Keeley Hawes: Your Geeky Woman of the Month for May

Aw, how sweet, it’s a veritable smorgasbord of Ashes to Ashes attractive facial action in this month’s poll! You voted, and you wanted Keeley as your Woman of the Month – good taste!

Keeley’s profile has been sky high of recent, mostly due in part for her role in Ashes to Ashes as DI Alex Drake or “Bolly Knickers” as Gene affectionately calls her. In the BBC sci-fi drama, Alex gets shot and she finds herself transported back to the 80s, facing Gene Hunt and his motley crew.

DI Alex Drake is a ballsy character; she’s feisty, intelligent and carries a strong sense of justice but has a habit of applying this as much to the practices of CID as to the criminal underclass – much to the utter consternation of Gene and the team.

More importantly, Alex was a psychologist to Sam Tyler (Life on Mars) and is hungry to unravel the mystery of his disappearance as well as getting back to the present time to her daughter, Molly.

Awful perms, cheesy pop, massive yuppie mobile phones and shoulder pads so humongous Pat Butcher would be proud – we hit the 80’s with a vengeance. And just like the different era, so came a different sparring partner for the ever bullish, Gene Hunt. Unfortunately, some commentators, hugely critical from the outset, got the knives out for Keeley’s performance of Alex Drake and the actress herself.

‘I don’t think I’d ever had a bad word said before, so it was very unpleasant,’ says Hawes in an interview with The Telegraph. ‘At one point somebody had written, “It’s clear that the other cast members do not like this actress.” But their characters are supposed to not like Alex Drake when she arrives. We’re acting! The cast were all coming over to my house for lunch and I had to say, “I have got a bit upset by all of this – you do like me, don’t you?”’

Thankfully, most people (us and you included) really rather enjoyed Keeley’s turn as Alex Drake - especially her chemistry with Gene Hunt and spazzed out hallucinary episodes - and we were happy to see a fitting end to her character’s journey (as well as the dream finale – just a dream we tell you).

Keeley’s next project is called Identity, a new 6 part thriller in which she plays DSI Martha Lawrence. The show is about identity theft, and will air in July on ITV. The Geeky Girls wish you well Miss Hawes!

5 Keeley Facts

• Did you know Keeley was the voice of Lara Croft, Tomb Raider: Legends?!
• Keeley is married to her old Spooks co-star, Matthew MacFadyen.
• Her dad and brothers are all London cabbies. Bet she gets free lifts everywhere.
• Keeley was first spotted on Oxford Street, but says she hated modelling.
• Keeley attended the Silva Young School for Performing Arts alongside Emma Bunton (Spice Girls, remember them?) and they are still good friends.

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