Claudia Jessie Peyton, 31, was born in Birmingham and raised on a canal boat by her mother. She was home-schooled and has no formal qualifications but was talent-spotted while trying standup and recruited by a local theatre company. Her TV roles include Line of Duty, Doctor Who and Vanity Fair. She plays Eloise, the eponymous family’s second oldest daughter, in the hit Netflix period drama Bridgerton, which returns on Friday.
Where do we find your character Eloise as Bridgerton returns?
She’s making her debut on the London social scene. Anyone who’s a fan of the show can probably predict how she responds – with gritted teeth and many an eye roll. Eloise is only 18; I’m 31 and can barely respond to text messages, let alone be presented to the Queen, then ultimately married off. Finding love isn’t even in her top 10 list of desires. She wants autonomy, to earn her own money and make her own choices.
