Downs College student joins Eastenders cast". Havant & South Downs College | HSDC. 1 July 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Gangster No. 1". TV Guide. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  5. ^ Russell, Rickey (5 February 2014). "Cast Announced For No Reasons". Movie Pilot. Movie Pilot. Archived from the original on 29 March 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ^ "EastEnders' Lorraine Stanley is unrecognisable as Big Mo in flashback episode from 17 years ago". MyLondon. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Former EastEnders star Amy-Leigh Hickman would be up for Linzi Bragg return". Digital Spy. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  8. ^ "9 EastEnders stars who played more than one role in the soap". Digital Spy. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  9. ^ "EastEnders: Meet the Taylors, the new 'not-to-be-messed-with' family". BBC News. 12 May 2017. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  10. ^ Knight, Lewis (29 July 2023). "EastEnders star Lorraine Stanley to be written out of Karen Taylor role". Radio Times. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  11. ^ Knox, Miranda (14 March 2018). "EastEnders Karen Taylor actress Lorraine Stanley: BBC star's real life uncovered, from family and former fame". Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  12. ^ "London critics give seven nominations to The Queen". ScreenDaily.com.
  13. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (2 June 2018). "British Soap Awards 2018 winners: Find out which of your favourite shows and stars won a trophy". Digital Spy. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  14. ^ Lee, Jess (7 October 2019). "Hollyoaks achieves a historic win at the Inside Soap Awards 2019". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  15. ^ "EastEnders wins big at Inside Soap Awards". BBC News. 24 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  16. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (15 October 2018). "Coronation Street tops Inside Soap Awards 2018 shortlist with 18 nominations". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  17. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (30 April 2019). "British Soap Awards 2019 shortlist revealed as EastEnders and Hollyoaks top the nominations". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  18. ^ "2019 Winners". TV Choice. Archived from the original on 10 September 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  19. ^ Harp, Justin (1 July 2019). "Inside Soap Awards 2019 longlist revealed – which Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks stars are up?". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
[edit]