Michelle Dockery was born on December 15, 1981, in Romford, London, England. She was raised in Goodmayes. Her father, Michael Dockery, is a former surveyor, and her mother, Lorraine Dockery, is a homemaker. She has two older sisters, Louise and Joanne. Dockery was educated at Chadwell Heath Foundation School and later at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, graduating in 2004.
Dockery began her acting career on the stage. She was a member of the National Youth Theatre. Her stage credits include productions of “His Dark Materials” (2004), “Pillars of the Community” (2005), and “Hamlet” (2007), for which she received an Ian Charleson Award nomination. She also appeared in “Uncle Vanya” (2009) at the Donmar Warehouse, earning another Ian Charleson Award nomination.
Dockery achieved international recognition for her role as Lady Mary Crawley in the ITV period drama series “Downton Abbey” (2010-2015). Her performance earned her three consecutive Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and a Golden Globe Award nomination.
Dockery has also appeared in several films. Her film credits include:
Following “Downton Abbey,” Dockery continued to work prominently in television. She starred in the American drama series “Good Behavior” (2016-2017) as Letty Raines, a con artist and thief.