Those with a love for British television programming may have already been familiar with Jodie Comer from early on, but the Liverpool native’s career has flourished, bringing her recognition across the pond since her breakout role in 2018. From her incredible success as the assassin Villanelle in “Killing Eve” to her total transformation as Kathy in 2023’s “The Bikeriders,” the actor has worked tirelessly and proven herself to be quite the chameleon, adapting to her various roles. In addition to Comer’s net worth skyrocketing, her reputation in Hollywood has been doing the same.
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The “Free Guy” star has come a long way from her humble beginnings in the northwest of England. As she told Glamour in September 2019, “I used to have a part time job and the [boss] hated me. It was Tesco [grocery store], I worked on the checkout — she just proper had it in for me. I think it was because I was hungover.” Her life has changed dramatically since then.
From her early performances as a child to working alongside some huge names as an Emmy-winning actor, Jodie Comer has had a truly stunning transformation.
Jodie Comer grew up in Liverpool
While she may be a household name today, Jodie Comer’s early life was fairly normal. She was born in 1993 to Jimmy and Donna, a sports massage therapist and railway worker, respectively. She grew up in Childwall, a suburb in Liverpool, with her little brother Charlie. “I was very confident as a kid, and I feel like my mum and dad encouraged that,” the actor told Elle in a June 2024 interview. That confidence would one day come in handy, giving Comer a leg up on her competition in auditions.
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While many stars may rely on their parents’ success, money, or a privileged education to get their start in the industry, the young actor relied on her talent and passion alone. “My parents don’t come from the business — it’s not like I was pushed into this. It was something I took to them and said, ‘This makes me really happy.’ It has always fed my soul in a way that nothing else has,” she continued. Thankfully, Comer’s parents believed in her and allowed the young actor to follow her aspirations towards a career in front of the camera.
She began acting when she was 11
Jodie Comer was extroverted as a child, but she didn’t begin channeling that energy into acting until she enrolled in a local drama school at approximately 11 years old. The following year, she entered into the Liverpool Drama Festival, which she spoke about with The Guardian in January 2024. “We were split into groups and everyone had to perform a monologue. … My dad hadn’t seen me act before, so he looked at me and said: ‘Just do your best,'” Comer explained, adding that this moment is still vivid in her memory. When she’d finished, she added, “I got such a sense of gratification from making my parents proud. It really made me hungry.”
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Her natural talent for performing was obvious, and the young actor won the first place prize. By 13, the young actor had signed with her first agent, David Daly. As he told the Daily Mail, Daly could see her immense potential, even early on. “Right from the start she was a fantastic actress. She got glowing reviews. Even at that early age I knew she was going to go places,” Daly revealed in April 2023.
Jodie Comer’s first role was in a BBC radio play
Jodie Comer’s first professional gig came about by happenstance. First, the young actor was kicked out of her group talent show routine, as her family vacation had interfered with rehearsals. Comer was upset about this, of course, but it resulted in her performing the monologue — which earned her the win at the Liverpool Drama Festival — for her drama teacher.
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As she told The Glass Magazine in May 2018, “This led to me being sent to audition for a BBC Radio 4 play which became my first ever working job.” This is where Comer grew to love acting as more than just a hobby, as she continued, “Working with professional actors, they told me that if I enjoyed it so much I could actually make it into a career, which hadn’t really occurred to me before. From there, my acting has snowballed.”
She started appearing on television shows in 2008
In 2008, Jodie Comer made the transition into television work as a teenager, getting her first credited on-screen appearance in an episode of ITV’s “The Royal Today.” A couple of years later, she made a few more cameos, this time on BBC shows like “Holby City,” “Waterloo Road,” and “Doctors.” By 2013, Comer landed her first role as a series regular on “My Mad Fat Diary,” playing Chloe.
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Ahead of the show’s final season in 2015, the actor spoke with Digital Spy and shared how she anticipated fans to feel about the finale of the ultra-popular series. “I think the fans feel so emotional and so strong towards it that I think some people have a really strong want for certain things that maybe possibly didn’t happen and they’re just going to have to come to terms with that,” she said. “I don’t think it’s going to be, ‘I didn’t like that episode’, I think it’s going to be more like, ‘No, that’s not what I wanted to happen!'” Unfortunately, that’s the reality of wrapping up a series, and she knew she couldn’t please everyone.
When looking back over her career with The Guardian in December 2018, the actor remarked, “I only became a real-life actor when I was about 17: that’s when things started to pick up. If I saw any of my performances from then, I’d want to punch myself in the face.”
