Claire Foy

Claire Foy
6.1
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Name:
Claire Foy
Real name:
Claire Elizabeth Foy
Who is:
Birth date:
(41 y.o.)
Place of birth:
Stockport, Greater Manchester, England
Height:
5'4 ft ()
Weight:
110 lb (50 kg)
Relationship:
single
Birth Sign:
(characteristic)
Chinese zodiac:
Links:

Photos: Claire Foy

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Biography of Claire Foy

Claire Foy is a British actress who shot to fame through her starring role in "The Crown" and acclaimed performances in films like "Season of the Witch", "Breathe", and "Unsane".
Actress Claire Foy
Actress Claire Foy

Childhood and Youth

Claire Elizabeth Foy was born on April 16, 1984, in Stockport, England, just outside Manchester. Claire is the youngest of three children born to David Foy, a Rank Xerox salesman, and Caroline, a pharmacist from a "large Irish family". The actress's older brother is named Robert, and her older sister is Gemma.

Claire's parents divorced when she was 8 years old. According to Foy, she remembers little about this period - she handled the divorce relatively easily, unlike Robert and Gemma. The children stayed with their mother; the family first moved to Manchester, then to Leeds. Their father continued to see the children and maintained a good relationship with their mother.

Claire showed creative potential at an early age. She loved putting on plays, dancing, and playing piano for anyone willing to watch her perform. She especially enjoyed "singing and impersonating animals." At the time, Foy hadn't even considered an acting career.
Claire showed creative potential at an early age
Claire showed creative potential at an early age
Everything changed when Claire was 13 and diagnosed with juvenile arthritis, forcing her to significantly cut back on physical activity. She spent hours in front of the TV, and after watching yet another cinematic classic, the idea of acting struck her.

At 17, Claire faced health problems again. Doctors discovered a tumor in her right eye, but fortunately it was benign. After surgery, her right eye looked slightly different from her left.

Money was tight in the family, so from age 14, Claire balanced her studies at Aylesbury High School for Girls with part-time work at a local pub. This continued until she enrolled at Liverpool John Moores University (after an unsuccessful attempt at journalism), where Foy studied drama and film theory before her teachers convinced her to focus on acting.
In 2007, Claire began working on her acting career
In 2007, Claire began working on her acting career
After graduation, Foy pursued a one-year acting course at the Oxford School of Drama. After completing her postgraduate studies in 2007, Claire moved to London, where she moved in with five friends from drama school and began pursuing her acting career. To make ends meet, she worked in a call center and sold magazines near metro stations.

Acting Career

Claire's acting career began in 2008 when she appeared on screen for the first time in a role as a werewolf's ex-fiancé in an episode of the fantasy series "Being Human," which centered around three neighbors: a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost. She was lucky - she landed this role without an agent, which she didn't have at the time. Looking back, Claire admitted that she considered this role terrible, but it was like a rite of passage that every actor goes through.
Claire first appeared on screen in 2008
Claire first appeared on screen in 2008
Next, she appeared in two major theater productions directed by Paul Miller at the Royal National Theater in London. That same year, Foy landed the lead role in the BBC mini-series "Little Dorrit" based on Charles Dickens' novel. This role earned her a nomination for the RTS (Royal Television Society) award.

