- Born
- Birth nameNicola Jane Bryant
- Height5′ 3″ (1.60 m)
- Nicola Bryant was born the daughter of a heating engineer, in 1960, in Surrey, England. She began her training in dance and music at the age of three, studying classical ballet, then jazz and tap dance, the piano, flute and guitar, and finally acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. Here, apart from developing her acting skills, she continued her hobbies of golf and music. It was also during her time at drama school, that Nicola married the Broadway singer, Scott Kennedy, although they later separated. Her final production at Webber Douglas was "No, No, Nanette", in which she played the lead.
Bryant was spotted by an agent, Terry Carney (William Hartnell's son-in-law), and asked to audition for the part of Peri in Doctor Who (1963), which she got. On leaving Doctor Who, Nicola appeared in Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988), Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time (1993), which was a Doctor Who spoof and the highly successful three "Stranger" videos and The Airzone Solution" with Colin Baker.
In 1992, she went to Los Angeles for several months before returning to the UK. In 1995, she appeared as Martine in The Biz (1995), a children's series, which has run for three series so far. She also has sung with Colin Baker, Anthony Ainley, Nicholas Courtney and a number of British pop stars on the "Doctor In Distress" record. Nicola lives in Notting Hill, where her understanding neighbours allow her to write music at all hours of the day and night.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Paul Leach <P.A.Leach@Sheffield>
- SpouseScott Kennedy (divorced)
- Her beauty
- Big hazel eyes
- Pronounced cheekbones
- Voluptuous figure
- Despite being English, she was cast by producer John Nathan-Turner as Peri, the first American companion on Doctor Who (1963). She kept her American accent on the series between takes and during interviews so that she wouldn't confuse the audience.
- She suffered from frostbite and pneumonia while filming The Caves of Androzani: Part One (1984). This was because not long before that, the cast and crew were in sunny Lanzarote to film the episode Planet of Fire: Part One (1984). When they returned to London to film "Androzani", the weather on the location was unpleasantly cold. Furthermore, she had to wear the same summer outfit used in the previous episode, which contributed to her illness.
- She has appeared in three different productions with Colin Baker in which she played a companion of his with the surname Brown: Doctor Who (1963) (Peri Brown), The Stranger series (Miss Brown) and The Airzone Solution (1993) (Elenya "Ellie" Brown).
- Was considered for the role of Katherine Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager (1995).
- She claimed to be American when auditioning for Doctor Who as she knew they were looking for a genuine American to play the role.
- [speaking in 1985 about men's reaction to her as Peri in Doctor Who (1963)] I think it must be something to do with the sexy tight costumes I wear. They are so tight they are sometimes uncomfortable - that's why I like wearing baggy clothes away from the series.
- I suppose it was a terrific gamble for John Nathan-Turner to pick a drama student like me fresh out of drama school for such an important role. Particularly as I had competition from both American and Canadian actresses who had flown over specially to audition. But I was a real fan of the series and had been ever since I could remember.
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