Childhood & Early Years
Hattie Morahan was born on 7 October 1978, in Lambeth, London, England. Her father, Christopher Thomas Morahan, was a renowned television and film director while her mother, Anna Carteret, was a well-known stage and screen actress.
Born younger of her parents’ two children, she has an elder sister, Rebecca, now a reputed theatre director. From her father’s previous marriage to Joan Murray, she has three half siblings, Ben, Andrew and Lucy. Among them, Andy grew up to be a music video and film director.
Hattie Morahan had her schooling at Frensham Heights. In 1995, while studying there, she was cast in her father’s television movie, ‘The Peacock Spring’, appearing in it in the role of Una Gwithian (Gwithian). It was broadcast on BBC on 1st January 1996.
In 1997, she entered New Hall Cambridge, now renamed as Murray Edward College. While studying there, she took part in numerous stage productions, appearing in the same year as Snowball in 'Animal Farm' at the ADC Theatre, Cambridge.
In February, 1999, she appeared as Catherine in Phillip Breen's production of 'A View from the Bridge' at the ADC, Cambridge. The play, which was re-staged at the National Student Drama Festival at Scarborough in April, won her 'the most outstanding performance' award.
In 1998, she tried her hand in directing with ‘The Suicide’. The other two significant works of her student life are portraying the character of Cecily Cardew in 'The Importance of being Earnest' (July 1999) and that of Isabel in 'The Mayor of Zalamea' (summer of 2000).
In 2000, she graduated from Cambridge with B.A. in English, By then she was eager to start her actinger career. Therefore, when her parents insisted that she join Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, she told them that she would comply only if she failed to start her career within a year.
Career
In 2001, Hattie Morahan joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, debuting as a Gentlewoman in Steven Pimlott’s 'Hamlet', staged at the Swan Theatre in Stratford upon Avon from 31 March to 13 October. Along with that, she also understudied for the role of Ophelia.
Concurrently while playing Gentlewoman in ‘Hamlet’, she also played Lucy in 'Love in a Wood', staged at the same theatre between 12th April and 12th October. Also from 11th July to 13th October 2001, she played Emilia in 'The Prisoner's Dilemma' at the Other Place in Stratford.
On 6 December 2001, ‘Hamlet’ was shifted to Barbican Theatre in London, where it was staged till 2nd April 2002. From 19th April to 11th May 2002, she played Tracy in ‘Night of the Soul’ at the Barbican Pit in London. Thereafter, she left Royal Shakespeare Company.
In August 2002, she went on a UK tour with Somerset Maugham's ‘The Circle’. It was followed by ‘Arsenic and Old Lace' (25 February to 31 May 2003) at Strand Theatre and 'Power' (3 July to 29 October 2003) at Cottesloe Theatre
In March 2004, she went on a UK tour with Oxford Stage Company, appearing as Ruby in a revival of Peter Flannery's ‘Singer’. Later from 22 June to 7 September, she starred as Iphigenia in Euripides' ‘Iphigenia at Aulis’ at Lyttelton Theatre.
In 2005, she got her first regular role in television series, appearing as Beth Lucas in 'Bodies'. Also in the same year, she PLAYED Viola in Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’, staged at West Yorkshire Playhouse from 21 September to 22 October.
In 2006, she went on a tour of regional theatres, playing Penelope Toop in 'See How They Run' from February to April. Later from June to September, she played Nina in Chekhov's play, 'The Seagull'. Also in September, she played Alice in a BBC Radio 4 production of 'Plenty',
In 2007, she got her next significant role in a television production, appearing as Jane in three seasons of ‘Outnumbered’. It was followed by an adaption of Jane Austen’s novel, ‘Sense and Sensibility’, 'Bike Squad', 'Trial & Retribution: To Kill A King' and 'The Bank Job', all of which were aired in 2008.
From 2008 to 2012, concurrently while appearing on television, she appeared in six plays. They were 'The City', '...some trace of her', 'The Family Reunion', 'Time and the Conways', 'The Real Thing', 'Plenty' and 'A Doll's House’, receiving critical acclaim especially for her role in the last mentioned play.
In 2010s, she concentrated mainly on screen, appearing in five feature films till 2017. They were ‘Having You’ (2013), ‘Summer in February’ (2013), ‘Mr. Holmes’ (2015), 'Alice Through the Looking Glass' (2016) and 'Beauty and the Beast' (2017).
Also in 2010s, she appeared in eleven television series. She was especially commended for her star roles in productions like ‘Eternal Law’ (2012), ‘The Bletchley Circle' (2014) and 'My Mother and Other Strangers' (2016).
As of 2019, she is working in the Czech drama television series, 'The Sleepers'.
