Cathy Tyson
Biography
Cathy Tyson, born Catherine Tyson on 12 June 1965 in Kingston‑upon‑Thames, London, England, is an English actress who works in stage, film and television. She has accumulated more than sixty credited performances. Her early career includes a role in Neil Jordan’s 1986 neo‑noir Mona Lisa opposite Bob Hoskins. She later appeared in films such as Thing Called Love, A, Chancer and Hope & Glory. Tyson is the paternal niece of American actress Cicely Tyson and was raised in Liverpool as the youngest of six children of a black solicitor. She continues to be recognised for her contributions to British screen acting.
Career overview
Catherine “Cathy” Tyson was born on 12 June 1965 in Kingston‑upon‑Thames, London, and is described as an English stage, film and television actress. Over the course of her career she has amassed more than sixty credited performances across the three media, with a total of 63 known acting credits recorded in public databases. Her work spans a range of productions, reflecting a sustained presence in the British entertainment industry.
Tyson’s filmography includes appearances in several titles that have been highlighted as significant to her reputation. She featured in Neil Jordan’s neo‑noir Mona Lisa (1986), a film that has been commemorated in recent retrospectives. Additional films cited as notable in her career are Thing Called Love, A, Chancer and Hope & Glory. These productions have been referenced as key works through which she gained recognition. Across stage, screen and television, Tyson’s contributions have been catalogued under the acting category, underscoring her versatility as a performer in a variety of roles and formats.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
64 titles- Truckload (2025) as Tenant
- Dune: Prophecy (2024) as Raquella Berto-Anirul
- Criminal Record (2024) as Doris Mathis
- KAOS (2024) as Alecto
- Hoard (2024) as Sam
- Blue Lights (2023) as Dana Morgan
- Black Ops (2023) as Fischer
- Boiling Point (2023) as Vivian
- Bank of Dave (2023) as Maureen
- Whitstable Pearl (2021) as Tina Rowe
- Wolfe (2021) as Fay
- Help (2021) as Polly
- National Theatre Live: Rockets and Blue Lights (2021) as Danby / Mary / Meg / Shona
- Sainsbury's: Christmas Food Secrets (2021) as Self
- McDonald & Dodds (2020) as Jackie Somner
- JoJo & Gran Gran (2020) as Gran Gran
- Cursed Films (2020) as Self
- The Loss Adjuster (2020) as Lorna Fitzgerald
- My Beautiful Laundrette (2020) as Rachel / Cherry
- The Importance of Being Earnest (2020) as Lady Bracknell
- CBeebies Presents: Christmas in Storyland (2020)
- An Accidental Studio (2019) as Self
- The Fight (2019) as Viv Best
- Together (2018)
- Two Graves (2018) as Margaret Powers
- The Marker (2017) as Maura
- ChickLit (2016) as Diana
- Ollie Kepler's Expanding Purple World (2013) as Jackie
- Death in Paradise (2011) as Jacqueline StClair
- Vera (2011) as Kath Olivier
- Drama Trails (2010)
- Lewis (2007) as Dr Patterson
- Bonkers (2007) as DI Short
- Forgiven (2007) as Therapist
- Liverpool Nativity (2007) as Herodia
- A Thing Called Love (2004) as Theresa Staple
- Working Shakespeare (2003)
- Night and Day (2001)
- The Old Man Who Read Love Stories (2001) as Josefina
- Perfect (2001) as Marie
- A Son of Africa: The Autobiography of a Slave (1996) as Narrator
- Modern Times (1995)
- Band of Gold (1995) as Carol Johnson
- Priest (1995) as Maria Kerrigan
- Tasting Freedom (1994) as Narrator
- Harry (1993) as Jenny Wilson
- Remember (1993) as Patty
- The Lost Language of Cranes (1992) as Jerene
- Angels (1992) as Frances
- Turbulence (1991) as Melissa
- Out of the Blue (1991) as Julie
- Rules of Engagement (1989) as Annie McPhee
- Brian Cox on Acting in Tragedy (1989) as Self
- The Play on One (1988) as Julie
- The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) as Marielle Duchamp
- Business as Usual (1987) as Josie Patterson
- On the Palm (1987) as Celia
- Casualty (1986) as Cider Anne
- Mona Lisa (1986) as Simone
- Screen Two (1985) as Celia
- Screen Two (1985) as Maria Kerrigan
- Scully (1984) as Joanna
- Black Samphire
- RSC Meets USA: Working Shakespeare as Self
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Cathy Tyson best known for?
Cathy Tyson is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Dune: Prophecy (2024), Criminal Record (2024), KAOS (2024), Blue Lights (2023).
When and where was Cathy Tyson born?
Cathy Tyson was born on June 12, 1965 in London, England, UK.
How many credits does Cathy Tyson have?
Cathy Tyson has accumulated over 64 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1984 to 2025.
What is Cathy Tyson's background in cinema and television?
Cathy Tyson, born Catherine Tyson on 12 June 1965 in Kingston‑upon‑Thames, London, England, is an English actress who works in stage, film and television. She has accumulated more than sixty credited performances. Her early career includes a role in Neil Jordan’s 1986 neo‑noir Mona Lisa opposite Bob Hoskins. She later ...
Cathy Tyson by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Modern Times (1995) — aged about 30
- Night and Day (2001) — aged about 36
- Lewis (2007) as Dr Patterson — aged about 42
- Blue Lights (2023) as Dana Morgan — aged about 58
- Death in Paradise (2011) as Jacqueline StClair — aged about 46
- Vera (2011) as Kath Olivier — aged about 46
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