Ella Maisy Purvis and the Quiet Power of Patience
In a world where on-screen representation still lags behind lived reality, Channel 4’s latest crime drama, Patience, is making strides to bridge the gap. The gritty psychological thriller introduces audiences to Patience Evans, a brilliant but socially misunderstood investigator, played by the fiercely talented Ella Maisy Purvis. At its core, the series delivers something refreshingly rare: an unfiltered, authentic portrayal of an autistic woman, written with nuance and embodied with remarkable honesty by Purvis.
“I feel like I’m very different to Patience,” Purvis muses, sitting in the make-up chair ahead of her editorial shoot. “Very different but very similar. Some parts came easy. She’s very obsessive, very driven. It was fantastic that it was authentically cast and that the team was open to collaboration and authenticity. There’s only so much you can do wrong when you authentically cast somebody.”
It is this authenticity that defines Patience’s success. Eschewing the tired trope of autistic characters as cold, detached savants, Patience Evans is complex, flawed, and deeply human. She excels in her work but struggles in a world that isn’t built for her. Despite this fact, the show doesn't turn her into a caricature of logic. Nor does it exaggerate her struggles for cheap drama. Instead, it allows her to be a full person. Intelligent, determined, and yes, romantic.
“The kiss,” Purvis declares with a knowing smile. “That was something that was added in. I hope we see more of that. She likes him, why wouldn’t she snog him? Why wouldn’t she go on a date with him or get off with him? At the end of the day, she’s an adult woman.”
Despite the pressures of a breakout role, Purvis found a kindred spirit in co-star Laura Fraser. “I probably (definitely) have issues with boundaries,” she admits with a grin. “I was very much like: ‘I don’t see boundaries, and I’m going to ask what hotel room you’re in.’ We were in rehearsal week, and I think I just kept sticking Post-it notes on people. I didn’t know who anyone was, so I was just drawing cats and putting them on people. I put one on Laura and she really liked it. I just started slipping notes under her door in the style of Victorian love letters.”
Bond, Crime, and the Art of Escapism
It’s no surprise that Purvis found herself at home in the world of crime drama. A lifelong fan of the genre, her tastes range from the cinematic glamour of James Bond to the raw realism of Happy Valley. Her love of Bond, in particular, has been a constant thread throughout her life.
“My mum grew up watching them, so I watched them with her,” she recalls. “I just think they’re really accessible films. My mum also loves the Jack Reacher books. She’s read every single one and [tumbling into an accent] she thinks they’re right good! She tells me about them, so even though I haven’t read them, I feel as if I have.”
Purvis even confesses to a not-so-secret ambition to be a spy, despite her self-awareness about her potential shortcomings. “I did one of those MI5 quizzes and tried to answer it the way they wanted me to… but I wasn’t suitable.
LAMDA, Ballet, and Finding Her Place
Purvis’ journey to acting wasn’t linear. Originally a ballet dancer, she spontaneously shifted her focus to drama before training at LAMDA. As she continued to move through the industry, her plans evolved.
“LAMDA was definitely worthwhile,” she reflects. “I went to drama school wanting only to do stage, and TV kind of happened. I remember on my first couple of jobs I was pretending to know everything. Because I am—if you can believe it—quite a disciplined person, it taught me how to have discipline in drama and acting. Also, I moved when I was 17/18. It was a learning curve as a person.”
Like the ever-unpredictable creative industry itself, Purvis’ journey has required resilience, self-belief, and the ability to navigate the industry as an autistic woman.
“I’ve definitely learnt to not people-please as much. People want you to be okay. They don’t want you to drain yourself. That was hard to accept, but I think I’ve accepted that I don’t have to be ‘on’ all the time. I also meditate. I’ve become one of those wankers now.”
No Plan B, Just Acting
Her advice to aspiring actors? Commit fully.
“My drama teacher told me that if you have a plan B, you’ll use it. I think that’s true. Before I got Patience, there was a lot of waiting around. Things came in that didn’t go anywhere. I got rejection, rejection, rejection. I knew that if I had a university degree or a job in something else, I would throw myself into that and lose that desperation. Go to drama school if you want to go to drama school. If not… do something else. I don’t know, guys, don’t ask me!”
With a performance as compelling as her candid wisdom, Ella Maisy Purvis is already making waves. And much like Patience Evans, she’s only just getting started.
Team Credits
Talent: Ella Maisy Purvis | Telescope Agency
Photographer: Lucy Philip
Stylist: Yasmine Sabri
MUA & Hair Stylist: Maria Comparetto
Art Directors: Emily-Grace & Michael Morgan Original Magazine
Creative Assistant: Georgia Anthi
Words by: Anya Duncan
Studio: Sunset Studios