Tanya Moodie

Born

April 16, 1972 (53 years old)

Known For

Acting

Place of Birth

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Tanya Moodie is a Canadian actress and producer, best known for her work on Motherland, The Clinic, and her many stage credits, which include productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Court Theatre, the National Theatre and the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord.

Tanya Moodie was born on 16 April 1972 in Ottawa, Canada, to Jamaican parents. She moved to England at the age of 17, when she was offered a place at RADA, where she was later employed as an associate teacher and council member.

Moodie's first television role was in the comedy So Haunt Me in 1994, followed by a starring role as Hunter in Neil Gaiman's 1996 fantasy mini-series Neverwhere (1996). She featured in guest roles in various series in the 2000s, and in 2008–9 had a regular role in Irish medical drama The Clinic. She also played the role of John Watson's therapist Ella Thompson in Sherlock.

In 2016 she played Gertrude in Simon Godwin's production of Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

From 2019, Moodie starred as Meg in the BBC comedy series Motherland. In a 2021 interview with the Huffington Post, Moody shared that she was proud of the feedback she had received about her character's cancer storyline: "There’s been people who have written me very personal messages saying that they’re going through [cancer] right now or their parents are, and they say we’ve really shown what it’s like. I’m really happy that that’s happened – I didn’t expect it to. I didn’t finish filming and say ‘I really feel like I’ve nailed what it’s like to go through this journey’, because it’s so subjective and unique to people."

In 2020, Moodie starred in the third series of Tin Star as Catherine Mckenzie. The series was created by Rowan Joffé.

In April 2022, Moodie featured as Regina in series 1 episode 4 of Ten Percent. Moodie appeared in Sam Mendes' film Empire of Light, released in the US in December 2022, and the UK in January 2023. Moodie appears alongside Olivia Colman, Colin Firth and Micheal Ward. Also in December 2022, Moodie reprised her role as Meg in the Christmas special of Motherland, titled "Last Christmas". The episode garnered wholly positive reviews from critics.

In March 2023, Moodie appeared as Serena in two episodes of the Cash Carraway-created Rain Dogs.

Hostages

Hostages

Rochelle

5.5

2025

Dune: Prophecy

Dune: Prophecy

Anirul (voice) · (3 episodes)

7.5

2024

Joy

Joy

Muriel

6.9

2024

The Change

The Change

Joy · (10 episodes)

7.2

2023

Silo

Silo

Judge Meadows (uncredited) · (2 episodes)

8.2

2023

Silo

Silo

Judge Meadows · (5 episodes)

8.2

2023

Empire of Light

Empire of Light

Delia

6.6

2022

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Gundabale Earthauler · (3 episodes)

7.3

2022

The Pentaverate

The Pentaverate

Mrs Snee · (6 episodes)

5.9

2022

The Man Who Fell to Earth

The Man Who Fell to Earth

Portia · (7 episodes)

7.4

2022

National Theatre Live: Trouble in Mind

National Theatre Live: Trouble in Mind

Wiletta Mayer

0.0

2021

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

General Parnadee

6.3

2019

Get Real Dude

Get Real Dude

0.0

2019

The Mallorca Files

The Mallorca Files

Abbey Palmer · (2 episodes)

6.7

2019

The Feed

The Feed

Sue Cole · (1 episode)

6.9

2019

Care

Care

Nurse Jamaal

6.6

2018

A Discovery of Witches

A Discovery of Witches

Agatha Wilson · (12 episodes)

7.8

2018

Motherland

Motherland

Meg · (11 episodes)

7.1

2017

Absentia

Absentia

Diane Campbell · (6 episodes)

7.3

2017

Tin Star

Tin Star

Catherine McKenzie · (2 episodes)

6.6

2017

RSC Live: Hamlet

RSC Live: Hamlet

Gertrude

8.3

2016

Legacy

Legacy

Estelle

4.5

2015

Dicte

Dicte

Grace · (8 episodes)

7.1

2013

Dicte

Dicte

Grace Tolou Aboka · (10 episodes)

7.1

2013

Sherlock

Sherlock

Ella · (3 episodes)

8.5

2010

Skins

Skins

Layla · (1 episode)

8.1

2007

Rabbit Fever

Kate Hopwell

5.8

2006

Archangel

Archangel

Velma · (3 episodes)

6.2

2005

Sea of Souls

Sea of Souls

Alisha · (2 episodes)

7.6

2004

Promoted to Glory

Promoted to Glory

Clem

0.0

2003

The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 1: The Moab Story

The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 1: The Moab Story

Guam Ravillion

5.2

2003

Dr Willoughby

Dr Willoughby

Geraldine · (6 episodes)

0.0

1999

Maisie Raine

Maisie Raine

Patricia · (1 episode)

0.0

1998

A Respectable Trade

A Respectable Trade

Rachel · (4 episodes)

6.0

1998

Neverwhere

Neverwhere

Hunter · (5 episodes)

6.7

1996

The Final Passage

Beverley

0.0

1996

Queen's Nose

Queen's Nose

Adult Sophie · (1 episode)

7.0

1995

Prime Suspect

Prime Suspect

DC Lorna Greaves · (1 episode)

7.8

1991

The Girlfriend

Isabella · (0 episode)

0.0