Francesca Mills | |
|---|---|
| Born | Francesca Mills 1996 or 1997 (age 28–29)[1] Loggerheads, Staffordshire, England[2] |
| Alma mater | Madeley High School, Urdang Academy, Jill Clewes Academy for Theatre Arts |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2014–present |
Francesca Mills (born 1996 or 1997) is a British actress, most known for playing Cherry Dorrington in the television series Harlots (2019–2020), Earthy Mangold in Worzel Gummidge (2021) and Meldof in The Witcher: Blood Origin released by Netflix. Mills has most recently starred as Millie in ITV comedy series Transaction (2025) written by comedian Jordan Gray.
Early life
[edit]Mills was born with the genetic disorder achondroplasia, a common form of dwarfism.[3]
As of 2021, Mills lives in London,[4] but was brought up in Loggerheads, Staffordshire.[2] Mills learned to dance at the Jill Clewes Dance School in Bradwell, Staffordshire,[2] and first acted in a production of Oliver! at the age of nine.[5] Mills was a student at Madeley High School in Madeley, Staffordshire.[2] She also travelled to London to attend the Urdang Academy in Islington, and was a student at the Academy of Theatre Arts in Worcester.[4]
Career
[edit]In 2014, Mills joined Warwick Davis's Reduced Height Theatre Company for its first production, a revival of See How They Run, at the Richmond Theatre.[1] In 2017, Mills was nominated for the Ian Charleson Awards for her performance as Maria in The Government Inspector at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.[4] The same year, Mills played a seamstress in the Timothy Sheader directed production of A Tale of Two Cities at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.[6] In 2019, Mills played multiple roles in The American Clock at The Old Vic in 2019.[5] The same year, Mills was in a national tour production of the Emma Rice version of the Malory Towers musical.[7] From 2018 to 2019, Mills starred as Cherry Dorrington in series 2 and 3 of Harlots with co-stars Eloise Smyth and Samantha Morton, and as Earthy Mangold in Worzel Gummidge alongside Mackenzie Crook.[4]
In August 2021, Mills began filming the Netflix miniseries The Witcher: Blood Origin,[8] set in a time 1,200 years before The Witcher. Mills appears as Meldof, an assassin, in a cast which includes Lenny Henry and Michelle Yeoh.[9] The miniseries aired on Netflix on 25 December 2022.[10]
In 2024, Mills voiced Bethany in series four of the audio play Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures.[11]
In January 2025, Mills made her first appearance in episode 2 of series 28 on the BBC TV forensic crime series Silent Witness as Kit Brookes, a crime analyst.[12]
In June 2025, Mills starred as 'Millie' in brand new ITV comedy series Transaction, written by and co-starring Jordan Gray. Nick Frost, Kayla Meikle and Thomas Gray (no relation) also star.[13]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens | Laparo | Uncredited role; also creature & droid puppeteer |
| 2016 | Zoolander 2 | Elfin Huntress | [13] |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Off Their Rockers | Prankster | 2 episodes: "Blue Badge Specials 1 & 2" |
| 2018–2019 | Harlots | Cherry Dorrington | Series 2 & 3; 15 episodes |
| 2019–2021 | Worzel Gummidge | Earthy Mangold | Series 1 & 2; 6 episodes |
| 2020 | Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical | Thing | Television musical film |
| Jack and the Beanstalk: After Ever After | Butcher | Television film | |
| 2022 | Pistol | Helen of Troy | Mini-series; 5 episodes |
| Sneakerhead | Jemma | 3 episodes[13] | |
| The Witcher: Blood Origin | Meldof | Mini-series; 4 episodes | |
| 2023 | BBC Comedy Singles: Kirkmoore | Chloe | Television Special[13] |
| Boat Story | Belinda | Mini-series; 1 episode[14] | |
| 2024 | Time Bandits | Detective Katherine | 5 episodes[13] |
| 2025 | Silent Witness | Kit Brookes | Series 28; 9 episodes[12] |
| Transaction | Millie | 6 episodes[13] |
Theatre
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Company / Theatre / reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | See How They Run | Ida | The Reduced Height Theatre Company, Richmond Theatre[1] |
