Six British Redheads to Watch (If You’re Not Watching Them Already)
There is something about a British accent that is compelling to the American audience. It makes the viewer sit up a little straighter and pay attention. It helps, of course, if the voice is that of a redhead. Below is a list of six female British redhead performers to watch (if you’re not watching them already).
Rebecca Mader
This Cambridge-born actress is best known for playing Charlotte Lewis on Lost and Zelena/The Wicked Witch of the West on Once Upon a Time. Known to her fans as Bex, she earned acclaim from both the audience and the critics for playing the latter role of Zelena. Mader has two children, both of whom have red hair.
Charlotte Spencer
The in-joke among US-based fans of British dramas is that the best way to introduce English actors to viewers across the pond is via a period drama. In 2020, Spencer played the smart-mouthed Esther Denham in the television adaption of the Jane Austen novel Sanditon. As a fan of this genre, I loved the costumes that were chosen for the character. If I were to curate a Regency-era clothing line for redheads, those pieces would be the first to be chosen.
Karliene
This Celtic singer/songwriter has exploded on the internet in the last few years. Using traditional Celtic music, her music tells the story of historical figures and beloved characters from our favorite television shows. Her voice is light, ethereal, and is the perfect vehicle to tell the stories of her subjects. One of Karliene’s more recent releases is a Broadway musical-esque album about Anne Bonny, the famous (or infamous, based on one’s perspective) redhead female pirate from the 18th century.
Rose Leslie
At the age of 35, Leslie has an acting career that many in the business can only dream of. Coming out of the gate in iconic roles in Downton Abbey and Game of Thrones, her CV is quite impressive for a little more than a decade of work. Her most recent television work was playing an American in The Good Fight. In 2018, she married her GOT co-star/on-screen love interest, Kit Harrington and gave birth to her son last year.
Karen Gillan
Ask most actors about their career and they will probably tell you that they did not become performers to play one type of character. Though Scottish actress Karen Gillan has played well-known roles in the Doctor Who, the Jumanji reboots, and the Avengers franchise, she has proven that her talent goes well beyond big-budget action/science-fiction fare.
Erin Kellyman
Kellyman, with her curly hair and freckles, has broken out of the gate as the complicated villain Karli Morgenthau in the DisneyPlus/Marvel series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Of Irish and Jamaican descent, she is proof that redheads can be found all over the world. With about a dozen credits to her name, this young actress has already made a name for herself and shows the promise of a long career ahead of her.
