Pippa Nixon

Pippa Nixon (born 1980) is an English actress.

She trained at Manchester School of Theatre.

Nixon has had numerous roles in film and television as well as recording drama for BBC Radio, but she is best known for her critically acclaimed theatre work.

During her early successful stage career, she took on a mixture of roles in both contemporary and classical writing.

In 2007, Nixon was cast by director Maria Aberg for the Royal Shakespeare Company in Roy Williams’ Days of Significance which played at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon before moving to the Tricycle Theatre in London.

The production was based on Much Ado About Nothing and was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Following the success of Days of Significance, Nixon worked at Shakespeare's Globe in London, where she was commended in the prestigious Ian Charleson Awards for her portrayal of Jessica in The Merchant of Venice.

A year later, in 2008, Nixon was cast in Jonathan Munby's Midsummer Night’s Dream, in which she played Hermia, and in the same year, she was also re-united with Roy Williams on his new play Joe Guy at the Soho Theatre.

In mid-2009, Nixon worked with Brooke Kinsella in S-27, and following that, in 2010, with her very moving performance as Bea in the Soho Theatre production of the same title.

Bea was written for her by the passionate and innovative director and playwright Mick Gordon after seeing her performance in S-27 the year before.

When Nixon left Manchester School of Theatre, she walked into two series of 24Seven for Granada Television playing Jax Duffy, and following its huge success in the UK, it sold to America and was aired on the Nickelodeon channel.

She has also appeared in other major TV series such as Holby City, The Bill and Law and Order.

In 2011, after stints at Shakespeare's Globe where she was commended in the Ian Charleson Awards for her portrayal of Jessica in The Merchant of Venice, Nixon moved to the Royal Shakespeare Company to take on a number of lead roles.

In 2011, Nixon played Dorathea in Shakespeare's supposed lost play Cardenio (directed by RSC Artistic Director Gregory Doran).

Charles Spencer commented in The Telegraph that "Lucy Briggs-Owen and Pippa Nixon give sharply defined neatly contrasting performances as the betrayed girls."

In the same season Nixon played the prostitute, Shave'em, in Philip Massanger's city comedy The City Madam, also at the Swan theatre.

It was her portrayal of Titania in Nancy Meckler's A Midsummer Night’s Dream that drew critical attention.

The production was Nixon's first in the larger Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Charles Spencer writing in The Telegraph gave the production five stars commenting that "there’s a strong sexual spark between Jo Stone-Fewings and Pippa Nixon, respectively doubling as Theseus and Oberon and Hippolyta and Titania."

Pat Ashworth in The Stage also commented on the chemistry between Nixon and Stone-Fewings noting that "Jo Stone-Fewings and Pippa Nixon are beautifully paired as Theseus/Oberon and Hippolyta/Titania."

Simon Tavener in What’sOnStage.com commented that "Pippa Nixon makes a strong impression as Titania".

In 2012, Nixon starred as the Lightmaster in John Carter (directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton).

In 2012, Nixon worked again with Maria Aberg in a production of Shakespeare's King John, where she played a female bastard alongside Alex Waldmann's King John.

At the end of 2013, Lyn Gardner writing in The Guardian asked 'could your Shakespearean performance of the year be Pippa Nixon's deliciously giddy Rosalind in As You Like It at the RSC?'

In 2013, Nixon was cast in the role of Lizzie Eustace in the BBC radio adaptation of The Eustace Diamonds.

Also in 2013, she played Julia alongside Christopher Eccleston's Winston in the BBC 4 Drama Nineteen Eighty-Four as part of the BBC Radio 4 Real George Orwell Season.

Orlando was played by Luke Norris who had played Olivier in the 2013 RSC stage version.

In July 2014, Nixon finished working on a film called Containment, and also played the leading role of Amy in that same year's film Panic (directed by Sean Spencer).

On 13 October 2014, Nixon appeared as Daphne Young in the ITV series Grantchester.

She played Elizabeth Bennett in a BBC Radio 4 drama of Pride and Prejudice alongside Jamie Parker, Toby Jones, David Troughton, and Samantha Spiro, which was broadcast in early 2014.

Currently she is appearing as Celestine de Tullio in the BBC Radio drama, Tommies.

Nixon has played the role of DC Karen Willetts in the ITV drama, Unforgotten, since 2015, and Alice Gove in the TV series Cuffs.

In 2015, Nixon reprised her role as Rosalind in BBC Radio 3's new production of Shakespeare's As You Like It.

Later in 2015, Nixon played Lotty in the BBC Radio 4 drama The Enchanted April.

At the Royal Shakespeare Company, Nixon played a number of leading roles.

The three-year residency with the world-renowned Royal Shakespeare Company received with wide-ranging critical acclaim.

In February 2016, Nixon starred in the episode “Saints and Sinners” in the long-running TV drama Midsomer Murders.

In April 2016, Nixon starred in the Shakespeare Live event, which was screened on BBC 2 to celebrate Shakespeare 400.

Here Nixon was reunited with her As You Like It co-star, Alex Waldmann and together they performed a scene from that famous play.

In November 2017, Nixon portrayed Alice Taylor in the episode “Blade on the Feather” in the medical comedy-drama television series Doc Martin.