Profile Text
Fennell in 2019, photo by DFree /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Emerald Lilly Fennell
Place of Birth: Hammersmith, London, England, U.K.
Date of Birth: 1 October, 1985
Ethnicity: English, Scottish, Irish
Emerald Fennell is a British actress, author, and filmmaker. She has directed and written the films Promising Young Woman , for which she won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay; Saltburn , and Wuthering Heights (2026). She has also written episodes of the shows Drifters and Killing Eve , the latter of which she has been a showrunner of; as well as the book for the musical Cinderella (2020) and the original story and book for Bad Cinderella . She has also appeared on the shows Any Human Heart , Chickens , Call the Midwife , and The Crown ; and in the films Albert Nobbs , Anna Karenina (2012), The Danish Girl , Vita & Virginia , and Barbie (2023).
Emerald is the daughter of author Louise Fennell and jewellery and silverware designer Theo Fennell (Alister Theodore Fennell); her father is sometimes called the “King of Bling.” Her sister is fashion designer Coco Fennell. Her father was born in Moascar, Egypt, to British parents, while his father was in the army. Emerald is married to film and advertising director and producer Chris Vernon, with whom she has two children.
Emerald’s paternal grandfather was Major Alister Ivor Fennell (the son of Arthur Barney Fennell and Violet Edith Brown). Alister was born in Farnham, Surrey. Violet was born in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Emerald’s paternal grandmother was Beryl Ruth Verity Frith (the daughter of William Robert Frith and Helen Sybil Cleaver). Beryl was born in Hampstead, London. William was the son of William Robert Frith, who was born in Dundalk, co. Louth, Ireland, and of Ruth Maria Smith, whose mother was Irish. Helen was the daughter of Harris Peugeot Cleaver and Helen Frances Phoebe Makin.
Emerald’s maternal grandfather was named Alasdair MacGregor.
Emerald’s maternal grandmother was Jennifer S. Tod (who likely was the daughter of David Tod and Shirley Lamplough). Shirley was the daughter of Wharram Henry Lamplough and Gladys Shirley Eastlake Smith.
Emerald is a second cousin of actor Toby Kebbell . Emerald’s paternal great-grandparents, Arthur Barney Fennell and Violet Edith Brown, were also Toby’s maternal great-grandparents.