# Laura Marcus (actress)
**Laura Marcus** (full name Laura Alice Marcus, born 2004) is a British actress, writer, and director known for playing Jinx in the [BBC Three](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-three) comedy *Bad Education*, Caitlin Owen in the [BBC One](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-one) drama *The Jetty*, and Mollie Garfield in the Netflix series *[Death by Lightning](https://www.edgepedia.org/death-by-lightning)*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13033345/bio/) • [2](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/) • [3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/348925/laura-marcus) She is represented by the agent David Lazenby at Conway Van Gelder Grant.[2](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 2004 (listed as 2004 on Plex)[4](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/laura-marcus-1) |
| Training | MA Acting, Royal Central School of Speech & Drama; BA, University of Bristol; National Youth Theatre senior course[5](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/pdf/) |
| Breakthrough role | Jinx, a series regular in *Bad Education* series 4 and 5 (BBC Three, 2022–2024)[2](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/) • [3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/348925/laura-marcus) |
| Leading role | Caitlin Owen in *The Jetty* (Firebird Pictures for BBC One, 2024, four episodes)[2](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/) • [3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/348925/laura-marcus) |
| Notable film | Silka Sharp in *The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping* (Lionsgate, 2026, directed by Francis Lawrence)[2](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/) |
| Writing and directing | Creator, writer, and star of *F**k Ups* (Channel 4, 2026)[6](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/laura-marcus/) |
| Early recognition | Award at the BFI Future Film Festival 2021 for her short film *The Massive F*cking Bender*; named a "star of tomorrow" by the Evening Standard[2](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/) |
## Training and early work
Marcus studied at the [University of Bristol](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-bristol) before training as an actor, taking an MA in Acting at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and completing the senior course at the [National Youth Theatre](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-youth-theatre).[5](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/pdf/) • [7](https://www.tatler.com/article/is-laura-marcus-the-hottest-british-star-in-the-period-drama-scene-right-now) In interviews she has said her time at university shaped the career she has built since.[7](https://www.tatler.com/article/is-laura-marcus-the-hottest-british-star-in-the-period-drama-scene-right-now)
Her first screen credit of note was her own short film, *The Massive F*cking Bender*, in which she played The Girl and which she also directed; it screened at the BFI Future Film Festival 2021, where she received an award, and the [Evening Standard](https://www.edgepedia.org/evening-standard) placed her among its "stars of tomorrow".[2](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/) In 2021 she appeared in, wrote, and directed the episode "V Plates" of the BBC Three comedy shorts series *Laugh Lessons*, credited there as The Girl.[6](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/laura-marcus/) • [5](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/pdf/) She has also performed on stage and tour with the artist LYNKS, including the Metronomy EU tour and the Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes UK tour.[2](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/)
## Television roles
**Bad Education.** Marcus joined the long-running BBC Three school comedy as Jinx, first appearing in the 2022 special *[Bad Education](https://www.edgepedia.org/bad-education-tv-series): Reunion* and continuing as a series regular through series 4 (2023), the 2023 Christmas special *A Christmas Carol*, and series 5 (2024), a run of 13 credited episodes.[6](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/laura-marcus/) • [3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/348925/laura-marcus)
**Period and drama roles.** In 2022 and 2023 she appeared as Susan in the Mammoth Screen adaptation *Tom Jones* for ITV, as Elisabeth, a regular role, in series 2 of *The Serpent Queen* for Starz and Lionsgate, as Young Lucy in series 2 of *The Devil's Hour* for Hartswood and Amazon, as Young Eliza in series 4 of *Miss Scarlet and the Duke* for PBS, and as Mia Clarke in series 25 of *Silent Witness* for BBC Studios.[2](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/) • [3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/348925/laura-marcus) In the *Star Wars* series *Andor*, she played Beela in three episodes of the second season, which aired in April 2025.[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/348925/laura-marcus) • [2](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/)
**The Jetty.** In 2024 she played Caitlin Owen, a lead role, in *The Jetty*, a four-part crime drama produced by Firebird Pictures for BBC One and directed by Marialy Rivas.[2](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/) • [3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/348925/laura-marcus) Marcus has described the series as a reflection on the post-#MeToo era, and in the role she played the younger version of Jess, the character played by [Jessica Raine](https://www.edgepedia.org/jessica-raine); the part included a large dance scene, which she called "a complete joy".