1969-08-11 ( 55 years old ) in Annan, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK
Ashley Jensen (born August 10, 1969) is a Scottish actress. She is best known for her roles as Maggie Jacobs in Extras (2005–2007, for which she was nominated for an Emmy Award), Christina McKinney in Ugly Betty (2006–2010), Agatha Raisin in Agatha Raisin (2014–present), and DI Ruth Calder in Shetland (2023–present). Jensen trained in Drama at Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University.
Her first significant television role was as Clare Donnelly, daughter of Glasgow criminal Jo-Jo Donnelly (played by Billy Connolly) in the 1993 BBC drama Down Among the Big Boys. In 1994, she played eccentric secretary Rosie McConnichy in the final series of BBC comedy May to December, as a replacement for the character of secretary Hilary (Rebecca Lacey), and Heather in Roughnecks, a BBC television series about workers on a North Sea oil platform. Jensen had a small role in a Dangerfield episode "Contact" as the mother of a young girl with meningitis. She then appeared as Fiona Morris in EastEnders. She also appeared in the 2003 BBC drama Two Thousand Acres of Sky.
Jensen co-starred alongside Ricky Gervais in the BBC Two/HBO television programme Extras as the socially inept Maggie Jacobs. For her work on the first series, she received best television comedy actress and newcomer awards at the 2005 British Comedy Awards. In 2006, Jensen received two British Comedy Awards and a BAFTA nomination for her role in Extras. Her role in the 2007 Christmas Special earned her an Emmy Award nomination. In January 2006 she starred in the short-lived drama series Eleventh Hour on ITV. Later that year she played Steve Coogan's agent in A Cock and Bull Story. In 2007, she provided the narration for the film Taking Liberties.
In 2014, she played the eponymous lead character in the television film adaptation of the M. C. Beaton novel Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death for Sky1. She also starred in the eight-part series that first aired on Sky1 on 7 June 2016.
In 2017, she starred in a six-part TV series for BBC TV, Love, Lies & Records, depicting the gritty life and entwined storylines working in Leeds Registry Office. In March 2019, Jensen reunited with Gervais in the Netflix black comedy series After Life, a role she continued for all three series. In April 2019 she played Debbie Dorell in the second series of BBC TV drama Trust Me. When an injured soldier discovers patients in his hospital ward dying, he attempts to investigate the suspicious deaths. Also in 2019, she played the voice of Jacqueline in Lady and the Tramp.
Movies
Rikki
2024-12-31
Christmas on Mistletoe Farm
2022-11-23
Agatha Raisin: Kissing Christmas Goodbye
2021-12-21
Lady and the Tramp
2019-11-12
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
2019-01-03
Aliens Love Underpants and...Panta Claus
2018-12-01
Sherlock Gnomes
2018-03-15
Facelifts and Fillers
2016-02-17
The Lobster
2015-10-15
The Legend of Barney Thomson
2015-07-24
Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death
2014-12-26
Small Time
2014-04-18
All Stars
2013-05-01
Arthur Christmas
2011-11-10
Hysteria
2011-06-06
Gnomeo & Juliet
2011-01-13
How to Train Your Dragon
2010-03-18
Nativity!
2009-11-27
A Shot To The Mouth
2009-03-19
No Holds Bard
2009-01-25
Taping Nigel II: The Gimpening
2007-03-26
The Art of Breaking Character
2007-03-26
Taking Liberties
2007-01-01
A Cock and Bull Story
2005-07-17
Topsy-Turvy
1999-12-15
Down Among the Big Boys
1993-09-19
Rab C. Nesbitt Live
1992-11-02
Tickets for the Zoo
1991-08-27
Dreaming
1991-03-24
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