{{Short description|English actress and model}} {{Infobox person | image = | caption = | birth_name = Sai Naomi Bennett | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|5|30|df=y}} | birth_place = Aldershot, England<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fashionmodeldirectory.com/models/sai_bennett/showphoto/210604/|title=Sai Naomi Bennett|accessdate=6 December 2022}}</ref> | alma_mater = | occupation = | years_active = 2003–present | children = 1 }}
'''Sai Naomi Bennett''' (born 30 May 1990) is an English actress and model. She began her career in modeling and gained prominence through her roles in the film ''The Face of an Angel'' (2014) and the ITV period drama ''Mr Selfridge'' (2014–2015). She has since appeared in the Starz series ''The Spanish Princess'' (2020).
==Early life and education== Bennett was born in Aldershot, Hampshire and grew up in Hackney, East London with her older sister and younger brother.<ref name="es new beauties"/> She is of Welsh descent.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/culture-news/news/a33950/in-conversation-with-sai-bennett-and-genevieve-gaunt/|title=In conversation with Sai Bennett and Genevieve Gaunt|magazine=Harper's Bazaar|first=Rebecca|last=Cope|date=17 March 2015|accessdate=6 December 2022}}</ref> Bennett attended the now defunct Royal School, Hampstead and left at sixteen after completing her GCSEs.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/sai-bennett-says-social-media-is-the-way-to-get-a-role-now-a3454021.html|title=Sai Bennett says social media is the way to get an acting role now|journal=Evening Standard|first=Lizzie|last=Edmonds|date=31 January 2017|accessdate=5 December 2022}}</ref> She traveled and worked odd jobs before her former school drama teacher suggested she try acting. She began taking weekend acting classes and signed with an agent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://whatoliviadid.com/2016/04/girl-crush-12-sai-bennett/|title=Girl Crush #12: Sai Bennett|website=What Olivia Did|date=April 2016|accessdate=5 December 2022}}</ref> Her brother also took part in local theatre.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://i-d.co/article/meet-sai-and-genevieve-stars-of-face-of-an-angel/|title=meet sai and genevieve, stars of 'face of an angel'|journal=I-D|first=Tish|last=Weinstock|date=13 April 2015|access-date=5 December 2022}}</ref>
==Career== Bennett was 13 when she booked her first modeling job for Japanese ''Vogue''.<ref name="es new beauties">{{Cite journal|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/insider/fashion/new-beauties-fashion-s-freshest-faces-6727650.html|title=New beauties: fashion's freshest faces|journal=Evening Standard|first=Deborah|last=Feldman|date=7 August 2009|accessdate=6 December 2022}}</ref> She signed with Storm Models.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/beauty/news-features/TMG10783110/Sai-Bennett-cuts-her-hair-for-charity.html|title=Sai Bennett cuts her hair for charity|journal=Telegraph Fashion|first=Olivia|last=Lidbury|date=24 April 2014|accessdate=5 December 2022}}</ref> She featured in ''Cosmopolitan'''s 2011 Sexy Eyes photoshoot.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/beauty-hair/news/a25345/cosmo-model-turned-bafta-actress-wears-chanel-on-red-carpet/|title=Former Cosmo model Sai Bennett is kind of a big deal these days|journal=Cosmopolitan|first=Cassie|last=Powney|date=16 February 2014|accessdate=6 December 2022}}</ref> She also had gigs with Urban Outfitters, Hollister Co., and Daisy London.