[8](https://overduemagazine.com/laura-marcus-x-overdue/) • [9](https://www.countryandtownhouse.com/culture/laura-marcus-interview/)
**Death by Lightning.** In the Netflix series *Death by Lightning* (2025), she plays Mollie Garfield as a series regular, directed by Matt Ross.[2](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/) The series tells the story of US President James Garfield, played by [Michael Shannon](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-shannon), his term in 1881, and his assassination by Charles Guiteau, played by [Matthew Macfadyen](https://www.edgepedia.org/matthew-macfadyen).[7](https://www.tatler.com/article/is-laura-marcus-the-hottest-british-star-in-the-period-drama-scene-right-now) • [9](https://www.countryandtownhouse.com/culture/laura-marcus-interview/) Marcus has noted a tendency to choose unusual characters from history.[7](https://www.tatler.com/article/is-laura-marcus-the-hottest-british-star-in-the-period-drama-scene-right-now)
## Film and upcoming projects
Marcus played Young Irene in *The Great Escaper* (Pathé, 2023), directed by Oliver Parker, and her film credits also include Estelle in *Captivated* (32RED [Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/entertainment), directed by Dito Montiel), Vasya in *Borscht*, and Molly in *Bloodsuckers*.[2](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/)
Two large upcoming projects are listed on her CV: she plays Silka Sharp in *The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping* (Lionsgate, 2026), directed by [Francis Lawrence](https://www.edgepedia.org/francis-lawrence), and a lead role, still listed as TBC, in Netflix's *Assassin's Creed* series, directed by [Johan Renck](https://www.edgepedia.org/johan-renck).[2](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/) • [4](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/laura-marcus-1) She is also the creator, writer, and star of *F**k Ups* ([Channel 4](https://www.edgepedia.org/channel-4), 2026), in which she plays Miracle June Jones, directed by Will Wightman.[6](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/laura-marcus/) • [2](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/)
## Method and outlook
In interviews Marcus has described using Laban, a vocabulary for how people exist and move, as an acting technique she loves, and has spoken about keeping her own experiences separate from those of her characters.[8](https://overduemagazine.com/laura-marcus-x-overdue/) Off set she writes screenplays and pursues collaborations aimed at bringing creative experimentation back to filmmaking.[8](https://overduemagazine.com/laura-marcus-x-overdue/) She has also said that, while the industry has come a long way with more women in leading roles, it remains male dominated, especially among those in control.[9](https://www.countryandtownhouse.com/culture/laura-marcus-interview/)
## Namesakes
At least two other public figures share the name. A separate Laura Marcus, listed on IMDb as a producer, additional crew member, and production manager, has worked on American sports television programs including *The Best Damn Sports Show Period* and *Fox NFL Sunday*.[10](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3089851/) Laura Marcus (1956–2021) was a professor of English at the [University of Sussex](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-sussex) and a scholar of modern literature and film, unrelated to the actress.[11](https://www.bloomsbury.com/UK/author/laura-marcus/) • [12](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09574042.2022.2084248) Database listings for the actress are further complicated by the similar name Lauren Marcus, an American actress and singer based in New York City.[13](https://pop-culturalist.com/pop-culturalist-chats-with-lauren-marcus/)
## References
1. [Laura Marcus – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13033345/bio/)
2. [Laura Marcus, Conway Van Gelder Grant (CVGG)](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/)
3. [Laura Marcus, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/348925/laura-marcus)
4. [Laura Marcus Movies and TV Shows, Plex](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/laura-marcus-1)
5. [Laura Marcus CV (PDF), Conway Van Gelder Grant](https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/laura-marcus/pdf/)
6. [Laura Marcus, British Comedy Guide](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/laura-marcus/)
7. [Is Laura Marcus the hottest British star in the period drama scene right now?, Tatler](https://www.tatler.com/article/is-laura-marcus-the-hottest-british-star-in-the-period-drama-scene-right-now)
8. [Laura Marcus x OVERDUE: 'The Jetty' is a reflection on the post #MeToo era, OVERDUE Magazine](https://overduemagazine.com/laura-marcus-x-overdue/)
9. [Interview: Laura Marcus On The Jetty, Country & Town House](https://www.countryandtownhouse.com/culture/laura-marcus-interview/)
10. [Laura Marcus (I), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3089851/)
11. [Laura Marcus, Bloomsbury Publishing](https://www.bloomsbury.com/UK/author/laura-marcus/)
12. [Laura Marcus 7 March 1956–22 September 2021, Taylor & Francis](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09574042.2022.2084248)
13. [Pop Culturalist Chats with Lauren Marcus](https://pop-culturalist.com/pop-culturalist-chats-with-lauren-marcus/)
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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 L to Mb*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 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