Erin Doherty is a critically acclaimed British actress best known for her transformative portrayal of Princess Anne in seasons 3 and 4 of the Netflix flagship drama The Crown. Born on July 16, 1992, in Crawley, West Sussex, Doherty has rapidly ascended from a standout student at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School to a multi-award-winning lead, most recently securing a 2026 Golden Globe Award for her performance in the Netflix limited series Adolescence. Her career is defined by a rare ability to disappear into complex, often guarded characters, ranging from the bite of a young royal to the psychological depths of a social media-obsessed drifter.
Erin Doherty’s Early Life and Background
Erin Rachael Doherty was raised in Crawley, West Sussex, where her passion for performance began at a remarkably young age. Following her parents’ divorce when she was just four years old, she started attending Sunday drama classes with her older sister, Grace, which provided an early creative outlet and a foundation for her future career. Despite her early interest in the arts, Doherty was also a formidable athlete, spending much of her youth on the football pitch.
She captained the Crawley Wasps and was a talented midfielder, eventually attracting the attention of scouts from Chelsea Women. However, as she approached her late teens, the demands of professional sports and professional acting began to conflict, forcing her to make a pivotal choice. Choosing the stage over the stadium, she committed herself fully to acting, a decision that has since been validated by her global success and critical acclaim.
Academic and Professional Training
Before becoming a household name, Doherty honed her craft through a disciplined educational path. She first completed a one-year foundation course at the Guildford School of Acting (2011–2012), which prepared her for the rigors of a full degree. She then moved to the prestigious Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, graduating in 2015.
During her time in Bristol, she distinguished herself by winning the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year award in 2015. This early recognition from the industry signaled her potential as a versatile performer capable of tackling both musical and dramatic repertoire with equal skill.
Breakthrough Role: Princess Anne in The Crown
Doherty’s “big break” arrived when she was cast as the young Princess Anne in the third and fourth seasons of The Crown. Stepping into a cast that included Oscar-winner Olivia Colman and Helena Bonham Carter, Doherty was initially a dark horse who quickly became a fan favorite. Her portrayal was lauded for its uncanny vocal accuracy and for capturing the Princess Royal’s signature “no-nonsense” and “suffer-no-fools” attitude.
To prepare for the role, Doherty spent months studying archival footage, focusing specifically on the pitch and cadence of Anne’s voice. She famously remarked that the voice was the “key” to unlocking the character’s psyche, allowing her to portray the royal not as a caricature, but as a grounded, fiercely independent young woman. This performance earned her a Screen International Star of Tomorrow nod and an Evening Standard Rising Star nomination.
Impact on the Royal’s Public Image
Interestingly, Doherty’s performance had a measurable impact on the real-life Princess Anne’s public perception. Following the release of Season 3, Google searches for the Princess Royal spiked, and many critics noted that Doherty had made Anne the “coolest” member of the royal family. Even the real Princess Anne eventually commented on the show, jokingly disputing Doherty’s claim that the royal’s famous hairstyle took two hours to prepare, insisting she could do it in ten minutes.
This interaction highlighted the cultural resonance of Doherty’s work. She didn’t just play a role; she humanized a public figure for a new generation, blending dry wit with a palpable sense of duty and internal conflict. The role served as a springboard, proving she could hold her own in high-stakes, big-budget productions while maintaining a unique, grounded screen presence.
Leading Success: Chloe and Psychological Thrillers
Following her exit from The Crown, Doherty sought to challenge herself with roles that were diametrically opposed to royalty. In 2022, she took the lead in the BBC and Amazon Prime Video thriller Chloe. She played Becky Green, a woman living a drab existence who becomes obsessed with the social media life of a former friend, eventually assuming a fake identity to infiltrate a high-society social circle.
The role was a masterclass in psychological tension, requiring Doherty to play multiple “versions” of her character—the anxious, grieving Becky and the confident, sophisticated alter-ego “Sasha.” Critics praised her “vibrating anxiety” and the subtle way she navigated the show’s themes of social media obsession and identity. Chloe solidified her status as a leading lady capable of carrying an entire series on her shoulders.
