Poppy Gilbert has steadily built a reputation as one of British television’s most versatile rising actresses, moving from a chilling turn as a pseudonymous killer in Harlan Coben’s Netflix thriller Stay Close to the title role in BBC One’s psychological drama Chloe, before taking on one of English literature’s most iconic characters, Elizabeth Bennet, in the 2026 period drama spin-off The Other Bennet Sister.
Born in Stockholm to British parents and raised across London, Hong Kong, and Singapore, Gilbert brings an international upbringing to a career built largely within British television drama. Her credits span mystery thrillers, period adaptations, and prestige crime dramas, reflecting a deliberate range that has helped her avoid being typecast early in her career.
Her story matters as a portrait of a classically trained young actress methodically building a body of work through some of British television’s most respected genres, from Agatha Christie adaptations to Jane Austen-inspired drama.
Profile
| Full Name | Poppy Gilbert |
| Born | 14 September 1998 |
| Age | 27 years old |
| Birthplace | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Parents | Nigel Gilbert and Camilla Gilbert |
| Siblings | Darcy Gilbert |
Early Life
Poppy Gilbert was born on 14 September 1998 in Stockholm, Sweden, to British parents Nigel and Camilla Gilbert. Her family moved frequently during her childhood between London, Hong Kong, and Singapore, a result of her parents’ careers in advertising and television respectively, giving Gilbert an unusually international upbringing for a performer who would go on to build her career primarily within British drama. She has a sister, Darcy.
Gilbert attended Lady Eleanor Holles School in Hampton from 2008 to 2015, where she took part in numerous school theatrical productions that first nurtured her interest in performance. At seventeen, she joined the National Youth Theatre, a prestigious UK training ground for young actors, before going on to formal drama school training.
Education
In 2016, Gilbert began studying at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, one of London’s leading conservatoires, graduating in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in Acting. She filmed her television debut during her final year at Guildhall, balancing professional work with the final stretch of her formal training.
Career
Gilbert made her television debut in 2020, playing Lesley Pike in an episode of the ninth season of the long-running BBC drama Call the Midwife. She quickly followed this with additional early credits, including appearances in the Agatha Christie adaptation The Pale Horse and the long-running crime series Midsomer Murders, building experience across both character-driven period storytelling and procedural crime drama.
At the end of 2021, Gilbert landed a significant breakout role in Harlan Coben’s Netflix mystery series Stay Close, playing the pseudonymous killer known as Barbie opposite Hyoie O’Grady’s Ken, a chilling supporting turn within one of the streamer’s most popular British thriller adaptations. The following year, she starred in the title role of BBC One’s psychological thriller Chloe, carrying significant narrative weight as the central character in a series exploring obsession and identity, and also appeared as the young Julie Jackson in two episodes of BBC One’s acclaimed crime drama Sherwood.
In January 2023, Gilbert starred as Abbie in Channel 5’s The Catch, alongside Jason Watkins and Aneurin Barnard, taking on a role requiring her to portray a young woman torn between love, family loyalty, and uncertainty. The performance was noted for balancing vulnerability with a sense of independence, continuing to showcase her range across emotionally demanding television roles. She also appeared in the historical drama Leonardo, expanding her work into international period productions.
In 2026, Gilbert took on one of her most high-profile roles to date, portraying Lizzy Bennet in the BBC period drama spin-off The Other Bennet Sister, based on the world of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Stepping into a character that has been interpreted by numerous acclaimed actresses across film, television, and stage carried significant expectations, and the role placed Gilbert firmly within the British costume drama tradition. The same year, she also starred as Emily in the world premiere of the musical Flyby at Southwark Playhouse, demonstrating her continued engagement with stage work alongside her screen career.
Gilbert’s filmography reflects a deliberate variety across genres, having built early credits in beloved institutions of British television, including Call the Midwife and Midsomer Murders, before moving into edgier, more psychologically complex thriller work with Stay Close and Chloe. That range continued with her work on the acclaimed crime drama Sherwood, and her subsequent move into large-scale historical drama with Leonardo, an international co-production exploring the life of Leonardo da Vinci. Her casting as Elizabeth Bennet represents a culmination of this varied trajectory, combining her demonstrated ability to anchor emotionally complex narratives with the kind of literary pedigree that period drama audiences hold to exceptionally high standards.
Personal Life
Gilbert has largely kept her personal relationships private, with public attention focused on her acting career and her distinctive international upbringing across Sweden, the UK, Hong Kong, and Singapore. She has spoken about how her years moving between different countries and cultures as a child shaped her adaptability as a performer, an asset that has served her well across the wide range of genres she has tackled in her career so far.
Gilbert’s early involvement with the National Youth Theatre at seventeen has remained a formative reference point in her professional development, providing her with foundational performance experience before her formal training at Guildhall. She has continued to balance television and stage commitments throughout her career, an approach that reflects her drama school grounding and her evident desire to maintain range across mediums rather than focusing exclusively on screen work.
Net Worth
Gilbert’s net worth has not been publicly disclosed. As a rising actress primarily working within British television, her income reflects a combination of supporting and lead roles across BBC, Channel 5, and Netflix productions, along with theatre work including her 2026 stage role in Flyby. Her earnings are likely to grow as she continues to take on more prominent leading roles such as her recent casting as Elizabeth Bennet, a part that carries significant visibility within the historically lucrative period drama genre, both in the UK and among international streaming audiences.
Notable Works & Achievements
Filmography
- Call the Midwife (2020)
- The Pale Horse (2020)
- Midsomer Murders (2020)
- Stay Close (2021)
- Chloe (2022)
- Sherwood (2022)
- The Catch (2023)
- Leonardo (2023)
- The Other Bennet Sister (2026)
Conclusion
Poppy Gilbert’s career reflects the steady, deliberate rise of a classically trained actress moving confidently across genres, from chilling psychological thrillers to beloved literary adaptations. Her international upbringing and formal Guildhall training have given her a versatility that has allowed her to avoid being defined by a single type of role early in her career, a quality reflected in her ability to move seamlessly between Agatha Christie adaptations, prestige crime drama, and now one of English literature’s most scrutinized heroines.
With her high-profile turn as Elizabeth Bennet in The Other Bennet Sister introducing her to an even wider audience, Gilbert appears positioned to become one of the more prominent names in the next generation of British period and prestige drama performers. As she continues to balance stage and screen work, her trajectory suggests a long and varied career ahead, built on the same adaptability that has defined her life since childhood.