# Hannah John-Kamen
**Hannah John-Kamen** (born 1989 in Anlaby, East Yorkshire, England) is a British actress known for playing Yalena "Dutch" Yardeen in the science-fiction series *Killjoys* (2015–2019) and Ava Starr, also called [Ghost](https://www.edgepedia.org/ghost-marvel-comics), in the [Marvel Cinematic Universe](https://www.edgepedia.org/marvel-cinematic-universe) films *Ant-Man and the Wasp* (2018), *Thunderbolts*\* (2025), and the upcoming *Avengers: Doomsday* (2026).[1](https://www.fandango.com/people/hannah-john-kamen-329011/film-credits) • [2](https://www.filmstarts.de/personen/574423/filmo/) She also appeared in the films *Ready Player One* (2018), *Tomb Raider* (2018), and *Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City* (2021).[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/hannah_john_kamen)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1989, Anlaby, East Yorkshire, England, UK[1](https://www.fandango.com/people/hannah-john-kamen-329011/film-credits) |
| Training | National Youth Theatre, then the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, from which she graduated in 2012[4](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne%3D574423.html) |
| Breakthrough role | Yalena "Dutch" Yardeen, lead of *Killjoys*, seasons 1 to 5 (2015–2019)[2](https://www.filmstarts.de/personen/574423/filmo/) |
| Marvel role | Ava Starr / Ghost in *Ant-Man and the Wasp* (2018), *Thunderbolts*\* (2025), and *Avengers: Doomsday* (2026)[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4789912/) |
| Notable 2020s roles | Jill Valentine in *Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City* (2021); Maya in *Unwelcome* (2022); Agent Owens in *Safe House* (2025)[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/hannah_john_kamen) • [2](https://www.filmstarts.de/personen/574423/filmo/) |
| Early television | *Whitechapel*, *Misfits*, *Black Mirror*, *The Hour*, *Happy Valley*, *Banana* and *Cucumber*[6](https://www.syfy.com/people/hannah-john-kamen) |
## Early life and training
John-Kamen was raised in [Yorkshire](https://www.edgepedia.org/yorkshire), the youngest child of a Nigerian father who worked as a forensic psychologist and a Norwegian mother who had been a model.[7](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/sep/29/hannah-john-kamen-brave-new-world-sky-ready-player-one) An early obsession with old Hollywood films, especially *Some Like It Hot*, fed her acting ambition, which her parents supported.[7](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/sep/29/hannah-john-kamen-brave-new-world-sky-ready-player-one)
She trained in acting at the [National Youth Theatre](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-youth-theatre) in London and then at the Central School of Speech and Drama, graduating in 2012.[4](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne%3D574423.html) Her professional television debut came before she had even graduated, in an episode of the ITV1 crime series *[Whitechapel](https://www.edgepedia.org/whitechapel-tv-series)*.[6](https://www.syfy.com/people/hannah-john-kamen)
## Early television work
After graduating, John-Kamen accumulated a series of British television credits. She appeared in an episode of *Misfits* in 2011 (the role marked her first on-screen appearance), followed by parts in *The Syndicate*, *The Midnight Beast*, and *Black Mirror*, whose first season she had already joined with the character Selma Telse in episode 2.[4](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne%3D574423.html) • [2](https://www.filmstarts.de/personen/574423/filmo/) She then held a recurring role as Rosa Maria Ramirez in the second season of the BBC drama *The Hour*, starring [Romola Garai](https://www.edgepedia.org/romola-garai), Ben Whishaw, and [Dominic West](https://www.edgepedia.org/dominic-west).[4](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne%3D574423.html)
Between 2014 and 2015 she built a run of supporting parts: Justine in the crime drama *[Happy Valley](https://www.edgepedia.org/happy-valley-tv-series)*, Violet in the third episode of the E4 anthology *Banana* and its companion series *Cucumber*, both created by [Russell T Davies](https://www.edgepedia.org/russell-t-davies), Nahlab in the BBC biblical TV movie *The Ark*, and a one-off appearance in the murder mystery *Death in Paradise*.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/hannah_john_kamen) • [6](https://www.syfy.com/people/hannah-john-kamen) She also appeared as Sonja in an episode of *Black Mirror* season 3 in 2016 and as Ornela in two episodes of *Game of Thrones* season 6.[2](https://www.filmstarts.de/personen/574423/filmo/)
On stage, she took the lead role in the West End musical *Viva Forever*, built on the songs of the [Spice Girls](https://www.edgepedia.org/spice-girls), which drew considerable press attention.[4](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne%3D574423.html)
## Killjoys and lead roles
*Killjoys* made her a series lead. Created by Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie, the Space and Syfy space-adventure series cast her as bounty hunter Yalena "Dutch" Yardeen, a role she played across all five seasons from 2015 to 2019.[6](https://www.syfy.com/people/hannah-john-kamen) • [2](https://www.filmstarts.de/personen/574423/filmo/) The show ran alongside her move into film: she had already appeared as a First Order Officer in *Star Wars: The Force Awakens* (2015).[8](https://www.nme.com/features/tv-interviews/hannah-john-kamen-interview-sci-fi-brave-new-world-2765536)