In 2012, Bennett made both her film and television debuts in ''Trapped'' as Emily and the first series of the BBC One drama ''Prisoners' Wives'' as Saskia. In 2014, she joined the cast of ITV period drama ''Mr Selfridge'' for its second and third series as the seamstress Jessie Pertree<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/style/462309/Mr-Selfridge-actress-Sai-Bennett-on-fashion-beauty-and-wearing-tight-corsets-as-Jessie|title=Mr Selfridge star Sai Bennett: 'I love the costumes - apart from the corsets!'|journal=Daily Express|first=Laura|last=Mulley|date=2 March 2014|accessdate=5 December 2022}}</ref> and played Elizabeth Pryce in Michael Winterbottom's psychological thriller ''The Face of an Angel''.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/global/rising-star-sai-bennett-to-appear-in-michael-winterbottoms-the-face-of-an-angel-1201101733/|title=Rising Star Sai Bennett to Appear in Michael Winterbottom's 'The Face of an Angel'|journal=Variety|first=Leo|last=Barraclough|date=13 February 2014|accessdate=15 February 2014}}</ref> This was followed by roles in the 2015 film ''Just Jim'' and the 2016 BBC Two 1940s-set miniseries ''Close to the Enemy''.
Bennett starred in the 2018 Syfy television film sequels ''Lake Placid: Legacy'' directed by Darrell Roodt and ''Leprechaun Returns''. She appeared in Greta Bellamacina's ''Hurt by Paradise'' in 2019. That same year, it was announced Bennett would star as Mary Tudor, later Queen of France, in the latter half of the Starz historical miniseries ''The Spanish Princess'', which aired in 2020.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://deadline.com/2019/09/the-spanish-princess-ray-stevenson-sai-bennett-andrew-buchan-peter-egan-join-cast-for-final-episodes-1202745381/|title='The Spanish Princess': Ray Stevenson, Sai Bennett, Andrew Buchan & Peter Egan Join Cast For Final Episodes|journal=Deadline|first=Denise|last=Petski|date=26 September 2019|accessdate=26 September 2019}}</ref> She appeared in the 2022 BBC Three musical drama ''Mood''.
==Personal life== Bennett is engaged to chef and restaurateur Matthew Scott. Their first child, a daughter named Edith Scott-Bennett, was born on 26 February 2022 at Homerton University Hospital.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CapvqIho_tK/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=|title=Edith Scott-Bennett 🌞 26.2.22|author=Sai Bennett|via=Instagram|date=3 March 2022|accessdate=30 December 2022}}</ref> {{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable (WP:NOTRS).|date=July 2025}}
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2012 | ''Trapped'' | Emily | |- | 2014 | ''The Face of an Angel'' | Elizabeth Pryce | |- | 2015 | ''Just Jim'' | Michelle | |- | rowspan="2" | 2016 | ''Edith'' | Edith | Short film |- | ''First'' | Mary | Short film |- | 2019 | ''Hurt by Paradise'' | Sophie | |- |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2012 | ''Prisoners' Wives'' | Saskia | 3 episodes |- | 2014–2015 | ''Mr Selfridge'' | Jessie Pertree | Recurring role (series 2–3) |- | 2016 | ''Close to the Enemy'' | Anna White | Miniseries; 6 episodes |- | 2017 | ''Knightfall'' | Marie | Episode: "You'd Know What to Do" |- | rowspan="3" | 2018 | ''Strike Back: Retribution'' | Lila Hall | 1 episode |- | ''Lake Placid: Legacy'' | Alice | Television film |- | ''Leprechaun Returns'' | Rose | Television film |- | 2020 | ''The Spanish Princess'' | Mary Tudor, Queen of France | Main role (part 2) |- | 2022 | ''Mood'' | Esmeralda | Miniseries; 2 episodes |- | 2025 | ''El Turco'' | Diana | 5 episodes |- |}
===Music videos=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Song ! Year ! Artist ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | "Sorry's Not Good Enough" | 2006 | McFly | |- |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|4868281}} * [https://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/client/sai-bennett/ Sai Bennett] at Curtis Brown
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Sai}} Category:Living people Category:1990 births Category:Actresses from Aldershot Category:Actresses from London Category:English female models Category:English people of Welsh descent Category:Models from the London Borough of Hackney Category:People educated at The Royal School, Hampstead Category:Actors from the London Borough of Hackney Category:Models from Hampshire Category:Storm Management models Category:People from Hackney, London