By Molly Moss

Published: Wednesday, 08 June 2022 at 12:00 am


Emma Appleton is taking over summer TV.

The British star transformed into punk icon Nancy Spungen in Danny Boyle’s Sex Pistols TV series, which arrived on Disney Plus in the UK this May.

The FX series, simply titled Pistol, is based on the Pistols’ guitarist Steve Jones’ memoir Lonely Boy: Tales from a Sex Pistol and chronicles the band’s rise to fame, as well as the fatal attraction and tragic romance between Nancy and the band’s bass guitarist, Sid Vicious (Louis Partridge).

Appleton is also taking on the lead role in Everything I Know About Love, the BBC adaptation of the memoir by the Style columnist Dolly Alderton, which began airing on the channel yesterday (Tuesday, 7th June).

Appleton stars in the series as Maggie, who’s loosely based on Alderton, while Bel Powley (The Morning Show), Aliyah Odoffin (in her debut screen role) and Marli Siu (Alex Rider) take on the roles of her best friends and housemates after the quartet moves to Camden, London.

So who is Emma Appleton? Read on for everything you need to know about the star.

Who is Emma Appleton?

""
Emma Appleton as Maggie in Everything I Know About Love
BBC

Emma Appleton is a British model-turned-actor.

She is best known for her role as fan-favourite Princess Renfri in Netflix fantasy TV series The Witcher.

How old is Emma Appleton?

The Pistol and Everything I Know About Love star is 30 years old.

What has Emma Appleton previously starred in?

""
Bel Powley and Emma Appleton in Everything I Know About Love
Universal International Studios Ltd, Matthew Squire, BBC

Appleton began her acting career with a role in Sara Dunlop’s short film Dreamlands in 2016.

She quit modelling shortly after landing the role and went on to bag a part in the BBC show Clique.

“My gut was telling me this was the time to leave modelling and throw myself into [acting],” she told W Magazine of the decision.

Appleton went on to land another role in TV series Traitors and also played Kelly in the first season of The End of the F***ing World.

But it was by landing a role in The Witcher, that she got her big break. Appleton starred in the Netflix fantasy series as fan-favourite character Princess Renfri.

“I knew [The Witcher] was going to be a big thing because it had a big fanbase,” she explained, adding: “but it really just exploded.”

What has Emma Appleton said about Everything I Know About Love?

""
Emma Appleton as Nancy Spungen and Louis Partridge as Sid Vicious in Pistol
Miya Mizuno/FX

Talking about her role in Everything I Know About Love, Appleton told Elle Magazine: “Meeting Dolly was the key to getting to grips with the role.

“I thought Nancy was going to be more difficult, because on paper she’s so different to me. But it turns out, Maggie was much harder as we’re so similar. She’s in her mid-twenties navigating life, love and what her place is in the world. I think we can all say, ‘Yeah, I’ve been that person’.”

Appleton also related to the outfits. “I’m in outfits that I was wearing when I was 17 or 18,” she added. “The Topshop hoodies, tights under denim shorts – I was like, ‘This is a bit too perfect.’ It was the most nostalgic time I’ve ever had’.”

In an interview with PORTER magazine, Appleton echoed the same sentiments about relating to her character.

“Maggie so wants to be liked and loved. I can relate to that. [I remember] being in my twenties and having so much life and personality around my friends, but making myself smaller, or duller, in romantic settings.”

Is Emma Appleton on Instagram?

""
Bel Powley, Emma Appleton, Aliyah Odoffin and Marli Siu in Everything I Know About Love
Laura Bailey/Working Title/BBC

Yes, you can find Appleton’s Instagram profile with the handle @emmajappleton.

At present, the star has over 91 thousand followers.

Is Emma Appleton on Twitter?

No, at present, Appleton is not on Twitter.

Everything I Know About Love began on 7th June 2022 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Pistol premiered on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK in May 2022. You can sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 a year now.

Check out our Drama hub for more news, interviews and features or find something to watch with our TV guide.

The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.