Keeley Hawes (born Claire Julia Hawes) is a British Actress best known for her roles in Ashes to Ashes, Spooks, Tipping the Velvet & Upstairs Downstairs, although she has taken on a wide variety of roles during her 21 years as an actress (1989 - present).
Keeley was born in Marylebone, London on the 10th February 1976. The daughter of a London cab driver, she was trained at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, which included ten years of elocution lessons. Prior to leaving school, Keeley worked in a casino until she was spotted by a modelling scout on Oxford Street.Keeley is married to actor Matthew Macfadyen (best known for his roles in Spooks, Pride & Prejudice and Robin Hood). They married in 2004 after beginning their relationship in 2002 where they first met on the set of BBC1 drama Spooks. The pair have two children; Maggie Liberty and Ralph and Keeley also has another son Myles from her previous marriage to cartoonist Spencer Mcallum.
Alongide her many television roles, Keeley also stared at the voice of Lara Croft on the computer games for 5 years and as the face of Boots No7 cosmetics. Keeley is also a keen supporter of CHASE Hospice care for children, along with her husband Matthew.
In the past year (2010) Keeley has starred as Alex Drake in the last series of Ashes to Ashes, Martha Lawson in ITV1's 6-part drama Identity and the new BBC1 re-make of the 70's classic; Upstairs Downstairs, where she took on the role of Lady Agnes Holland. The series attract an average of 7 million viewers and its likely that it will return for a full series in the summer.