Ella Purnell, an English actress, gained recognition for her role as MacKenzie in the independent film ‘WildLike’, earning her numerous ‘Best Actress’ accolades at different film festivals. She is also renowned for her appearances in ‘Never Let Me Go’, ‘Home for Peculiar Children’, ‘Maleficent’, and ‘Churchill’.
Early Life & Education
Born on September 17, 1996, Ella Purnell grew up in the Tower Hamlets district of London. During her childhood, she was a student at Bethnal Green Montessori, Forest School, and the City of London School for Girls.
She then enrolled at the Young Actors Theatre Islington and started attending weekly lessons at the Sylvia Young Theatre School to hone her skills in acting, singing, and dance. Additionally, she was signed with the school’s own talent agency during this period.
Ella Purnell’s Career
In 2008, Purnell’s hard work in training began to yield results as she was chosen over numerous other girls for a part in “Oliver!” at the London Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. She remained with the show for some time before landing her next role in “Never Let Me Go,” a film adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel, which was released in 2010.
Afterward, she landed a part in “Ways to Live Forever,” a movie adaptation of Sally Nicholls’ novel of the same title. She also appeared in the film “Intruders.”
Her acting in all these roles received rave reviews and Screen International recognized her as one of the top 10 up-and-coming stars from the UK.
Purnell made her first on-screen appearance in June 2011 in the BBC film “Candy.” She later landed the role of Dolce in the movie “Kick-Ass 2.” In 2014, she starred in the films “Maleficent” and “WildLike,” an independent production.
In 2015, she received recognition for her performance in “WildLike” as she was nominated for and won various accolades in the Best Actress category.
She was recognized at prestigious events such as the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, the Gasparilla International Film Festival, the Myrtle Beach International Film Festival, and the Richmond International Film Festival. Additionally, she also starred in the TV movie “Cyberbully” during the same year.
Purnell had an active year in 2016, with appearances in three films: “The Journey is the Destination,” “The Legend of Tarzan,” and “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.”
The following year, she landed a role in the historical drama “Churchill,” where she portrayed Winston Churchill’s secretary, Helen Garrett. In 2018, she joined the cast of “UFO” as Natalie and secured a role in the mini-series adaptation of Agatha Christie’s “Ordeal by Innocence,” playing the character of Hester Argyll.
In 2021, Ella Purnell once again took on prominent roles. She secured the main part in “Yellowjackets” and also secured two leading voice roles in “Star Trek: Prodigy” and “Arcane,” both animated series.
Her performance as Jinx in “Arcane” was particularly praised, earning her the Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Voice Acting in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production.
Ella Purnell also secured a leading role in the zombie heist movie “Army of the Dead” and a voiceover role in the accompanying animated series, “Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas,” both set to release in 2021 and 2022 respectively.
Personal Life
Ella Purnell was in a relationship with actor Asa Butterfield from 2015 to 2016. There were talks of a possible romance with Rob Raco, but no official confirmation was made. There were also rumors circulating about a potential involvement with Brad Pitt.
Net Worth
English actress Ella Purnell has a net worth of $3 million and is recognized for her roles in “Yellowjackets,” “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,” and “Army of the Dead.” Additionally, she has lent her voice to characters in “Arcane” and “Star Trek: Prodigy.”
