Ruby Barker

Ruby Barker (born 23 December 1996) is a British actress. She is best known for playing Marina in the Netflix period drama Bridgerton (2020–2022). In 2020, she was awarded Best Actress at the British Urban Film Festival for her starring role in the film How to Stop a Recurring Dream.

Ruby Barker
Born (1996-12-23) 23 December 1996
Islington, London, England
OccupationActress
Years active2015–present

Early life

Barker was born in Islington to parents from Ireland and Montserrat. She joined her sister Laura in the foster care system just after she was born, and the two were adopted. Barker spent her early childhood in London and Winchester before growing up in Glasgow until her teen years.[1] While living in Glasgow, she took weekend classes at the Elizabeth Murray School of Dance. Her earliest acting experience was in an RBS advertisement.[2]

Her parents eventually separated, and Barker moved to Church Fenton, a village in the Selby District of Yorkshire, with her mother and stepmother. She attended Tadcaster Grammar School nearby.[3][4] She planned to study International Relations at the London School of Economics after taking a gap year, but decided to pursue Drama instead. She worked at the National Railway Museum in York while participating in local theatre productions.[5]

Career

Barker played Mercy and Titivillus in the 2015 National Centre for Early Music production of Mankind.[6] She was discovered by Royal Shakespeare Company director Phillip Breen, who cast her as Mary in the 2016 York Mystery Plays and helped her get signed with an agency.[7][8][9] Barker then began to appear on television, landing a recurring role as Daisie in the fifth series of the CBBC teen fantasy series Wolfblood. In 2018, Barker starred as Private Sarah Findlay in the play Of Close Quarters at Sheffield Theatres.[10]

In 2020, Barker began playing Marina in the Shondaland-produced Netflix period drama Bridgerton. She made her feature film debut in the thriller film How to Stop a Recurring Dream.[11][12] For her performance, she was awarded Best Actress at the British Urban Film Festival. In 2022, Barker made her London stage debut in Running with Lions at the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith.[13] She has an upcoming role in the horror film Baghead.[14]

Personal life

Barker disclosed that she had been hospitalised in 2022 for mental health reasons, stating that she was "really unwell for a really long time" and she has "all this intergenerational trauma bundled up inside" her.[15] She revealed she was recovering, and was discharged from the hospital by 30 May 2022.[16][17] She also encouraged her supporters to seek out professional help if they are struggling.[18] She revealed in January 2023 that her father had died.[19]

Acting credits

Film
YearTitleRoleNotes Ref.
2020 How To Stop A Recurring Dream Yakira
TBA Baghead Upcoming

Television
YearTitleRoleNotes Ref.
2017 Wolfblood Daisie 6 Episodes
2017, 2019 Doctors Nina Hobbs / Shelley Williams 2 episodes
2020 Cobra Georgia Nixon 1 episode
2020–2022 Bridgerton Marina Thompson Main role (season 1)
Guest role (season 2)		 [20][21]

Audio
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2021–2022 The Princess Bride Buttercup BBC Radio 4, two-part radio play [22]

Theatre
YearTitleRoleNotes Ref.
2015 Mankind Mercy / Titivillus National Centre for Early Music, York
2016 York Mystery Plays Mary York Minster, York
2018 Of Close Quarters Private Sarah Findlay Sheffield Theatres, Sheffield
2022 Running With Lions Imani Lyric Theatre, London

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2020 British Urban Film Festival Best Actress How To Stop A Recurring Dream Won [23]
2021 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Bridgerton Nominated [24]

References
  1. King, Akili (26 February 2021). "How Bridgerton's Ruby Barker Keeps Her Curls Healthy and Bouncy". Vogue. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  2. "From the York Mystery Plays to a starring role on the BBC: What Ruby did next…". YorkMix. 11 December 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  3. Laycock, Mike (23 December 2015). "Meet York's newly appointed Mary and Joseph..." York Press. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  4. "Film: Bridgerton star Ruby Barker swaps lace-up corsets for leggings in her new film How To Stop A Recurring Dream". Herald Scotland. 9 March 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  5. Barzey, Whelan (11 March 2021). "TBB talks to… Break out star of Bridgerton Ruby Barker about new film How to Stop a Recurring Dream". The British Blacklist. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  6. "Mankind - York 2015". Hidden Theatre. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  7. Hickling, Alfred. "York Mystery Plays review – an epic medieval disaster movie". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  8. "Cast list, 2016 Production". York Mystery Plays. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  9. Nat O'Leary (2 February 2021). "Ruby Barker on how Bridgerton has changed her life". PLT: Behind Closed Doors (Podcast). Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  10. Wild, Steph (24 September 2018). "Full Cast Announced For Sheffield Theatres And Out Of Joint's Co-Production Of CLOSE QUARTERS". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  11. Clarke, Cath (9 March 2021). "How to Stop a Recurring Dream review – Ruby Barker lends class to kidnap thriller". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  12. Webb, Beth (11 March 2021). "'Bridgerton' star Ruby Barker on her buzzy new kidnap thriller". NME. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  13. Wild, Stephi (20 December 2021). "Ruby Barker Will Lead RUNNING WITH LIONS at The Lyric; Full Casting Announced". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  14. D'Alessandro, Anthony (28 June 2021). "'Bridgerton' Actress Ruby Barker Joins Studiocanal & Picture Company's Horror Thriller 'Baghead'". Deadline. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  15. Glenn, Garner (26 May 2022). "Bridgerton's Ruby Barker Reveals Hospitalization for Mental Health: 'I've Been Really Unwell'". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  16. Owoseje, Toyin (27 May 2022). "'Bridgerton' star Ruby Barker says she's hospitalized due to mental health problems". CNN. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  17. Cagnassola, Mary Ellen (30 May 2022). "Bridgerton's Ruby Barker Grateful for Support After Mental Health Treatment: 'I Feel Less Alone'". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  18. White, Abbey (28 May 2022). "'Bridgerton' Star Ruby Barker Opens Up About Mental Health Hospitalization". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  19. Geller, Wendy (11 January 2023). "'Bridgerton' Star Ruby Barker Reveals Her Father Has Died: 'This World Is Less Lighter Without You'". People. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  20. Allen, Ben. "When is Bridgerton released on Netflix? What's it about?". RadioTimes. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  21. "One To Watch: Ruby Barker & Miika Bryce Whiskeyjack". ET Canada. Archived from the original on 16 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  22. "The Princess Bride is getting a radio adaptation for Christmas". CultBox. 26 November 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  23. Heath, Paul (8 February 2021). "Drama 'How Stop A Recurring Dream' set for a release in March – the film is the directorial debut by Ed Morris". The Hollywood News. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  24. "The 27th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards | Screen Actors Guild Awards". www.sagawards.org. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
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