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She faced classism as a young actor
If you know Jodie Comer for her portrayal as Villanelle on “Killing Eve,” then you know how adept she is at various accents. Her character sported intonations from all over the globe, including Russian, Australian, French, and American, but in real life, the actor has a strong Scouse accent as she hails from Liverpool. Unfortunately, Comer has experienced unfair treatment in the industry because of the way she speaks. During an interview with Glamour in June 2020, she opened up about how this classism has affected her.
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When she was 16, she auditioned for a play and realized she must’ve been the only girl there who was from Liverpool. “The character was middle-class, RP [received pronunciation], very well-spoken and from a very wealthy family. … The director had told me that before I went in, she was like, ‘Why have we brought her in for the audition?’ because she had seen where I was from, and she didn’t think I was capable,” Comer explained.
Understandably, the actor was taken aback. However, it was a sentiment she would sadly learn to expect after some time. Comer continued, saying, “In so many meetings they are like, ‘Can you lose that?’ ‘Yes, I can. That’s why I’m here!'” She went on to say how she’d struggled with imposter syndrome because of where she’d come from, but that she knows she deserves a chance just as much as anyone else.
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Jodie Comer made a name for herself on Killing Eve
Following the success of “My Mad Fat Diary,” Jodie Comer continued her work on television, including a handful of miniseries like “Thirteen” and “The White Princess,” before gaining notoriety for her role on “Killing Eve.” Over the course of four seasons, she played the callous and ruthless assassin Villanelle opposite Sandra Oh. All the while, her popularity was exploding, landing Comer on British Vogue‘s 2018 list of the most influential women.
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After the first season of “Killing Eve” aired, Comer revealed to The Guardian how much she’d learned from embodying her character. “I had this impression that, to do good acting, everything is minimal, really whispered, less is more. What I learned playing Villanelle is that there is acting that can be so full of life and bold that it is ridiculous at times,” she said. “There was something very freeing about playing her.”
She won an Emmy in 2019
Jodie Comer was completely caught off guard at the 71st Emmy Awards when her name was announced as the winner of the lead actress in a drama series category. She’d been up against Viola Davis from “How to Get Away with Murder,” Emilia Clarke from “Game of Thrones,” and even her “Killing Eve” co-star Sandra Oh, as well as many other phenomenal actors. However, given her performance as Villanelle, it wasn’t necessarily a surprise to audiences that Comer took home the award.
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During her acceptance speech, the actor still seemed stunned. “I was not expecting to get up on this stage tonight. … I cannot believe I’m in a category alongside these women, one of them who is my co-star, Sandra Oh. Safe to say, Sandra, that this ‘Killing Eve’ journey has been an absolute whirlwind. And I feel so lucky to have shared the whole experience with you,” Comer remarked. The Emmy winner went on to thank everyone who had helped her get to where she was, including her parents, whom she neglected to invite because she didn’t believe she would win. “One, I’m sorry. Two, I love you. I’m going to bring [the award] home,” Comer concluded lightheartedly.
Jodie Comer branched out into other ventures
“Killing Eve” shot Jodie Comer into the spotlight practically overnight. With her newfound success came many opportunities to expand into other ventures. It didn’t take long until she officially became the face of two brands.
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In a September 2019 Instagram post, just days after her Emmy win, Comer announced her participation in the Spring Summer 2020 campaign for luxury fashion brand Loewe. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the incredible team of creatives who welcomed me and made this such an unforgettable moment,” she wrote.
Then, in December 2020, Comer shared that she’d become the very first global brand ambassador for skincare brand Noble Panacea. In speaking with Harper’s Bazaar the following year, the “Killing Eve” star shared how much the partnership meant to her. “I was really overwhelmed when Noble Panacea reached out to my agent and asked if I would be interested in partnering with them. The thought just never ever crossed my mind that this would be an opportunity. But for me, I have to really believe in something to want to be a part of it,” Comer said. She added that the skincare products have since become a part of her everyday routine.
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More roles started coming her way
Jodie Comer continued starring in “Killing Eve” until the series ended in 2022, but even before her schedule had freed up, it seemed like everyone wanted to work with the breakout star. In 2019, she surprised fans with a brief cameo in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” as Rey’s (played by Daisy Ridley) mother. Although it was a small role, Comer can now say she got to make her mark on the “Star Wars” universe.
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A couple of years later, the actor got to work on another project with some big names attached. She was cast in “Free Guy,” which enabled her to work alongside Ryan Reynolds and Joe Keery in the action comedy. In speaking with The Hollywood Reporter in August 2021, Comer explained her main takeaway from the project, saying, “It was so embarrassing because doing [‘Free Guy’] was the first time I’ve ever heard the term ‘Easter egg.’ In one of my first interviews, someone asked me about the Easter eggs, and all I could think of was a round chocolate egg that you get. I was like, ‘I don’t think there’s any Easter eggs.’ So it’s been very educational for me.”
