Tessa has spent her life in show business. From ballet school to touring the world with her solo dance show, she appeared on the West End stage at 16 and continued her career in TV and film.
A comedy/character actress her roles have been as varied as comic scenes with The Goodies to secretary for Judge John Deed, Stunt Witch in Harry Potters to various roles in the Rosamund Pilcher series. She has appeared in Vogue, The Daily Mail and numerous other
publications.
She is an advanced yogi, body-builder and swimmer and fronts women’s and marine rescue charities.
She is a regular cast member of the rep company in her hometown of Polruan, Cornwall.
Nominated Best Supporting Actress 2014 'Private Lives'
Nominated Best Actress 2017 'Fresh Winds From the Willows'
Cornwall Drama Association (CDA)
Her Equity number is: M00087233 and she is available for work in all locations.
She is an ‘A’ member of the CAA (Club for Acts and Actors).
TV / STAGE / FILM
2015-2017 Doc Martin, Elize. (Series 9-11), Local. BBC (d. Nigel Cole)
2017 Inspector Drake, Sabrina. Polruan Theatre (d.Pat Cummings)
2017 The Last Bread Pudding, Denise. The Lerryn Players (d.Nick Warburton)
2016 Rosamund Pilcher - Like From Another Planet, Mathilda. FFP New Media (d.Marco Serafini)
2015-2017 The Coroner, Solicitor. BBC (d. Piotr Szkopiak / Adrian Bean)
2016 Holiday Snap. Eve. Polruan Theatre (Pat Cummings)
2016 Fresh Winds From The Willows, Mole. Polruan Theatre (Tony Cotrell)
2016 Proscenphobia, Judy. Polruan Theatre (d. Pat Cummings)
2016 Delicious, Sonia - family friend. SKY ( d.Clare Kilner)
2016 Rosamund Pilcher - The Safe House, Nurse. BBC (d. Dieter Kehler)
2015 Bad Education, Museum Curate. Film 4 (d. Elliot Hegarty)
2014 Private Lives. Louise. Polruan Theatre (d. Mary Rasleigh)
2014 Farndale, Felicity. Polruan Theatre (d. Pat Cummings)
2013 The Adventurer: Curse of the Midas Box , Ada the Fishwife. E-Motion (d. Jonathan Newman)
2006 HG Wells, Annette - tea room owner. Wall to Wall (d. James Kent)
2005 Nighty Night, Inmate. Tanya. Channel 4 (d. Dewi Humphreys)
2005 Judge John Deed, Margaret. BBC (d. Steve Kelly)
2002 Killing Me Softly, Annette. MGM (d. Kaige Chen)
2002 Possession, Affronted lady. Focus Features. (d. Neil LaBute)
2002 Four Feathers. Anita. (Shekhar Kapur)
2002 Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets, Ebony the Witch. Warner Bros. (d. Chris Columbus)
2001 Harry Potter & the Philosophers Stone, Griselda Stunt witch. Warner Bros. (d. Chris Columbus)
2001 The Mummy Returns, High Priestess. Universal. (d. Stephen Sommers)
2001 High Heels and Low Lifes, Anna. Touchstone Pictures. (d. Mel Smith)
2001 Nicholas Nickelby, Dance mistress, Myrtle. BBC (d. Stephen Whittaker)
1992 The South Bank Show (S05 EP 18), Stephanie. ITV (d. Jack Bond)
1979 Yanks, GI’s girlfriend. Warner Bros. (d. John Schlesinger)
1978 The Adventures of a Plumber’s Mate, Tina Tennis Player. Rank (d. Stanley Long)
1974 Candid Camera, Lucy the teenager. ITV (d. Johnathan Routh)
1972 Alice in Wonderland, Seven of Diamonds. Joseph Shaftel Productions (d. William Sterling)
TV COMMERCIALS
2002 Harp lager
1996 Guinness
1994 Harvey’s Bristol Cream
1980 Marvel
1977 Cadbury’s
1971 Lyon’s Maid
WALK-ON & DANCE
2016 The Chrissy B Show, Interviewee. SKY
2011 Casualty, Paramedic. BBC. (d. Declan O’Dwyer)
2012 This Morning, book tour interview with Eamon Holmes. ITV
2004 Wild West, Singer. BBC. (d. Juliet May)
2004 Down to Earth, Pub Landlord. BBC. (d. Simon Meyers)
2001 The Way we Live Now, Lady diner. BBC (d. David Yates)
2001 Murder One, Vagrant. BBC
2000 The Bill, Nurse. ITV
1999 Grange Hill, Susan News reporter. BBC
1999 Sophisticats, Dance instructor. SKY TV
1995 This Morning, Yoga demo with Godfrey Devereaux. ITV
1995 Looking Good with Toyah Willcocks, Yoga Instructor. BBC
1994 Exotic Dancer, Two Golden Balls (d. Anya Camilleri)
1982 Morning Aerobics with Jackie Genova, TV AM. ITV
1980 Rumpole of the Bailey, Background player. ITV
1977 The Goodies, Dance Instructor, BBC
1973 Bee Gees, Saw a New Morning - music video.
TRAINING
2000-04 COACHED BY EXETER UNIVERSITY DRAMA SCHOOL JENNY CLEVERLEY
1976 - 80 COACHED BY JOHN SCHLESINGER & NOEL DAVIS
1971 - 75 BROOKING SCHOOL OF BALLET & DRAMA
1970 - ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL, RICHMOND
STATISTICS
MEAUREMENTS - 36, 29, 35”
DRESS SIZE - 10-12
SHOE - 37.5
HEIGHT - 5ft 4ins
EYES - Blue
RANGE - 40-60yrs
HAIR - Shoulder length, mid brown
fringe or centre parting
FEATURES - Tattoo on left arm small
heart and pentagram
LANGUAGES - French
NATIONALITY - British/Latvian
Full UK driver’s licence
TESSA SKOLA ACTRESS
CHARACTER / COMEDY
A PUBLISHED AUTHOR, TESSA IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON HER SECOND NOVEL. HER FIRST, 'BARE - A CABARET DANCER'S LIFE' - AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL TALE OF THE LIFE OF A CABARET DANCER, IS AVAILABLE FROM AMAZON.
“GLAMOROUS!” “EXCITING!” – Bare is the world of international cabaret as seen from the tables. But what is it really like for the artistes? Tessa Skola, a girl born to dance, was part of this scene for 24 years. In this honest and shocking account she reveals exactly what it was like, both in her professional and private life, to travel the world as a solo act within the sometimes seedy and dangerous club circuit, in pursuit of her dreams.
“Shocking and fascinating – Tessa wears her heart on her sleeve” - CORNWALL TODAY
“She contrasts the sheer preoccupied joy of dance and its maintenance of her self-esteem with her unremittingly grim working environment” - CURTAIN CALL
Tessa is available for interviews, talks and signings. Previously she has spoken at: The Du Maurier Festival – Fowey, Sunnnyside Festival, Polruan, Tolmen Centre, Constantine, Penzance Literary Festival, Plymouth Ladies Luncheon Club, Open Doors Lectures, Mevagissey.
Tessa supports the charity Skoodhya (Cornish for “shoulder to lean on”) and is a full member of The Society of Authors. She says: “I hope that whoever reads my book receives a positive message about the importance of following your dreams, working hard, sticking to your principles, forgiving your mistakes and, above all, treasuring love and friendship.”
CONTACT TESSA'S AGENT DEBBIE BURDON
AT TAKE 1 CASTING ON: 01579 343141 / 0777 567 0431
OR SPEAK WITH TESSA DIRECTLY ON: 07779 297209