Career
First Appearances: - Girls' Night (1998) as Sharon
Most Important Roles: - The 50 Greatest Television Dramas (2007) as Self
- Girls' Night (1998) as Sharon
- Where We Used to Meet (2021) as
- Dance First (2023) as Barbara
- Words of War (2025) as Anna Politkovskaya
- Clubbed (2008) as Angela
- The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister (2010) as Anne Lister
- The Real Anne: Unfinished Business (2022) as Self- Presenter
- I Am Bob (2007) as Marilyn Monroe Lookalike/Compere's Assistant
- Christmas Lights (2004) as Pauline
Career Highlights: - The 50 Greatest Television Dramas (2007)
- Girls' Night (1998)
- Where We Used to Meet (2021)
- Dance First (2023)
- Words of War (2025)
- Clubbed (2008)
- The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister (2010)
- The Real Anne: Unfinished Business (2022)
- I Am Bob (2007)
- Christmas Lights (2004)
Awards
Awards: - Nominated for 1 BAFTA TV Award - Supporting Actress (2025)
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA TV Award - Best Leading Actress (2014)
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA TV Award - Best Actress (2009)
- Nominated for 1 British Independent Film Award - Best Actress (2018)
- Nominated for 1 Broadcasting Press Guild Award - Best Actress (2018)
- Nominated for 1 Broadcasting Press Guild Award - Best Actress (2014)
- Nominated for 1 Broadcasting Press Guild Award - Best Actress (2013)
- Won Broadcasting Press Guild Award - Best Actress (2010)
- Won Directors' Week Award - Best Actress (2015)
- Nominated for 1 Dagger - Best Leading Actress (2012)
- Won Dagger - Best Leading Actress (2010)
- Nominated for 1 National Film Award - Best Actress (2019)
Full Biography
Maxine Peake (born 14 July 1974) is an English stage, radio, film and television actress, playwright, producer, director and political activist, who made her name as Twinkle in Victoria Wood's sitcom Dinnerladies. She has since played Veronica in Channel 4's Manchester-based drama series Shameless, barrister Martha Costello in the BBC legal drama Silk and Grace Middleton in The Village. She is also an accomplished stage actress, having played the title role in Hamlet, and had a role in the 2014 film The Theory of Everything. In 2018 she played the lead in the film Funny Cow and had a starring role in Mike Leigh's epic Peterloo, a film very close to her heart.
