As a household name in English film, Holliday Clark Grainger has proven herself as a film and stage actress. She rose to fame for her roles in BAFTA’s award-winning children’s series Roger, Showtime’s series The Borgias and Mike Newell’s Great Expectations. However, she was also prominent for her role in the 2015 film, Cinderella and The Finest Hours in 2016. More recently, she is the star of the cast Animals, a film released in January 2019.
Holliday Grainger biography
Born March 27, 1988 in Didsbury, Manchester, England Holliday Grainger had the misfortune to go through the traumatic experience of separation from her parents. Following the separation, she was raised by her mother, Jan, who was a graphic designer. His work was lucrative enough to raise funds for Holliday’s education and upkeep.
Growing up wasn’t exactly fun, but Holliday was able to enjoy some privileges. Regardless of her mother’s financial situation, she could always take lessons in piano, ballet, gymnastics, and martial arts.
She attended Parrs Wood Secondary School in Didsbury, Manchester between 1999 and 2006. After high school, she studied English Literature at the University of Leeds. Her passion for theater led her to enter the Open University. Grainger graduated with high honors. Complementing her acting skills, she took dance lessons at the Madeley School of Dancing.
All you need to know
She was forced to act when she was 5
Holliday Grainger’s acting career started quite early when she was only 5 years old. She made her debut in the comedy-drama series, All Quiet on the Preston Front. She appeared in four episodes of this series which aired on the BBC in 1994. Grainger went on to play specific roles in Injury, Doctors, Dalziel and Pascoe. Her roles as Sophia in Merlin, Stacey Appleyard in Road to Waterloo, and Megan Boothe in Where’s the Heart, set her apart as an actress to be reckoned with.
Her career exploded again in 2011, when she played Lucrezia Borgia in the television series, The Borgias. The series created by Niel Jordan, an Oscar-winning producer, has shown for just three seasons, with Jeremy Irons playing the role of Pope Alexander VI. The film exposed her to American audiences.
Her role as Emily in The Boy Scouts Book was quickly replaced by a role as Rivers’ sister alongside Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender in Jane Eyre, reprized by Cary Fukunaga in 2011. Alongside Uma Thurman and Robert Pattinson, she had a minor role in Bel Ami
First lead role – The Great Expectations of 2011
Her first starring role came in June 2011, when she played Estella in Mike Newell’s film, Great Expectations. The film also featured the likes of Helena, Bonham Carter and Jeremy Irvine were shown in Canada (at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2012) and the UK (BFI London Film Festival closing film in September 2012).
In 2013, Holliday Grainger was cast in Luke Bailey’s play Dissociation at the Lowry. She also featured in Bonnie and Clyde, a miniseries made in 2013, where she played Bonnie Parker. It was a successful year for her as she was one of the biggest bands in The Riot Club, alongside Max Irons. The film was adapted from the play Posh.
Other major films she has starred in include: Three Sisters (2014), Cinderella (2015) as Anastasia Tremaine, Tulip Fever (2015), Best Hours (2016), and The Strike (2017).
Holliday Grainger dated her share of celebrities
- For someone who grew up in a broken home, Grainera also had its fair share of relationship breakdowns. In 2007, she met Luke Bailey and they dated for years and broke up in 2011. After this episode, she ended up in a relationship with Canadian actor Francois Arnaud soon after. The relationship barely survived a year. She broke up with François and started dating English actor Harry Treadaway. They have been dating ever since.
Net worth and nominations
Having been in the entertainment industry since age 5, Grainger has garnered enough nominations and paychecks to stay relevant. Holliday Grainger is estimated to be around $5 million.
Although she hasn’t won any awards yet, the actress has been nominated four times so far. The first nomination came in 2011 for the Golden Nymph Award in the Best Actress category for Drama Series. The second and third nominations were both submitted in 2013. She was nominated for the Empire Award in the Best Newcomer category and the Satellite Award in the Best Actress category. Then, in 2014, she was nominated Best Actress in a Motion Picture for the Critics’ Choice TV Award.