Critical Reception of Chloe
The series received a “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with a consensus specifically highlighting Doherty’s performance as the heart of the show. Her ability to make an “unlikable” or “unpredictable” protagonist empathetic is a hallmark of her acting style. By the end of the six-episode run, she had moved far beyond the shadow of The Crown, proving her range in the contemporary thriller genre.
Award-Winning Turn in Netflix’s Adolescence (2025-2026)
The most significant milestone in Doherty’s recent career is her role in the 2025 Netflix limited series Adolescence. Directed by Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne, the series is a gritty, one-shot psychological drama that explores a murder trial through the eyes of a 13-year-old defendant and the professionals surrounding him. Doherty portrays Briony Ariston, a clinical psychologist tasked with assessing the boy’s mental state.
Her performance in Adolescence was a career-defining moment, characterized by a quiet, intense authority. The role required immense focus due to the show’s unique “one-take” filming style, where scenes were captured in continuous, long shots without cuts. This format demanded theatrical-level stamina, perfectly suited to Doherty’s extensive background on the stage.
The 2025 Emmy and 2026 Golden Globe Wins
Doherty’s work in Adolescence led to a sweep of the major television awards. In September 2025, she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series. She followed this up in January 2026 by winning the Golden Globe for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role on Television.
During her 2026 Golden Globe acceptance speech, Doherty made headlines for her heartfelt shoutout to real-life therapists and a cheeky “F-bomb” that slipped past the censors, reflecting her authentic and down-to-earth personality. These awards have placed her at the very top of the industry’s most-wanted list for dramatic roles.
Notable Film Roles and Firebrand
While her television work has garnered the most headlines, Erin Doherty has also made significant strides in feature films. In 2023, she appeared in the historical drama Firebrand, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. She played Anne Askew, a real-life Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake during the reign of Henry VIII.
Acting alongside Jude Law (as Henry VIII) and Alicia Vikander (as Catherine Parr), Doherty provided the film’s moral center. Her portrayal of the defiant, fiery preacher was described as a scene-stealing turn, even in a movie filled with A-list talent. The role allowed her to tap into a more visceral, historical intensity that differed from her modern-day roles.
Expansion into Supernatural and Indie Film
In early 2026, it was announced that Doherty would star alongside James McAvoy in a new supernatural drama titled Faith. Directed by Paul Andrew Williams, the film follows a single mother (Doherty) who meets a mysterious stranger (McAvoy) who may have otherworldly origins. This project represents her first major leading role in a supernatural thriller, further expanding her genre repertoire.
Additionally, she starred in the 2024 psychological thriller Reawakening opposite Juliet Stevenson and Jared Harris. In this film, she plays a daughter who returns home after disappearing for ten years, creating a tense atmosphere of doubt and repressed emotion. These choices reflect a deliberate strategy to work with high-caliber directors and challenging scripts.
Theater Career: A Return to the Stage
Despite her screen success, Erin Doherty remains a “theatre-first” actress at heart. She has frequently stated that live performance is her primary creative outlet and the place where she feels most at home. Since graduating in 2015, she has performed at the National Theatre, The Old Vic, and the Royal Court.
One of her most significant stage roles was playing Abigail Williams in the National Theatre’s 2022 production of The Crucible. Her performance was hailed as “chilling” and “unbearably tense,” bringing a modern, predatory energy to the classic Arthur Miller character. In 2025 and 2026, she continued this trend with a starring role in the West End premiere of Unicorn, a new play by Mike Bartlett, appearing alongside Nicola Walker and Stephen Mangan.
Key Stage Credits
- My Name is Rachel Corrie: A one-woman show at the Young Vic that many critics called her “discovery” moment.
- The Divide: An Alan Ayckbourn play at the Old Vic where she gave a “luminous” central performance.
- Death of England: Closing Time: A powerful exploration of race and class in modern Britain at the Soho Place theatre.
- A Christmas Carol: Playing Belle opposite Rhys Ifans at The Old Vic.
Personal Life and Public Identity
Erin Doherty is known for being relatively private, though she has used her platform to speak openly about identity and the pressures of the industry. In a 2025 interview on the How To Fail podcast, she discussed her struggles with social anxiety and the difficulty of navigating sudden fame after The Crown.
