# Joanna Christie
**Joanna Christie** (born 1982) is a British actress known for playing Jill in the 2007 West End revival of Peter Shaffer's *[Equus](https://www.edgepedia.org/equus-play)* opposite [Daniel Radcliffe](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-radcliffe) and for playing the role of Girl in the Broadway production of the musical *Once*, as well as for playing Connie Murphy in the Netflix series *Narcos*.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1982, Huddersfield, England[1](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/joanna-christie-494669) |
| Training | Graduate of the Mountview stage school; lead role in the National Youth Theatre production *Immaculate Conceit* after graduating[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1812459/) |
| Breakthrough stage role | Jill in the West End revival of *Equus* (Gielgud Theatre, 2007), opposite Daniel Radcliffe and Richard Griffiths[3](https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/equus-rev) |
| Broadway | Girl (replacement) in *Once* at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 2013 to 15 June 2014[1](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/joanna-christie-494669) |
| Television | Connie Murphy in *Narcos* (seasons 1 and 2); roles in *Elementary*, *Hawaii Five-0*, *The Blacklist*, *Misfits*, and *Inspector Lewis*[4](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-262644/filmographie/) |
| Film | *Nina Forever* (2015), *The Nest* (2020), *Truth & Treason* (2025, as Emma Hübener)[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/nina_forever) • [6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Joanna-Christie/) • [7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joanna_christie) |
## Early life and training
IBDB, the official Broadway database, records her birth date as 1982 and her birthplace as [Huddersfield](https://www.edgepedia.org/huddersfield), England[1](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/joanna-christie-494669); AlloCiné gives the same date and place[8](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne%3D262644.html). A BroadwayWorld biography instead states she was born in [Newcastle upon Tyne](https://www.edgepedia.org/newcastle-upon-tyne)[6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Joanna-Christie/), so the birthplace is reported differently across sources. A UK Companies House record for a Joanna Lauren Christie born in 1982 lists her nationality as British and country of residence as England[9](https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/9H36Q5UoIhzTBrnyoWP3KUcPKzk/appointments).
According to her IMDb biography, she graduated from the Mountview stage school and immediately took a lead role in the [National Youth Theatre](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-youth-theatre)'s production *Immaculate Conceit*[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1812459/). She was also selected for the Old Vic, New Voices group of actors who took part in the 24 Hour Plays at [The Old Vic](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-old-vic)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1812459/).
## Stage career
**Equus.** [Christie's](https://www.edgepedia.org/christies) first major role was Jill in the 2007 West End revival of Peter Shaffer's *Equus* at the Gielgud Theatre, directed by Thea Sharrock and starring Daniel Radcliffe as Alan Strang and [Richard Griffiths](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-griffiths) as Dysart[3](https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/equus-rev). The British Theatre Guide review of the production noted Radcliffe performing alongside "the hardly more experienced Miss Christie"[10](https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/equus-rev.pdf). A revival history of the play lists the 2007 London cast as Richard Griffiths, Daniel Radcliffe, and Joanna Christie[11](https://uploads.strikinglycdn.com/files/5cb403b2-009f-4c0f-baa5-93e6a5f5e101/63608536103.pdf).
**Once on Broadway.** In 2013 Christie joined the Broadway company of *Once*, the musical based on John Carney's 2006 film, with music and lyrics by [Glen Hansard](https://www.edgepedia.org/glen-hansard) and [Markéta Irglová](https://www.edgepedia.org/marketa-irglova). She played Girl as a replacement from 23 April 2013, appearing at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, where the production ran from 18 March 2012 to 4 January 2015[1](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/joanna-christie-494669) • [12](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/once-491352). Her stage partner as Guy from the same date was [Arthur Darvill](https://www.edgepedia.org/arthur-darvill)[12](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/once-491352). Neither performer had appeared in a musical or on Broadway before; in a Backstage interview Christie said she had always sung and played piano but had not gone the musical theater route, and that her agent had asked her to prepare a Mendelssohn song on piano and two scenes with a Czech accent the day before her audition. She was, by her own account, about to give up acting two weeks before she was cast[13](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/acting-lessons-stars-arthur-darvill-joanna-christie-13451/).
