Gemma Elizabeth Whelan (born 23 April 1981) is an English actress and comedian known for portraying Yara Greyjoy in the HBO fantasy-drama series Game of Thrones. She also plays Kate in all seasons of the comedy Upstart Crow, Detective Eunice Noon on the first season of The End of the F***ing World on Channel 4, and Geraldine on the third season of Killing Eve.

Whelan was born in Leeds and grew up in the Midlands.^[1] She attended The King's High School for Girls in Warwick^[2] and the London Studio Centre.^[3]

As a stand-up comedian, Whelan won the 2010 Funny Women Variety Award.^[4] She performed at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe with her show Chastity Butterworth & The Spanish Hamster.^[5] In 2014 she recorded a pilot chat show as her character Chastity Butterworth for BBC Radio 4.^[6]

On screen, she has played supporting roles in several films and TV shows, including in the 2010 films Gulliver's Travels^[7] and The Wolfman.^[7] She played Kate (appearing in all 18 main episodes, as well as three Christmas specials) in Ben Elton's BBC Two comedy Upstart Crow,^[7] and was a series regular on The End of the F***ing World.^[7] She also played roles in other comedies, including Uncle and The Agency.^[7]

In August 2011, she was cast as Yara Greyjoy,^[8] elder sister of Theon, of House Greyjoy of the Iron Islands, in the HBO fantasy-drama television series Game of Thrones,^[8] and appeared as a recurring cast member from the second season onward.^[9]

In 2017, she portrayed Karen Matthews in the two-part TV drama The Moorside,^[7] based on the 2008 disappearance of nine-year-old Shannon Matthews. In 2019, she appeared as Marian Lister in the BBC drama Gentleman Jack.^[7]

In February 2020, a stage adaptation of Upstart Crow opened at the Gielgud Theatre, London, Whelan reprising the role of Kate.^[10] Whelan returned to the West End stage as Kate when the play was revived at the Apollo Theatre in 2022.^[11]

Whelan lives in London with her husband, the comedian and actor Gerry Howell and their two children.^[12]