# Ruby Stokes
**Ruby Stokes** (full name Ruby May Stokes) is a British actress born in 2000 in Hackney, London, known for playing Francesca Bridgerton in the first two seasons of the Netflix period drama *Bridgerton* and for leading the Netflix supernatural detective series *Lockwood & Co.* as Lucy Carlyle.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4250763/bio/) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/159088/ruby-stokes)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name / birth | Ruby May Stokes, born 2000 in Hackney, London, England[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4250763/bio/) |
| Breakout television role | Francesca Bridgerton in *Bridgerton*, seasons 1 and 2 (2020–2022, 5 episodes)[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/159088/ruby-stokes) |
| Lead role | Lucy Carlyle in *Lockwood & Co.* (2023, 8 episodes), adapted from Jonathan Stroud's book series[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4250763/?showAllCredits=true) • [4](https://www.tvinsider.com/1036499/bridgerton-star-ruby-stokes-to-lead-upcoming-netflix-series-lockwood-co/) |
| Notable films | *Una* (2016, Young Una), *Rocks* (2019, Agnes), *A Banquet* (2021, Isabelle), *Where Is Anne Frank* (2021, voice of Kitty), *Jay Kelly* (2025, Sara)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4250763/?showAllCredits=true) |
| Other series | Flo Brooks in *The Burning Girls* (2023), Hannah in *The Jetty* (2024)[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ruby-stokes/) |
| Stage work | Lead in the West End production of *Annie*; UK tour as Brigitta in *The Sound of Music*; Royal Shakespeare Company debut as Miranda in *The Tempest* opposite Kenneth Branagh[6](https://tresamagazine.com/2019/10/10/ruby-stokes/) • [7](https://www.whatsonlive.co.uk/media/26312/worcestershire-whats-on-may-2026.pdf) |
| Upcoming projects | *Sunny Dancer* (Ella), *Madfabulous* (Lily Paget), and the Netflix series *Below* (Mary Penney), all scheduled for 2026[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4250763/?showAllCredits=true) • [8](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/charlie-heaton-first-post-stranger-things-netflix-show-below-facing-more-deadly-creatures-with-josh-hartnett) |
## Early life and training
Stokes grew up in Hackney, London, and began performing in early childhood: she took part in local dance school shows at about four or five, started singing lessons at six, and joined a drama youth club that she credits with building her confidence.[6](https://tresamagazine.com/2019/10/10/ruby-stokes/) • [9](https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/ruby-stokes-bridgerton-lockwood-co-burning-girls-interview-2023) At ten she appeared in the chorus of *Annie Jr* with the British Theatre Academy at the Arts Theatre, after which her parents signed her with a local agent.[6](https://tresamagazine.com/2019/10/10/ruby-stokes/)
Her childhood stage work was substantial. She was cast as the lead in the West End production of *Annie*, performed before the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Royal Variety Show, and then transferred with the production to Toronto. She also toured the United Kingdom as Brigitta in *The Sound of Music*, a run she began at eleven and described as initially difficult because of homesickness.[6](https://tresamagazine.com/2019/10/10/ruby-stokes/) In a later interview she said that at fourteen, the earliest eligible age, she auditioned for and joined the [National Youth Theatre](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-youth-theatre), and then attended a performing arts school.[10](https://www.roseandivyjournal.com/stories/2023/4/4/ruby-stokes-on-the-moment-she-fell-in-love-with-acting-her-career-ambitions-and-her-role-as-lucy-carlye-on-lockwood-co)
## Screen career
**Early film and television.** Stokes's screen credits include guest roles as Amelia in *[Da Vinci's Demons](https://www.edgepedia.org/da-vincis-demons)* (2014) and Little Lucy in *[Not Going Out](https://www.edgepedia.org/not-going-out)* (2011), followed by the film role of Young Una in *Una* (2016) and Agnes in the coming-of-age drama *[Rocks](https://www.edgepedia.org/rocks-2019-film)* (2019).[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4250763/?showAllCredits=true) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/159088/ruby-stokes) In 2021 she played Isabelle in the British psychological horror film *A Banquet* and voiced Kitty in the animated film *Where Is Anne Frank*.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4250763/?showAllCredits=true)
**Bridgerton and the recast.** Stokes played Francesca Bridgerton, the sixth [Bridgerton](https://www.edgepedia.org/bridgerton) child, across the first two seasons of *Bridgerton* (2020–2022), appearing in five episodes.[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/159088/ruby-stokes) She left the role before the character's own season, and Hannah Dodd took over as Francesca, reportedly due to scheduling conflicts Stokes had with another series.[11](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/bridgerton-author-whether-gregory-hyacinth-recast-before-own-seasons) • [5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ruby-stokes/)
**Lockwood & Co.** In March 2022 it was announced that Stokes would lead Netflix's adaptation of Jonathan Stroud's *Lockwood & Co.*, written by [Joe Cornish](https://www.edgepedia.org/joe-cornish), playing Lucy Carlyle, a psychically gifted girl who joins a teenage ghost-hunting agency in an alternate London plagued by a ghost epidemic.