Ashley Jensen
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- August 11, 1969 (age 57)
- Birthplace
- Annan, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK
Biography
Ashley Jensen (born August 11, 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.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
The Repair Shop: Beyond The Barn
TV · as Narrator · 8 eps
City Lights: Pure Dead Brilliant
Movie · as Self - Narrator
Man vs Baby
TV · as Janet · 1 ep
Rikki
Movie · as Narrator
Christmas on Mistletoe Farm
Movie · as Ms Fletcher
Mayflies
TV · as Anna · 2 eps
Dog Squad
TV · as Meagaidh (voice) · 15 eps
Agatha Raisin: Kissing Christmas Goodbye
Movie · as Agatha Raisin
Inside the Balmoral: Scotland's Finest Hotel
TV · as Self - Narrator · 4 eps
Lady and the Tramp
Movie · as Jock (voice)
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Movie · as Phlegma (voice)
After Life
TV · as Emma · 18 eps
Sherlock Gnomes
Movie · as Nanette (voice)
Aliens Love Underpants and...Panta Claus
Movie
Summer Camp Island
TV · as Miss Mary (voice) · 3 eps
DuckTales
TV · as Downy McDuck / Agnes McDuck / Danny McDuck (voice), Downey McDuck (voice) · 1 ep
Love, Lies & Records
TV · as Kate Dickenson · 6 eps
Trust Me
TV · as Debbie Dorrell · 4 eps
Facelifts and Fillers
Movie · as Narrator
The Secret Life of Kittens
TV · as Narrator · 2 eps
Agatha Raisin
TV · as Agatha Raisin · 25 eps
The Legend of Barney Thomson
Movie · as Detective Inspector June Robertson
Insane Fight Club II - This Time It’s Personal
Movie · as Narration
The Lobster
Movie · as Biscuit Woman
Catastrophe
TV · as Fran · 24 eps
Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death
Movie · as Agatha Raisin
Small Time
Movie · as Gail
All Stars
Movie · as Gina
The Escape Artist
TV · as Kate Burton · 3 eps
Shetland
TV · as DI Ruth Calder · 21 eps
Love and Marriage
TV · as Sarah Paradise · 6 eps
The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!
Movie · as The Surprisingly Curvaceous Pirate (voice)
Gnomeo & Juliet
Movie · as Nanette (voice)
Arthur Christmas
Movie · as Bryony (voice)
Hysteria
Movie · as Fanny
The Reckoning
TV · as Sally Wilson · 2 eps
How to Train Your Dragon
Movie · as Phlegma the Fierce (Voice)
Wallace & Gromit's World of Invention
TV · as Self - Narrator · 6 eps
Nativity!
Movie · as Jennifer Lore
A Shot To The Mouth
Movie · as (archive footage)
No Holds Bard
Movie · as Isobel
Accidentally on Purpose
TV · as Olivia · 18 eps
Free Radio
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Taking Liberties
Movie · as Narration
Taping Nigel II: The Gimpening
Movie · as Self
The Art of Breaking Character
Movie · as Self
The Graham Norton Show
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Embarrassing Bodies
TV · as Self - Narrator (voice) · 93 eps
Ugly Betty
TV · as Christina McKinney · 66 eps
Eleventh Hour
TV · as Rachel Young · 4 eps
A Cock and Bull Story
Movie · as Lindsey
Extras
TV · as Maggie Jacobs · 12 eps
The Friday Night Project
TV · as Self - Host · 1 ep
Coming Up
TV · as Rachel · 1 ep
Rebus
TV · as Mhairi Henderson · 1 ep
Topsy-Turvy
Movie · as Miss Tringham
City Central
TV · 32 eps
Silent Witness
TV · 2 eps
Bad Boys
TV · as Morag Hood · 6 eps
Waiting
Movie · as Amanda Cookson
Roughnecks
TV · as Heather · 13 eps
Takin' Over the Asylum
TV · as Kathleen · 6 eps
Down Among the Big Boys
Movie · as Claire Donnelly
Rab C. Nesbitt Live
Movie · as Isobel / Rena
Tickets for the Zoo
Movie · as Eleanor
Dreaming
Movie · as Betting Shop Cashier
This Morning
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Casualty
TV · as Jess, Stella · 1 ep