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‘It’s a very human, raw story about what something like this can do to a family, and what’s so
interesting about Laurie is that as her life is turned completely upside down, she also begins to
question things about her family – “How well do you really know your partner? How well do you

really know your child?”’

Michelle’s own family background is modest but as stable as anyone could wish for. The youngest of
three girls born to Irish-born lorry driver turned surveyor Michael Dockery and his redoubtable wife
Lorraine, a former shorthand typist turned social worker, she was brought up in Romford, Essex,

working class and proud of it.

THE MANY FACES OF MICHELLE DOCKERTY

HOGFATHER (2006): Michelle made a supernatural start to her career with this TV movie of Terry
Pratchett’s book, in which she played Death’s granddaughter, Susan, alongside David Jason.

DOWNTON ABBEY (2010-2015): The role that made her was that of icy Lady Mary Crawley in Julian
Fellowes’ period drama. The death of Mary’s husband Matthew was the TV moment of 2012.

GOOD BEHAVIOR (2016): A seductive thriller starring Michelle as thief and con artist Letty Raines, who
falls for a hitman after being released from prison.

GODLESS (2017): She was cast as aloof widow Alice Fletcher (below) who sides with an outlaw in this
gritty US Western drama, voted one of the ten best shows on Netflix that year.

THE SENSE OF AN ENDING (2017): She joined a top-notch cast in this film version of Julian Barnes’s
novel, playing Susie, the pregnant daughter of main character Tony (Jim Broadbent).

THE GENTLEMEN (2019): Starring in a Guy Ritchie crime thriller had been her dream, and it came true
with this role as gangster’s moll Rosalind Pearson (with Matthew McConaughey as Mickey).

‘My mum is loving but she’s also strict,’ says Michelle. ‘When I was about seven I stole some penny

sweets from a shop. Mum caught me and made me go back and apologise to the shopkeeper, and
I’ve never stolen anything since!’

She was also raised – as were her sisters Louise and Joanne – to speak up for what was right.

‘I was brought up to stand up for myself. To speak up when I felt passionate about something, when
I felt the need to make my voice heard about something that mattered.

'I think a lot of that comes from having sisters, because we’ve always supported each other all
along.

'If I’ve ever felt bullied or pushed into a corner, I’ve always been able to stand up for myself. And if I
see it happening to someone else, especially younger actresses, I’ll stand up for them too.

‘I hate bullying. I have huge admiration for women in Hollywood and elsewhere who have come
forward to tell their stories about that, and have stood up against people like Harvey Weinstein.

'It’s horrendous what they experienced and I’m glad something has been done about it.’