Eve Myles (born 1978 in Ystradgynlais, Powys), is a Welsh actress, most notable for playing lead characters in Belonging and Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood.

Biography

Born in Ystradgynlais, Myles attended the Ysgol Maes Y Dderwen school in the same class as fellow actor Steve Meo. After training as an actress and completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in acting at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff, she graduated in 2000 and moved to London. Her career since has shown her ability to switch between stage and screen.

Career

In 2001, Myles undertook a roles in the television film Score and the TV mini-series Tales from Pleasure Beach. From 2002 she took the lead role of Ceri in the BBC Wales drama Belonging. In 2003 she took the role of young Gwen in the EastEnders spin-off storyline Dot's Story.

From 2003, Myles based herself in Stratford upon Avon, initially playing Lavinia in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of Titus Andronicus. In 2005, she appeared opposite Michael Gambon in Henry IV, Part I and II at the National Theatre.

Myles had a significant part as a stable girl in the ill-fated BBC TV series Trainer, and reappeared in the BBC short film Colditz in 2005. The role led to her taking a supporting role in the Doctor Who episode "The Unquiet Dead," where by she was spotted by producer Russell T Davies who commented that: "It just confirmed to me that she was one of Wales' best-kept secrets." Consequently Davies wrote the part of Gwen in Torchwood specifically for Myles . The role resulted in her moving back home to Wales.

Awards

In 2002 and 2003, Myles was nominated for Best Actress in the BAFTA Cymru Awards for her role as Ceri on the BBC Wales drama Belonging.

* In 2005, The Western Mail ranked Myles seventh in its annual list of the 50 sexiest women in Wales.

* In 2006, Wales on Sunday named Myles as its "Bachelorette of the Year".

* Conservative MP Michael Gove described Myles as "a Celtic Rossellini".