Lucy Griffiths (born 10 October 1986) is an English actress best known for her roles as Lady Marian in the BBC drama series Robin Hood (2006–09) and as Nora Gainesborough, Eric Northman's "sister", in the HBO series True Blood (2012–13).

Biography

Born in Brighton, Griffiths was educated at Roedean School, Windlesham House School, Dorothy Stringer High School and Varndean College. She is a former member of the National Youth Music Theatre.

She first appeared on television in Sea of Souls and then Sugar Rush, and on stage in The White Devil.

In February 2006 it was announced she would be playing a "feisty", beautiful Marian in the BBC family drama series Robin Hood, alongside Jonas Armstrong. Griffiths has said that her character "has been written as an intelligent, witty, biting character, and that's how I expected her to be."

Griffiths returned as Marian in the second series of Robin Hood in 2007, but her character was killed off in the final episode. This decision proved unpopular with fans of the series. On a BBC Nottingham page, it is said that she left to pursue 'other opportunities'. It has been rumored that she wanted to leave the show to further her career in Hollywood. However, other sources say she was written out to allow the show to be taken in a new direction. She returned in the series finale a year later as a spectral vision of Marian.

In 2009 she made her West End debut in a revival of Arcadia and appeared in the ITV1 drama Collision. On 5 September 2010, she appeared in the ITV drama U Be Dead, playing Bethan Ancell and on 1 November 2010 she starred in ITV drama The Little House.

In January 2011 Griffiths signed a talent holding deal with US television network CBS. It had been announced that she would play Jenna Lestrade, the lead in the CW zombie pilot Awakening, however the show did not go ahead.

In November 2011 it was revealed that Griffiths would play Nora, the sister of vampire Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgård), in the fifth season of HBO's True Blood. Nora is not a character in the Southern Vampire Mysteries (the books the TV series is based on) but she has been described as "intelligent, intimidating, cool under pressure and a very good liar" according to TV Line. During November 2011, too, Griffiths appeared on stage at the Finborough Theatre, London, in the play Atman by Iain Finlay Macleod.

She has a diploma in mime from a world famous school in Paris and claims that Marcel Marceau was her greatest influence into the artistry of emotions and actions without words.
She also admires performances of Judi Dench, Kate Winslet, and Jennifer Saunders.