Biography
Francesca Hayward is a Kenyan-born English ballet dancer and actress, the daughter of an English father and a Kenyan mother. She is a principal dancer in the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden in London. At the age of two, she moved to the Goring-by-Sea suburb of Worthing in West Sussex to live with her grandparents. She started ballet at age 3, after her grandparents bought her a video of The Nutcracker. When she was young, she danced at Le Serve School of Ballet and Theatre Dance in Worthing until her teacher encouraged her to audition to White Lodge, the junior section of the Royal Ballet School. After being a Junior Associate from the age of nine, she entered the School at the age of 11 in 2003, and progressed to the Royal Ballet Upper School in 2008. According to Hayward, due to an injury, she did not officially graduate, but received a certificate of attendance.
Acted in 19
2020s
- 2024
Royal Ballet & Opera 2024/25: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice
- 2023
Like Water for Chocolate
Tita
- 2022
The Royal Ballet: A Diamond Celebration
Movie
The Royal Ballet: Mayerling
Princess Stephanie
- 2020
Royal Ballet All-Star Gala
Movie
The Cellist / Dances at a Gathering (The Royal Ballet)
Dancer
2010s
- 2019
Romeo and Juliet: Beyond Words
Juliet
Concerto / Enigma Variations / Raymonda Act III (Royal Ballet)
Dora Penny (Dorabella)
The Royal Ballet: Within the Golden Hour / Medusa / Flight Pattern
Principal Dancer (Golden Hour)
- 2018
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake
Prince Siegfried's younger sister
- 2017
The Sun Is God
Movie
Woolf Works
I Now, I Then / Becomings
- 2016
The Nutcracker
Clara
Giselle
Pas de six
- 2015
The Royal Ballet: The Nutcracker
Clara
La Fille Mal Gardée (The Royal Ballet)
Hen
No release date
The Nutcracker (The Royal Ballet)
Clara
Appearances2
2010s
- 2016
Dancing the Nutcracker: Inside the Royal Ballet
Herself, Sugar Plum Fairy
2000s
- 2003
