Julia Sawalha (born 9 September 1968 in London) is an English actress, perhaps best known as Saffron in Absolutely Fabulous, the prim foil for the other outrageous characters. Sawalha was born into an acting family: her father Nadim is also an actor who appeared in the James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me while her sister Nadia starred in the soap EastEnders and is now a chat show host. Julia Sawalha first gained public attention for her starring role in the ITV teenage comedy/drama Press Gang, which ran from 1989 to 1993. She also dated Press Gang co-star Dexter Fletcher. The on-screen chemistry between the two leads was reflected off-screen as they became an item for several years.
She starred in the 1995 BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice as Lydia Bennett. Her co-stars included Colin Firth. Sawalha also voiced "Ginger" in the claymation movie Chicken Run.
She also plays the much put-upon PA to "Zak" in the Argos adverts, along with Richard E. Grant. She has also recently joined acclaimed actor Ioan Gruffudd in the internationally successful adaptations of CS Forester's Horatio Hornblower novels as the captain's first wife Maria.
On January 1, 2004 it was reported that she had married Alan Davies, her co-star in the television series Jonathan Creek. Both Davies and Sawalha denied this.
