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.
Known For

Hostages
Rochelle
2025

Dune: Prophecy
Anirul (voice) · (3 episodes)
2024

Joy
Muriel
2024

The Change
Joy · (10 episodes)
2023

Silo
Judge Meadows (uncredited) · (2 episodes)
2023

Silo
Judge Meadows · (5 episodes)
2023

Empire of Light
Delia
2022

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Gundabale Earthauler · (3 episodes)
2022

The Pentaverate
Mrs Snee · (6 episodes)
2022

The Man Who Fell to Earth
Portia · (7 episodes)
2022

National Theatre Live: Trouble in Mind
Wiletta Mayer
2021

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
General Parnadee
2019

Get Real Dude
2019

The Mallorca Files
Abbey Palmer · (2 episodes)
2019

The Feed
Sue Cole · (1 episode)
2019

Care
Nurse Jamaal
2018

A Discovery of Witches
Agatha Wilson · (12 episodes)
2018

Motherland
Meg · (11 episodes)
2017

Absentia
Diane Campbell · (6 episodes)
2017

Tin Star
Catherine McKenzie · (2 episodes)
2017

RSC Live: Hamlet
Gertrude
2016

Legacy
Estelle
2015

Dicte
Grace · (8 episodes)
2013

Dicte
Grace Tolou Aboka · (10 episodes)
2013

Sherlock
Ella · (3 episodes)
2010

Skins
Layla · (1 episode)
2007
Rabbit Fever
Kate Hopwell
2006

Archangel
Velma · (3 episodes)
2005

Sea of Souls
Alisha · (2 episodes)
2004

Promoted to Glory
Clem
2003

The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 1: The Moab Story
Guam Ravillion
2003

Dr Willoughby
Geraldine · (6 episodes)
1999

Maisie Raine
Patricia · (1 episode)
1998

A Respectable Trade
Rachel · (4 episodes)
1998

Neverwhere
Hunter · (5 episodes)
1996
The Final Passage
Beverley
1996

Queen's Nose
Adult Sophie · (1 episode)
1995

Prime Suspect
DC Lorna Greaves · (1 episode)
1991
The Girlfriend
Isabella · (0 episode)