Ella Purnell

Ella Purnell is an English actress known for her versatility across film, television, and voice acting. She rose to prominence with roles in major franchises and critically acclaimed series, including playing young Maleficent in Disney's Maleficent, Jackie Taylor in Showtime's Yellowjackets, and voicing Jinx in Netflix's Arcane. Her breakout came in 2024 when she starred as Lucy MacLean in Amazon Prime's Fallout, which drew 65 million viewers in its first two weeks and cemented her as a leading talent. Purnell also executive produced and starred in the Sky Atlantic thriller Sweetpea. She has built a dedicated fanbase through her ability to bring depth to both live-action and animated roles, and her work has earned her an Annie Award for voice acting. Off-screen, she is known for her collaborations with luxury brands like Prada Beauty, Miu Miu, and Chanel. [edit]

Ella Purnell grew up in Bethnal Green, East London, the eldest of four children. She attended Bethnal Green Montessori and Forest School before moving to the City of London School for Girls. From a young age, she was a creative child who loved reading, writing stories, and playing piano. She took weekly drama classes at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, studying acting, singing, and dance. Her first performance came at age 9 when she appeared in a German commercial for the sweet Toffifee. At age 12, she landed her first film role playing a young version of Keira Knightley's character in the sci-fi drama Never Let Me Go (2010). She also performed in West End theatre, including a role in the musical Oliver! at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. After turning 18, she took several months to travel, which helped her navigate the transition from child actor to working adult. [edit]

Purnell's early film roles included the horror Intruders (2011), Kick-Ass 2 (2013), and playing young Maleficent opposite Angelina Jolie in Disney's Maleficent (2014). In 2015, she won Best Actress at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival for her performance in Wildlike. She starred as Emma Bloom in Tim Burton's Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016) and played Winston Churchill's secretary in Churchill (2017). Her television work began with the BBC miniseries Ordeal by Innocence (2018) and the Starz drama Sweetbitter (2018). In 2021, she had a breakthrough year: she joined the cast of Showtime's Yellowjackets as Jackie Taylor, voiced Jinx in Netflix's animated hit Arcane (2021–2024), voiced Gwyndala in Star Trek: Prodigy (2021–2024), and appeared in Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead. In 2024, she starred as Lucy MacLean in Amazon Prime's Fallout, which became her highest-profile project and was renewed for a second season. She also executive produced and starred in the Sky Atlantic psychological thriller Sweetpea. In 2025, she won the Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting for her role as Jinx in Arcane. [edit]

Purnell is known for her versatility across genres, from fantasy and period drama to post-apocalyptic action and psychological thriller. She has been praised for her ability to bring emotional depth to both live-action and animated roles. Her signature style includes partnerships with luxury fashion houses Chanel, Prada Beauty, and Miu Miu, and she has been featured in editorial shoots such as a 2019 SBJCT Journal cover photographed by Helena Christensen. She maintains a social media following of 1.8 million, where she shares behind-the-scenes content and personal reflections. Fans admire her grounded personality and her candidness about the challenges of growing up in the industry. [edit]

Ella Purnell has cultivated a fanbase that feels less like a passive audience and more like an active, interconnected community, particularly among those who have followed her journey from the set of *Yellowjackets* to the wastelands of *Fallout*. While there is no single formal name for this collective, fans often simply identify through their shared love for her characters or refer to the broader cast as the "Fallout fam", the devotion is palpable and organized. This group is known for its deep engagement with production details, such as the transformation of an abandoned California mall into the post-apocalyptic Las Vegas sets, and for celebrating milestones like the 17 Emmy nominations received by the series alongside Purnell. Her relationship with these supporters is reciprocal; she frequently acknowledges them on social media, sharing in their excitement over character arcs and industry accolades rather than just maintaining a distant star persona.

Her cultural footprint extends beyond streaming numbers into specific moments that have become part of her modern legend. The narrative surrounding Season 2 of *Fallout*, where her character Lucy MacLean suffers a gut-wrenching betrayal by the Ghoul, sparked intense global discussion and viral commentary that cemented her status as a dramatic force. This storyline, featuring a now-iconic "Screw You" moment explained by Purnell herself, demonstrates how her performances resonate deeply enough to generate lasting folklore. It is this blend of critical acclaim and genuine connection that drives her standing in the wider world. According to the iFANN Global Fame Rankings, Ella Purnell is currently the 9th most famous person in Video Games, a position holding steady from the previous cycle.[edit]

Long before her breakout roles, Purnell maintained a personal practice of writing down three things she was grateful for every day. Her career began early, including a German commercial for the sweet Toffifee when she was just nine years old. She has often described her own persona as feeling "a bit too rough to be an English rose" yet "not quite cool enough to be like grungy," a sentiment that reflects her unique path. At age 20, she moved to New York alone to work on *Sweetbitter*, an experience she later called transformative despite admitting she has "fallen in and out of love with my job a thousand times." These early struggles and reflections laid the groundwork for her current success.

Fans also retell the story of the massive emotional impact caused by the Season 2 arc in *Fallout*, specifically the moment Lucy MacLean faces a devastating betrayal by the Ghoul. Purnell has detailed the pain of filming this scene, which led to widespread viral reactions and a specific "Screw You" moment that became a defining piece of recent lore for the series. Additionally, the physical transformation of an abandoned California mall into the show's post-apocalyptic Las Vegas set has become a point of interest for fans visiting the location, turning a production detail into a pilgrimage site for the dedicated following.[edit]

Purnell was born in Whitechapel, London, and grew up in Bethnal Green. She has three younger half-brothers from her mother's second marriage. Her half-brother Noa is listed as a relative. She has not publicly shared details about her parents' names or occupations. As of 2026, she does not have children and has not publicly disclosed any pets or details about her current household. [edit]

Purnell has worked with notable directors including Tim Burton (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children), Zack Snyder (Army of the Dead), and co-stars such as Keira Knightley (Never Let Me Go), Angelina Jolie (Maleficent), and the ensemble casts of Yellowjackets and Fallout. She has also collaborated with photographer Helena Christensen for a SBJCT Journal cover shoot. [edit]

Ella Purnell has kept her romantic life private. As of 2026, no confirmed public relationships, engagements, marriages, or divorces are documented in reputable sources. She has not been publicly linked to any romantic partner in a confirmed capacity. Her latest reported status is single. [edit]

iFANN currently estimates Ella Purnell's net worth at $4 Million for 2026. This figure reflects her substantial earnings from leading roles in high-profile television productions, most notably her starring performance in Amazon Prime's *Fallout*, which secured a second season following its record-breaking debut. Her income stream is further bolstered by her recurring role in Showtime's *Yellowjackets* and her voice acting contributions to Netflix's *Arcane* and *Star Trek: Prodigy*. Beyond acting fees, Purnell commands significant endorsement deals with luxury fashion houses including Prada Beauty, Miu Miu, and Chanel. She also expanded her revenue portfolio by executive producing and starring in the Sky Atlantic thriller *Sweetpea*, adding producing fees to her total earnings. Since her breakthrough in 2021, her financial growth has remained steady as she continues to select high-impact projects that solidify her standing in the industry.[edit]

Purnell won Best Actress at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival and the Richmond International Film Festival for her performance in Wildlike (2015). In 2025, she received the Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production for her role as Jinx in Arcane. [edit]