The Phoebe Waller-Bridge universe scored multiple accolades at the Emmys this year, including the very first award for Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer. The actress plays a psychopathic assassin on the BBC America series (whose first season was written by Emmys MVP Waller-Bridge). And to the surprise (and delight) of Killing Eve fans and the actress herself, Comer took home the award for Leading Actress in a Drama Series, and was so convinced she wouldn’t win, she didn’t even invite her parents to the ceremony.
"I didn't think this was gonna be my time," Comer, 26, said of winning the Emmy, before telling her parents: "One, I'm sorry and two, I love you. I'm gonna bring it home."
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Not one to take this moment entirely for herself, Comer also said “I love you” to Waller-Bridge during her acceptance speech, and told co-star Sandra Oh how happy she was to have “shared the whole experience” with her. Oh was also nominated in the same category, and the two women hugged before Comer went on stage to accept her award.
But even before she got the award, things were looking up. On the red carpet earlier that night, Comer learned that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are big fans of the series.
“When does [Prince Harry] have the time to watch Killing Eve?” Comer joked. “I mean, I love it.
The reason for her shock throughout the evening might have something to do with the fact that Killing Eve is one of the Liverpool-born star’s first major roles.
After appearing in a series of guest roles on shows like Law & Order: UK, Silent Witness, and Vera, Comer joined the cast of My Mad Fat Diary in 2013, where she portrayed supporting character Chloe. In 2017, the actress got her biggest pre-Killing Eve role when she joined the cast of Starz series The White Princess, as leading lady Elizabeth of York. Just one year later, she made her debut as Villanelle, the diabolical killer obsessed with Oh’s agent Eve Polastri, and the character that would make her an Emmy winner.
As for her personal life, Comer told The Australian that she’s single.
“I don't know if it's particularly because I've played a psychopath. I don't get approached at all. Which is fine — I'm never in one place long enough,” the actress joked.
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She is really close to her family, despite the whole “not taking her parents to the Emmys” thing. Comer recently posted an Instagram pic with her brother Charlie with the caption “Brothers are the best!” She previously admitted to The Guardian that her family is so supportive of her career, they took her BAFTA award — which she scored for Killing Eve this year — on a pub crawl.
Outside of Killing Eve, Comer is working on Stranger Things producer Shawn Levy’s movie Free Guy, about a man (Ryan Reynolds) who discovers he lives in a video game. She recently posted a pic from the movie with Levy, Stranger Things star Joe Keery, and Brittany Runs a Marathon actor Utkarsh Ambudkar.
Killing Eve creator Waller-Bridge took home the Emmy for Leading Actress in a Comedy Series for her other nominated show, Fleabag. The show also won for Outstanding Comedy Series. Thus far, Comer’s is the only Emmy win for Killing Eve — but hey, there’s always next year, right?