Rebecca Root
Personal details
  • Born:
    • Birthday: 1969-05-10
    • Born Place: Woking, Surrey, England, UK
  • Also Known As:

    Graham Root

Rebecca Root

Rebecca Root is a pioneering British actress, comedian, and voice coach, born on May 10, 1969, in Woking, Surrey. She is widely celebrated as one of the first openly transgender actresses to achieve mainstream success in the UK. After training at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, she spent much of her early career as a "jobbing actor" before her historic breakthrough in 2015. She made history starring as Judy in the BBC Two sitcom Boy Meets Girl, the first British comedy to feature a trans actress in a lead transgender role. Her performance earned her significant acclaim, including an Attitude Breakthrough Performance Award, and she was ranked highly on The Independent’s Rainbow List for her contributions to LGBTQ+ visibility. Root’s filmography includes a wide array of high-profile projects. In film, she appeared in the Oscar-winning The Danish Girl (2015)—a role she secured after originally auditioning for the lead—as well as the festive hit Last Christmas (2019), where she played Dr. Addis. She has also featured in the Western The Sisters Brothers (2018) and the biopic Colette (2018). On television, she is well-known for her roles in Netflix's The Queen’s Gambit (as Miss Lonsdale) and Heartstopper (as Principal Edwards), and she appeared in the action-drama Monsieur Spade (2024). She is also a prolific voice actress, notably playing Tania Bell, the first openly transgender companion in the Doctor Who universe, for Big Finish audio dramas. As of Christmas Day 2025, Rebecca Root is at the forefront of one of the year's most anticipated British dramas. She stars as Elizabeth Bellinger in the film Hear Me Roar, which depicts the landmark 2003 legal battle for trans marriage rights in the UK. The film, which features a powerhouse cast including Emma Thompson and Christopher Eccleston, has been described by Thompson as "profoundly meaningful and essential." Beyond her acting, Root remains a respected vocal coach specializing in voice adaptation for transgender clients and continues to be a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ rights as a patron of charities like Diversity Role Models.

Person History