Hayley Elizabeth Atwell was born on April 5, 1982, and is a dual British and American actress. Her early career was marked by appearances in various West End productions. However, she gained widespread recognition for her roles in period-drama films, including Brideshead Revisited (2008) and The Duchess (2008),which earned her nominations for a British Independent Film Award and a Golden Globe Award, respectively.
Atwell's breakthrough role came when she played Agent Peggy Carter in several Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films, starting with Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). Her portrayal of the character inspired the creation of the spin-off ABC television series, Agent Carter (2015-2016),for which she received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Actress on Television.
In addition to her live-action work, Atwell also lends her voice to an alternate version of Agent Carter, Captain Carter, in the animated series What If...? (2021-present). Furthermore, she portrayed an alternate version of the character in the live-action Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).
Atwell has also appeared in various other films, including Cinderella (2015),Christopher Robin (2018),and Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway (2021). In addition to her film work, she has had leading roles in action films such as Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning (2023) and its sequel (2025).
On television, Atwell has appeared in shows such as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Black Mirror, and Heartstopper. For her work on stage, Atwell has received Laurence Olivier Award nominations for her leading performances in The Pride (2013) and Rosmersholm (2020).
