# Matilda Freeman
**Matilda Freeman** (born 2004) is an English actress from Cheshire, United Kingdom, known for playing Summer Spellman in the ITV soap opera *Coronation Street*, Lilly Wells in the ITV thriller series *Passenger*, and Maria in the Netflix comedy series *How to Get to Heaven from Belfast*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7961340/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 2004, Cheshire, United Kingdom; grew up in Chester[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7961340/) |
| Breakthrough role | Summer Spellman in *Coronation Street* (ITV), first appearance 16 June 2017, regular until 2020[2](https://www.itv.com/coronationstreet/articles/summer-spellman) • [3](https://anthearepresents.com/artist/matilda-freeman) |
| Award nomination | Best Young Actor, British Soap Awards 2018, for Summer Spellman[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7961340/) |
| Feature film lead | Lilly in *The Last Boy* (2019), her first film[4](https://tresamagazine.com/2021/02/08/matilda-freeman/) |
| Recent series leads | Lily Wells in *Passenger* (ITV, 2024); Sophie Madsen in *The Blame* (ITV, 2026); Maria in *How to Get to Heaven from Belfast* (Netflix, 2026)[3](https://anthearepresents.com/artist/matilda-freeman) |
| Screen debut | Short film *Lifeline* (2016)[5](https://elcinema.com/en/person/2148943/) |
## Early career
Freeman's career began at nine years old, after an open-call audition for a BBC series came through her school in 2013. Having never acted before, she reached the final two for the lead role, and decided afterward to pursue acting professionally.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7961340/) Her first screen credits came quickly: an episode of the ITV2 series *Dropperz* in 2016 as Esther, the short film *Lifeline* (2016) as Livia, and a guest part as Chantelle Briggs in an episode of the [BBC One](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-one) daytime drama *Doctors* in 2017.[3](https://anthearepresents.com/artist/matilda-freeman) • [6](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/175259/matilda-freeman)
## Coronation Street
In 2017 Freeman joined the cast of *Coronation Street*, one of Britain's longest-running soap operas, playing Summer Spellman, with her first appearance broadcast on 16 June 2017.[2](https://www.itv.com/coronationstreet/articles/summer-spellman) She appeared regularly in the role until 2020, accumulating 147 episodes according to IMDb, and left the soap by her own decision.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7961340/) • [4](https://tresamagazine.com/2021/02/08/matilda-freeman/) Her performance earned her a nomination for Best Young Actor at the British Soap Awards, where she was on the 2018 shortlist alongside other *Coronation Street* nominees.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7961340/) • [7](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/british-soap-awards-2018-nominations-shortlist-revealed-as-itv-confirm-ceremony-will-be-broadcast-live-from-london-a3828356.html) The role was later recast, with Harriet Bibby listed as playing Summer Spellman in the show's current character pages.[8](https://www.itv.com/coronationstreet/characters)
## Film and television work
**Film.** Freeman's first feature film was the 2019 fantasy drama *The Last Boy*, in which she played Lilly, a young girl whom the dying mother's son meets on his journey; she has described the shoot, alongside [Luke Goss](https://www.edgepedia.org/luke-goss), Anna Wilson-Jones, and Peter Guinness, as a formative experience in rural locations.[4](https://tresamagazine.com/2021/02/08/matilda-freeman/) • [9](https://www.filmstarts.de/kritiken/279170.html)
**Television.** After leaving the soap she took character parts in acclaimed British comedies: she played Alma's mother Lin as a teenager in the BAFTA and RTS-winning BBC Two comedy *Alma's Not Normal* (2021), and Lucy, daughter of Daniel Ryan's character Graham, in the second series of the double BAFTA-winning BBC Three sitcom *Such Brave Girls* (2025).[3](https://anthearepresents.com/artist/matilda-freeman) In 2024 she was one of the series leads in the ITVX darkly comic thriller *Passenger*, playing Lily Wells, the sister of a missing girl in a small town hit by strange crimes, alongside [Wunmi Mosaku](https://www.edgepedia.org/wunmi-mosaku), David Threlfall, and Daniel Ryan.[3](https://anthearepresents.com/artist/matilda-freeman) She also played Leila in the Sister-produced sci-fi thriller series *[The Power](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-power-tv-series)* for Prime Video, which starred [Toni Collette](https://www.edgepedia.org/toni-collette).[3](https://anthearepresents.com/artist/matilda-freeman)
**2026 roles.** Freeman appeared in three series in 2026. She played troubled teen Mackenzie Quinn in the second series of Channel 5's crime drama *Ellis*;[3](https://anthearepresents.com/artist/matilda-freeman) Maria in *How to Get to Heaven from Belfast*, Netflix's eight-part dark comedy from *Derry Girls* creator [Lisa McGee](https://www.edgepedia.org/lisa-mcgee), which follows three 30-something Irish women investigating the death of their schoolmate and premiered on 12 February 2026;[3](https://anthearepresents.com/artist/matilda-freeman) • [10](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/how-to-get-to-heaven-from-belfast/) and the leading role of Sophie Madsen, a young figure-skating champion found dead in woodland, in the six-part ITV crime drama *[The Blame](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-blame-tv-series)*, starring alongside [Michelle Keegan](https://www.edgepedia.org/michelle-keegan), with all episodes available on ITVX from its 20 September 2026 premiere.[3](https://anthearepresents.com/artist/matilda-freeman)
## Upcoming work
Freeman is set to appear in the live-action and animation film *Animal Friends*, which stars [Ryan Reynolds](https://www.edgepedia.org/ryan-reynolds) and [Vince Vaughn](https://www.edgepedia.org/vince-vaughn).[3](https://anthearepresents.com/artist/matilda-freeman)
## References
1. [Matilda Freeman, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7961340/)
2. [Summer Spellman, Coronation Street, ITV](https://www.itv.com/coronationstreet/articles/summer-spellman)
3. [Matilda Freeman, Anthea Represents](https://anthearepresents.com/artist/matilda-freeman)
4. [Matilda Freeman interview, TresA Magazine (8 February 2021)](https://tresamagazine.com/2021/02/08/matilda-freeman/)
5. [Matilda Freeman, ElCinema](https://elcinema.com/en/person/2148943/)
6. [Matilda Freeman, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/175259/matilda-freeman)
7. [British Soap Awards 2018 nominations, London Evening Standard](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/british-soap-awards-2018-nominations-shortlist-revealed-as-itv-confirm-ceremony-will-be-broadcast-live-from-london-a3828356.html)
8. [Coronation Street characters, ITV](https://www.itv.com/coronationstreet/characters)
9. [The Last Boy (2019), Filmstarts](https://www.filmstarts.de/kritiken/279170.html)
10. [How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/how-to-get-to-heaven-from-belfast/)
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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 F to Gu*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 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