Ellie Heydon is a British actress and filmmaker whose career spans acting, directing and producing. She first gained screen recognition for playing Anne Pettifer in the period drama series Harlots, and later appeared in projects including Divertimento and The Colour of Spring.
In recent years, Heydon has increasingly worked behind the camera. Her directing credits include Dreamland, Trying, Outrageous and Tommy & Tuppence, while her 2026 credits include directing an episode of Ted Lasso.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Ellie Heydon |
| Profession | Actress, Director, Producer |
| Nationality | British |
| Known For | Harlots, Divertimento, The Colour of Spring |
| Acting Role | Anne Pettifer in Harlots |
| Directing Credits | Dreamland, Trying, Outrageous, Tommy & Tuppence, Ted Lasso |
| Video Game Credits | Elden Ring, A Plague Tale: Requiem, Baldur’s Gate III |
| Years Active | 2010s–present |
| Spouse | Phil Dunster |
| Notable Recent Work | Directed an episode of Ted Lasso in 2026 |
Early Life & Background
Publicly available information about Ellie Heydon’s early life is limited. Established entertainment databases identify her as a British actress and director, but major sources do not provide a comprehensive account of her childhood or family background.
Some biographical databases report that Heydon was born in London in 1988 and studied acting at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. However, these details are not sufficiently corroborated by the strongest available sources, so they are not treated here as definitive biographical facts.
Her professional credits show a career that developed across both performance and filmmaking, eventually leading to a substantial body of television directing work.
Education
Details about Heydon’s education are not consistently documented by major entertainment publications or official industry sources. While some databases list training at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and previous study at Northumbria University, those claims are not independently established strongly enough to provide them as confirmed facts.
Career & Achievements
Acting in Harlots
One of Ellie Heydon’s best-known acting credits is Harlots, the period drama that originally ran from 2017 to 2019. She played Anne Pettifer, appearing across 21 episodes according to her IMDb credits.
The series starred Lesley Manville, Samantha Morton, Jessica Brown Findlay and Eloise Smyth and explored the lives of women working in and around London’s eighteenth-century brothel economy. Heydon’s role gave her a notable television credit early in her screen career.
Film and short-form work
Heydon also appeared as Helen in the 2020 short film Divertimento and played Julia in The Colour of Spring, also released in 2020.
Her acting work later expanded into voice performances for major video games. IMDb credits her with roles including Rya/Zorayas in Elden Ring, Countess Emilie in the English version of A Plague Tale: Requiem, Mia in Edengate: The Edge of Life, and several characters in Baldur’s Gate III.
Moving into directing
Directing has become an increasingly prominent part of Heydon’s career. Her credits include the short films Pelicans, Fred Forever, Pragma and Safe Word. IMDb also lists her as a producer on several of these projects.
Snapper Films described Heydon as a director/creator and actress when announcing her addition to its roster. The company highlighted her female-led stories and described her short films as multi-award-winning work.
Her work on Pragma also brought her professionally together with actor Phil Dunster, who has discussed Heydon’s directing of the project in interviews.
Television directing
Heydon’s television directing career includes Dreamland, the 2023 Sky comedy-drama created by Sharon Horgan and starring Freema Agyeman, Lily Allen and Gabby Best.
She subsequently directed episodes of Trying, with TV Guide listing the series among her directing credits.
Her more recent television work includes Outrageous and Tommy & Tuppence, both released in 2025. IMDb credits her with three episodes of Outrageous and two episodes of Tommy & Tuppence.
In 2026, Heydon also directed an episode of Ted Lasso. Her connection to the Apple TV+ series has attracted additional attention because her husband, actor Phil Dunster, is known for playing Jamie Tartt in the original run of the show.
Personal Life
Ellie Heydon is married to English actor Phil Dunster. Dunster has publicly referred to Heydon as his wife in interviews, including a 2026 Esquire profile discussing her directing work on Ted Lasso.
The couple had been together for several years before marrying. Dunster has also spoken about collaborating with Heydon professionally, including her directing work on Pragma.
Beyond information they have chosen to make public, relatively little verified detail is available about Heydon’s private life, and there is no need to speculate about matters she has not publicly discussed.
Interesting Facts About Ellie Heydon
- Ellie Heydon has worked both in front of and behind the camera, with credits as an actress, director and producer.
- She played Anne Pettifer in the television series Harlots.
- Her video-game voice credits include Rya/Zorayas in Elden Ring.
- She has directed television series including Dreamland, Trying and Outrageous.
- She directed Pragma, a project that also involved her husband Phil Dunster.
- In 2026, she directed an episode of Ted Lasso.
FAQs About Ellie Heydon
Who is Ellie Heydon?
Ellie Heydon is a British actress, director and filmmaker. She is known for acting in Harlots, Divertimento and The Colour of Spring, as well as directing television and short-form projects.
What is Ellie Heydon known for?
As an actress, Heydon is particularly associated with Harlots. Her later career has increasingly focused on directing, including Dreamland, Trying, Outrageous, Tommy & Tuppence and Ted Lasso.
Did Ellie Heydon act in Harlots?
Yes. Heydon played Anne Pettifer in Harlots and is credited with appearing in 21 episodes of the series.
Is Ellie Heydon a director?
Yes. Directing is now a major part of her professional career. Her television directing credits include Dreamland, Trying, Outrageous, Tommy & Tuppence and Ted Lasso.
Is Ellie Heydon in video games?
Yes. Heydon has provided English-language voice performances for several games, including Elden Ring, A Plague Tale: Requiem, Edengate: The Edge of Life and Baldur’s Gate III.
Is Ellie Heydon married to Phil Dunster?
Yes. Ellie Heydon is married to actor Phil Dunster, who is best known for playing Jamie Tartt in Ted Lasso. Dunster referred to Heydon as his wife in a 2026 Esquire interview.
Did Ellie Heydon direct Ted Lasso?
Yes. IMDb credits Heydon as the director of an episode of Ted Lasso in 2026.
Conclusion
Ellie Heydon’s career has developed well beyond her early work as an actress. From her role in Harlots and voice performances in major video games to her growing body of television directing credits, she has established herself as a multi-disciplinary screen professional. Her recent work on productions such as Outrageous, Tommy & Tuppence and Ted Lasso reflects the increasingly prominent place directing holds in her career.
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