She has also spoken about her romantic life and sexual identity, noting that dating a woman for the first time felt like “coming home.” She is currently in a long-term relationship with fellow actress Morgane Polanski (daughter of Roman Polanski), whom she met on the set of The Crown. Doherty’s candor about her personal journey has made her a relatable figure for many fans, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community.
Philanthropy and Interests
Outside of acting, Doherty remains a fan of football and occasionally supports youth sports initiatives in her hometown of Crawley. She is also an advocate for mental health awareness, often citing the importance of therapy—a theme that resonated deeply during her award-winning run in Adolescence. Her grounded nature is often attributed to her “normal” upbringing and the strong bond she maintains with her family in West Sussex.
Practical Information and What to Watch Next
If you are looking to catch up on Erin Doherty’s work or see her live, here is the essential information for 2026:
- Current Projects: Adolescence is currently streaming on Netflix worldwide.
- Upcoming Releases: A Thousand Blows (Disney+) and the feature film Faith (Theatrical/Streaming TBA).
- Where to Watch:
- The Crown (Seasons 3-4): Netflix
- Chloe: BBC iPlayer (UK) / Amazon Prime Video (Global)
- Firebrand: Available on major VOD platforms.
- What to Expect: Doherty typically chooses roles that are emotionally demanding and dialogue-heavy. Expect “prestige” dramas and tense thrillers rather than blockbuster action.
Current and Upcoming Projects
- A Thousand Blows (2025–2026): She stars as Mary Carr, the ruthless leader of the real-life all-female gang, the Forty Elephants. Season 2 recently premiered on Disney+ (January 2026) to rave reviews, with critics calling her performance “magnetic.”
- California Avenue (TBA): She is set to lead this upcoming BBC drama as a character named Lela.
- Unicorn (2025): She recently wrapped a stage run at the Garrick Theatre alongside Nicola Walker.
Personal Life
Erin remains in a long-term relationship with fellow actor Sinead Donnelly. During her 2025 Emmy acceptance speech, she gave a touching shout-out to Sinead, thanking her for “making me the happiest person in the world.”
FAQs
Is Erin Doherty related to Shannen Doherty?
No, Erin Doherty is a British actress from West Sussex, while the late Shannen Doherty was American. They share a surname but have no familial relation.
Who did Erin Doherty play in The Crown?
She played the young Princess Anne (the Princess Royal) in Seasons 3 and 4 of the series, covering the years 1964 through 1990.
Did Erin Doherty win a Golden Globe in 2026?
Yes, she won the Golden Globe for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role on Television for her role in the Netflix series Adolescence.
What is Erin Doherty’s next movie?
Her next major film is the supernatural drama Faith, where she stars alongside James McAvoy. She is also set to appear in the Disney+ series A Thousand Blows.
Where did Erin Doherty go to drama school?
She trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, graduating in 2015. Prior to that, she attended a foundation year at the Guildford School of Acting.
Was Erin Doherty a professional footballer?
She was highly skilled and was scouted by Chelsea Women as a teenager, but she ultimately chose to pursue acting over a professional football career.
Is Erin Doherty in a relationship?
She has been in a long-term relationship with actress Morgane Polanski. The two met while filming The Crown.
How tall is Erin Doherty?
Erin Doherty is approximately 1.66 meters (5 feet 5 inches) tall.
What awards has Erin Doherty won?
Her major accolades include a Primetime Emmy (2025) and a Golden Globe (2026) for Adolescence, as well as a Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year award (2015).
Does Erin Doherty have an Instagram?
Yes, she maintains a public Instagram account where she occasionally shares updates on her projects and behind-the-scenes glimpses of her work.
What is “Adolescence” about?
Adolescence is a Netflix limited series filmed in a “one-shot” style, focusing on a 13-year-old boy accused of murder and the legal/psychological process that follows.
Who does she play in A Thousand Blows?
She plays Mary Carr, the leader of a real-life Victorian-era female crime gang known as the “Forty Elephants.”
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