Sally Cecilia Hawkins (born 27 April 1976) is an English actress who began her career on stage and then moved into film. She has received several awards, including aย Golden Globe Award, and nominations for twoย Academy Awardsย and twoย British Academy Film Awards.
After graduating from theย Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, she became a stage actress in productions such asย Romeo and Juliet (playingย Juliet),ย Much Ado About Nothing, andย A Midsummer Night's Dream. Her first major role was inย Mike Leigh'sย All or Nothingย in 2002. She continued working with Leigh, appearing in a supporting role inย Vera Drakeย (2004) and taking the lead inย Happy-Go-Luckyย (2008), for which she won several awards, including theย Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture โ Musical or Comedyย and theย Silver Bear for Best Actress.
Hawkins appeared in twoย Woody Allenย films,ย Cassandra's Dreamย (2007) andย Blue Jasmine (2013); for the latter, she received a nomination for theย Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She went on to play lead roles inย Made in Dagenhamย (2010),ย Paddingtonย (2014),ย Maudie (2016), andย Paddington 2ย (2017), and appeared inย Godzillaย (2014),ย Godzilla: King of the Monstersย (2019) andย Wonkaย (2023). For starring Elisa Esposito, a mute cleaning woman in the fantasy filmย The Shape of Waterย (2017), she earned critical acclaim and was nominated for theย Academy Award for Best Actress.
She has also appeared in stage productions with theย Royal Court Theatreย in London, and in 2010 made herย Broadwayย debut inย Mrs. Warren's Profession. In 2012, she starred inย Constellationsย at the Royal Court Theatre, which later moved to theย Duke of York's Theatreย in theย West End. On television, she appeared in theย BBCย adaptations ofย Tipping the Velvetย (2002) as Zena Blake andย Fingersmithย (2005) as Sue Trinder. She also appeared asย Anne Elliotย inย Persuasionย (2007),ย ITV's adaptation ofย Jane Austen's novel.