Scene from Warrior / TV series (2019)

Alternate Names: ジョアンナ・ヴァンダーハム

Physical Characteristics: N/A

First Appearances:

• What Maisie Knew (2013) as Margo

Most Important Roles:

• What Maisie Knew (2013) as Margo
• Blackwood (2014) as Jessica
• The Go-Between (2015) as Marian Maudsley
• Almeida Theatre Live: Richard III (2016) as Lady Anne
• The Boy with the Topknot (2017) as Laura
• And Then I Was French (2016) as Cara
• RSC Live: Othello (2015) as Desdemona
• Eddie & Sunny (2022) as Sunny

Career Highlights:

• What Maisie Knew (2013)
• Blackwood (2014)
• The Go-Between (2015)
• Almeida Theatre Live: Richard III (2016)
• The Boy with the Topknot (2017)
• And Then I Was French (2016)
• RSC Live: Othello (2015)
• Eddie & Sunny (2022)

"Joanna Vanderham, an Australian-born Scottish actress, rose to prominence for her portrayal of Penelope Blake in Cinemax's action-packed series 'Warrior.' The show, set in 19th-century San Francisco's Chinatown and headlined by Andrew Koji as martial artist Ah Sahm, features Vanderham prominently alongside other notable cast members. Notably, the series is not shy about nudity, with Joanna Vanderham being among several actresses who bare all, including Olivia Cheng, Hanni Choi, Rachel Colwell, Dianne Doan, and Xiaoyu Peng.

In her role as Penelope Blake, wife of San Francisco's mayor, Vanderham engages in a passionate affair with the series' hero, Ah Sahm. Their relationship commences explicitly from the outset, with Vanderham appearing nude in the first episode, displaying her naked breasts and pubic hair. Before this revealing moment in 'Warrior,' Vanderham had made a name for herself in various television productions such as 'The Runaway' (2011), 'Young James Herriot' (2011), 'Above Suspicion' (2012), 'Marple' (2013), and 'The Paradise' (2012-2013). She also appeared in 'Banished' (2015), 'Retribution' (2016), and DC's 'Legends of Tomorrow' (2020).

Prior to her explicit scene in 'Warrior,' Vanderham's closest approach to nudity was in the 2013 BBC TV drama 'Dancing on the Edge.' This miniseries about a Black jazz band rising to fame in early 1930s London offers no clear shots of Vanderham's breasts, buttocks, or pubic hair but nonetheless provides a racially charged and intense viewing experience."