If you’ve watched British television at any point in the last forty years, you’ve seen Ellen Thomas. You might not have known her name immediately, but you definitely recognized the presence. She has this way of commanding a scene, whether she’s playing a terrifying matriarch in a soap or a school secretary with a sharp tongue. Honestly, her career is a bit of a masterclass in longevity. While most actors struggle to stay relevant for a decade, Thomas has been a constant fixture since the early 80s, moving seamlessly between gritty dramas, cult comedies, and now, massive global animation hits like Arcane.
People usually associate her with the East End of London, but her journey actually started in Sierra Leone. She moved to the UK when she was nine, and that transition—from the warmth of Freetown to the often-chilly reception of 1960s Britain—kinda shaped the steeliness she brings to her roles. You’ve seen her in EastEnders, obviously, but the sheer variety of her filmography is what makes her an industry heavyweight.
The EastEnders Paradox: Four Characters, One Face
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: the BBC’s obsession with casting her in Walford. Most actors get one shot at a soap. Maybe they come back years later as a different person if the audience has collective amnesia. But Ellen Thomas? She’s played four separate characters on EastEnders. It’s a trivia fact that usually blows people’s minds.
- Pearl Chadwick (1990): Her first stint was as Clyde Tavernier’s grandmother. It was a brief but memorable introduction to the Square.
- Estella Hulton (2002): She popped up again over a decade later as the mother of Paul Trueman's girlfriend, Precious.
- Grace Olubunmi (2010–2011): This is where she really started to stick in the public consciousness. Grace was the pious, traditional grandmother of Mercy and Faith. She was all about "The Pastor" and church values—a total contrast to what came next.
- Claudette Hubbard (2015–2016): This was the big one. Claudette was a revelation. She was glamorous, dangerous, and had enough secrets to sink a ship. Remember the "killing" of Arthur "Fatboy" Chubb? Or the time she was buried in a basement, presumed dead, only to crawl back out like a literal force of nature?
It’s a testament to her acting that she could play Grace and Claudette within a five-year gap and make them feel like completely different humans. Fans still joke about how the residents of Walford never noticed the resemblance, but that’s just the magic of soap opera logic for you.
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Beyond the Square: Teachers and Cult Comedy
If you didn’t catch her on the soaps, you probably know her as Liz Webbe from the Channel 4 hit Teachers. She played the school secretary from 2001 to 2004, and she was basically the only person in that building who actually did any work. While the teachers were off having mid-life crises and drinking in the pub, Liz was the anchor. Her deadpan delivery and "I’ve seen it all before" energy made her a fan favorite.
She has this incredible knack for comedy that isn't forced. In the BBC sitcom Rev., she played Adoha Onyeka, a regular at the church who was constantly trying to "help" the vicar. It’s a subtle, hilarious performance that earned her a nomination for Best TV Comedy Performance. She’s also popped up in Coming of Age as a school principal and worked with the likes of Idris Elba in In the Long Run. In that show, she plays "Mama," a role that she initially only did the voice for over the phone before actually appearing on screen in the third series.
The Voice of a Warlord: Arcane and New Horizons
Lately, Ellen Thomas has found a whole new generation of fans, and they aren't even watching live-action TV. She voices Ambessa Medarda in the Netflix series Arcane. If you haven't seen it, Ambessa is a Noxian warlord—powerful, ruthless, and physically imposing.
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Thomas brings this gravelly, authoritative weight to the character that is terrifying and hypnotic at the same time. It’s a huge shift from the "Auntie" roles she’s often offered in the UK. By lending her voice to one of the biggest animated shows in the world, she’s proven that her talent isn’t bound by geography or age. She even narrated the 2025 audiobook Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf, diving deeper into the League of Legends lore.
Notable Film Roles
While she’s a titan of the small screen, her film credits shouldn't be ignored. She’s worked with some massive names:
- Basic Instinct 2 (2006): She had a role alongside Sharon Stone.
- Johnny English Reborn (2011): A fun turn in the Rowan Atkinson spy spoof.
- Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (2022): She played Vi Butterfield in this charming period piece.
- Golden Years (2016): A heist comedy where she played Thelma, proving she can do the "action" side of things even in a lighthearted setting.
Why Ellen Thomas Movies and TV Shows Keep Topping Watchlists
So, why does she matter? Basically, she represents a shift in how Black British actors are perceived. She’s been very vocal about the "white gaze" in the industry and the need for stories that don't just rely on stereotypes. Whether she's playing a nurse in Casualty (she’s been in that several times too, notably as Omo Masters) or a high-ranking official in Silent Witness, she brings a level of dignity and "realness" that you can't fake.
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She’s also a theater veteran. She made her debut in 1981 in a production of The Balcony and has returned to the stage throughout her career, most recently in Hotel Cerise at the Theatre Royal Stratford East. She’s mentioned in interviews that she loves the "direct communication" of theater—the fact that once the play starts, the actor is in control, not the editor.
What to Watch First
If you’re new to her work and want to see the range, don't just stick to one thing. Start with Teachers for the comedy, then jump into the Claudette Hubbard era of EastEnders for the high drama. If you’re into sci-fi or gaming, Arcane is non-negotiable.
Next Steps for the Superfan:
- Track her "Multiple Character" Record: Watch her 2010 run as Grace Olubunmi followed by her 2015 entrance as Claudette to see the character work in action.
- Check out In the Long Run: It’s a great look at 80s London from an African perspective, and her chemistry with Idris Elba is top-tier.
- Listen to the Audiobooks: If you like her voice work, her narration of the Arcane novels adds a lot of depth to the world of Piltover and Noxus.
Thomas isn't slowing down. With guest spots in The Madame Blanc Mysteries and recurring roles in medical dramas, she’s still one of the hardest-working people in show business. She’s the kind of actor who makes a show better just by being in the background of a shot, though honestly, she's usually front and center for a reason.