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/1036499/bridgerton-star-ruby-stokes-to-lead-upcoming-netflix-series-lockwood-co/) The eight-part series premiered in January 2023 with Cameron Chapman as Anthony Lockwood and Ali Hadji-Heshmati as George Karim.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4250763/?showAllCredits=true) • [4](https://www.tvinsider.com/1036499/bridgerton-star-ruby-stokes-to-lead-upcoming-netflix-series-lockwood-co/) The show reached Netflix's Top 10 list in over 70 countries.[9](https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/ruby-stokes-bridgerton-lockwood-co-burning-girls-interview-2023) Stokes prepared for the role with a month-and-a-half rehearsal period covering the show's dialogue and physical language, including sword fighting and stunt training.[10](https://www.roseandivyjournal.com/stories/2023/4/4/ruby-stokes-on-the-moment-she-fell-in-love-with-acting-her-career-ambitions-and-her-role-as-lucy-carlye-on-lockwood-co) • [12](https://1883magazine.com/ruby-stokes/)
**Subsequent work.** A couple of months after finishing *Lockwood & Co.*, Stokes was cast as Flo Brooks in *The Burning Girls*, a [Paramount+](https://www.edgepedia.org/paramount) drama-thriller adapted from the C.J. Tudor novel and co-starring [Samantha Morton](https://www.edgepedia.org/samantha-morton); it aired in 2023.[9](https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/ruby-stokes-bridgerton-lockwood-co-burning-girls-interview-2023) • [5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ruby-stokes/) She also appeared in the film *Black Dog* (2023, as Kayla) and played Hannah in the 2024 series *The Jetty*.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4250763/?showAllCredits=true) • [5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ruby-stokes/) In 2025 she appeared as Sara in *Jay Kelly*, and in 2024 performed in National Theatre Live's *Till the Stars Come Down* as Leanne.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4250763/?showAllCredits=true)
## Recent and upcoming projects
Three Stokes projects were scheduled for 2026. She plays Ella in *Sunny Dancer*, a cancer-camp coming-of-age film directed by [George Jaques](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-jaques), and Lily Paget in *Madfabulous*, a historical comedy-drama in which Callum Scott Howells plays Henry Paget, 5th Marquess of Anglesey, and Stokes plays his cousin, friend, and subsequent wife Lily.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4250763/?showAllCredits=true) • [13](https://www.rova.nz/articles/ruby-stokes-and-callum-scott-howellss-friendship-blossomed-making-madfabulous) She also plays Mary Penney in *Below*, a six-episode Netflix mystery-horror series created by Jesse McKeown, starring alongside [Josh Hartnett](https://www.edgepedia.org/josh-hartnett), Charlie Heaton, and [Mackenzie Davis](https://www.edgepedia.org/mackenzie-davis), with a premiere date of October 8, 2026.[8](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/charlie-heaton-first-post-stranger-things-netflix-show-below-facing-more-deadly-creatures-with-josh-hartnett)
In 2026 Stokes also made her [Royal Shakespeare Company](https://www.edgepedia.org/royal-shakespeare-company) debut as Miranda in a new production of *The Tempest*, opposite [Kenneth Branagh](https://www.edgepedia.org/kenneth-branagh)'s Prospero.[7](https://www.whatsonlive.co.uk/media/26312/worcestershire-whats-on-may-2026.pdf)
## References
1. [Ruby Stokes – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4250763/bio/)
2. [Ruby Stokes – TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/159088/ruby-stokes)
3. [Ruby Stokes – IMDb credits](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4250763/?showAllCredits=true)
4. ['Bridgerton' Star Ruby Stokes to Lead Upcoming Netflix Series 'Lockwood & Co.', TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/1036499/bridgerton-star-ruby-stokes-to-lead-upcoming-netflix-series-lockwood-co/)
5. [Ruby Stokes – Actress, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ruby-stokes/)
6. [Ruby Stokes, TresA Magazine](https://tresamagazine.com/2019/10/10/ruby-stokes/)
7. [Coventry & Warwickshire Cover, Worcestershire What's On (May 2026)](https://www.whatsonlive.co.uk/media/26312/worcestershire-whats-on-may-2026.pdf)
8. [Charlie Heaton's First Post-Stranger Things Netflix Show Has Him Facing More Deadly Creatures, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/charlie-heaton-first-post-stranger-things-netflix-show-below-facing-more-deadly-creatures-with-josh-hartnett)
9. [Ruby Stokes Will Always Leave the Door Open, W Magazine](https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/ruby-stokes-bridgerton-lockwood-co-burning-girls-interview-2023)
10. [Ruby Stokes On The Moment She Fell In Love With Acting, Rose & Ivy](https://www.roseandivyjournal.com/stories/2023/4/4/ruby-stokes-on-the-moment-she-fell-in-love-with-acting-her-career-ambitions-and-her-role-as-lucy-carlye-on-lockwood-co)
11. [Bridgerton Author Weighs In About Whether Gregory And Hyacinth Should Be Recast, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/bridgerton-author-whether-gregory-hyacinth-recast-before-own-seasons)
12. [Ruby Stokes, 1883 Magazine](https://1883magazine.com/ruby-stokes/)
13. [Ruby Stokes and Callum Scott Howells's friendship 'blossomed' making Madfabulous, rova](https://www.rova.nz/articles/ruby-stokes-and-callum-scott-howellss-friendship-blossomed-making-madfabulous)
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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 Sh to S*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; 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