In 2018 she appeared in three high-profile releases in supporting roles: Sophie in *Tomb Raider*, F'Nale Zandor in [Steven Spielberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/steven-spielberg)'s *Ready Player One*, and the antagonist Ava, the Ghost, in the Marvel film *Ant-Man and the Wasp*.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/hannah_john_kamen) • [9](https://www.showtimes.com/celebrity/hannah-john-kamen-54146/biography/) Review aggregators rated *Ant-Man and the Wasp* at 87% among critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and *Ready Player One* at 71%.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/hannah_john_kamen)
In 2020 she starred as Wilhelmina "Helm" Watson in the Sky adaptation of [Aldous Huxley](https://www.edgepedia.org/aldous-huxley)'s *Brave New World* and played the title character in the Netflix series *The Stranger*, opposite Richard Armitage's Adam Price.[2](https://www.filmstarts.de/personen/574423/filmo/) • [10](https://goldenglobes.com/articles/hannah-john-kamen-im-always-learning-through-characters-i-play-articles-hannah-john-kamen-im-always-learning-through-characters-i-play/) The same year she voiced Naia in *The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance* season 1.[2](https://www.filmstarts.de/personen/574423/filmo/)
## Film roles in the 2020s
John-Kamen played [Jill Valentine](https://www.edgepedia.org/jill-valentine) in the 2021 reboot *Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City* and Dr. Sophie Hart in the action thriller *SAS: Rise of the Black Swan* (released as *SAS: Red Notice* in some markets).[2](https://www.filmstarts.de/personen/574423/filmo/) She played Maya in the 2022 horror comedy *Unwelcome*, Kate in the 2023 thriller *Breaking Point*, and Agent Owens in the 2025 film *Safe House*.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/hannah_john_kamen) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4789912/)
## Return to Marvel
The Ghost role became her recurring franchise part. In *Thunderbolts*\* (2025) she reprised Ava Starr, joining a team that the film describes as the MCU's "least expected band of misfits", alongside [Florence Pugh](https://www.edgepedia.org/florence-pugh), Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, and [Wyatt Russell](https://www.edgepedia.org/wyatt-russell).[1](https://www.fandango.com/people/hannah-john-kamen-329011/film-credits) • [11](https://www.kinocheck.com/person/2ibtx/hannah-john-kamen-1989) She reportedly learned of her return from a post-credits scene, according to an AlloCiné news item of May 2025, and she was named in March 2025 among the announced cast of *Avengers: Doomsday*, scheduled for release on 16 December 2026.[4](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne%3D574423.html) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4789912/)
Her upcoming slate also includes *One Second After*, in which she plays Makayla, and further projects listed for 2026 such as *Whalefall* and *Street Fighter*.[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4789912/) • [1](https://www.fandango.com/people/hannah-john-kamen-329011/film-credits)
## Themes and reception
Commentators have noted a recurring streak of dystopian and science-fiction work in her career, from *Black Mirror* and *Killjoys* to *Ready Player One* and *Brave New World*. John-Kamen herself has said the appeal of science fiction lies in its reflection of the present, and that she keeps learning through the characters she plays.[7](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/sep/29/hannah-john-kamen-brave-new-world-sky-ready-player-one) • [8](https://www.nme.com/features/tv-interviews/hannah-john-kamen-interview-sci-fi-brave-new-world-2765536) • [10](https://goldenglobes.com/articles/hannah-john-kamen-im-always-learning-through-characters-i-play-articles-hannah-john-kamen-im-always-learning-through-characters-i-play/)
## References
1. [Hannah John-Kamen Filmography and Movies, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/hannah-john-kamen-329011/film-credits)
2. [Filmografie von Hannah John-Kamen, FILMSTARTS.de](https://www.filmstarts.de/personen/574423/filmo/)
3. [Hannah John-Kamen Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/hannah_john_kamen)
4. [Hannah John-Kamen, AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne%3D574423.html)
5. [Hannah John-Kamen, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4789912/)
6. [Hannah John-Kamen, Killjoys, Syfy](https://www.syfy.com/people/hannah-john-kamen)
7. [Hannah John-Kamen: 'I love that Brave New World is too close to home', The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/sep/29/hannah-john-kamen-brave-new-world-sky-ready-player-one)
8. [Hannah John-Kamen: 'The beauty of sci-fi is it mirrors today', NME](https://www.nme.com/features/tv-interviews/hannah-john-kamen-interview-sci-fi-brave-new-world-2765536)
9. [Hannah John-Kamen Biography, Showtimes](https://www.showtimes.com/celebrity/hannah-john-kamen-54146/biography/)
10. [Hannah John-Kamen: 'I'm always learning through the characters I play', Golden Globes](https://goldenglobes.com/articles/hannah-john-kamen-im-always-learning-through-characters-i-play-articles-hannah-john-kamen-im-always-learning-through-characters-i-play/)
11. [Hannah John-Kamen, Movies, shows & videos, KinoCheck](https://www.kinocheck.com/person/2ibtx/hannah-john-kamen-1989)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › English actors: 2000s onward › Surnames I to K*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license