Jessica Barden | Actress

Jessica Barden | Actress

Jessica doesn’t just want to act, she is determined to campaign for real change in our industry too. Having worked from a very young age as a supporting artist on CiTV shows, and then landing a major role in Coronation Street at 14, Jessica has grown up in the business. She reflects that this is a competitive industry in general, but especially tough for women who don’t want to play a Queen or a victim, saying there’s a long way to go until there’s satisfactory representation of women on screen.

This is why she was so excited to play Alyssa in BAFTA-nominated C4 drama series The End of the F***ing World. Originally written as a film, it took a long time to come to the screen as a TV series, but the story of two rebellious teenagers looking to escape the world was worth the wait for Jessica, and was released to huge critical acclaim. She says it was exactly the kind of script she had been looking for, and represents the work she wishes to be part of.

Jessica is interested in moving into producing in the future, and is thrilled to receive encouragement from BAFTA. She says she wants to use her opportunities to build a considered career and to be an intelligent person in the industry.