She left the production on 15 June 2014, with stand-by Jessie Fisher assuming the role on 17 June[14](https://playbill.com/article/joanna-christie-departs-broadways-once-folk-singer-in-the-wings-com-322412). Her other stage credits include *The Ramshackle Heart*, *One Night In November*, and *The 24 Hour Plays* at the Old Vic[14](https://playbill.com/article/joanna-christie-departs-broadways-once-folk-singer-in-the-wings-com-322412). In June 2014 she performed a one-night show at the [Off-Broadway](https://www.edgepedia.org/off-broadway) club 54 Below, presenting songs from a planned album titled *The Year of Joy & Tears* inspired by her experience in *Once*[15](https://www.broadway.com/shows/joanna-christie/).
## Screen career
Christie's television work includes Connie Murphy in the Netflix series *Narcos*, appearing in season 1 (2015) and in five episodes of season 2 (2016)[4](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-262644/filmographie/). AlloCiné's filmography also credits her as May in two episodes of *Elementary* season 5 (2017), Brooke Gardner in an episode of *Hawaii Five-0* season 8 (2018), [Olivia Olson](https://www.edgepedia.org/olivia-olson) in an episode of *The Blacklist* season 6 (2019), Jo in an episode of *Misfits* season 3 (2011), and Sarah Kriel in an episode of *Inspector Lewis* season 2 (2008)[4](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-262644/filmographie/). BroadwayWorld adds a role as Tania in the BBC drama *Inspector George Gently*[6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Joanna-Christie/).
In film she appeared in *Nina Forever* (2015), the British horror-romance by directors Ben and Chris Blaine[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/nina_forever). She played Gayle in Sean Durkin's 2020 film *[The Nest](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-nest-2020-film)*, which premiered at the [Sundance Film Festival](https://www.edgepedia.org/sundance-film-festival)[6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Joanna-Christie/). Rotten Tomatoes lists her most recent screen role as Emma Hübener in *Truth & Treason* (2025)[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joanna_christie).
## References
1. [Joanna Christie – Broadway Cast & Staff, IBDB](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/joanna-christie-494669)
2. [Joanna Christie – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1812459/)
3. [Theatre review: Equus at Gielgud Theatre, British Theatre Guide](https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/equus-rev)
4. [Joanna Christie : Filmographie, AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-262644/filmographie/)
5. [Nina Forever, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/nina_forever)
6. [Joanna Christie (Actor) – Broadway & Theatre Credits, BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Joanna-Christie/)
7. [Joanna Christie Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joanna_christie)
8. [Joanna Christie, AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne%3D262644.html)
9. [Joanna Lauren Christie personal appointments, Companies House](https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/9H36Q5UoIhzTBrnyoWP3KUcPKzk/appointments)
10. [britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/equus-rev.pdf](https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/equus-rev.pdf)
11. [Equus revival history (PDF)](https://uploads.strikinglycdn.com/files/5cb403b2-009f-4c0f-baa5-93e6a5f5e101/63608536103.pdf)
12. [Once – Broadway Musical – Original, IBDB](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/once-491352)
13. [5 Acting Lessons From 'Once' Stars Arthur Darvill and Joanna Christie, Backstage](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/acting-lessons-stars-arthur-darvill-joanna-christie-13451/)
14. [Joanna Christie Departs Broadway's Once, Playbill](https://playbill.com/article/joanna-christie-departs-broadways-once-folk-singer-in-the-wings-com-322412)
15. [Joanna Christie Tickets, Broadway.com](https://www.broadway.com/shows/joanna-christie/)
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*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 C*
*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