Katherine Parkinson

Katherine Parkinson was a British stage, TV, film, and radio actress best known for her lead role on the cult-favorite comedy "The IT Crowd" (Channel 4 2006-2014). Parkinson was born March 9, 1978 in London, England, though she grew up in the city's suburbs. She studied Classics at St. Hilda's College, Oxford before studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). She met her future "IT Crowd" co-star Chris O'Dowd at the two-year program before dropping out for a role in the play "The Age of Consent." In 2006, she landed a role as the tech-illiterate office manager Jen in "The IT Crowd," a role that won her a BAFTA and wide recognition as a British comedian. She continued to take on roles on stage, both comedic and dramatic, as well as making appearances on BBC Radio 4. In 2007, she appeared in a production of "The Seagull" alongside Kristin Scott Thomas at London's Royal Court Theatre. She appeared in the British 1960s ensemble comedy film "The Boat That Rocked" (2009), alongside Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, and Kenneth Branagh. (The film was called "Pirate Radio" for its North American release.) For her return to episodic TV, Parkinson was cast in a key role in the science-fiction series "Humans" (Channel 4 2015), the British remake of the hit Swedish show "Real Humans" (SVT 2012- ).