Everything You Need to Know About Claudia Jessie

Claudia Jessie is a British actress best known for playing the sharp-witted, fiercely independent Eloise Bridgerton in Netflix's hit period drama Bridgerton. Born on October 30, 1989, in Moseley, Birmingham, she has become one of the most recognizable faces in prestige television.

Here are the key facts at a glance:

Her path to stardom is anything but typical. Raised between London canal boats and Birmingham council estates, homeschooled from age 14, and entering the industry without formal qualifications, Claudia broke through what she calls the "class ceiling" in British entertainment — an industry where 65% of Oscar winners were privately educated, despite fewer than 5% of the UK population attending private schools.

She is also a practicing Nichiren Buddhist, a committed vegan of nine years, and a member of Extinction Rebellion. In short, there is a lot more to Claudia Jessie than Regency-era frocks.

This guide covers everything — her upbringing, her career, her beliefs, and the quirky facts that make her genuinely one of a kind.

Claudia jessie further reading:

The journey of claudia jessie is a testament to perseverance in an industry that often favors the privileged. Born in Moseley, Birmingham, her childhood was defined by a nomadic and often financially precarious lifestyle. We find her story particularly inspiring because she didn't come from a "theatrical dynasty." Instead, she grew up moving between council estates and living on a canal boat.

Her education was equally unconventional. After leaving traditional school at the age of 14 due to struggles with the environment, she was homeschooled by her mother. These early years were marked by financial hardship, including encounters with bailiffs, which deeply influenced her worldview.

To get her start, she worked a variety of odd jobs before landing her first professional acting gig in 2013—a TV commercial for Ariel washing liquid. You can actually still find her early work if you View Claudia Jessie's Spotlight CV. Her breakthrough into the professional world came through the support of her mother and mentors like Hannah Phillips, a director who spotted her talent in amateur productions. Before Bridgerton, she built a solid foundation with roles in the daytime soap Doctors and the 1950s police drama WPC 56.

Claudia has been incredibly vocal about her working-class background. Raised in a single-parent household, she watched her mother work as a house cleaner to fund her ballet lessons—a sacrifice that Claudia credits for her success today.

The statistics regarding class in the British creative arts are startling. Research shows that only about 8% of people in the industry come from working-class backgrounds. In contrast, a staggering 65% of British Oscar winners were privately educated. This disparity often leads to what Claudia describes as "imposter syndrome." Even now, as a global star, she admits to feeling a sense of nervousness or a need to "pretend to be posh" to fit into certain industry circles. By sharing her story, she aims to encourage other young creatives from similar backgrounds to believe that their voices belong on screen.

While she had been working steadily for years, it was the 2020 premiere of Bridgerton that catapulted claudia jessie to international fame. Interestingly, she didn't originally audition for Eloise; she first read for the role of Penelope Featherington. However, the casting directors saw something in her that perfectly matched the rebellious, intellectual spirit of the second Bridgerton daughter.

As Eloise, Claudia has become a feminist icon for a new generation. Her character’s disdain for the "marriage mart" and her quest to unmask Lady Whistledown provide a sharp, modern contrast to the more traditional romances of the show. Her chemistry with co-stars like Nicola Coughlan and Luke Thompson (who plays Benedict) has made the Bridgerton family dynamics a fan favorite.

While many know her only as Eloise, claudia jessie has a diverse filmography that showcases her range as a dramatic and comedic actress. One of her most notable pre-Bridgerton roles was as Amelia Sedley in the 2018 ITV/Amazon adaptation of Vanity Fair, starring opposite Olivia Cooke. Though the role required her to wear tight corsets—something she famously joked she never wants to do again—it proved she could hold her own in a massive period production.

Her other significant television credits include:

Looking ahead, she has been cast in the Channel 4 drama Up To No Good (formerly titled Maud), where she will play a suspicious detective investigating a character played by the legendary Glenn Close.

Throughout her career, Claudia has earned critical recognition for her performances. To date, she has received four major award nominations. These include:

With 19 known credits and nearly 30 total acting roles under her belt, her trajectory suggests that a major win is only a matter of time.

Off-screen, claudia jessie leads a life that is remarkably grounded. Since the age of 17, she has practiced Nichiren Buddhism. She is a member of Sōka Gakkai and credits her faith with helping her manage her mental health. Claudia has been open about her experiences with panic attacks, anxiety, and depersonalisation disorder, noting that her practice involves chanting and meditating for at least one hour every day to maintain her balance.

Her lifestyle choices also reflect her commitment to ethics and sustainability. She has been a vegan for nine years (as of 2024) and is a staunch advocate for ethical fashion. In fact, she famously went six years without buying any new clothes, choosing instead to shop second-hand or wear ethically sourced items.

For several years, she lived on a 57ft houseboat in Birmingham, a nod to her childhood on the canals. Today, she lives in a home in Birmingham with her partner, Cole Edwards, whom she actually met during her Bridgerton audition (he was the casting director who helped her land the role!). You can read more about her unique perspective on Claudia Jessie's interview on class and houseboats.

Claudia is not just an actress; she is a dedicated activist. She is a member of Extinction Rebellion, the environmental movement that uses civil disobedience to highlight climate issues. Her commitment is so deep that she actually met her current publicist at a protest while she was in the process of almost getting arrested!

Unlike many of her peers, you won't find her scrolling through social media. She has chosen to maintain a complete social media absence, preferring a "digital detox" lifestyle. She often jokes that her friends have to show her "cat content" on their phones because she doesn't have her own accounts to browse.

To truly know claudia jessie, you have to appreciate the quirks that make her so charming in interviews. Here is some of our favorite trivia about the actress:

Claudia jessie was born on October 30, 1989, making her 35 years old. She is originally from Moseley, Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Despite spending some of her childhood in London, she considers herself a "Brummie" through and through and moved back to Birmingham in her early 20s.

She stands at 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 meters). Beyond her height, she is known for her "clear, warm voice," her pointed chin, and her "gorgeous smile." Her Duane Syndrome is also a distinctive physical trait, though it is usually only noticeable when she performs her eye trick.

No, she is not on any social media platforms. She values her privacy and finds that staying off social media helps her maintain her mental health and focus on her Buddhist practice and activism.

From her working-class roots in Birmingham to the glamorous sets of Netflix, claudia jessie has carved out a space in the industry that is entirely her own. Her dedication to her craft, combined with her commitment to Buddhism, veganism, and environmental activism, makes her a truly modern role model. Whether she's playing a suspicious detective or the rebellious Eloise, we can't wait to see what she does next.

At Edible LA, we value the stories of individuals who live authentically and sustainably. Just as Claudia chooses ethical fashion and a plant-based diet, we encourage our readers to support local food cultures and seasonal living. If you're looking to bring a bit of that sustainable spirit into your own kitchen, Check out our Seasonal Produce Guide to see what's fresh in Los Angeles right now.