Liz Carr

Liz Carr is an English actress, comedian, broadcaster and international disability rights activist.

Liz Carr
Born
Liz Carr

(1972-04-21) April 21, 1972
Bebington, Cheshire, England
EducationUniversity of Nottingham
Occupation
Known forActing and activism
Spouse(s)
Jo Church
​
(m. 2010)​

Early life and education

Carr was born 21 April 1972 in Port Sunlight and grew up in Bebington, Merseyside.[1] She attended Upton Hall School FCJ in Upton, Merseyside and Birkenhead High School in Birkenhead.[2][3]

Carr studied law at the University of Nottingham.[4]

Disability activism

Carr has used a wheelchair since the age of seven owing to arthrogryposis multiplex congenita[5] and frequently refers to her condition in her stand-up as "meus thronus kaputus". She is frank about her life as a disabled person and the inherent comedy that brings: "I've had some tuts, which is fantastic... I look quite frail to some people, so it's like, 'She's talking about sex, she's swearing.' Every stereotype you didn't expect. People generally look terrified. 'Oh my God, is she going to be funny? Can we laugh at this?'."[6]

Carr became involved in politics, disabled rights, and activism while studying at the University of Nottingham. Following her graduation she turned her back on law to work as a disability equality trainer.[7] She has been a disability rights campaigner in the UK and has spoken at many rallies. In May 2008 she joined with ADAPT, a prominent disability rights group in the United States, to raise money for ADAPT and to protest against presidential candidate John McCain's refusal to support the right of people with disabilities to live in their own homes.

In 2011, Carr was part of a Newsnight debate on assisted suicide, following the screening on the BBC of Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die, which included Jeremy Paxman and David Aaronovitch.[8]

She opposed Lord Falconer's Assisted Dying Bill, stating: "I fear we’ve so devalued certain groups of people – ill people, disabled people, older people – that I don’t think it’s in their best interests to enshrine in law the right of doctors to kill certain people."[9]

Career

Comedy

She has been part of a number of comedy groups, including Abnormally Funny People with Tanyalee Davis, Steve Day, Steve Best, Simon Minty and Chris McCausland.

In 2007 she was runner-up in the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year competition.[10]

Carr co-hosted the BBC's Royal Television Society award-winning Ouch! Podcast[11] with Mat Fraser from 2006 to 2013, and in 2011 worked as a researcher for the BBC comedy panel show Have I Got News for You.

Acting

Carr was in her thirties when she took on her first professional acting role, playing Mother Courage, before heading to the Young Vic with another Bertolt Brecht play, The Exception and the Rule.[12] In 2013, she joined the long-running BBC crime thriller series Silent Witness as regular character Clarissa Mullery.[13][14] On 5 February 2020 it was announced that Carr had departed Silent Witness after eight years.

In 2019, Carr starred in The OA as Dr Marlow Rhodes.[15] In 2020, Carr appeared as a university lecturer in the miniseries Devs.[16]

In March 2021, it was announced that Carr had joined the cast of The Witcher as Fenn in the show's second season.[17] In December of the same year, it was announced that Carr had joined the cast of Good Omens for the second season, as the angel Saraqael.[18] Between September and December 2021, Carr played Dr. Emma Brookner in the West End revival of The Normal Heart at the Royal National Theatre, marking the first time a disabled person had played the role on stage. Carr subsequently won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the 2022 Laurence Olivier Awards.[19]

Personal life

In 2010 Carr entered into a civil partnership with longtime partner Jo Church in what Carr called "A Wheelie Special Wedding". Her father gave a speech in which he was prohibited from using words like "brave." Carr and her partner danced to the Dirty Dancing theme and the local fire brigade held her, and her chair, aloft.[20]

On 10 August 2017, Carr and her personal assistant were the victims of an attack by a man armed with scissors. The assailant was subsequently arrested and detained under the Mental Health Act 2007.[21]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2017 Le Accelerator The Death Provider
2021 Infinite Garrick
2022 Then Barbara Met Alan Liz

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2013–2020 Silent Witness Clarissa Mullery 79 episodes
2018 Les Misérables Concierge Episode #1.1
2019 The OA Dr. Marlow Rhodes 2 episodes
2019 Would I Lie To You? Herself Series 13
2020 Devs Lecturer Episode #1.5
2020 CripTales Meg 2 episodes
2021 The Witcher Fenn
2022 This Is Going to Hurt Tina Episode #1.7

Stage
Year Title Role Notes
2021 The Normal Heart Dr. Emma Brookner Royal National Theatre

References
  1. Perry, Keith (16 August 2017). "Merseyside actress attacked by man armed with SCISSORS". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  2. "'This has everything to do with disability': Interview with Wirral-born Silent Witness actress Liz Carr on subject of assisted suicide – The Diocese of Shrewsbury – The Diocese of Shrewsbury". dioceseofshrewsbury.org. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  3. O'Hara, Interview by Mary (21 June 2006). "No fear, no frills". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  4. "Time to stand up and be counted". Nottingham University. 16 January 2011. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  5. "Silent Witness Star Liz Carr". OK Magazine. Olivia Wheeler. 21 January 2017
  6. Mary O'Hara (21 June 2006). "Interview: Liz Carr". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  7. "Time to stand up and be counted". Nottingham University. 16 January 2011. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 13 April 21022. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  8. Choosing to Die: Newsnight Debate at IMDb
  9. Hannah Dunleavy (3 December 2014). "Liz Carr, Not so Silent Witness". Standard Issue.
  10. Trish Gant. "Liz Carr, comedian". The UK Comedy Guide.
  11. "Official Ouch! Podcast page". BBC. 14 November 2013.
  12. BBC
  13. "Liz Carr introduces her new character, Silent Witness". BBC One. 21 December 2012.
  14. "First look: Liz Carr as Clarissa Mullery in Silent Witness". The Ouch! Blog. BBC.
  15. Neela Debnath (23 March 2019). "The OA season 2 cast: Who is Liz Carr? Who plays Dr. Marlow Rhodes?". Daily Express.
  16. Cydney Yeates (6 February 2020). "Inside Liz Carr's rising Hollywood career as she quits BBC's Silent Witness". MetroUK.
  17. "Netflix's the Witcher Season 2 Adds Seven New Cast Members - IGN". 22 March 2021.
  18. "Good Omens star Jon Hamm returns for season 2 – Liz Carr joins cast".
  19. "Olivier Awards 2022: Eddie Redmayne and Liz Carr among winners". 10 April 2022.
  20. A Wheelie Special Wedding, Liz Carr, 2010, BBC. Retrieved 21 January 2017
  21. "Liz Carr: Silent Witness star attacked with scissors". BBC News. 16 August 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
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