Freema Agyeman

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Freema Agyeman

Born 20 March 1979 (1979-03-20) (age 29)[1]
London, England
Occupation Actress
Years active 2001 – present

Freema Agyeman (born Frema Agyeman on 20 March 1979) is a British actress of Ghanaian and Iranian descent who is best known for playing Martha Jones, former companion of the Tenth Doctor in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, and its spin-off series Torchwood.

Contents

[edit] Background

Freema Agyeman grew up on the Woodberry Down council estate in the London Borough of Hackney.[2] Her mother, Azar, is Iranian and her father, Osei, is Ghanaian. They divorced when she was a child. She has a younger brother, Dominic, and an older sister, Leila.[2] She attended Our Lady's Convent, a Catholic school in Stamford Hill and the Anna Scher Theatre School in Islington. She studied performing arts and drama at Middlesex University, graduating in 2000.[2] She has martial arts skills which prompted speculation that she would bring a more physical approach to the role of the Doctor's companion.[3] The tattoo she has on her upper forearm is symbolic of her ancestry, containing an Iranian word 'baha', meaning 'free', under an image of a butterfly.[4]

[edit] Career

[edit] Early career

When Agyeman began her professional acting career, she chose to use a different spelling of her birth name, Frema, as her professional name, to avoid pronunciation problems.[5]

Before securing the part of Martha Jones, Agyeman's most famous television role was playing the character of Lola Wise in the revived series of ITV soap opera Crossroads.[6] She also had small guest roles in other TV series such as Casualty, Mile High and The Bill. In 2005, she played the character Mary Ogden in an episode of Silent Witness. She starred as the character Nana in the independent film Rulers and Dealers, written and directed by Stephen Lloyd Jackson.[7]

[edit] Doctor Who

Agyeman auditioned for three roles in the 2006 series of Doctor Who. On 24 June 2005, she auditioned for the part of Sally Jacobs in "The Christmas Invasion", but was ultimately unsuccessful, losing out to Anita Briem, who the production team felt worked better as an "ice cool blonde".[8] She later auditioned for the roles of Esme and Adeola Oshodi, in the "Rise of the Cybermen"/"The Age of Steel" and "Army of Ghosts", respectively. Esme was ultimately cut from the final script,[8] but Freema was successful in her audition for Adeola. She filmed her role in the series in December 2005 and appeared on screen as Adeola on 1 July 2006.[9]

"When we cast the character of Adeola, I met Freema [Agyeman] for this part- actually, I met her for two parts- and when I met her, as soon as she walked through the door, I knew she was going to be quite exceptional. When she walked in, I thought I was looking at Halle Berry English-style.."
——Graeme Harper[10]

The production team were impressed by the versatility shown by Agyeman across her three auditions[8] and called her back as a serious candidate for the new companion. She attended another audition (under the guise of Torchwood)[8] and the production team remained impressed. The next step was to take a screen-test with the Tenth Doctor actor, David Tennant. Tennant left a reassuring note under the door of Agyeman's hotel room, and this helped calm any nerves the actress had.[11] She was ultimately successful and received notice of her success in February 2006.[11] Following months of speculation on who would replace Billie Piper, Freema was confirmed to the press as new companion Martha Jones on 5 July 2006.[12]

"I'd like to think that there will be more for Martha Jones, because 'Doctor Who' has been one of the biggest experiences of my life, both in terms of my career and in terms of how it has changed my life over the last two years. I dare say a great number of people will always associate me with Martha, and that really makes me smile. It means that she lives on. That's so flattering. It's an honour. I'd love to do more with her, definitely, but I don't know in what capacity, because Doctor Who is going through all these changes, isn't it? The 2010 series is such a long way away. But maybe something will come up for me in 2026? Maybe I'll pop back for a cameo when I'm old and grey. Because this show is going to run and run and run..."
——Freema Agyeman, July 2008[13]

Agyeman began filming for the third series in August 2006 and finished in March 2007. She made her screen debut as Martha Jones on 31 March 2007 in the episode "Smith and Jones". Martha's physical similarity to Adeola Oshodi was explained as Martha being Adeola's cousin.[14] Agyeman continued to portray the character Martha Jones throughout every episode of the 2007 series.

