The cast of Vigil’s very famous families
7 mins read

The cast of Vigil’s very famous families

A MURDER onboard a submarine has got viewers hooked in the whodunnit BBC drama Vigil.

But below the murky waters of the thriller lies a sea of glittering TV and movie stars, who happen to be related to its famous cast.

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Vigil star Suranne Jones leads the cast of the BBC One dramaCredit: BBC
Suranne Jones plays DCI Amy Silva in the submarine-set thriller

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Suranne Jones plays DCI Amy Silva in the submarine-set thrillerCredit: PA

The series has a famous ensemble cast including the likes of Suranne Jones, Martin Compston and Lolita Chakrabarti.

But it turns out many of their family members are big stars in their own rights.

Featuring among the relatives are a Game of Thrones actor, Doctor Who star, and Line of Duty legend.

Suranne Jones’ husband Laurence Akers

Suranne with screenwriter husband Laurence Akers

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Suranne with screenwriter husband Laurence AkersCredit: Getty – Contributor

Actress Suranne Jones – DCI Amy Silva – leads the cast of the BBC show which comes from the same team behind Line Of Duty and Bodyguard.

Suranne steps into the shoes of DCI Silva, a detective who finds herself at odds with both the Royal Navy and the British security services.

The 43-year-old actress is a staple of British TV, but her husband Laurence Akers prefers to stay behind the camera and works as a screenwriter and  as a producer for the BBC.

The movie-fan wrote feature film Gone in 2017 which starred Suranne.

Before he moved into the world of television and film, Laurence worked as a magazine editor, most notably for Nikon Pro magazine in 2020.

Martin Compston’s wife Tianna Flynn

Tianna Flynn with Vigil actor Martin Compston

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Tianna Flynn with Vigil actor Martin CompstonCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Line of Duty star Martin Compston is appearing as underwater expert Craig Burke, who helps ensure that the HMS Vigil stays on its’ navigational track.

The 37-year-old has revealed that he isn’t quite as comfortable underwater as his character, however, saying he would be petrified of being in an actual submarine!

He has had stunning actress Tianna Chanel Flynn by his side since 2016 and the couple live near Las Vegas with their son.

Tianna is an aspiring actress and works as an estate agent, but she starred in a web series released in 2012 playing Teisha in Secret Diary Of An American Cheerleader.

She also appeared in an advert for the Nissan Altima.

Anjli Mohindra’s husband Sacha Dhawan

Doctor Who's nemesis The Master was played by Sacha Dhawan

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Doctor Who’s nemesis The Master was played by Sacha Dhawan
Vigil star Anjli Mohindra with Sacha

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Vigil star Anjli Mohindra with SachaCredit: Getty

Anjli Mohindra stunned when she previously played a jihadist in drama Bodyguard, admitting the show was “empowering”.

The star played ruthless and committed jihadi engineer Nadia in the smash-hit BBC One series in 2018.

Sacha played The Master in Doctor Who, the long-standing nemesis of The Doctor.

He broke onto screens earlier in the year in Spyfall double bill, and starred as Akthar in Alan Bennett’s play The History Boys in the West End and Broadway as well as the movie adaptation.

Dhawan confessed that he felt a lot of pressure when he first took on Doctor Who, given how passionate and opinionated the show’s fanbase are.

Fortunately he was well received – but he said that this popularity came with its own challenges.

“It’s quite intimidating, because if I do come back, I need to come back with an bigger bang,” he continued.

“I don’t want to disappoint the fans. But I’ve got to wait for that phone call, so I’m not getting too stressed yet!”

Adam James’ wife Victoria Shalet

Actress-turned-psychotherapist Victoria Shalet rose to fame when she was just a child

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Actress-turned-psychotherapist Victoria Shalet rose to fame when she was just a child
Victoria married Vigil star Adam James in 2015

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Victoria married Vigil star Adam James in 2015Credit: Rex Features

Adam James plays another member of the Royal Navy, which isn’t happy with the police investigation.

The 48-year-old, who starred alongside Suranne Jones in Doctor Foster, most famously appeared in the Johnny English sequel.

His wife Victoria Shalet started out in acting at a younger age.

She made her debut at the age of eight after she secured a role in the BBC series Testimony Of A Child and continued to perform and attend school throughout her childhood and teen years.

In 1995 she was cast in what would prove to be her breakout role as Harmony in The Queen’s Nose, a BBC adaption of the Dick King-Smith book of the same name.

She stayed in the role for five years and gained nine A-levels in that time.

After leaving The Queen’s Nose, Victoria starred in The Bill, Doctors, Midsomer Murders and more.

But by 2012, Victoria had begun to consider leaving acting behind for a very different career path and decided to retrain as a therapist.

Victoria revealed that on-screen had dried up somewhat in the late noughties and decided missing out on a role in medical-drama Holby City was a sign that she should give up altogether and pursue her other ambitions.

Lolita Chakrabarti’s husband Adrian Lester

Adrian Lester in Sky Atlantic's Riviera

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Adrian Lester in Sky Atlantic’s Riviera
Olivier Award-winning actor Adrian and Vigil star wife Lolita Chakrabarti

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Olivier Award-winning actor Adrian and Vigil star wife Lolita ChakrabartiCredit: Getty – Contributor

Lolita Chakrabarti plays Lieutenant Commander Erin Branning who comes to blows with law enforcement when they start investigating a mysterious death aboard the nuclear submarine.

She is married to fellow Birmingham star Adrian Lester, who was awarded an OBE for services to drama in 2012 which he dedicated to his family

Adrian has starred in a number TV shows, but is probably best known for his role in Hustle as Mickey Stone.

He has also appeared in The Day After Tomorrow in 2004, Girlfriends from 2002 to 2003 and Bonekickers in 2008.

The actor is also well known for his theatre work in Shakespeare’s Othello, Henry V, Rosalind and Hamlet.

Rose Leslie’s husband Kit Harington

Kit Harington played Jon Snow in Game of Thrones

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Kit Harington played Jon Snow in Game of ThronesCredit: HBO
Rose Leslie with Game of Thrones co-star and husband Kit

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Rose Leslie with Game of Thrones co-star and husband KitCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Game of Thrones alum Rose Leslie stars as Detective Longacre.

Kirsten Longacre is both DCI Amy Silva’s colleague on the force and her lover.

The police officer is played by Rose, who is recognised around the world for her roles in historical drama Downton Abbey and fantasy show Game Of Thrones.

Perhaps even more famous is her husband Kit who won over millions of fans as iconic Game of Thrones character Jon Snow.

Vigil's Lolita Chakrabarti (Lieutenant Commander Branning) and Stephen Dillane (Lieutenant Commander Shaw)

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Vigil’s Lolita Chakrabarti (Lieutenant Commander Branning) and Stephen Dillane (Lieutenant Commander Shaw)Credit: BBC
Submarine makes emergency dive after failing to spot a cargo ship in BBC drama Vigil

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