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Hayley Squires: Biography, Age, Movies & Call the Midwife

Freddie Oliver Cooper Howard • 2026-07-25 • Reviewed by Maya Thompson

There’s a certain kind of actor who quietly builds a career without ever seeking the spotlight — and Hayley Squires fits the description perfectly. Best known for her devastating turn in Ken Loach’s I, Daniel Blake, the English actress and playwright has steadily collected credits across British television and indie film.

Age: 36 (born 16 April 1988) · Birthplace: Forest Hill, London, England · Profession: Actress and playwright · Known for: I, Daniel Blake (2016) · Instagram: @hayzsquires

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Marital status — no public records or interviews confirm a spouse or partner
  • Specific ethnicity beyond “English” — sources do not detail ancestry
  • Upcoming projects beyond 2023 — no official announcements found
  • Whether she appears in The Night Manager sequel — not confirmed by top sources
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Active on Instagram (@hayzsquires) but no announced film or TV projects for 2024–2025
  • May continue working in British television and independent cinema
  • Rumored involvement in The Night Manager 2 remains unconfirmed

A closer look at her biography reveals seven key data points that define her career.

Attribute Details
Full name Hayley Squires
Birth date 16 April 1988
Birthplace Forest Hill, London, England
Nationality English
Occupation Actress, playwright
Years active 2014–present
Notable work I, Daniel Blake (2016)

The implication: Squires’ public profile is built on a small but high-impact filmography, with her most celebrated work concentrated in a single award-winning film.

Who is Hayley Squires?

What is her background?

What are her notable achievements?

  • Her performance as Katie in Ken Loach’s I, Daniel Blake (2016) earned widespread acclaim. The film won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and a BAFTA for Outstanding British Film (Wikipedia user-edited encyclopedia).
  • She has appeared in a string of British TV series: Southcliffe, Complicit, Murder, Collateral, Adult Material, The Essex Serpent, and Great Expectations (Apple TV streaming service biography).
  • Film credits include Blood Cells (2014), A Royal Night Out (2015), and Beau Is Afraid (2023) (Apple TV streaming service biography).
Why this matters

Squires may not be a household name, but her resume shows a deliberate career arc: she started with small TV parts, nailed a career-defining indie-film role, and continues to land parts in prestigious period dramas and auteur films.

The pattern: Squires’ selective choices have kept her profile high among critics while avoiding overexposure.

What is Hayley Squires doing now?

Recent film appearances

  • Her most recent film appearance is in Ari Aster’s Beau Is Afraid (2023), a surreal horror-comedy starring Joaquin Phoenix (IMDb film database).

Upcoming projects

  • She maintains an active Instagram presence (@hayzsquires) where she shares behind-the-scenes content and personal updates.
  • No new film or television projects have been officially announced as of early 2025, though she remains represented by a talent agency in London.

What this means: Squires appears to be selective with roles, perhaps waiting for a project that matches the impact of I, Daniel Blake.

Who did Hayley Squires play in Call the Midwife?

She played Maureen Warren, a pregnant woman in the first episode of series 1 (2012) of the beloved BBC period drama. The role marked her television debut and is still one of her most searched credits (Wikipedia user-edited encyclopedia).

The trade-off

Because Call the Midwife is a long-running hit, any actor who appears early is forever linked to it in search results — even if their later work is far more acclaimed. For Squires, that early credit continues to drive curiosity despite her stronger dramatic range in later roles.

The pattern: Her early role continues to define her searchable identity.

What ethnicity are Hayley Squires?

Squires identifies as English. Sources do not detail a specific ethnic ancestry beyond describing her as a white British actress born in South London (British Independent Film Awards). No family background information beyond having an older brother has been reliably sourced.

What is Hayley Squires’ most critically acclaimed role?

Without question, her role as Katie in I, Daniel Blake (2016). The film, directed by Ken Loach, won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and the BAFTA for Outstanding British Film. Squires’ raw portrayal of a struggling single mother was singled out by critics as one of the film’s emotional anchors (Wikipedia user-edited encyclopedia). The British Independent Film Awards list her among their notable alumni.

The pattern: Squires is a character actor who uses her face and body language as much as her voice, making I, Daniel Blake — a film about bureaucratic cruelty — an ideal showcase for her grounded style.

Clarity check

Confirmed facts

What remains unclear

  • Marital status — no public record found.
  • Specific ethnic background beyond “English”.
  • Upcoming projects after 2023.
  • Whether she is cast in the Night Manager sequel.
  • Exact birth year: most sources say 1988, Wikipedia notes variant as 1987.
  • Whether she has an older brother — only one low-confidence source mentions this.

The takeaway: The gaps in public knowledge highlight her private nature.

Related reading: **Lee Ingleby Biography: Career, Roles, and Personal Life**

Frequently asked questions

How old is Hayley Squires?

She was born on 16 April 1988, making her 36 years old. Some sources list 1987 – the exact year is not fully settled.

Where was Hayley Squires born?

Forest Hill, London, England.

What is Hayley Squires’ Instagram handle?

@hayzsquires

Is Hayley Squires married?

No public information confirms a spouse or partner. Her marital status is not disclosed.

What is Hayley Squires’ most popular movie?

I, Daniel Blake (2016) is her most widely seen and critically praised film.

Did Hayley Squires appear in The Night Manager?

She does not appear in the original series. A reported role in the upcoming second season has not been officially confirmed.

What awards has Hayley Squires won?

She has not won a major individual award, but I, Daniel Blake won the Palme d’Or and BAFTA for Outstanding British Film, and Squires received personal praise from critics.

For an actor with a modest public footprint, the demand for verified information about Hayley Squires far exceeds what the record currently provides. The gap between her low-profile lifestyle and the intense curiosity around her most famous role means that fans and journalists alike will keep watching for what she does next. For Squires, the smartest move remains the same: let the work speak.



Freddie Oliver Cooper Howard

About the author

Freddie Oliver Cooper Howard

Coverage is updated through the day with transparent source checks.