Despite her character's departure from the TARDIS in the 2007 season finale "Last of the Time Lords", Agyeman returned as Martha in series 4 for five episodes, which consisted of "The Sontaran Stratagem", "The Poison Sky", "The Doctor's Daughter", "The Stolen Earth" and "Journey's End". She guest-presented Blue Peter on 24 June 2008 to promote the Doctor Who finale.

Following Martha's departure with Captain Jack Harkness at the end of the Series 4 finalé it is unsure what her future in the Doctor Who universe will hold. However, Freema has said in various interviews that she would like to continue playing Martha Jones.[13]

She has appeared in three episodes of series 2 of Torchwood,[15] appearing in "Reset", "Dead Man Walking" and "A Day in the Death", between Doctor Who series three and four. Freema also had a starring role in the Torchwood Radio Play, Lost Souls, broadcast on BBC Radio Four on the 10th of September 2008 to promote the turning on of the Large Hadron Collider at the CERN research facility.[16]

Freema Agyeman has read abridged audio book adaptations of four of the Doctor Who New Series Adventures novels featuring Martha Jones, The Last Dodo,[17] Wetworld,[18]The Pirate Loop[19] and Martha in the Mirror.[20]

[edit] Recent work

Agyeman often appears on The Bedtime Hour on CBeebies reading a story shortly before 7pm. She narrated BBC Three's hospital documentary series Bizarre ER which ran from 14 February 2008[21] to 3 April 2008.[22] She hosted a Doctor Who-themed portion of the BBC Proms on 27 July.[23]

On 25 April 2008, Agyeman appeared on The Paul O'Grady Show.

She played foundling girl Tattycoram in the 2008 BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens' Little Dorrit, which began transmitting on the 26th October 2008, alongside her fellow Torchwood stars Eve Myles and Ruth Jones.[24] Some of Agyeman's scenes for the first episode where shot in the grounds of Deal Castle, Kent, which doubled for Marseille, France. [25]

Agyeman also appears in the Survivors, a BBC 1 remake of the cult 1970s TV series as Jenny Collins, who according to a BBC press release, is a bright and lively young teacher in a primary school who must face choices beyond anything she could have imagined.[26][27]

In 2009 she will star as court prosecutor Alesha Phillips in Law and Order: London, a spin-off from the popular US Law and Order franchise .[28]

[edit] Awards and recognition

In June 2007, Freema Agyeman was named "Best Newcomer" at the 2007 "Glamour Women of the Year Awards".[29]

She won the 2007 People's Choice category for "Female TV Star" in the 5th annual Screen Nation Film and TV Awards, held on 15 October 2007 at the Hilton Metropole in London.[30]

The Observer had an interview with Agyeman in December 2007 and named her as a "face of 2007".[31]

[edit] Nominations

In 2003, Agyeman was nominated in two categories in The British Soap Awards for her role as Lola Wise in Crossroads, as "Best Newcomer" and "Sexiest Female".[32]

In 2007, she was one of the top four nominations for best actress in the National Television Awards, for playing Martha Jones in the 2007 series of Doctor Who.[33]

[edit] Filmography

[edit] TV

[edit] Acting

[edit] As Herself

[edit] Film

[edit] Audio/radio

  • The Last Dodo (abridged Doctor Who audiobook) (2007) as narrator
  • Wetworld (abridged Doctor Who audiobook) (2008) as narrator
  • The Pirate Loop (abridged Doctor Who audiobook (2008) as narrator
  • Torchwood: Lost Souls (Radio 4 Afternoon Play) (2008) as Martha Jones
  • Martha in the Mirror (abridged Doctor Who audiobook) (2008) as narrator

