Vanessa Kirby is a British stage, television, and film actress known for her versatile roles and captivating performances. She gained international recognition for her portrayal of Princess Margaret in Netflix’s acclaimed series The Crown and has appeared in critically and commercially successful films, including Mission: Impossible – Fallout and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.
Vanessa Kirby was born on April 18, 1988, in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom. She was raised in a well-educated and supportive household—her father is a renowned urologist, and her mother formerly worked as an editor at a prestigious magazine. Although not directly related to the Redgrave family, she grew up in a culturally rich environment and was inspired by British acting icons such as Vanessa Redgrave, whom she greatly admires.
She attended Lady Eleanor Holles School in Hampton, where she was an academic achiever and received multiple scholarships. Kirby went on to study English at the University of Exeter. Although she was offered admission to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), she declined the opportunity after being signed by a talent agency, which launched her professional acting career.
Kirby began her acting career in theater, receiving early roles through director David Thacker, who recognized her potential. She performed in several stage productions across the UK, earning praise for her talent and winning accolades such as the BIZA Rising Star Award.
Her screen debut came with the BBC drama The Hour, followed by a leading role in Ridley Scott’s miniseries adaptation of Labyrinth. Despite her growing career in television and film, Kirby continued to perform on stage, eventually winning the Best Supporting Actress award at the WhatsOnStage Awards for her performance in the Young Vic’s production of A Streetcar Named Desire.
Kirby's breakout role came in 2016 when she was cast as Princess Margaret in the critically acclaimed Netflix series The Crown. Her portrayal of the complex royal figure earned widespread acclaim, climaxing in a BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in the second season. Her performance was pivotal to the show's success and marked her as one of the leading talents of her generation.
Following her success in The Crown, Kirby expanded into high-profile film projects. In 2018, she starred alongside Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible – Fallout, and she reprised her role in later installments of the franchise. In July 2019, she appeared as Hattie Shaw in Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, acting opposite Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham. The film was a commercial success, further solidifying her as a global action star.
Media speculation around Kirby intensified during the production of Mission: Impossible – Fallout, particularly regarding rumors of a romantic relationship with co-star Tom Cruise, sparked by an on-screen kiss. Kirby later clarified that the moment was part of the film and that the rumors were unfounded.
She has been in a relationship with fellow British actor Callum Turner, describing him as not only her partner but also her closest friend. Prior to Turner, Kirby reportedly dated actors Douglas Booth and Christian Cooke.
| Birth Date: | 18 Apr, 1988 |
| Age: | 32 yrs |
| Occupations: | Actor Stage actor Film actor |
| Citizenship: | United Kingdom |
| Birth Place: | London |
| Education: | University of Exeter Lady Eleanor Holles School |
| Gender: | Female |
| Description: | British actress |
| Net Worth 2021: | 4 million |
