Charlotte Riley: ‘The girl in the photo would be thrilled I’m an actor’

The TV star and writer on soundtracked car journeys with her dad, why she took a break from acting, and her husband Tom Hardy’s ‘cracking’ cup of tea

Born in Grindon, County Durham, in 1981, Charlotte Riley is an actor and writer. She studied English at Durham University before training at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (Lamda). Riley first came to prominence with her portrayal of Cathy in Wuthering Heights in 2009, and has since appeared in series such as Peaky Blinders and Press, as well as on stage. In 2017, she founded The WonderWorks, a network of childcare support options for people involved in the TV and film industry. She has two children and a stepson with her husband, the actor Tom Hardy. Riley stars in the BBC’s new series Babies, Trying on Apple TV+ and the forthcoming Tomb Raider Amazon series.

I was always described as cheeky and smiley as a kid, and this photo of me in my dad’s office in Teesside proves exactly that. It was my first time going to work with him, so I wanted to wear a jumper that was just like the one he usually wore. I have vivid memories of the room smelling of drip coffee, and I know that I was happy, even though it was a super boring place to be.