Beyond Fleabag: Phoebe Waller-Bridge's surprising career

She became famous as the goofy protagonist of her genius comedy 'Fleabag' on Netflix. But what happened after that? You may be surprised to hear what Phoebe Waller-Bridge (London, 1985) is doing today.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge is one of the most successful directors and actresses of today's entertainment industry. Her popularity came with 'Fleabag' (2016-2019), a 12-episode comedy-drama series that follows the life experiences of a quirky and flamboyant woman.

Image: Amazon Prime

She achieved critical and public recognition with the 'Fleabag' series and rocked the Emmy, BAFTA Awards, and Golden Globes between 2017 and 2020.

The success began with a brilliant ten-minute theatrical monologue that the actress released in 2013.

The monologue was a clever exercise in irony and dark humor that her friend, screenwriter and playwright Vicky Jones, asked her to turn into an hour-long play which she directed herself.

Next, an opportunity came from the BBC. It decided to take the play to television with a first season in 2016 and a second in 2019.

After the success of 'Fleabag' and an accumulation of awards, it seemed to get more quiet around the British star. But nothing was further from the truth!

Phoebe Waller-Bridge starred in the series 'Crashing' (2016) around the same time as Fleabag's first season. The sitcom only lasted for one run, though.

However, her talents really came to the fore again in the addictive and widely acclaimed series 'Killing Eve' (2018-2022).

On 'Killing Eve', a show about dangerous women, spies, and global chases, she didn't just direct episodes but was also the executive producer.

Thanks to her unique writing style, Phoebe Waller-Bridge was also invited to work on the script for the latest James Bond film, 'No Time to Die' (2021).

Another project she was briefly involved in, was the Amazon Prime series 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' which aired in 2024 and was a spin-off of the 2005 movie with the same name. However, she did not continue working on the development of the show.

The acclaimed writer and director left the team of the show, Hollywood Reporter noted, because she had creative differences with actor Donald Glover.

Image: Amazon Prime

Sources close to the two stars guaranteed to Hollywood Reporter that their friendly relationship is still intact. As actors, they already worked together on the film 'Solo: A Star Wars Story' in 2018.

By 2023, it was clear that, after 'Killing Eve,' 'James Bond,' and 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith,' she was heading away from the clumsy Fleabag comedy and towards action with a pun.

Phoebe-Waller Bridge appeared in the fifth installment of 'Indiana Jones' - 'The Dial of Destiny'. Other renowned stars in the film, besides lead actor Harrison Ford,  were Antonio Banderas and Mads Mikkelsen.

During Expo D23, Indiana Jones actor Harrison Ford announced that this film would be his last in the franchise. He also said that Phoebe Waller-Bridge's performance was great in this new movie.

"I am very proud to say that this film is fantastic," Ford said. "And she [Phoebe Waller-Bridge] is one of the reasons."

In this movie about Indiana Jones, the British actress played Helena, the goddaughter of the famous archaeologist. According to composer John Williams, who wrote 'Helena's Theme' for the film, Phoebe Waller-Bridge's character was that of an adventurer and a femme fatale.

Due to Ford's praise and the role of Waller-Bridge in the movie, there is a possibility that the actress will become the new protagonist in future 'Indiana Jones' installments. However, 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' didn't perform well among critics and viewers, so there's no certainty about a new installment yet.

But that doesn't matter, because Phoebe Waller-Bridge has other projects going for her! After five years and a 60-million budget from Amazon, she's finished writing a series based on the Tomb Raider video game.

The Guardian reports that Sophie Turner, known from 'Game of Thrones', is in negotiations to play the character of Lara Croft in Phoebe Waller-Bridge's 'Tomb Raider'.

As she told Vanity Fair in 2023, cited by The Guardian, she was excited about shaping a female action character. "Having worked on Bond and having worked as an actor on Indy, I feel like I've been building up to this," she said.

Follow Showbizz Daily to stay informed and enjoy more content!