Julie Gibbs was born in Hertfordshire in August 1961, to a family with a strong background in public service. Her mother, Jenny, was a corsetier and sales assistant, while her father was a public relations specialist who later became an Anglican vicar. Julie's brother, Graham, joined the army when she was 13.
Growing up, Julie was an energetic child who was passionate about dance, drama, and ice skating. She attended Woodmansterne Primary School in Streatham, where she developed her love for the performing arts. At the age of 11, Julie moved to Aylesbury to attend the Grammar School, where she continued to nurture her acting skills until she was 16.
Julie then moved to Sychdyn in Clwyd, North Wales, where she joined the Sixth form at Mold Alun Comprehensive School and the Clwyd Youth Theatre. She worked as an usherette and in theatre administration at Theatr Clwyd, while also performing in various plays in the community.
In 1981, Julie enrolled at the Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, where she studied acting for three years. After graduating, she began working in stand-up comedy to obtain her Equity Card, and later joined the Sherman Theatre Company in Cardiff, performing in several productions.
Julie's career took her to various theatre companies, including Hull Truck Theatre Company, where she toured Britain with the award-winning production "Salt The Earth." She also worked in Denmark with the English Speaking Theatre Company of Copenhagen.
In the 1990s, Julie transitioned to radio comedy, becoming a regular guest panellist on BBC Radio 4's "Weekending" and appearing in various light entertainment comedy plays. She also voiced animated films and worked extensively in post-production dubbing for foreign language films.
In 1995, Julie returned to education, earning a Postgraduate qualification in Lecturing in FE/HE. She went on to teach performing arts at Coleg Glan Hafren and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
Julie married Martin Barclay, a university lecturer, and had two sons, Lewis and Tommy, in 1999 and 2003. She returned to acting in 2005, touring south Wales with Theatr Na'Nog, introducing secondary school children to Shakespeare.
Julie also worked with local theatre companies, including Theatr Iolo and Theatr Y Byd, and developed new writing as an actor and director with On The Edge company. In 2007, she began working in TV and film, making several appearances for Black Rat Productions and Grassroots Productions.
In 2010, Julie adapted Rachel Trezise's short story collection "Fresh Apples" for the stage and directed Harold Pinter's "A Kind of Alaska" for Be:Spoken Theatre. In 2014, she was cast in the award-winning production "Maudie's Rooms," written and directed by Louise Osborn.
Julie was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, but following six months of successful treatment, she returned to work. Since then, she has continued to develop new projects, including a new play with award-winning playwright Katherine Chandler called "Shadowplay" and a short film called "Open House."
Throughout her career, Julie has been dedicated to promoting inclusivity and equality for women in theatre, film, and television. She has invested in and produced work that strives to tell stories that move away from stereotypical ideas of women.
