
Person
Michelle Fairley
Acting · Born 1963-07-11 · Coleraine, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, UK
Biography
Michelle Fairley (born 11 July 1963) is an actress from Northern Ireland. She is best known for playing Catelyn Stark in the HBO series Game of Thrones (2011–2013). She has since appeared in the USA Network series Suits (2013), the Fox series 24: Live Another Day (2014), the RTÉ miniseries Rebellion (2016), the science fiction series The Feed (2019), and the Sky Atlantic crime drama Gangs of London (2020–). Fairley was born in Coleraine to parents Brian and Teresa Fairley, the second eldest of six children. Her father was a popular publican, owner of Fairley's Bar and several off-licences, in Northern Ireland during The Troubles, but Fairley remembers both Catholics and Protestants frequenting the pub. Fairley appeared in a number of British television shows, including The Bill, Holby City and Casualty. Some of her earlier roles were as Cathy Michaels on ITV1's Inspector Morse in the episode titled "The Way Through The Woods" and as Nancy Phelan in Lovejoy in the episode 9 of Season 3 titled "Smoke Your Nose". She took over the role of Mrs. Granger from Heather Bleasdale (who had played Mrs. Granger in Chamber of Secrets) in the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows films. From 2011 to 2013, Fairley starred as Catelyn Stark (née Tully) in the first three seasons of the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones, replacing Jennifer Ehle who played the character in the original, unaired, pilot episode. Fairley joined the cast of the USA Network series Suits for its third season, playing the recurring role of Dr. Ava Hessington, a chemical engineer and oil CEO accused of bribery, and after that, accused for murder. She played Margot Al-Harazi in 24: Live Another Day on Fox. Her film roles included The Invisible Woman (2013) and In the Heart of the Sea (2015). In 2014, Fairley was cast as Margaret Langston in the ABC TV Series Resurrection (2014-2015). In 2017, it was announced Fairley would appear in a revival of Jim Cartwright's play Road at the Royal Court Theatre In 2018, she played Cassius in Julius Caesar at the Bridge Theatre, alongside David Calder, David Morrissey and Ben Whishaw. In 2019, Fairley led the Virgin Media and Amazon Prime science fiction series The Feed as Meredith Hatfield. As of June 2020, Fairley stars as Marian Wallace in the Sky Atlantic crime drama Gangs of London. She starred as Millie in the 2021 film Nobody Has To Know alongside Bouli Lanners. In 2023, Fairley starred as Princess Augusta in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story on Netflix. She also contributed to The Gone a TVNZ and RTE coproduction.
Known for

Game of Thrones
Catelyn Stark

Midsomer Murders
Iris Holman

Suits
Ava Hessington

24
Margot Al-Harazi

Casualty
Kathy Emerick

Screen Two
Jean McBride

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Mrs. Granger

ScreenPlay
Jenny

Misfits
Louise Young

Cardiac Arrest
Casualty Sister Karen Teller
Filmography
- 2026No Ordinary HeistMags Fulton
- 2026How to Get to Heaven from BelfastMargo
- 2026WhistleIvy Raymore
- 2025Nazis, U-boats and the Battle for the AtlanticNarrator
- 2024Small Things Like TheseMrs. Wilson
- 2023The TrapMichelle
- 2023The GoneJudge Hannah Martin
- 2023Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton StoryPrincess Augusta
- 2023UntameableSelf
- 2022Nobody Has to KnowMillie
- 2022An Irish GoodbyeGrainne (voice)
- 2021The Road to PartitionNarrator
- 2021The Road to PartitionNarrator
- 2020Lesson 7Max
- 2020Gangs of LondonMarian Wallace
- 2019Responsible ChildKerry
- 2019Lost LivesSelf (voice)
- 2019The FeedMeredith Hatfield
- 2019The TrapMichelle
- 2019Game of Thrones: The Last WatchSelf
- 2018To Provide All PeopleIntensive Care Nurse
- 2018National Theatre Live: Julius CaesarCaius Cassius
- 2017The White PrincessMargaret Beaufort
- 2016EdithShelia
- 2016RebellionDolly Butler
- 2015In the Heart of the SeaMrs. Nickerson
- 2015FortitudeFreya Lennox
- 2014Penn Zero: Part-Time HeroQueen Igneous (voice)
- 2014MontanaDCI Rachel Jones
- 2014CommonShelagh
- 2014ResurrectionMargaret Langston
- 2014Ironclad 2: Battle for BloodJoan De Vesci
- 2013The Invisible WomanCaroline Graves
- 2013PhilomenaSally Mitchell
- 2013Crossing LinesSophie Baines
- 2011SuitsAva Hessington
- 2011Game of ThronesCatelyn Stark
- 2010Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1Mrs. Granger
- 2010ChatroomRosie
- 2010Anton Chekhov's The DuelMarya
- 2010Cup CakeAnnie McNabb
- 2009MisfitsLouise Young
- 2009Best: His Mother's SonAnn Best
- 2009A Short Stay in SwitzerlandMrs. Savery
- 2008Lark Rise to Candleford
- 2005The Golden HourJulia Harper
- 2005Ahead of the ClassSonia Venning
- 200124Margot Al-Harazi
- 2001The OthersMrs. Marlish
- 2001In DeepPhoebe
- 2000McCready and DaughterBernadette
- 2000RebusJanice Mee
- 2000The Second DeathAisling
- 1999Births, Marriages and DeathsPat
- 1999Vicious CircleFrances
- 1999Hideous KinkyPatricia
- 1998A Soldier's Daughter Never CriesMiss O'Shaunessy
- 1997The History of Tom Jones: A FoundlingMrs, Fitzpatrick
- 1997The Broker's ManGabby Rodwell
- 1997Midsomer MurdersIris Holman
- 1996Safe And SoundEleanor Delaney
- 1996The Precious BloodJean McBride
- 1996A Mug's GameKathy Cowan
- 1995Life After LifeRoisin Donaghy
- 1994Cardiac ArrestCasualty Sister Karen Teller
- 1993ComicsNula O'Reilly
- 1993The Long RoadsFiona Gibbons
- 1992Flea BitesSharon
- 1991Force of DutyJenny
- 1990Hidden AgendaTeresa Doyle
- 19894 PlayMaureen
- 1989SaracenMaeve
- 1988CrossfireScanlon's Girl
- 1987Hidden CityCleaner
- 1986CasualtyKathy Emerick
- 1986ScreenPlayJenny
- 1986LovejoyNancy Phelan
- 1985Screen TwoJean McBride
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