From Richard Curtis rom-coms to Oscar nominated films, this cast have been everywhere
BY YASMIN VINCE, IMAGE BY NETFLIX
IVF is perhaps one of the most important medical discoveries of the past 50 years. Fertility medicine has been an incredible help to families all over the world and the story of the pioneers behind the first “test tube” baby has been immortalised in film.
JOY is in cinemas now and will be on Netflix from 22 November. It’s got a star-studded cast and here’s where you may have seen them before…
Thomasin McKenzie (Jean Purdy)
Thomasin plays Jean Purdy, the nurse and embryologist who is heavily involved in developing IVF, and the main character of this film.
The New Zealand actor has been in some fantastic feature films, including Oscar nominated Jojo Rabbit, in which she played Elsa, a young Jewish girl hiding in the attic of a German house during the Second World War. She also played the lead role in psychological horror Last Night In Soho and starred opposite Anne Hathaway in Eileen, the story of a young woman who becomes obsessed with the glamorous new counsellor at the prison where she works.
James Norton (Robert Edwards)
Scientist Robert Edwards is played by James Norton. From the murder-solving reverend Sidney Chambers in Grantchester, to Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley, James has been in so many British TV shows.
Film-wise, he was in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women as John Brooke, a tutor who eventually marries the eldest March sister. On stage, James was recently in A Little Life, the harrowing story of four college friends in New York, dealing with addiction, privilege, sexuality and terrible secrets.
Bill Nighy (Patrick Steptoe)
The last of the three brains behind IVF, surgeon Patrick Steptoe, is played by national treasure Bill Nighy. His career has been incredible, appearing in Richard Curtis’ time-bending romcom About Time and his beloved Christmas film Love Actually, in which Bill played Billy Mack, a washed up rockstar trying to make a comeback.
Bill has also been in both Best Exotic Marigold films, the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise and the hilarious zombie film Shaun Of The Dead.
Ella Bruccoleri (Lesley Brown)
Lesley Brown was the mother of Louise Joy, the first baby conceived via IVF. In this film, she is played by Ella Bruccoleri.
2024 has been a big year for Ella. Those who have already seen Paddington In Peru will recognise her as Rosita while those who loved the BBC’s murder mystery Ludwig may remember her from episode three, where she played Megan. Ella has also been in Polite Society, a film about a girl who must save her sister from her evil fiance, and several seasons of Call The Midwife.
JOY is in cinemas now.
DIVA magazine celebrates 30 years in print in 2024. If you like what we do, then get behind LGBTQIA media and keep us going for another generation. Your support is invaluable.
