Sky Atlantic's epic drama about the Romans invading ancient Britain, starring Zoë as vengeful Queen Antedia, returned for a second series on 7 November. Both series are available via Sky and NOW TV.
Zoë plays eccentric aristocrat Lady Bloomsbury Barton in the second episode of the BBC’s new adaptation of Barbara Euphan Todd’s classic children’s stories, which aired just after Christmas. It's available via the BBC iPlayer.
Zoë recently finished filming this major new fantasy series for Netflix, based on Leigh Bardugo’s novels. She's been cast as Baghra, a ruthless teacher. The release date hasn't yet been announced.
News round-up: Christmas charity fundraising, World AIDS Day and Girlfriends flashback
3 December 2018 20:51
Adfam carol concert
Details have now been publically announced about one of the festive charity events I alluded to recently.
Zoë will be a guest reader at the Adfam carol concert on 5 December at St Bride’s Church in London. The event will raise money to support the charity’s work with families affected by drugs and alcohol.
Tickets are available from Eventbrite until 4 December.
ShelterBox Syria Christmas Appeal
Zoë invites you to join her in supporting the Syria Christmas Appeal organised by ShelterBox, a charity devoted to helping people affected by disaster and conflict.
By donating to the appeal you can help ShelterBox provide families in desperate need with shelter and vital supplies.
World AIDS Day performance of The Inheritance
Look closely and you’ll spot Zoë and her husband, Gawn Grainger, in this photo taken to mark the moving World AIDS Day performance of The Inheritance on 1 December. They were special guests at the event.
A key aim of this special performance was to increase awareness of sexual health charity the Terrence Higgins Trust and its campaign to reach ‘zero HIV’ (i.e. the point at which HIV-related stigma is a thing of the past and there are no more HIV transmissions) by 2030.
The Inheritance, an award-winning, two-part play by Matthew Lopez, is being staged at the Noël Coward Theatre in London’s West End. Inspired by EM Forster’s novel Howards End, it explores what it’s like to be a young gay man in New York a generation after the peak of the AIDS crisis.
Flashback to Girlfriends’ glamorous photoshoot
Remember the glamorous Radio Times photoshoot Zoë and her co-stars, Miranda Richardson and Phyllis Logan, took part in to publicise their ITV drama Girlfriends? Hard to believe that was about a year ago now – time flies!
This behind-the-scenes picture (previously unseen, I believe) was taken that day by Girlfriends’ publicist, Kat Blair.
Here’s a reminder of the magazine feature.
News round-up: Christmas celebration, West End opening nights, Forgotten Soldier documentary and more
23 November 2018 22:33
RCPCH Christmas celebration
Zoë will be a special guest at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’s Christmas celebration on 12 December. She’ll give a reading described as the ‘centrepiece’ of the event at London’s Priory Church of the Order of St John.
Tickets are available now. Everyone is welcome.
Zoë is also due to attend two or three other festive charity events. I’ll aim to bring you more details if and when her involvement is publicly announced by the charities.
Two West End opening nights
It’s no secret that Zoë and her husband, Gawn Grainger, love theatre – they’ve recently been photographed at two press nights in London’s theatrical heartland.
First they attended the opening of Don Quixote, the RSC's stage adaptation of Cervantes’ entertaining classic, at The Garrick on 8 November.
Gawn talks about the play, alongside other special guests, in this press night video.
Next came the opening of Tennessee Williams’ compelling Summer and Smoke at the Duke of York’s on the 20th.
Forgotten Soldier documentary
Zoë and Henry Goodman are the narrators of an important new documentary, Forgotten Solider. It uncovers unsung hero Sally Noach’s efforts to save hundreds of Jews during the Second World War. You can hear Zoë’s narration in the documentary’s trailer.
Forgotten Solider was broadcast at Noordelijk Film Festival in Friesland, Netherlands, on 11 November and the UK Jewish Film Festival in London on the 19th. You can keep track of future screenings on the documentary’s website.
