Jessica Blake is a young British actress who has established herself as a one to watch on the indie film scene with her breakthrough performance as the troubled Jenny, in this years multi award winning feature film THE BUTTERFLY TATTOO.

THE BUTTERFLY TATTOO is a Dutch/British feature adaptation of Philip Pullman’s critically acclaimed novel by the same name. Praised by Tim Grierson of LA Weekly as a ‘well-observed coming-of-age romance’, THE BUTTERFLY TATTOO focuses on the relationship between sensitive and naïve Chris, and the streetwise but slightly lost Jenny, who is trying to escape her traumatic past. In a dramatic twist of fate, the young lovers are separated and in true ‘Romeo and Juliet’ style, the film ends in tragedy. The film won the Best Director and Best Adaptation awards at the 2008 New York Independent Film & Video Festival, and has won Best Feature awards at the Columbus Film Festival and the Beaufort Film Festival 2008. Grierson goes on to describe Jessica’s performance as ‘sweetly unaffected.’ THE BUTTERFLY TATTOO enjoyed a limited theatrical release in the States earlier on in the year, and is available on DVD for Region 1 viewers. The film comes to selected Showcase cinemas from September 25th.

Jessica began acting for the camera at university, first in student films and then in professional shorts. Her feature film debut was playing the supporting role of Claire in Burn Hand Films THE BOND. Upon graduating she immediately moved to London where she started getting small roles in larger scale productions. These included a small speaking part in Stephen Poliakoff’s drama Capturing Mary, starring Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith and David Walliams. She also tried her hand at live presenting, on Sky’s Fame TV.

Jessica’s stage credits whilst training include playing the role of Alice in Patrick Marber’s CLOSER, and Nora in A DOLL’S HOUSE. In July 2009 she played the role of Jeannie in the world premiere of new play JESUS IS A CITY FAN by Michael Dawson. Performed for Manchester’s Not Part Of theatre festival, the play won a 5 star Forever Manchester Award.