Nicola Walker

Nicola Walker is an English actress, known for her starring roles in various British television programmes from the 1990s onwards, including Ruth Evershed in the spy drama Spooks from 2003 to 2011. She has also worked in theatre, radio and film. In 2013, she won the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress for the play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime. In 2014, she was nominated for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress for the BBC drama Last Tango in Halifax.

Walker was born in Stepney in the East End of London and has an older brother. She attended Saint Nicholas School, Old Harlow, and Forest School, Walthamstow, and undertook acting classes from ageto speak to boys. Interviewed in 2014 by The Guardian, she said, I was really encouraged by my mother. My dad thought it was a ridiculous thing to do.

Source: Wikipedia