[edit] Theatre/Stage

  • Twisted Roots by Emily Nightingale (2001) as Anya Starr[34][35]
  • When Snow Falls by Chris Elwell (2001-2002) as "T"[36]
  • Lords and Ladies by Terry Pratchett (2002) as various[37]
  • Doctor Who Proms, Live (27th July 2008) as host.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Thank You Letter From Freema Agyeman". Retrieved on 2008-04-08.
  2. ^ a b c Jury, Louise (2007-03-23). "From council estate to Tardis: rise of the Timelord's sidekick". The Independent. Retrieved on 2007-09-18.
  3. ^ Adam Sherwin (2006-07-05). "Sidekick whose time has come", The Times. Retrieved on 5 July 2006. 
  4. ^ http://uktv.co.uk/drama/stepbystep/aid/595754
  5. ^ Hugo, Simon (June 2008), "Where's Your Head At? Freema Agyeman", Torchwood Magazine: 60 
  6. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1303956
  7. ^ http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/9/prweb433428.htm
  8. ^ a b c d Doctor Who Magazine: Issue 373, Companion Piece, by Russell T Davies
  9. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0756449/
  10. ^ "Doomsday!! Gaspode Chats Up The Director of WHO’s Second-Season Finale!!". Ain't It Cool News. Retrieved on 2008-07-16.
  11. ^ a b Doctor Who Magazine: Issue 372, Meet Martha, an interview with Freema Agyeman
  12. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/07_july/05/agyeman2.shtml
  13. ^ a b DWM 398, Freema Agyeman - She walks in her own way
  14. ^ "Smith and Jones". Writer Russell T Davies, Director Charles Palmer, Producer Phil Collinson. Doctor Who. BBC. BBC One, Cardiff. 2007-03-31.
  15. ^ "More Martha!" (in English). BBC Official Doctor Who site (2007-07-02). Retrieved on 2007-07-02.
  16. ^ http://www.gallifreyone.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?id=EkpAkZFFkZpKezjobI&tmpl=newsrss&style=feedstyle
  17. ^ http://www.eyeofhorus.org.uk/content/news/2007/06-june07.html
  18. ^ http://www.denofgeek.com/Reviews/43610/doctor_who_wetworld_audio_cd_review.html
  19. ^ http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.seymour1/ukbookguide/forthcomingReleases.html
  20. ^ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-New-Adventures/dp/140840057X
  21. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1224605/ Bizarre ER episode 1
  22. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1224612/ Bizarre ER episode 8
  23. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/2008/whatson/2707.shtml
  24. ^ Holmwood, Leigh (2008-05-06). "Jones to appear in BBC Dickens drama". The Guardian. Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
  25. ^ http://www.eastkentmercury.co.uk/news/default.asp?article_id=41330
  26. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/05_may/30/survivors.shtml
  27. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s4/news/latest/080602_news_01
  28. ^ http://www.people.co.uk/showbiz/showbiz/tm_method=full%26objectID=20641437%26siteID=93463-name_page.html
  29. ^ http://freemaagyeman.com/news/2007/06/05/glamour-awards-2007/#more-363
  30. ^ http://www.screennation.co.uk/pdf/ScreenNation2007WinnerList.pdf
  31. ^ Day, Elizabeth (2007-12-16). "A dizzy year with the Doctor". The Observer. Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
  32. ^ http://209.85.135.104/search?q=cache:memorabletv.com/onthebox/profiles/uksoapawards03.htm+Crossroads+-+Freema+Agyeman+www.memorabletv.com/onthebox/profiles/uksoapawards03.htm+&strip=1
  33. ^ http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/article341308.ece
  34. ^ http://www.pop-up.net/productions/twistedroots.html
  35. ^ http://freemaagyeman.com/biography/
  36. ^ http://www.halfmoon.org.uk/whatson/halfmoonshowsontour/previousshows.html#when
  37. ^ http://www.co.uk.lspace.org/fandom/events/plays/lordsandladies/2002/august-rollright-stones.html

[edit] External links

Persondata
NAME Agyeman, Freema
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION English actor
DATE OF BIRTH
PLACE OF BIRTH London, England
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freema_Agyeman"
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