Joanne Froggatt

Last updated on the 3 June 2025 by Maeve

Mini Biography

Born: 23 August 1980, Littlebeck, North Yorkshire, England. 

Joanne Froggatt is a British actress who has won acclaim for her roles in television, film, and theatre. She is best known for playing Anna Bates in the ITV period drama series Downton Abbey, for which she received three Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe Award.

Joanne Froggatt grew up on a farm run by her parents, Ann and Keith Froggatt, who also owned a corner shop. She was inspired to pursue acting after watching the TV series Band of Gold, which featured female sex workers. She left home at the age of 13 to attend the Redroofs Theatre School in Maidenhead, Berkshire, where she studied drama and music.

Joanne Froggatt made her TV debut in 1996 in the police drama The Bill and soon landed the role of teenage mother Zoe Tattersall in the soap opera Coronation Street. She left the show in 1998, when her character was written out. She then appeared in various TV films and mini-series, such as Danielle Cable: Eyewitness (2003), based on the true story of a witness to a road rage murder; See No Evil: The Moors Murders (2006), where she played the sister of serial killer Myra Hindley; and Murder in the Outback (2007), where she portrayed Joanne Lees, a backpacker whose boyfriend was killed by a gunman in Australia.

In 2010, Froggatt was cast as Anna Bates, the head housemaid and later lady’s maid of Lady Mary Crawley, in the hit series Downton Abbey. Her character’s storyline involved a rape, a murder trial and a miscarriage, among other challenges. Froggatt received critical praise and recognition for her performance, winning the 2014 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film, and being nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.

Joanne Froggatt has also starred in several films, such as In Our Name (2010), where she played a soldier suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder; Filth (2013), where she played the wife of a corrupt cop; A Street Cat Named Bob (2016), where she played a drug support worker; Mary Shelley (2017), where she played the stepmother of the famous author; and Downton Abbey (2019), the film adaptation of the series. She has also appeared on stage in productions such as All About My Mother (2007), The Knowledge (2011), and Rabbit Hole (2016).

Joanne Froggatt married James Cannon, a director, in 2012, after dating for three years. They separated in 2020 but remain friends. Froggatt has a brother, Daniel, and lives in Buckinghamshire. She is a patron of the charity Anthony Nolan, which helps people with blood cancer. She is also a supporter of animal rights and vegetarianism.

Suggested viewing

Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022)

Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 7.4

The esteemed Crawley family embarks on a magnificent journey to the beautiful landscapes of the sun-kissed south of France. Their goal is to uncover the mysterious secret surrounding the dowager countess’s newly acquired villa. While exploring picturesque surroundings, they unravel a intriguing mystery that connects the past with the present.

Top cast: Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Imelda Staunton, Penelope Wilton, Robert James-Collier, Lesley Nicole, Joanne Froggatt.

Liar (2017)

Bftv 8.0 / IMDb 7.1

“Liar” follows the story of a teacher named Laura Nielson and a surgeon named Andrew Earlham, who go on a date that ends in a sexual assault accusation. The series explores the aftermath of the accusation and the impact it has on both Laura and Andrew’s lives, as well as the people around them. As the story unfolds, secrets and lies are revealed and the truth becomes increasingly difficult to discern.

Top cast: Joanne Froggatt, Ioan Gruffudd, Zoë Tapper, Warren Brown, Shelley Conn, Richie Campbell, Jamie Flatters, Danny Webb.

Downton Abbey (2010)

Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 8.7

“Downton Abbey” follows the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants as they traverse the changing social and political landscape of post-Edwardian England. The series explores themes of class, love, loyalty and family, and features a large ensemble cast of characters whose lives intersect in various ways.

Top cast: Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Joanne Froggatt, Hugh Bonneville, Phyllis Logan, Elizabeth McGovern, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle.

Sherwood (2022)

Bftv 8.5 / IMDb 7.4

“Sherwood (2016) is based on the true story of a community torn apart by two murders, triggering a historic manhunt in Britain. The search threatens to rekindle divisions from the Miners’ Strike, heightening tensions and reopening old wounds. It’s a story of fractured unity and the lingering scars of past conflicts.

Top cast: David Morrissey, Robert Glenister, Lesley Manville, Adeel Akhtar, Joanne Froggatt, Claire Rushbrook, Kevin Doyle, Lorraine Ashbourne, Philip Jackson, Alun Armstrong, Andrea Lowe.

Dark Angel (2016)

Bftv 8.0 / IMDb 6.8

Dark Angel is a chilling drama based on the true story of Mary Ann Cotton, a notorious Victorian serial killer. Set in 19th-century England, it dives into her life of deception, betrayal and murder as she poisons her loved ones for financial gain. A haunting tale of a dark and twisted mind.

Top cast: Joanne Froggatt, Alun Armstrong, Sam Hoare, Jonas Armstrong, Laura Morgan, Emma Fielding, Penny Layden, Tom Varey.

Downton Abbey (2019)

Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 7.4

“Downton Abbey” follows the Crawley family as they prepare for a royal visit to their estate. The arrival of King George V and Queen Mary creates excitement and tension among the family and staff, leading to a series of dramatic events that challenge their traditions and way of life.

Top cast: Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Michelle Dockery, Kevin Doyle, Joanne Froggatt, Matthew Goode.

Breathtaking (2024)

Bftv 8.5 / IMDb 7.7

A fictional hospital becomes the backdrop for a drama exploring the fight against a devastating pandemic. Medical staff, including a dedicated doctor juggling motherhood with crisis response, battle fear and frustration as they try to save lives amid overwhelming odds and limited resources. Witnessing the virus’s grip tighten on the healthcare system, they push through unprecedented adversity to bring hope and healing.

Top cast: Joanne Froggatt, Lucy Montgomery, Jodie McNee, Mark Dexter, Bhav Joshi, Donna Banya, Stephanie Street, Naomi Denny, George Georgiou.

Related to

Full filmography (@Wikipedia)