Zelah Clarke


Zelah Clarke is a British actress who has mainly appeared in television productions.

Career

Clarke had trained as a ballet dancer alongside Jenny Agutter and Fiona Fullerton. She began acting in smaller roles including West End musicals and theatre.
She started to work as a television actor in 1972, and her roles include Ceinwen Lloyd in How Green Was My Valley and Susan Nipper in Dombey and Son. She also appeared in the first episode of Poldark.
She is best known for playing Jane Eyre in the 1983 British television serial Jane Eyre, an adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's novel of the same name, produced for the BBC The serial starred Zelah Clarke as the title character, and Timothy Dalton as Edward Rochester.
Clarke lamented in an interview that the role of Jane had virtually ended her career. She had received good reviews but work dried up while her co-star Timothy Dalton became a star.
Zelah Clarke was nominated for a 1985 CableACE Award for Actress in a Movie or Miniseries for her portrayal of Jane Eyre.
She has continued to undertake voice work recording audiobooks including, Nina Bawdin's Outside Child and Carrie's War, and Three Legged Friends.

Reviews

Ed Hulse from Barnes and Noble wrote of Clarke's performance, "... makes a properly soulful Jane: reserved but courageous in her quiet way."
Mike Cummings for the All Movie Guide wrote,
Rarely has a motion picture presented a tale of romance with such subtlety, sensitivity, and power as this 1983 Julian Amyes adaptation of the Charlotte Bronte classic Jane Eyre. Credit Zelah Clarke and Timothy Dalton for the success of the film. Perfectly cast in their roles as lovers separated by untold secrets and repressed emotions, they act beautifully together, mixing chemistry and charisma to produce the kind of magic that holds audiences in thrall.

Private life

Clarke is married to BBC executive producer Francis Ash and they have a daughter Lamorna.

Appearances Film/Television

Sourced from IMDb
YearTitleRoleYearTitleRole
1972The Triple Echo First Girl1975Poldark Woman in Coach
1976How Green was my Valley Ceinwen Lloyd1976Shadows Grizelda
1976The Duchess of Duke Street Kath1977A Christmas Carol Martha Cratchit
1978Crown Court Nadia Phillips1978A Woman's Place Glenys
1978The Lost Boys Wendy1980Richard's ThingsNurse
1981BBC2 Playhouse Jane1983Dombey & Son Susan Nipper
1983Jane Eyre Jane Eyre1983Lady JaneLady Anne Wharton
1986Casualty Ruth White1987No Place Like Home Mrs. Pilkington
1990Perfect Scoundrels Estate Agent1991Dodgem Magistrate
1993Screen Two Shop Assistant1993The Chief Mrs Kelly

Selected Appearances Plays

The plays were staged at the Open Air Theatre in Regents Park, London, all directed by David Conville, Richard Digby-Day and Christopher Biggins
TitleTitleTitle
1978--
The Man of DestinyA Midsummer Night's DreamThe Dark Lady of The Sonnets