Actor Ella Purnell grew up too fast: “You shouldn’t really have to ask yourself about your career and your taxes when you’re 15,” jokes the 28-year-old Brit. She landed her first film at just 13, playing the young Keira Knightley in the sci-fi “Never Let Me Go.” From there, Purnell quickly gained recognition as the child star who could pull off action-packed features in “Kick-Ass 2” or enchant the screen with roles in fantasy films “Maleficent” and “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.” But it wasn’t until her 20s that she truly hit her stride, breaking into television with shows like suspense-filled series “Yellowjackets.” “I’ve fallen in and out of love with my job a thousand times,” she told Forbes. “It wasn’t really until my early twenties that I redefined my profession and decided to do it on my own terms.” Now Purnell is really stepping into the spotlight: She’s starring in Amazon Prime’s sci-fi series “Fallout”—which was viewed by 65 million in its first two weeks of release last April and then renewed for a second season—and Sky Atlantic’s psychological thriller “Sweetpea,” a project Purnell executive produces. Off screen, she’s built a following of 1.8 million and forged partnerships with iconic brands including Prada Beauty, MiuMiu and Chanel.
