Jo Hartley Biography

Joanne Hartley was born on 12th March 1972 in Oldham, Lancashire.As a child she attended North Chadderton Comprehensive School, where she first got a taste for the stage. At 12 years old she starred in the school production of 'The Sound of Music' playing the youngest of the Von Trapp children - Gretal. Jo joined Oldham Theatre Workshop and was there for several years. However, at 17 her father died of cancer. Jo decided to travel. She started her job as an air hostess, first for Britannia Airlines, then Japan Airlines.After being suspended from Japan Airlines, she decided to revisit her acting past and joined Questors Theatre Group in Ealing, London. After 6 months Jo left to move back to Manchester and work with Gorilla film maker Tom Bruggen (Dir of 'The Grape Tapes') on a film called 'Slide', in which she plays the lead role, Doctor Charlotte Grear. It was her first experience in front of the camera. She studied actors and watched movies to get ideas and tips.After a few years of unsuccessful auditions she bumped into British film director Shane Meadows, at an audition for a commercial. Jo was invited to audition for 'The Skull' now known as 'Dead Man's Shoes', in which she was cast by Shane. She has been acting since.