Ruth Wilson (History 2003), actress

Actress Ruth Wilson has had a meteoric rise to fame since first treading the boards of the New Theatre as a University of Nottingham History student in 2003.  

Widely regarded as one of the UK’s hottest young talents Ruth now has a CV which is the envy of many more established actors.

She cut her teeth on starring roles in several productions while at the University between 2000-03, including Ruffian on the Stair, The Crucible and Dangerous Liasons.

It was these experiences which confirmed her interest in acting. A place at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art followed and auditions for anything and everything.

Ruth only had one professional credit to her name – in C5’s Suburban Shootout – before she was chosen to play the lead role of Jane Eyre in the BBC mini-series adaptation of the Charlotte Bronte novel. Ruth’s peformance earned her four nominations for Best Actress awards in 2007, from the Broadcasting Press Guild, BAFTA television awards, satellite awards and the 2008 Golden Globes. She also came second in a BBC viewers poll for Best Actress of 2006.

She went on to star alongside Dame Maggie Smith and David Walliams in Stephen Poliakoff’s Capturing Mary on television and then appeared in Gorky's Philistines, playing Tanya, at the National Theatre until August 2007 when she learned to play the piano for the role.

In June 2007 Ruth also won a Special Excellence Award in the first ever University of Nottingham Alumni Laureate Awards.

She was presented with her award by the Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Colin Campbell.