Finally, in what could’ve been another massive career move for Comer, she was cast as the lead in 2022’s “Death on the Nile.” Unfortunately, she had to pull out of the film due to scheduling conflicts, and Emma Mackey wound up in her place.
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Jodie Comer made her West End debut in 2022
Although she hadn’t acted on stage since she was 16 years old, Jodie Comer was cast as the lead in “Prima Facie” by Suzie Miller, which debuted in London’s West End in 2022. The show centers around her character Tess, a barrister who defends men facing sexual assault charges until she herself becomes a victim of an assault.
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While speaking with Vogue in February 2023, Comer explained that she hadn’t had much luck with theatrical auditions before this role came about. “A lot of the feedback was great. But one thing that was resounding was, like, ‘She hasn’t been to drama school and this is too big a task for someone who isn’t classically trained.’ I used to feel quite defeated by that,” she said of this time in her life. However, after receiving phenomenal reviews, it was announced that “Prima Facie” would be making its way to Broadway.
In an emotional June 2022 Instagram post, Comer shared the news with her followers: “I am so honored to play a part in the telling of this story and beyond thrilled that next week isn’t the end. … We’re going to BROADWAY!” The following year, the actor won a Tony for her incredible performance as Tess.
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Jodie Comer has closely guarded her private life
While many celebrities struggle to remain down to earth as they navigate their newfound fame, Jodie Comer doesn’t appear to be one of them. In fact, the “Free Guy” star has fought to keep her private life out of the press as much as possible. When speaking to Elle, Comer explained, “It’s probably a load of crap, but I don’t believe [fame] changes people. It’s just a magnifying glass that almost feeds a monster. … These opportunities are huge and glossy, but they’re so far from the life that I live.”
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Comer has attempted to protect her relationship with her boyfriend James Burke by rarely mentioning him in interviews, and keeping their pictures together to a minimum. Comer has also declined to share her dog’s name publicly. She explained why she takes measures to protect her privacy, telling Elle, “I’ve had moments in my life where I don’t think you can underestimate the lengths people will go to invade that space. … I think it’s important as an actor that people connect with the work and not, ‘Oh, did you know yesterday she had eggs for breakfast?'”
She starred alongside Austin Butler in The Bikeriders
With “Killing Eve” officially over, Jodie Comer had to select her next big role, and she soon found herself transforming into Kathy for 2023’s “The Bikeriders,” which is based on a selection of photographs and interviews by filmmaker and photographer Danny Lyons. Comer met with director Jeff Nichols about the film and he supplied everything she needed to get into character.
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During a conversation with Interview Magazine in June 2024, Comer explained, “[Nichols] was like, ‘Just so you know, I have 30 minutes of audio of [Kathy].’ I was like, ‘Why is this not in my inbox?'” She explained that listening to the woman she was about to embody gave her a whole new perspective on how to play Kathy.
Comer starred alongside Austin Butler and she went as far as to pick up smoking for the role. As the “Killing Eve” star said during her June 2024 interview with Elle, she can’t stand when things don’t look real on screen. “One is when they don’t really smoke, and the other is when they don’t eat the food. … With smoking, you can tell if they’ve not inhaled. Kathy literally ate [cigarettes] for breakfast, so I had to get it right.” she explained.
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She wants to continue exploring challenging roles
Jodie Comer has played a vast array of characters over the years, and she’s not about to start playing it safe. In speaking with the Los Angeles Times in January 2024, the “Killing Eve” actor remarked, “I’m always looking for something different, a part of myself that I maybe haven’t worked out or a challenge that feels new. Just so I can continue growing, you know? I don’t want to get in a repeated cycle of, ‘Oh, I’m safe here so this is where I’m going to stay.'” She went on to say that feeling a little fear is crucial in this line of work.
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Since this interview, Comer signed on to join the cast of the long-awaited installment of Danny Boyle’s horror franchise, “28 Years Later,” marking her first take on a horror flick. 2024 also saw her provide her iconic voice for the first time when she worked on the video game “Alone in the Dark.” There’s no doubt that “Killing Eve” demanded a lot from the actor, and between Villanelle, Tessa in “Prima Facie,” and Kathy from “The Bikeriders,” Comer’s range is apparently limitless. Luckily, despite the grueling work, she is prepared to keep on delivering.
