Who is Jill Halfpenny? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

British Celebrities Born In July

Age: 48 Years, 48 Year Old Females

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Craig Conway (m. 2007 – div. 2010)

father: Colin Halfpenny

mother: Maureen Halfpenny

children: Harvey Reece

Born Country: England

Actresses British Women

Height: 5'4" (163 cm), 5'4" Females

More Facts

education: Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art

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Childhood & Early Life

Jill Halfpenny was born on July 15, 1975, in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England, to Maureen and Colin Halfpenny. She grew up with her two older sisters. Her mother was a big fan of dramas, and Jill, too, developed an admiration for the art.

Jill became infatuated with the prospect of becoming an actor at the tender age of 3, when her mother took her to watch the popular play ‘Annie’ in London. According to Jill, that was when she was first introduced to the art of acting. She sat still for 3 hours, until the play was over.

Soon, she began participating in school plays.

However, her personal life was not too great. Her father passed away due to a heart attack quite early in life. Her mother then married her uncle, Derek.

Finding enthusiasm on stage, she began auditioning for TV and film roles, making her acting debut at the age of 14. However, she did not start her professional acting career until she was fully trained in acting. Following her high-school graduation from the ‘St Edmund Campion Roman Catholic School,’ she joined drama classes at the ‘Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.’

She also attended the famous drama school ‘First Act Theatre,’ located in Newcastle. Following this, she continued to study acting, at the ‘Reavley Theatre School’ in Felling, Gateshead. However, even before she had completed her acting training, she had already begun working as a professional actor.

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Career

Jill began her acting career at the age of 14, when she auditioned and earned the recurring role of a teenage girl named ‘Nicola Dobson’ in the series titled ‘Byker Grove.’ She appeared in the series from 1989 to 1992. She took a 5-year-long break after her debut and made her comeback with a guest role in the series titled ‘The Bill.’

In 1997, she appeared in guest roles in the series ‘Birds of a Feather’ and ‘The Lakes.’ The following year, she appeared in the supporting role of ‘Rosie Cotton’ in the TV film titled ‘The Round Tower.’

After featuring in a few more guest roles, she earned her first major acting breakthrough in 1999, when she appeared as the recurring character ‘Kelly’ in the drama series ‘Peak Practice.’

However, it was her next acting project that turned out to be a career-transforming opportunity for her. In 1999, she began playing ‘Rebecca Hopkins’ in the British Soap opera titled ‘Coronation Street.’ The show has been running since 1960 and happens to be one of the longest-running British soap operas to date. Jill’s portrayal in the series received immense appreciation.

In 2000, she also made her film debut with the small role of a chopper pilot in the film ‘Command Approved.’

In 2002, she appeared in a supporting role in the series titled ‘Breeze Block.’ The same year, she made yet another huge acting breakthrough when she joined the cast of another long-running soap opera, ‘EastEnders.’ The series featured her in the regular role of ‘Kate Mitchell.’

After playing more guest roles in the mid-2000s, she appeared in a regular role in the drama series titled ‘Waterloo Road.’ The series featured her as ‘Izzie Redpath.’ Her performance in the series received rave reviews.

In the early 2010s, she appeared in supporting roles in series such as ‘Mount Pleasant’ and ‘Wild at Heart.’ In 2013, she was seen playing a supporting role in the ‘BBC’ miniseries ‘Lightfields.’ The following year, she appeared in yet another miniseries, ‘Babylon.’

In 2014, she began playing the regular role of ‘Diane Manning’ in the drama series ‘In the Club.’ The following year, she appeared as ‘Jill Drummond,’ one of the main characters in the series ‘Humans.’

Despite being a relatively famous name in the TV industry, she started her film career quite late. In 2011, she appeared in the British independent comedy film ‘How to Stop Being a Loser,’ essaying the supporting role of ‘Suzy.’

In 2016, she appeared in a supporting role in the series ‘Ordinary Lies.’ Following this, she appeared as ‘Julie Winshaw,’ a main character in the series titled ‘Three Girls.’

In the more recent years, she has played one of the main roles in the drama miniseries ‘Dark Money.’

She has also played a voice role in the horror film titled ‘Ghost Stories.’ Apart from this, she has played a key role in the British comedy film ‘Walk Like a Panther.’

She has also been quite active in the theatrical circle, performing in plays such as ‘Uncle Vanya,’, ‘Legally Blonde,’ and ‘Calendar Girls.’ Her role in ‘Legally Blonde’ won her a ‘Theatregoers’ Choice Award’ and a ‘Laurence Olivier Award.’

Family & Personal Life

Jill Halfpenny married actor Craig Conway in 2007. The couple stayed together until their divorce in 2010. They had a child, whom Jill is now raising as a single mother.

She is an ambassador of the kids’ charity named ‘Kidscape.’

In 2017, she stated that her then-boyfriend had passed away from a heart attack while working out in the gym. She was saddened by the incident, as her father had also died from a heart attack.

Jill Halfpenny Biography