My Story

Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson (born 5 April 1989), known professionally as Lily James, is an English actress. She studied acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and began her acting career in the British television series Just William (2010). Following her supporting role in the period drama series Downton Abbey (2012–15), she had her film breakthrough as the title role in the romance fantasy film Cinderella (2015).

James was born Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson on 5 April 1989 in Esher, Surrey, the daughter of Ninette (née Mantle), an actress, and James "Jamie" Thomson, a musician. She has two brothers, one older and one younger. Her grandmother, Helen Horton, was an American actress. She attended Tring Park School for the Performing Arts and subsequently went on to study acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, graduating in 2010. Shortly thereafter, she signed with Tavistock Wood management in London.

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My Work

James went on to play Natasha Rostova in the period television series War & Peace (2016), and took on starring roles in several films, including the action film Baby Driver (2017), the war drama Darkest Hour (2017), the historical drama The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018), and the musicals Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018) and Yesterday (2019).

In November 2018, James was cast as the second Mrs. de Winter in a new adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's Gothic romance Rebecca. It will be directed by Ben Wheatley and co-star Armie Hammer.