Tanya Reynolds

Tanya Louise Reynolds (born 4 November 1991) is an English actress. She landed her first major role as a series regular on the Sky 1 comedy-drama Delicious (2016–2019). Reynolds gained further prominence for portraying Lily Iglehart on the Netflix comedy-drama Sex Education (2019–2021), where she was a part of the main cast in the first three series. Reynolds was named as one of Screen International's Stars of Tomorrow 2020. Reynolds was born and raised in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. Her father was a builder and her mother was a sign writer. She is of half English and half Italian descent. Her first experience in acting was at the age of four in the school nativity. Reynolds attended the Oxford School of Drama, after winning a fully-funded scholarship, and purportedly conceded that otherwise she would not have been able to afford the drama school fees. Reynolds graduated in 2015. Reynolds first appeared on screen in several short films, including Civilised People by UK comedy duo In Cahoots, which was shown at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2015, The Jealous Boyfriend, also by In Cahoots, and Introducing Lucy. In 2016, Reynolds landed her first TV appearance in Delicious, where she played Teresa Benelli for 12 episodes.