Biography
Manchester-born Vanessa is a British-Irish award-winning writer, director, and RTS- and NTA-nominated actress, known for her leading roles in Waterloo Road, Heartbeat, and Coronation Street.
In 2019, after two decades in front of the camera, Vanessa founded Bosslady Films, where she wrote and directed two acclaimed short films: the comedy Secret Santa and the horror Cuckoo, both of which garnered international acclaim with screenings at BAFTA, BIFA, and Academy-qualifying festivals. Cuckoo has since been adapted and will be Vanessa's debut feature film.
In 2021, Vanessa was selected for Channel 4's 4Screenwriting mentorship program with her pilot Unlucky: a bold, raunchy rom-com about a woman who falls in love with a six-foot wish-granting leprechaun. In 2023, Unlucky was optioned by SISTER Pictures.
In November 2024, Vanessa was chosen for the inaugerel Warner Bros Access x Waterloo Road Directors Program, and was the only director from the program offered a shadow placement on Season 17 of Waterloo Road. Vanessa is a member of BAFTA Connect and is represented by the Haworth Agency and in the U.S. by Katie Marshall at WME.