Wolf Hall star Kate Phillip's life off-screen from new production firm to family home

Historical drama Wolf Hall has finally returned after nine years and actress Kate Phillips is among the cast members to have returned.

Wolf Hall: The Mirror And The Light features Kate Phillips as Jane Seymour, who was Henry VIII's short-lived third wife.

She gave birth to a healthy male heir, Edward, in 1537 and gave Henry VIII (Damian Lewis) a heir to the throne. Tragically, Edward would be their only child together as Jane died just 12 days after the birth.

Kate Phillips has appeared in numerous British TV shows over the years from Peaky Blinders, Downtown Abbey and War & Peace. Kate Phillips is secretive about her private life, but what do we know about her life off-screen?

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Early life and career of Kate Phillips

photocall for "Wolf Hall: The Mirror And The Light" at BFI Southbank
Kate Phillips, Damian Lewis and Lilit Lesser attend a photocall for "Wolf Hall: The Mirror And The Light" at BFI Southbank -Credit:Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/WireIma

Kate Phillips was born on May 21, 1989 and grew up in South West London. She and her family moved away from London when she was aged nine years old and lived in Nottinghamshire and then Bristol.

Kate studied at Leeds University before securing a place at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. After graduating from university, the budding actress returned to Leeds to appear as Abigail Williams in The Crucible at the West Yorkshire Playhouse.

Kate had already had filmed her scenes for BBC drama Wolf Hall and made her TV debut later in 2015. She played Henry VIII’s ill-fated wife Jane Seymour, who provided him with his only legitimate male heir.

She went on to play Lise Bolkonskaya in BBC miniseries War & Peace.

What are Kate Phillip's most famous roles?

Wolf Hall viewers may recognise Kate Philips as Venetia Scott in The Crown. Her other most widely known roles are Linda Shelby in Peaky Blinders between 2016 and 2022 and Eliza Scarlet in detective drama Miss Scarlet and The Duke.

Phillips also starred in an episode of The Alienist as Laura Boone in 2018, Princess Mary in Downton Abbey and its feature film, and Collette in drama Hijack.

IMDB shares Kate Phillip's new role is in Serge Ioan Celebidachi's film The Yellow Tie. The film covers the life of Romanian conductor and composer Sergiu Celibidache and his struggles in wartime Germany and fighting for a music career.

Who is Kate Phillips married to?

Kate Phillips looked chic dressed in a bardot top and tailored trousers
Actress Kate Phillips as Jane Seymour in Wolf Hall -Credit:BBC

It is not known if Kate Phillips is married, but it appears she is in a relationship that she likes to keep private.

The Peaky Blinders and Wolf Hall star has a three-year-old daughter and she has chosen not to share her daughter’s face on social media.

On her Instagram, she showed off her daughter’s artistic talents after she painted the faces of Kate and her friends. On another occasion, Kate happily shared a photo after her toddler had decorated her face with stickers.

Kate Phillips now lives in North London with her family. When she isn't acting, Kate loves to entertain friends at her home, cook food or go for a scenic walk.

Describing her spare time, she said: "I love walking around the City. London is very green in certain spots.

"I’ll opt for routes through parks or over bridges where you can get an awesome view of the city. I also love being in the kitchen cooking or baking.

"One of my favourite things is having friends over and sharing a meal together."

New production venture with fellow actors

Earlier this year, actors Kate Phillips, Amber Anderson and Rosie Day announced they launched a new female-led production firm called Just John Films.

Just John will option, develop and produce projects, both independently and in partnership with third parties.

The company’s artist-led viewpoint will give it a unique eye to focus on diverse and compelling stories while ensuring a welcoming and joyful environment to enhance creativity and quality throughout the filmmaking process.

Just John also has projects in the pipeline, including an adaptation of Annie Garthwaite’s acclaimed historical novel “Cecily,” about royal Tudor matriarch Cecily Neville.