Michelle Gomez is a Scottish seasoned comedy actress born on September 23rd, 1966. She’s well known for playing various roles in a number of comedies. Gomez is the only girl in a family of four children and grew up with her two older brothers. One of them was called Derek and was her twin brother. However, he passed away in 2004 and his death had a huge impact on Gomez; something she was able to get over later on. Before Gomez got her big break in acting, she was forced to invent jobs after graduating from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. To make ends meet, she worked as a waitress and kitchen porter, cleaned bathrooms and presented karaoke nights.
When she wasn’t working, she invented roles just to cover up the shame of being jobless. On many occasions, she duped her friends with fabricated jobs. She even went to the extent of applying for a fake driver’s licence in order to qualify herself as a taxi driver. In 2016 she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress; BAFTA Awards. Here are facts you may not know about her:
Acting Career
Gomez first role was in ‘The Acid House’ film (1998). The film was based on Irvine Welsh’s three short stories. She then starred in the channel 4 comedy ‘The Book Group’. Later on, she played as Sue White a staff liaison officer in Green Wing; channel 4 comedy. She then played in Carie and Barry as Michelle for BBC which was unveiled the same night Green Wing debuted. In BBC 2 Sitcom, ‘Feel the Force’ Gomez starred as PC Sally Bobbins. She also acted in ‘Gunslinger’s Revenge’ and in 2005 played in the ‘Chromophobia’ film.
She went on to star in ‘The Good Housekeeping Guide’ film in 2006. In 2007, she acted in ‘Wedding Belles’; a drama by Dean Cavanagh and Irvine Welsh. While in London at a comedy theatre, she starred in ‘Boeing-Boeing’. Still in 2007, Gomez guest-starred in ‘Doctor Who’. She then joined the ‘Royal Shakespeare Company’ in 2008 and played as Kate at the Novello and Country yard Theatre in ‘The taming of the Shrew’. She further starred in ‘The Wedding Video’, a British film in 2012. She also acted in ‘Bad Education’, British comedy series the same year. The second series returned in 2013. She later on started producing comedy sketches ‘Heather’ in 2014.
Her role as Missy, a character in ‘Doctor Who’ eighth series kept recurring. The series revealed her real identity as a female incarnation; the Doctor’s nerve wrecking nemesis. Gomez played her role again as Missy in the ninth and tenth series. However in May 2017; she said the tenth series would be her last in the role. In 2015, she was nominated for the Best Actress Television Award for her role as Missy at the British Academy Scotland awards.
Childhood
She was born to Tony and May Gomez in Glasgow, United Kingdom. Her mother owned a modelling agency while her father was a photographer. At age 7, Gomez was inspired to pursue a career as an actress after watching her first play ‘Kiss Me, Kate’. From there on, her passion for acting became unstoppable and her parents fully supported her. From 1978-1983, Gomez attended Showlands Academy. Upon turning 12 years, her parents enrolled her at The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama to train as an actor.
Personal Life
She has been married to actor Jack Davenport of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean Fame and This Life’ for the last 17 years. They’ve a son called Harry who was born in 2010. Her husband is the son of Nigel Davenport and Maria Aitken (both are actors). They met while Gomez was performing in Trainspotters. They eventually began dating after a blind date in which her husband was in attendance with ‘This Life’ cast crew at a wrap party.
She Furthered Her Studies to Teach Shakespeare
In a 2009 interview while working at the Royal Shakespeare Company, Gomez told WhatsOnStage that she was pursuing a course which would prepare her to teach Shakespeare. She enrolled for the course so that she could have something to fall back on once she retired from acting. Surprisingly, Gomez later on confessed that prior to starring in one of Shakespeare’s most famous comedy plays; she didn’t have any knowledge of Shakespeare.
She Once Acted Topless on Stage
While performing in Trainspotters, Gomez role required her to bare her breasts while on stage. Something she had no qualms about. She even admitted that it’s the reason her husband kept coming back to watch the play just to court her. While speaking at TimeGate in May 2015, Gomez said that her husband decided to ask for her hand in marriage after watching her performing topless on stage.
Follow Us
