Anna Friel

About Anna Friel

Anna Friel (born July 12, 1976) is a Golden Globe-nominated English actress from Rochdale, in Greater Manchester. She currently stars as Charlotte "Chuck" Charles, the female lead in the American television series Pushing Daisies.

Anna Louise Friel was born July 12, 1976 in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England. She attended Crompton House Secondary School, in Shaw and Crompton. The daughter of two teachers, Friel became interested in acting at an early age and received frequent praise for her work at local talent shows.

At the age of 13, she was hired for her first professional acting job in the Channel 4 drama serial G.B.H., as the daughter of Michael Palin's character. Her performance led to a series of appearances on various British television shows, including Emmerdale. In 1992, Friel was added to the cast on the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, where she gained greater exposure in the role of Beth Jordache. Though she only stayed on the programme for two years, Friel's lesbian kiss remains one of the most talked-about moments in British soap history. In 1995, Friel won the National Television Award for Most popular actress for her work on Brookside.