| 2016 | The Government Inspector | Maria | Ramps on The Moon / Birmingham Repertory Theatre[4] |
| A Pacifist's Guide to the War on Cancer | Ensemble | Complicité / Royal National Theatre | |
| 2017 | Cyrano de Bergerac | (unknown) | Northern Broadsides[13] - UK tour |
| A Tale of Two Cities | Novice / Seamstress | Regent's Park Open Air Theatre[6] | |
| 2018 | The Two Noble Kinsmen | Jailer's Daughter | Shakespeare's Globe[13] |
| Pity | (unknown) | Royal Court Theatre | |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | Snug | Sheffield Crucible | |
| 2019 | The American Clock | Multiple roles | The Old Vic[5] |
| Malory Towers | Sally Hope | Wise Children - UK tour[7] | |
| 2022 | All of Us | Poppy | Royal National Theatre[15] |
| 2023 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Hermia | Shakespeare's Globe[16][17] |
| The Duchess of Malfi | Duchess | Sam Wanamaker Playhouse / Shakespeare's Globe[18][19] |
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Award | Role | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Ian Charleson Awards | Maria | The Government Inspector at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre | Nominated | [4] |
| 2024 | Ian Charleson Awards | Hermia | A Midsummer Night's Dream at Shakespeare's Globe | Won | [20][21] |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Warwick Davis gives short actors new opportunities". bbc.co.uk. 20 February 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Star Wars: The Force Awakens actress Francesca Mills heads home for Cyrano at the New Vic". Stoke Sentinel. 27 January 2017. Archived from the original on 27 January 2017.
- ^ "Conversation between fellow actors, Rachel and Fran about their experience of dwarfism". sounds.bl.uk. 17 April 2014. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f "Francesca Mills". bristololdvic.org.uk. 2021.
- ^ a b c "It's a Dancing Delight! Francesca Mills, of The American Clock, at The Old Vic". Secret London. 7 March 2019.
- ^ a b "Francesca Mills". openairtheatreheritage.com. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Photo Flash: First Look at the UK Tour of Malory Towers". broadwayworld.com. 23 July 2019.
- ^ "'The Witcher: Blood Origin': Netflix Prequel Series; Filming Underway In UK". Deadline Hollywood. 16 August 2021.
- ^ "The Witcher prequel Blood Origin reveals new cast members". redanianintelligence.com. 16 August 2021.
- ^ "The Witcher: Blood Origin Creator Previews the Magical Spin-Off". netflix.com. 25 September 2022.
- ^ "3.4. Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures: Star-Crossed - Doctor Who - The Ninth Doctor Adventures - Big Finish". www.bigfinish.com. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- ^ a b Parker, Hayley (6 January 2025). "Silent Witness actor's life from growing up in North Staffordshire to TV stardom". Stoke on Trent Live. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Francesca Mills". spotlight.com. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
- ^ "Francesca Mills". Shakespeare's Globe. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ "All of Us". National Theatre. 7 November 2019. Archived from the original on 21 October 2022.
- ^ "A Midsummer Night's Dream review – giddy shenanigans with a brilliantly chaotic Puck". The Guardian. 23 May 2023.
- ^ Frodsham, Isabel. "Globe Theatre puts ableism warning on A Midsummer Night's Dream". The Times. Archived from the original on 26 May 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
- ^ "The Duchess of Malfi | What's On". Shakespeare's Globe. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- ^ Segalov, Michael (7 April 2024). "'Expect more from me': actor Francesca Mills on Shakespeare and shifting expectations". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- ^ "Ian Charleson Awards 2024 Winners announced, First prize to Francesca Mills | West End Theatre". www.westendtheatre.com. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- ^ "Francesca Mills wins Ian Charleson award". The Stage. Retrieved 30 May 2024.