Annabelle Wallis, born on September 5, 1984, in Oxford, England, is a celebrated English actress known for her performances across television and film.
Raised in Cascais, Portugal, after her family relocated when she was just 18 months old, Wallis grew up immersed in a multicultural environment, attending Saint Dominic’s International School.
Coming from a family with deep ties to the entertainment industry, Wallis was destined for the spotlight.
Her maternal great-uncle was the renowned Irish actor Richard Harris, and her first cousins once removed include actors Jared Harris, Jamie Harris, and director Damian Harris.
On her father’s side, she is a descendant of English singer Marie Lloyd, further embedding her in a legacy of performance.
Siblings
Annabelle has one sibling, an older brother named Francis Wallis.
Francis has carved his own path in the creative industry as a director, known for his work on fashion films, music videos, and high-profile commercials.
His portfolio includes collaborations with notable figures such as fashion designer Michael Kors and singers Pixie Lott and Birdy, showcasing his versatility and artistic vision.
Projects like BMW Sky-Arts, BMW Skylounge, and The North Face: Built for the Trail highlight his ability to blend storytelling with visual flair.
Career
Wallis’s acting career began modestly in Portugal, where she appeared in short films and advertisements.
At 19, she moved to London to pursue her dream, enrolling in drama school and securing an agent.
Her big-screen debut came in 2005 with the Bollywood film Dil Jo Bhi Kahey, where she played Sophie Besson alongside Amitabh Bachchan.
That same year, she made her television debut in the ITV series Jericho, portraying Lizzie Way.
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Her breakthrough arrived in 2009 when she landed the role of Jane Seymour in Showtime’s historical drama The Tudors, a performance that showcased her ability to embody complex characters.
Wallis’s career gained further momentum with her portrayal of Grace Burgess, an Irish barmaid and undercover agent, in the BBC’s critically acclaimed Peaky Blinders from 2013 to 2019.
Wallis transitioned seamlessly into Hollywood, starring as Mia Form in the 2014 horror film Annabelle, part of The Conjuring universe, and reprising the role in Annabelle: Creation in 2017.
She further solidified her blockbuster credentials with the role of Jenny Halsey in 2017’s The Mummy opposite Tom Cruise.
Other notable films include X-Men: First Class (2011), King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017), Tag (2018), The Silencing (2020), Silent Night (2021), and Malignant (2021), where she played Madison Mitchell in James Wan’s giallo-inspired horror.
On television, she portrayed Laurie Luhn in Showtime’s The Loudest Voice (2019), earning acclaim for her heartfelt depiction of a sexual assault survivor.
Wallis also lent her voice to Zora in Star Trek: Short Treks (2018) and appeared in Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond (2014).
Her recent projects include the 2024 Netflix film Vanished into the Night and the upcoming sci-fi thriller Mercy with Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson.
Accolades
In 2015, Wallis was nominated for an MTV Movie & TV Award for Best Scared-As-S**t Performance for her role in Annabelle, a testament to her ability to convey raw emotion in the horror genre.
Critics have consistently praised her work, particularly in Peaky Blinders, where her portrayal of Grace Burgess was lauded for its strength and complexity, with reviewers noting her ability to hold her own in a male-dominated narrative.
Her performance in The Loudest Voice was described as “heartbreakingly powerful” by the Chicago Sun-Times, highlighting her capacity to tackle challenging roles with depth.
Wallis’s contribution to The Tudors and her work in Malignant have also earned her admiration for bringing authenticity and nuance to diverse characters.
Beyond acting, Wallis has been recognized for her advocacy, including her support for Save the Children, UNICEF’s U.n.I project, and Women for Women International.
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