If you were watching Syfy back in 2010, you remember the moment. The "bronze" shell cracks open, steam hisses, and out steps a Victorian woman who proceeds to outsmart every single person in the room. This wasn't just any character. It was Helena G. Wells. And the woman playing her? The incomparable Jaime Murray.
Jaime Murray, the Warehouse 13 HG Wells actress, didn't just play a role. She basically hijacked the show.
Honestly, the writers probably didn't realize what they had at first. They wanted a high-stakes antagonist for Season 2. They got a cult icon. Murray brought this specific, almost feline grace to Helena that made her impossible to look away from, even when she was, you know, trying to trigger a second ice age to wipe out humanity.
Who is the Warehouse 13 HG Wells actress?
Before she was jumping through time or getting "bronzed," Jaime Murray was already making waves. She’s British, born in London in 1976. If the name sounds familiar to UK TV fans, that’s because her dad is Billy Murray—no, not that Bill Murray, but the legendary actor from The Bill and EastEnders.
Acting is in her blood. But she didn't just coast on her name. She actually studied at the London School of Economics before realizing, yeah, drama is way more fun.
Before Warehouse 13, she was Stacie Monroe in the BBC hit Hustle. Then she moved stateside and terrified everyone as Lila West in Dexter. You remember Lila. The "pardon my French" arsonist? Yeah. That was her. By the time she stepped onto the set as Helena, she had mastered the art of being "dangerously charming."
Why her HG Wells hit different
Most shows would have made a female H.G. Wells a gimmick. A "what if" scenario that feels forced.
Jaime Murray didn't do gimmicks.
She played Helena as a woman who was perpetually the smartest person in any century. The backstory was heavy: a mother who lost her daughter, Christina, to a senseless act of violence. That grief turned into a cold, calculated genius. Murray played that trauma with so much vulnerability that you almost—almost—wanted her to succeed in destroying the world.
The chemistry with Joanne Kelly (who played Myka Bering) was the stuff of legend. Fans called them "Bering and Wells." The subtext wasn't even subtext half the time; it was just... text. Murray and Kelly have both talked openly in interviews about how they leaned into that relationship. They knew what they were doing. They played it as two souls who finally found an equal.
A Career Defined by "Difficult" Women
Murray has this knack for picking roles that other people might find "bitchy" or "villainous" and making them human.
- Dexter: Lila was a literal monster, but Murray made her obsession feel like a tragic, twisted form of love.
- Defiance: As Stahma Tarr, she played a "housewife" in an alien culture who was secretly a ruthless political mastermind.
- Once Upon a Time: She stepped in as the Black Fairy, basically the source of all evil, and still made you care about her origin story.
She’s gone on record saying she hates the "bitchy woman" trope. She’s much more interested in the "sisterhood" or the complex power dynamics between women. You can see that in every scene she shared with Allison Scagliotti (Claudia) or Joanne Kelly.
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The HG Wells Legacy in 2026
It’s been over a decade since the show ended, but go to any sci-fi convention and you’ll still see H.G. Wells cosplayers.
Why? Because Murray’s performance stood for something. Helena was a suffragette. She was a scientist in a time when women weren't allowed to have names on their own books. She had to use her brother’s name to get published.
Murray captured that frustration perfectly. The way she’d roll her eyes at Pete Lattimer’s "roguish charm" wasn't just a joke; it was the reaction of a woman who had spent 150 years dealing with men who thought they were the main character.
What is Jaime Murray doing now?
She’s still working, obviously. She’s done voice work for Castlevania (as Carmilla—another iconic "villain" role) and appeared in Gotham as Nyssa al Ghul.
But for a specific generation of Syfy fans, she will always be the woman with the grappling gun and the tragic locket.
Essential Jaime Murray Watchlist
If you only know her from the Warehouse, you’re missing out. Here is the "expert approved" list of what to watch next to see her range:
- Hustle (Series 1-4): See her as the ultimate grifter. It’s light, stylish, and she’s brilliant.
- Dexter (Season 2): If you want to see her go full chaotic evil.
- Defiance: This is where she really shines as an actor. The Castithan makeup is incredible, but her performance as Stahma is subtle and terrifying.
- The Originals: She played Antoinette, a vampire who actually had some class.
Final Takeaway
The Warehouse 13 HG Wells actress didn't just play a character; she created a blueprint for how to play a "reformed villain" without losing the edge. She proved that you can be the smartest person in the room and the most broken person in the room at the same time.
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If you’re looking to dive back into the series, pay attention to her eyes. There’s always a calculation happening. Even in her "Emily Lake" phase when her memory was wiped, there was that spark of Helena underneath.
Your next step: Go find the Season 2 episode "Time Will Tell." Watch the first ten minutes. Notice how she uses her physicality to show Helena's confusion and immediate adaptation to the 21st century. It’s a masterclass in acting without saying a word.