
Kate Phillips – Biography, Roles, and Career Facts
Kate Phillips is a British actress born on 21 May 1989, best known for playing Jane Seymour in Wolf Hall, Linda Shelby in Peaky Blinders, and Eliza Scarlet in Miss Scarlet and the Duke.
Phillips first drew serious attention in 2015 as Jane Seymour in the BBC miniseries Wolf Hall. Her television work has since grown to include War & Peace, The Crown, The Alienist, The English Game, Hijack, and Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (2024).
Her screen career is well documented, but her private life is not. Searches about her husband and children, and social-media presence remain frequent, as do questions about whether she appeared in other period dramas such as Downton Abbey, The Crown, or Poldark.
Who Is Kate Phillips?
Phillips is a British actress whose breakout recognition came from Wolf Hall, where she played Jane Seymour. Her Wikipedia entry and her agency profile at Independent Talent Group trace a career built largely around television and period productions, with recurring roles in several long-running series.
Bio
Born 21 May 1989; British actress.
Known For
Jane Seymour in Wolf Hall; Linda Shelby in Peaky Blinders; Eliza Scarlet in Miss Scarlet and the Duke.
Active Projects
Miss Scarlet and the Duke (Series 5); Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (2024).
Social
Instagram: @kate_phillipsss (49.5K followers).
- Gained prominence in 2015 as Jane Seymour in Wolf Hall.
- Widely recognised as Linda Shelby, wife of Arthur, in Peaky Blinders from Series 4 through the final series.
- Career rooted in British period drama for BBC and PBS, including War & Peace and Miss Scarlet and the Duke.
- Keeps the private side of her life relatively quiet, despite a high-profile career.
- Uses Instagram to share projects and official announcements.
| Born | 21 May 1989 |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Notable roles | Jane Seymour in Wolf Hall; Linda Shelby in Peaky Blinders; Eliza Scarlet in Miss Scarlet and the Duke |
| Recent work | Miss Scarlet and the Duke (Series 5); Downton Abbey (2019); Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (2024) |
| @kate_phillipsss (49.5K followers) |
Kate Phillips’ Husband and Children
Who Is Kate Phillips’ Husband?
Public listings identify her partner as actor Oliver Chris. The couple have kept many personal details out of the press, but available records consistently link Phillips and Chris.
Does Kate Phillips Have Children?
The same records indicate that Phillips and Oliver Chris share a daughter. Public sources do not go much beyond that, and she generally keeps family life out of interviews.
Details about Phillips’ family appear sparingly in the media, and her preference for privacy explains why questions about her husband and children remain common among fans.
What Movies and TV Shows Has Kate Phillips Been In?
Phillips has worked steadily across television and film. Her Apple TV profile and IMDb filmography trace the full span of her career.
What Are Kate Phillips’ Most Notable TV Roles?
- Wolf Hall (2015) — Jane Seymour
- War & Peace (2016) — appeared in the BBC adaptation
- The Crown (2016) — Venetia Scott
- Peaky Blinders (2017–2022) — Linda Shelby
- Miss Scarlet and the Duke (2020–present) — Eliza Scarlet
- Hijack (2023) — Colette
- Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (2024) — Jane Seymour
Her television credits also include The Alienist and The English Game.
What Films Has Kate Phillips Appeared In?
Her film work is listed on Rotten Tomatoes and Filmstarts. Credits include Downton Abbey (2019), The Aftermath, The Little Stranger, and Benediction. She plays Princess Mary in the 2019 Downton Abbey film.
What Is Kate Phillips’ Role in Peaky Blinders?
Phillips plays Linda Shelby, the wife of Arthur Shelby. Linda first appears in series three and becomes a recurring figure across later series.
Linda Shelby is Arthur Shelby’s wife. Phillips played the role from series three through the final series, giving the character a distinct presence in the show’s family drama.
The role helped introduce Phillips to a wider international audience, particularly alongside Wolf Hall and Miss Scarlet and the Duke.
How Did Kate Phillips’ Career Develop?
- — Breakthrough as Jane Seymour in BBC’s Wolf Hall.
- — Appeared in BBC’s War & Peace.
- 2017–2022 — Played Linda Shelby in Peaky Blinders.
- 2020–present — Played Eliza Scarlet in Miss Scarlet and the Duke.
- — Returned as Jane Seymour in Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light.
Was Kate Phillips in Downton Abbey, The Crown, or Poldark?
Three period dramas generate a steady stream of questions about Phillips: Downton Abbey, The Crown, and Poldark. The answers differ in each case, and the confusion is partly explained by the tight casting circles in British television.
| Production | What the record shows |
|---|---|
| Downton Abbey | She plays Princess Mary in the 2019 Downton Abbey film. |
| The Crown | She appears as Venetia Scott in The Crown, which aired in 2016. |
| Poldark | No listing appears in her collected filmographies. The recurring search question likely stems from a mix-up with another performer. |
The search “Kate Phillips in Poldark” appears regularly, yet her compiled filmographies do not list the series. The mix-up is most likely with another performer working in the same period-drama circles.
Why Is Kate Phillips Associated with British Period Drama?
Phillips first entered the period-drama landscape with Wolf Hall, then reinforced that reputation with War & Peace, The Crown, and Downton Abbey. Those period roles, together with Peaky Blinders and Miss Scarlet and the Duke, have made her a familiar face to audiences of British period television.
Her recent projects point in two directions: the film adaptation of The Weir, opposite Brendan Gleeson and directed by Conor McPherson, and US television with Miss Scarlet and the Duke airing on PBS Masterpiece.
What Do Official Sources Say About Kate Phillips?
Her agency biography and the Instagram account associated with her name are the most direct public statements from her professional circle.
“KATE PHILLIPS recently wrapped shooting the film adaptation of THE WEIR opposite Brendan Gleeson, directed by Conor McPherson. Shot her final season of MISS SCARLET…”
“SCARLET Series 5 starts tonight 8/7c on PBS Masterpiece.”
Instagram (@kate_phillipsss)
Is Kate Phillips on Instagram?
An Instagram profile under the handle @kate_phillipsss appears among public accounts connected to her. It has roughly 49.5K followers and is used to share project news and official announcements. There is no official confirmation that Phillips personally operates the account.
What Is the Key Takeaway About Kate Phillips?
Kate Phillips is a prominent British actress with a career split between television and film. Her best-known roles include Jane Seymour in Wolf Hall, Linda Shelby in Peaky Blinders, and Eliza Scarlet in Miss Scarlet and the Duke. With the 2024 return of Wolf Hall and upcoming projects such as The Weir, she remains one of British television’s most recognisable period-drama performers.
What Do People Often Ask About Kate Phillips?
How old is Kate Phillips?
She was born on 21 May 1989, making her 35 years old as of 2024.
Who is Kate Phillips’ character in Wolf Hall?
She played Jane Seymour, one of Henry VIII’s wives, in the 2015 miniseries.
What is Kate Phillips’ most famous role?
She is best known for Jane Seymour in Wolf Hall and Linda Shelby in Peaky Blinders. She also stars as Eliza Scarlet in Miss Scarlet and the Duke.
Who does Kate Phillips play in The Crown?
She appears as Venetia Scott in The Crown, which aired in 2016.
Who is Kate Phillips’ character in the Downton Abbey film?
She plays Princess Mary in the 2019 Downton Abbey film.
Who does Kate Phillips play in Hijack?
She plays Colette in the 2023 series Hijack.