Maxine Peake

9 titles·Since 2008

July 14, 1974 · Westhoughton, Lancashire, England, UK

Maxine Peake (born 14 July 1974) is an English stage, radio, film and television actress, playwright, producer, director and political activist, who made her name as Twinkle in Victoria Wood's sitcom Dinnerladies. She has since played Veronica in Channel 4's Manchester-based drama series Shameless, barrister Martha Costello in the BBC legal drama Silk and Grace Middleton in The Village. She is also an accomplished stage actress, having played the title role in Hamlet, and had a role in the 2014 film The Theory of Everything. In 2018 she played the lead in the film Funny Cow and had a starring role in Mike Leigh's epic Peterloo, a film very close to her heart.

Filmography (9)

I Swear

2025 · Dottie

Fanny Lye Deliver'd

2019 · Fanny Lye

Peterloo

2018 · Nellie

Gwen

2018 · Elen

The Falling

2015 · Eileen Lamont

Silk

2011 · Martha Costello QC

The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister

2010 · Anne Lister

Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1980

2009 · Helen Marshall

Clubbed

2008 · Angela

July 14, 1974 · Westhoughton, Lancashire, England, UK

Maxine Peake (born 14 July 1974) is an English stage, radio, film and television actress, playwright, producer, director and political activist, who made her name as Twinkle in Victoria Wood's sitcom Dinnerladies. She has since played Veronica in Channel 4's Manchester-based drama series Shameless, barrister Martha Costello in the BBC legal drama Silk and Grace Middleton in The Village. She is also an accomplished stage actress, having played the title role in Hamlet, and had a role in the 2014 film The Theory of Everything. In 2018 she played the lead in the film Funny Cow and had a starring role in Mike Leigh's epic Peterloo, a film very close to her heart.