Jessica
Plummer

Jessica Kate Plummer, born on September 16, 1992, is an English actress and singer. She gained prominence as a member of the British girl group Neon Jungle from 2013 to 2015. During her time with the group, they released an album that peaked at number eight on the UK Albums Chart. Plummer is widely recognised for her portrayal of Chantelle Atkins in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 2019 to 2020. Additionally, she played Emma in the BBC drama series The Girl Before in 2021, earning a nomination for a British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actress. Beyond her achievements in singing and acting, Plummer has also explored reality television. Notably, she participated in the twentieth series of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here in 2020.

Jessica Plummer honed her acting skills at top drama school Identity School of Acting, where she completed a range of courses. Her training encompassed screen acting, audition technique, text & performance, Stanislavski, Meisner, radio plays & audiobooks, monologues, improvisation, and voice. Jessica excelled in her voice course, which focuses on learning practical techniques to strengthen and develop the voice, bringing life and texture to performances. This training proved instrumental in enhancing her performances in projects such as “Tell That to the Winter Sea” and “The Girl Before.”

In November 2012, music manager David Cooper initiated a three-month audition process to form a new girl group for RCA Records UK. Jessica Kate Plummer, along with Amira McCarthy, was discovered while shopping in London, while Shereen Cutkelvin and Asami Zdrenka were found through their individual YouTube videos. By February 2013, it was confirmed that Plummer, Cutkelvin, McCarthy, and Zdrenka would comprise the lineup of the new British girl group Neon Jungle. They chose the name Neon Jungle inspired by their song “Welcome to the Jungle,” signifying their distinctiveness and diversity as individuals. According to Plummer, “Neon represents bold, bright, strong individual characters, and then the jungle signifies the madness.” In July 2013, Neon Jungle debuted with their single “Trouble,” which debuted at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart and reached the top 10 on the US Billboard Dance/Electronic Digital Songs chart.

In October 2013, alongside Neon Jungle, Plummer supported Jessie J on selected dates of her Alive Tour. The subsequent month, the group graced the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show with their performance. Concurrently, in October 2013, Plummer marked her television debut in the British science fantasy series Wizards vs Aliens, portraying Chloe Martin for two episodes. In November 2013, Neon Jungle released their second single, “Braveheart,” which soared to number four on the UK Singles Chart and number 19 on the ARIA charts. Their debut album, Welcome to the Jungle, was released on 28 July 2014, debuting at number eight on the UK Albums Chart and number 48 on the ARIA charts. However, on 6 July 2015, Neon Jungle announced their disbandment via their Facebook page.

In November 2015, it was revealed that Plummer had been cast in John Cameron Mitchell’s romantic-comedy film How to Talk to Girls at Parties, alongside Ruth Wilson, Nicole Kidman, Elle Fanning, and Matt Lucas. The film premiered at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival in May of that year. Subsequently, in March 2019, Plummer joined the cast of the BBC soap opera EastEnders, taking on the role of Chantelle Atkins. During her time on the show, her character was at the center of a significant storyline involving domestic abuse, portraying the victim of her on-screen husband, Gray Atkins (Toby-Alexander Smith). In September 2020, it was announced that as part of this storyline, Gray would tragically murder Chantelle, shedding light on the harsh realities of abusive relationships and emphasizing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on instances of domestic violence.

Plummer took on the role of Emma in the 2021 miniseries The Girl Before, garnering her a nomination for the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actress.