Vanessa Kirby | ChicanePictures

Autographed drawing of Vanessa Kirby in Julie at the National Theatre Lyttelton Stage in London

Vanessa Kirby’s impressive stage career is being matched by her latest screen appearances, in particular her mesmerising two-year role as Princess Margaret in Peter Morgan’s Netflick series THE CROWN, for which she won this year’s Supporting Actress TV BAFTA Award, after being nominated last year. She also collected an Emmy nomination.

She can also be seen as White Widow in the latest MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE blockbuster, FALLOUT opposite Tom Cruise. In 2106 Variety labelled her “the most outstanding stage actress of her generation, capable of the most unexpected choices.”

Vanessa signed a sketch for me in 2104 at the Young Vic in London, where she was playing Stella in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE with Gillian Anderson and Ben Foster. She won the WhatsOnStage Award for her supporting role, which is judged by the public.

Vanessa has just completed the season of Polly Stenham’s JULIE, an adaption of August Strindberg’ MISS JULIE at the National Theatre, in which she played the title role. Paul Taylor in his Independent review wrote, “Vanessa Kirby shines.”

She signed this sketch for me a few weeks ago at the stage door.

I sketched 26 year old English actress Vanessa Noola Kirby – or ‘Noo’ as she is known (“no one ever calls me Vanessa,” she says) in her role as the endearing Stella opposite Gillian Anderson‘s Blanche Dubois in Tennessee Williams’ timeless masterpiece A Streetcar Named Desire at London’s Old Vic during the late summer.

I didn’t manage to have the drawing signed at the theatre in person, so sent it to her. She autographed and returned it quicker than I’ve ever known… a matter of hours, and Royal Mail redeemed its reputation. Quick sums up Noo. Her short but stellar career has quickly launched her on the right trajectory. It was another ‘Stella’ part that introduced her to the masses, enchanting TV audiences as Estella also opposite Gillian in the BBC’s Great Expectations in 2011.

Noo now has five films coming out in almost as many months, playing characters with different names this time. She has also been nominated for a WhatsOnStage Award, which the public vote on.