In 2010, Claire appeared in the TV movie "Pulse" and Dominic Sena's American adventure film "Season of the Witch", starring Nicolas Cage. Released in 2011, the film was universally panned by critics.
Claire Foy in the movie "Season of the Witch"
Claire Foy in the movie "Season of the Witch"
Claire then had the opportunity to work with Benedict Cumberbatch on the British romantic drama "Wreckers," and she was also cast in one of the main roles in the dramatic series "Upstairs Downstairs," which was a continuation of the British series of the same name from the 1970s.
Claire Foy with Benedict Cumberbatch in the movie "Wreckers"
Claire Foy with Benedict Cumberbatch in the movie "Wreckers"
Between 2012 and 2014, Foy appeared in "White Heat," following seven London students from 1965 to the present, and the American spy series "Crossbones" with John Malkovich and Richard Coyle, the teen fantasy "Vampire Academy," and Jon Stewart's prison drama "Rosewater."
Claire played one of the leading roles in the drama series "Upstairs Downstairs"
Claire played one of the leading roles in the drama series "Upstairs Downstairs"
In 2015, Claire took on the role of Anne Boleyn, future mother of Queen Elizabeth I, in the six-part series "Wolf Hall." Critics almost universally praised the series, particularly praising the precise and convincing performances of Mark Rylance (as Henry VIII's advisor and Boleyn's husband, Thomas Cromwell) and Claire Foy. Critics compared Foy to legendary Genevieve Bujold, who played Boleyn in 1969's "Anne of the Thousand Days." For this role, Foy was nominated for a BAFTA award.
For her role in Wolf Hall, Foy was nominated for a BAFTA award
For her role in Wolf Hall, Foy was nominated for a BAFTA award
In 2016, Foy landed another historical role, cast as young Queen Elizabeth II in the biographical drama series "The Crown", which has won numerous awards. The Duke of Edinburgh, Philip, the queen's husband, was played by Matt Smith (subsequently replaced by Tobias Menzies). Notably, Victoria Hamilton, who played Elizabeth's mother, is only 13 years older than Foy. Claire was replaced by British actress Olivia Colman in seasons 3 and 4 of the series.
Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II (right)
Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II (right)
The role in the series about the life of the royal family earned Claire a "Golden Globe", two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and seven nominations for other prestigious awards. The role wasn't without controversy, as Matt Smith earned more than Foy, partly due to his "Doctor Who" fame. Gender equality advocates quickly launched a petition, prompting Smith to donate the pay difference to the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund.
The Crown's Claire Foy (Full Interview)
In 2017, Claire starred in the lead role in Andy Serkis's romantic film "Breathe" alongside Andrew Garfield, who played adventurer Robin Cavendish, paralyzed by polio.

Steven Soderbergh's 2018 American thriller "Unsane" starred Claire Foy as Sawyer Valentini, who finds herself trapped in a psychiatric institution where she must confront her inner demons. The film also stars Matt Damon and Juno Temple.
Matt Smith & Claire Foy Play 'Who Am I?' - Vogue Challenges
Foy also starred in the adaptation of David Lagercrantz's detective novel "The Girl in the Spider's Web," taking on the iconic role of hacker Lisbeth Salander. Previous actresses to play this character include Noomi Rapace, Tehilla Blad, and Rooney Mara. The film was directed by Uruguayan director Fede Álvarez.
Claire Foy became the new Lisbeth Salander
Claire Foy became the new Lisbeth Salander
In November 2018, Claire appeared in Damien Chazelle's biographical drama "First Man," chronicling legendary astronaut Neil Armstrong's story (portrayed by Ryan Gosling) and NASA's historic mission to land a man on the moon. Foy played Armstrong's first wife.

Personal Life of Claire Foy

Claire Foy met English actor Stephen Campbell Moore, seven years her senior, on the set of "Season of the Witch" in 2011. The couple hit it off, marrying in December 2014. Soon after, Foy became pregnant but continued working on "Wolf Hall." Just four months after the birth of their daughter, Ivy Rose, the actress returned to work.
Claire Foy and Stephen Campbell Moore
Claire Foy and Stephen Campbell Moore
At the end of 2017, Claire Foy's husband underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor. A few months later, the actors announced their separation. The couple revealed they had actually separated long before making the announcement public. After their divorce, Claire and Stephen remained good friends.
Claire Foy split up with her husband at the end of 2017
Claire Foy split up with her husband at the end of 2017

Claire Foy Now

In 2021, the biographical drama "The Electrical Life of Louis Wain" hit theaters, telling the largely tragic story of the famous artist. Foy played Wain's wife, Emily Richardson, and the artist himself was portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch. "Emily was a breath of fresh air for me — I really enjoyed playing a character who wasn't weighed down by trauma and struggles," Foy said.
Benedict Cumberbatch And Claire Foy Talk 'The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain'
That same year, the miniseries "A Very British Scandal" premiered, with Claire landing the leading role of the Duchess of Argyll. "Margaret seemed complicated to me, and I disagreed with and condemned many of her actions. I must say, I learned a lesson here: don't judge the characters you play, it's important to focus on conveying the essence of their nature..." the actress said about her character.
Claire Foy, Paul Bettany On The True Story Behind 'A Very British Scandal'
Foy also took on the main female role in the drama "My Son" with James McAvoy, and alongside Rooney Mara, she shone in the Oscar-winning drama "Women Talking".
A shot from the movie 'Women Talking'
A shot from the movie 'Women Talking'