Vanessa Kirby
Birthdate: Apr 18, 1988
Birthplace: London, England, UK
Vanessa Kirby (birthname: Vanessa Nuala Kirby) is perhaps best known for her expressive portrayal of Princess Margaret in Peter Morgan’s series for Netflix, The Crown (2016-2018), and she has been nominated for the Best Actress Oscar for her lead performance in director Kornél Mundruczó’s Pieces of a Woman (2020), co-starring Shia LaBeouf, Molly Parker, Sarah Snook, Benny Safdie, and Ellen Burstyn.
After an early phase to a serious acting career alternating between quality television drama (including a 2011 miniseries version of Great Expectations) and a range of distinguished theater performances (including Shakespeare, Ibsen, and Miller productions at the Octagon Theatre, multiple productions at the Royal National Theatre, the Young Vic, and the Royal Court Theatre), Kirby gradually gained more work in movies, starting notably with writer-director John Boorman’s Queen and Country, his sequel to 1987’s Hope and Glory, and co-starring Callum Turner, David Thewlis, and Richard E. Grant, and premiering at the Cannes Film Festival’s Directors Fortnight.
After supporting roles in the sci-fi box-office disaster, Jupiter Ascending (2015), and in writer-director Graham Henman’s indie British film, Bone in the Throat (2015), with Tom Wilkinson and Rupert Graves, Vanessa Kirby was cast in her first Hollywood studio movie, the adventure Everest (2015), directed by Baltasar Kormákur and starring Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Robin Wright, Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley, and Emily Watson, and grossing $203 million worldwide.
Kirby portrayed Zelda Fitzgerald in the poorly received John Logan-written drama about editor Maxwell Perkins and author Thomas Wolfe, Genius (2016), starring Colin Firth, Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Laura Linney, Guy Pearce, and Dominic West, followed by a leap into genre movies with the little-seen British sci-fi thriller, Kill Command (2016) and a supporting role in the well-received Jojo Moyes romantic drama, Me Before You (2016), starring Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin, Janet McTeer, and Charles Dance, earning ten times expenses with a global take of $208 million.
Vanessa Kirby’s movie profile expanded considerably with her appearance as Alann/White Widow in writer-director Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible—Fallout (2018), starring Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Sean Harris, Anglea Bassett, Michelle Monaghan, and Alec Baldwin, grossing $791 million worldwide. Kirby revived her role in the double-movie sequel to Fallout, Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning (2023 and 2024), both also written and directed by McQuarrie.
Kirby’s work with European directors continued with Agnieszka Holland in Poland/Ukraine/U.K.-produced true-life thriller, Mr. Jones (2019), with James Norton and Peter Sarsgaard. Kirby jumped into Hollywood blockbuster moviemaking with the top female role in Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019), co-starring Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Idris Elba, Cliff Curtis, and Helen Mirren, scoring a strong global box office take of $760 million.
Kirby came off of this hit with her prestigious triumph in Pieces of a Woman, followed by a stunning performance in director Mona Fastvold’s expressive American period drama, The World to Come (2020), based on Jim Shepard’s novel and starring Katherine Waterston, Christopher Abbott, and Casey Affleck, winning the Queer Lion at the Venice Film Festival.
Vanessa Kirby had reached star status by the time she performed in writer-director Adam Leon’s intimate independent film, Italian Studies (2021), premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival. Kirby joined the ensemble of Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Zen McGrath, and Anthony Hopkins for writer-director Florian Zeller’s screen version of his 2018 play, The Son (2022), premiering at the Venice Film Festival.
In one of her biggest serious roles to date, Kirby was cast as Josephine (replacing Jodie Comer) in Ridley Scott’s production for Apple Studios of Napoleon (date to be announced), starring Joaquin Phoenix and Tahar Rahim. Kirby was a lead in writer-director Brady Corbet’s biopic on architect Laszlo Toth, The Brutalist (date to be announced), co-starring Joel Edgerton, Sebastian Stan, Mark Rylance, Marion Cottilard, Alessandro Nivola, Stacy Martin, and Isaach de Bankolé.
Personal Details
Vanessa Kirby was born and raised in the Wimbledon community of greater London by parents Roger (urologist) and Jane Kirby (Country Living magazine editor). Kirby’s brother is Joe and her sister is Juliet. Kirby graduated from the girls’ school, Lady Eleanor Holles School, but her application to study acting at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School was rejected.
After a year of traveling, Kirby studied English at the University of Exeter. She was accepted to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art but didn’t attend when she landed an agent and contracted for three starring roles at the Octagon Theatre Bolton. She was in a relationship with actor Callum Turner from 2015 to 2019. Kirby’s height is 5’ 7”.
Filmography
actor
Upcoming (1)
- 2025 | Mission: Impossible – The Final ReckoningasThe White Widow
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
The 8th entry in the long running Mission Impossible franchise.
Previous (8)
- 2023 |
- 2023 | Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part OneasThe White Widow
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Ethan Hunt and his IMF team must track down a dangerous weapon before it falls into the wrong hands.
- 2023 |
- 2022 | Italian StudiesasAlina Reynolds
Italian Studies
A writer loses her memory. Adrift in NYC, she connects with a group of teenagers - in conversations both real and imagined - and searches for a way home.
- 2021 | The World to ComeasTallie
The World to Come
Somewhere along the mid-19th century American East Coast frontier, two neighboring couples battle hardship and isolation, witnessed by a splendid yet testing landscape, challenging them both physically and psychologically.
- 2019 | Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & ShawasHattie
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
Lawman Luke Hobbs and outcast Deckard Shaw form an unlikely alliance when a cyber-genetically enhanced villain threatens the future of humanity.
- 2018 | Mission: Impossible – FalloutasThe White Widow
Mission: Impossible – Fallout
Ethan Hunt and his IMF team, along with some familiar allies, race against time after a mission gone wrong.
- 2013 | About TimeasJoanna
About Time
At the age of 21, Tim discovers he can travel in time and change what happens and has happened in his own life. His decision to make his world a better place by getting a girlfriend turns out not to be as easy as you might think.
Some Facts About Vanessa Kirby
Wimbledon Life: Vanessa Kirby grew up adjacent to the famed Wimbledon tennis complex.
Bullying Victim: Kirby suffered from frequent bullying attacks during her school years.
Acting Evolution: Vanessa Kirby has commented that while she began her career as purely a stage actor, she has changed her perspective to appreciate the skill and craft involved in acting for the camera.
AKA: Kirby’s nickname is “Noola Noo.”
