Jessica Henwick (born August 30, 1992) is an English actress, writer, and director known for her roles in major film and television productions. She began her career in 2010 and has since gained recognition for her performances in Game of Thrones, Iron Fist, Love and Monsters, Underwater, The Defenders, The Matrix Resurrections, The Gray Man, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, and The Royal Hotel.
Jessica Henwick at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con
Early Career and Theatre Debut
Henwick trained at Redroofs Theatre School and the National Youth Theatre. In June 2009, she was cast in the lead role of Bo in the BBC show Spirit Warriors, making her the first actress of East Asian descent to play the lead role in a British television series. The show was nominated for several awards, including the Broadcast Awards 2011.
In early 2013, Henwick made her professional theatre debut in the international premiere of Running on the Cracks, based on the book by Julia Donaldson. Allan Radcliffe of The Times praised her "excellent" and "understated" performance, while The Guardian noted her "tremendous physical presence."
Television Roles
Later that year, Henwick was cast as Jane Jeong Trenka in the drama Obsession: Dark Desires, which aired January 2014. She also joined the cast of Silk as new barrister pupil Amy. The series brought in an average of 5 million viewers per episode.
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In 2015, Henwick joined the cast of the HBO series Game of Thrones in Season 5 as Nymeria Sand. She continued performing the role until Season 7.
Nymeria Sand in Game of Thrones
Star Wars and Iron Fist
Henwick originally auditioned for the role of Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens before losing out to Daisy Ridley. Nevertheless, she still had a role in the film as the X-wing pilot Jess Pava. In 2017, Henwick appeared as Colleen Wing in the Netflix television series Iron Fist.
Although critical reception of Iron Fist was generally negative, Henwick's performance in the series was well received. She reprised the role for the series The Defenders.
Jessica Henwick Training for Iron Fist / Colleen Wing / Marvel
Martial Arts Training
For the role of Bo in Spirit Warriors, Henwick trained in wushu with martial arts choreographer Jude Poyer. In 2015, for her role as Nymeria Sand in Game of Thrones, the process included six months of training to use a traditional bullwhip. To prepare for her role as Colleen Wing in Iron Fist, Jessica Henwick underwent extensive martial arts training.
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Colleen Wing in Iron Fist
Film Career
In 2018, Henwick was cast in Godzilla vs. Kong. In 2020, Henwick co-starred in the Fox science fiction thriller Underwater, and the films Love and Monsters and Sofia Coppola's On the Rocks. That same year she was listed as one of The Hollywood Reporter's Rising Stars and won the Brit to Watch award at the Newport Beach Film Festival. The following year she starred in The Matrix Resurrections. In 2022, Henwick was in two of the most highly viewed Netflix films of all time: The Gray Man and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
She directed her short film Bus Girl, shot entirely on a smartphone during a break from filming Glass Onion.
Recent and Upcoming Projects
Recent projects include the film The Royal Hotel. Henwick also has several upcoming projects, including a role in Silo Season 3 and the Netflix limited series Vladimir.
Awards and Recognition
Jessica Henwick has received several awards and nominations throughout her career, including the Brit to Watch award at the Newport Beach Film Festival in 2020. Her short film "Bus Girl" was nominated for a British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) in 2022.
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Awards and Nominations:
| Award | Year | Work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newport Beach Film Festival | 2020 | N/A | Brit to Watch | Won |
| British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) | 2022 | Bus Girl | British Short Film | Nominated |