1. Early Life and Education
Emma-Louise Corrin was born on 13 December 1995 in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. They have two younger brothers, Richard and Jonty. Their father, Chris Corrin, is a businessman, and their mother, Juliette Corrin, is a speech therapist from South Africa. The family is based in Seal, Kent, near Sevenoaks.
Corrin attended the Roman Catholic Woldingham School in Surrey, an all-girl boarding school, where they developed a keen interest in acting and singing. After completing their schooling, they took a gap year. During this period, they pursued a Shakespeare course at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and volunteered as a teacher at a school in Knysna, South Africa. They initially studied drama at the University of Bristol but later transferred to St John's College, Cambridge, where they studied Education, English, Drama, and the Arts from 2015 to 2018.
2. Career
Emma Corrin's career spans various mediums, including television, film, and stage, alongside public engagements in fashion and music.
2.1. Early Career and Debut
Corrin made their television debut in 2019 with a guest appearance in an episode of the ITV detective drama Grantchester. In the same year, they took on a recurring role as Esme Winikus in the first season of the Epix DC series Pennyworth. Their feature film debut was as Jillian Jessup in the 2020 film Misbehaviour.
2.2. Breakthrough with "The Crown"
Corrin achieved significant international recognition for their portrayal of Diana, Princess of Wales in Season 4 of the Netflix historical drama series The Crown, which premiered in November 2020. Their performance garnered universal acclaim from critics. For this role, Corrin won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Drama and the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series. They also received nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series. Furthermore, Corrin was part of the ensemble cast that won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.
2.3. Filmography
Corrin's film career includes a mix of short films, romantic dramas, and major studio productions.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Cesare | Mica | |
| 2018 | Alex's Dream | Beth | Short film |
| 2020 | Misbehaviour | Jillian Jessup | |
| 2021 | The Pet Psychic | Emma | Short film |
| 2022 | My Policeman | Marion Taylor | |
| Lady Chatterley's Lover | Lady Chatterley | ||
| 2023 | Good Grief | Young Performance Artist | Cameo |
| 2024 | Deadpool & Wolverine | Cassandra Nova | |
| Nosferatu | Anna Harding | ||
| TBA | 100 Nights of Hero | Hero | Post-production |
2.4. Television Work
Beyond The Crown, Corrin has appeared in several other television series, showcasing their range in different genres.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Grantchester | Esther Carter | Episode: "4.4" |
| Pennyworth | Esme Winikus | Recurring role (season 1) | |
| 2020 | The Crown | Diana, Princess of Wales | Main role (Season 4) |
| 2022 | Ten Percent | Themself | Guest role |
| 2023 | A Murder at the End of the World | Darby Hart | Main role |
2.5. Stage and Audio Productions
Corrin has also ventured into theatre and audio projects, demonstrating their versatility across various performance mediums.
Their stage debut was in 2021 in Anna X, where they played the titular role of Anna at the Harold Pinter Theatre and The Lowry. For this performance, they were nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress. In 2022, Corrin starred in the title role of Orlando at the Garrick Theatre in the West End, receiving positive reviews for their performance.
In the audio realm, Corrin lent their voice to the character of Thessaly in The Sandman: Act II (2021) and The Sandman: Act III (2022), both produced by Audible and written by Neil Gaiman and Dirk Maggs.
2.6. Other Public Engagements
Outside of their acting roles, Corrin has engaged in other public ventures, including music collaborations and high-profile fashion appearances. They featured on six tracks on Little Simz's 2021 album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert. In 2022, Corrin made headlines by becoming Vogue magazine's first non-binary cover star. The following year, they made their runway debut at Paris Fashion Week for the fashion brand Miu Miu.
3. Awards and Nominations
Corrin has received numerous awards and nominations for their acting work, particularly for their role as Princess Diana in The Crown.
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Actress in a Drama Series | The Crown | Won |
| 2021 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress - Television Series Drama | Won | |
| 2021 | Broadcasting Press Guild | Breakthrough Award | Won | |
| 2021 | Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | Best Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama | Won | |
| 2021 | Online Film & Television Association | Best Actress in a Drama Series | Won | |
| 2021 | TV Times Awards | Favourite Newcomer | Won | |
| 2021 | MTV Movie & TV Awards | Best Performance in a Show | Nominated | |
| 2021 | Satellite Awards | Best Supporting Actress - Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Nominated | |
| 2021 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Won | |||
| 2021 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series | Nominated | |
| 2022 | Laurence Olivier Awards | Best Actress | Anna X | Nominated |
| 2022 | Diva Awards | Actor of the Year | Nominated | |
| 2022 | The Queerties | Closet Door Bustdown | Won | |
| 2022 | Toronto International Film Festival | Tribute Award for Performance | My Policeman | Won |
| 2024 | Independent Spirit Awards | Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series | A Murder at the End of the World | Nominated |
| 2025 | Saturn Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Deadpool & Wolverine | Nominated |
4. Personal Life and Identity
Corrin has been open about their personal journey and identity. In July 2021, they publicly came out as queer. The following year, in July 2022, they updated their Instagram account to include "they/them" as their preferred pronouns. They later elaborated on identifying as non-binary in an interview with The New York Times, discussing their ongoing process of self-discovery. As of 2024, Corrin is in a relationship with actor Rami Malek.
5. Impact and Reception
Emma Corrin's performances have been widely acclaimed, particularly their nuanced portrayal of Princess Diana in The Crown, which received universal critical praise. Beyond their acting, Corrin has made a significant impact on discussions surrounding gender identity and LGBTQ+ visibility in media. Their public statements about being queer and non-binary, coupled with their status as Vogue magazine's first non-binary cover star, have contributed to increased representation and awareness. Their work, including the well-received performance in Orlando, continues to spark conversations about diverse identities and their portrayal in contemporary culture.