Gemma Elizabeth Whelan, a multifaceted English actress and comedian, was born on April 23, 1981. She is widely recognized for her captivating portrayal of Yara Greyjoy in the critically acclaimed HBO fantasy-drama series Game of Thrones.
Whelan's educational background includes attendance at The King's High School for Girls in Warwick. In addition to her acting and comedic talents, she is also a skilled professional dancer, specializing in tap and jazz dance styles. She is a member of the esteemed dance troupe, the Beaux Belles, based in London. Furthermore, Whelan has received training in musical theatre and boasts a mezzo-soprano singing voice. Her proficiency in conversational Spanish is another one of her impressive skills.
Gemma Whelan resides in London, where she lives with her husband, Gerry, and their daughter, born a few months after her first pregnancy in July 2017. As a vegetarian, Whelan has made a conscious decision to adopt a plant-based diet, although she did consume meat on the sets of Game of Thrones.
As a comedian, Whelan has achieved notable success, winning the Funny Women Variety Award for stand-up comedy in 2010. She frequently performs stand-up comedy in character as Chastity Butterworth and has even recorded a pilot chat show for BBC Radio 4, titled The Chastity Butterworth Show, in 2014.
Throughout her career, Whelan has appeared in various films and television shows, including supporting roles in Gulliver's Travels and The Wolfman in 2010. She has also had roles in comedies such as Upstart Crow, Uncle, and The Agency.
Whelan's breakthrough role came in 2011 when she was cast as Yara Greyjoy in the HBO fantasy-drama television series Game of Thrones, a position she held as a recurring cast member from the second season onward.