‘The Hero’ raising money for servicemen and women
Zoë is among a starry roll call of performers paying tribute to servicemen and women in the video for charity single ‘The Hero – A West End & Friends Tribute’. The song, written by prominent composers and lyricists Daniel and Laura Curtis, is raising money for Help for Heroes.
‘The Hero’ is available to buy from all digital music stores. You can also donate to the fundraising campaign’s JustGiving page.
Sir Peter Hall Director Award presentation
On 18 November, Zoë and other special guests attended the presentation of the Royal Theatrical Support Trust’s Sir Peter Hall Director Award to Nancy Medina. The ceremony took place in the Swan restaurant at London’s Shakespeare’s Globe.
The Stage has a photo of Zoë with Medina and Ian McKellen at the event. Scroll to the bottom of the newspaper’s latest ‘In Pictures’ feature to find it.
Whatsonstage.com Awards nominations open
You can nominate your favourite recent UK theatre productions, as well as actors and behind-the-scenes crew, in the Whatsonstage.com Awards until 30 November.
Might The Birthday Party, Zoë’s most recent stage hit, be among your choices?!
Extended trailer for short film Captcha
An extended trailer has been released for Captcha, the 2014, steampunk-inspired short film featuring Zoë’s vocal talents.
You can watch the full film via Film4.
Captcha is distinctive and memorable – it’s good to realise that it’s still being talked about several years after its initial release.
The call to change Northern Ireland’s abortion law
Zoë is among a large number of female public figures who’ve joined human rights charity Amnesty International’s call for the UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, to support the decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland.
In anticipation of the issue being raised in Parliament today, Zoë and the other women involved in the campaign have signed an open letter to the PM. ‘Women in the UK shouldn’t have their rights denied simply because of the region they live in,’ emphasises the letter. ‘An affront to women in Northern Ireland hurts us all,’ it adds.
More than 50,000 members of the public have signed a petition, also organised by Amnesty International, with the same aim.
Heart Research UK’s artwork auctions
And finally, did you spot Zoë’s delightful artwork in the Heart Research UK’s Anonymous heART Project auctions recently?
Here it is...
Hear Zoë read 'The Wound in Time' for Pages of the Sea
11 November 2018 21:40
Here's a video of the Pages of the Sea project in action. Thousands gathered on beaches around the UK today to pay their respects to the millions affected by World War One, which ended exactly 100 years ago.
Zoë's powerful reading of 'The Wound in Time', the poem specially written by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy to mark the centenary, accompanies some of the footage.
Zoë invites you to mark the WWI centenary by taking part in Pages of the Sea
11 November 2018 04:17
Today, 11 November, marks 100 years since the end of the First World War. In this video, Zoë invites you to join her in supporting Pages of the Sea, filmmaker Danny Boyle’s heartfelt project to commemorate the event.
Those who’d like to take part in Pages of the Sea are asked to gather on selected UK beaches today to pay tribute to the millions of people who left their shores during the conflict and in many cases never returned. On some of the beaches, a portrait of an individual from WWI will be drawn in the sand then washed away by the tide: a symbolic goodbye.
On Pages of the Sea’s website, you can find specific people to say personal goodbyes to, as well as read and download Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy’s ‘The Wound in Time’. The sobering, poignant poem, specially written for the Armistice Day centenary, will be shared on the beaches.
If you're unable to attend a beach event, there's the option to get involved online instead by mentioning the person or people you're saying goodbye to on social media, using the hashtag #PagesOfTheSea.
Can you spot Zoë’s art in Heart Research UK’s charity auctions?
11 November 2018 03:50
Heart Research UK’s fundraising auctions, collectively known as The Anonymous heART Project, feature over 400 impressive, postcard-sized artworks by artists, actors and other supporters of the charity.
The artwork auctions are currently taking place on eBay. One of the items for sale was created by Zoë – can you guess which one?
You have until 9pm (UK time) today, 11 November, to bid.
Good luck!
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