Claire Louise Rushbrook (born 25 August 1971) is an English actress. Her films include Secrets & Lies (1996) and Ali & Ava (2021). On television, she is known for her roles in the BBC One series The Sins (2000), Carrie & Barry (2004–2005) and Sherwood (2022–), the ITV series Whitechapel (2009–2013) and Home Fires (2015–2016), the E4 series My Mad Fat Diary (2013–2015), and the Disney+ series Rivals (2024–).
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Early life
Claire Louise Rushbrook was born on 25 August 1971 in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. She attended Fearnhill School, in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, until 1989, before joining Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance, for three years, to study for a BA Hons degree in Theatre Art.
Career
Rushbrook worked mainly in theatre for around five years before moving into film and television. She guest starred in the episodes "The Impossible Planet" and "The Satan Pit" in Doctor Who and had supporting roles in films Secrets & Lies and Spice World. Her Doctor Who guest star status earned her a position in a Doctor Who celebrity edition of The Weakest Link, but ended up being the fourth one voted off. She also appeared in the 2008 BBC comedy drama Mutual Friends, and the 2009 ITV1 dramas Whitechapel, and Collision, both alongside Phil Davis.
Rushbrook's theatre credits include West End productions of Three Sisters as Olga, and Festen as Helene. Other stage roles include Mary Warren in The Crucible (Sheffield Crucible theatre), Sonia in Uncle Vanya (Almeida Theatre), Mum in Market Boy (National Theatre), and Maggie in Middle (National Theatre).
Her films include Mike Leigh's Secrets & Lies (1996), and Carine Adler's Under the Skin (1997) with Samantha Morton. On television, she has starred in The Sins (2000), Linda Green (2001–02), the sitcom Carrie & Barry (2004–05).
From 2013 to 2015, she played Linda Earl-Bouchtat, Rae's Mum, in the television series My Mad Fat Diary, for which she received a 2014 nomination for BAFTA Best Supporting Actress.
In 2016, she appeared in Home Fires (2015–16), in 2020, she worked alongside Millie Bobby Brown and Henry Cavill in Enola Holmes (as Mrs Lane) and with Saoirse Ronan in the film Ammonite. In 2021, she starred opposite Adeel Akhtar in the British film Ali & Ava. In 2021, Rushbrook played Laurie in BBC Radio 4 drama Jazz and Dice.
In 2023 she guest starred in "Love is a Stranger", episode 4 of the eighth series of the BBC's dark comedy anthology, Inside No. 9.
Filmography
Personal life
She and her husband have been married since 2003 and have two children.
