Lucy Russell embarked on an acting career in her late twenties, having initially explored various professions and earned a degree in Italian and Business from University College London. Her inaugural feature film was Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas's debut, Following, after completing a couple of years of drama school. This was followed by a standout performance as the title character in Eric Rohmer's French-language film, The Lady and the Duke, which boasted exquisitely hand-sewn costumes designed by Pierre-Jean Larroque.
Russell's extensive filmography includes her portrayal of Missy LeHand in CineNord's Atlantic Crossing, which garnered the 2021 International Emmy Award for TV Movie/Miniseries, and her role as Steph in Toni Erdmann, the German nominee for Best International Feature at the 89th Academy Awards, as well as being named the best film of 2016 by Sight and Sound magazine, Film Comment, and Cahiers du Cinema.
Throughout her career, Lucy Russell has demonstrated her versatility by working across various genres and collaborating with renowned directors in both French and English. She has taken on an array of characters, including a CIA and MI5 head, a trophy wife, a serial killer, a UN delegate, a toxic mother, a leader of a galactic empire, and a cult member, thereby delving into a wide range of human experiences.
Beyond her acting pursuits, Lucy Russell is a real person with a life outside of the entertainment industry, which is undoubtedly worth acknowledging.
