

Introduction
Gemma Elizabeth Whelan (born 23 April 1981) is an English actress and comedian, known for playing Yara Greyjoy in the HBO fantasy-drama series Game of Thrones.
Biography
In addition to being an actress and comedian, Whelan is also a professional dancer specialising in the tap and jazz dance styles. She is a member of the dance troupe the Beaux Belles, based in London. She is also trained in musical theatre and has a mezzo-soprano singing voice. Whelan can speak conversational Spanish. She lives in London.
Career
As a comedian, Whelan won the Funny Women Variety Award for stand-up comedy in 2010. She often performs stand-up in character as Chastity Butterworth and in 2014 she recorded a pilot chat show for BBC Radio 4 called The Chastity Butterworth Show.
On screen, she has played supporting roles in several films and TV shows, including in the 2010 films Gulliver's Travels and The Wolfman. She has had roles in comedies including Upstart Crow, Uncle and The Agency.
In August 2011, she was cast as Yara Greyjoy in the HBO fantasy-drama television series Game of Thrones, and appeared as a recurring cast member from the second season onward.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Madness of the Dance | Sister Grace | Short film |
| 2007 | Frites | Marie-Anne | Short film |
| 2008 | Shortbread and Tea | Mildred | |
| 2009 | Ding Dong | Dr. Pretty | Short film |
| 2010 | The Wolfman | Gwen's Maid | |
| Gulliver's Travels | Lilliputian Rose |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | The Enforcers | Holly | |
| 2009 | 10 Minute Tales | Pretty Nurse | 1 episode |
| 2010 | The Persuasionists | Josephine | 2 episodes |
| 2011 | Threesome | Wendy | 1 episode |
| Living Doll | Moaning Mona | ||
| For the Win | Various | Pilot | |
| 2012 | Ruddy Hell! It's Harry & Paul | Daughter | 1 episode |
| Cardinal Burns | Claire | ||
| 2012–2014 2016–present |
Game of Thrones | Yara Greyjoy | Recurring, 12 episodes |
| 2013 | The Day They Came to Suck Out Our Brains! | Unknown | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| Nick Helm's Heavy Entertainment | Various | ||
| Claudia O'Doherty Comedy Blaps | Sarah | Miniseries, 3 episodes | |
| 2014 | Live at the Electric | Chastity Butterworth | Series 3, 3 episodes |
| Siblings | Ruth | ||
| Badults | Juliet | Series 2, 1 episode: "Neighbours" | |
| Mapp and Lucia | Quaint Irene Coles | ||
| 2014–present | Almost Royal | Narrator | |
| 2015 | Uncle | Veronica | Series 2, 2 episodes |
| 2015 | Not Safe for Work | Davina | 1 episode |
| 2016 | Upstart Crow | Kate | 6 episodes |
| 2016 | Hetty Feather | Ida Battersea | |
| 2016 | Horrible Histories | Enid Blyton, among other roles | |
| 2016 | Morgana Robinson's The Agency | Kat Cassidy | 4 episodes |
| 2017 | Decline and Fall | Diane Fagan | 2 episodes |
| 2017 | The Moorside | Karen Matthews | Two-part drama |
Stage
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Newsrevue | Various | Edinburgh Festival |
| 2006 | Shakespeare for Breakfast | Petruchio | C Venues |
| Celebrity Love Panto Island | Various | Canal Cafe Theatre | |
| 2008 | Red Death Lates | Unknown | Gideon Reeling |
| Improvathon | Bunny Valentine | The Sticking Place | |
| 2009 | Infinite Variety | Various | Whoopee Productions New Players Theatre |
| 2010 | Stephen & the Sexy Partridgesaab 90 | Chanel | Trafalgar Studios |
| 2013 | One Man, Two Guvnors | Rachel Crabbe | Royal National Theatre |
| Dark Vanilla Jungle | Andrea | Supporting Wall & Pleasance Theatre | |
| Chastity Butterworth & the Spanish Hamster | Chastity Butterworth | Pajama Men Productions | |
| 2014 | Dark Vanilla Jungle | Andrea | Supporting Wall |
| 2015 | Radiant Vermin | Jill and others |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward | Igeyorhm | Voice |
| 2017 | Mass Effect: Andromeda | Zevin Raeka | Voice |
| TBA | Squadron 42 | TBA | Voice, motion capture |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Funny Women Awards | Best Variety | Herself | Won |
| 2016 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Game of Thrones | Nominated |