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 Jane Horrocks
One of Britain's most acclaimed actresses, Jane's best known for roles in the films Little Voice and Life Is Sweet, and her portrayal of eccentric secretary Bubble in sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. She's also appeared in several TV dramas, including Linda Green, The Street, and the forthcoming The Amazing Mrs Pritchard.
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Jane stars in the first episode of Jimmy McGovern's 2006 drama The Street. She plays Angela Quinn, a mother of three whose 15-year marriage to builder Arthur (Daniel Ryan) is growing stale. Angela tries to spice up her life with an affair, but it ultimately turns her world upside down.
Also in 2006, Jane takes on the title role in The Amazing Mrs Pritchard, the story of a local supermarket manager who enters politics.
It's not the first time she's been associated with supermarkets on screen. For ten years, she appeared alongside Prunella Scales in a series of commercials for a leading UK supermarket.
Jane made an early name for herself in the acclaimed Mike Leigh film Life Is Sweet, which also starred The Street's Timothy Spall.
But it was her portrayal of kooky secretary Bubble in the hit sitcom Absolutely Fabulous that earned her national fame. She later took a dual role in the show, adding the character Katy Grin, complete with fake bosom, to her repertoire.
Jane's other TV credits include Never Mind The Horrocks, a one-off comedy showcasing her versatility, the drama Linda Green with Liza Tarbuck, and the Robbie the Reindeer animations Hooves of Fire and Legend of the Lost Tribe, for which she voiced Robbie's secret admirer Donner.
Her voiceover talents have also been used on the big screen, with credits including Chicken Run* and The Corpse Bride*.
She was nominated for a BAFTA for her performance in the film Little Voice. Jane starred as shy recluse LV, whose talent for singing is discovered by a washed up talent scout played by Michael Caine. It remains one of her favourite roles: "It encapsulated all I can do best. It was a perfect job in that respect."
Jane originally took the role of LV on stage, in The Rise & Fall Of Little Voice. It was directed by her then boyfriend Sam Mendes at the Aldwych Theatre* in the early 1990s. The part was specially written for her by Jim Cartwright. It was semi-biographical as the young Jane, also a shy child, entertained her peers by belting out the songs of Cilla Black, Shirley Bassey, Judy Garland and Billie Holliday*.
Her other stage roles include Stephen Poliakoff's Sweet Panic in 2003. She played the neurotic mother of a disturbed child, locked in a battle of wills with her son's psychologist.
Jane appeared in a 2006 edition of Who Do You Think You Are?, the series where famous people research their family trees.
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Jane trained at RADA, before attending the Royal Shakespeare Company.
She vetoed any nudity in her sex scenes for The Street. Jane famously appeared naked and smeared in chocolate in the film Life Is Sweet, but says her days of stripping off are long behind her.
In 2000 she released the album Further Adventures Of Little Voice, again singing in the style of her diva heroes. The album also contained duets with Ewan McGregor*, Robbie Williams* and Dean Martin (using an archive vocal from the late singer).
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| Personal Details |
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Jane was born in the Rossendale Valley area of Lancashire, UK, on 18th January 1964.
Her partner is writer Nick Vivian*, whose credits include Hunting Venus, in which Jane starred. The couple have two children, Dylan and Molly.
* The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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