Charlotte Riley has claimed she always seems to land roles that reflect what’s going on in her life – despite recent parts in dramas about battling fairies, giant aliens and London terrorists.

The actress stars in current BBC Sunday night adaptation Jonathan Strange And Mr Norrell, about two competing magicians, recently appeared in sci-fi film The Edge Of Tomorrow, and later this year can be seen in action thriller London Has Fallen.

She told the Radio Times: “I find – very weirdly – that I often get roles that reflect a little bit what’s happening in my own life, so I get to express that. There’s always some synchronicity.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Charlotte Riley stars in Jonathan Strange And Mr Norrell (BBC)

“As I was saying these words, I knew the next question was going to be, ‘What on earth’s going on in your life?’.”

Charlotte added of her Jonathan Strange And Mr Norrell role: “I find supernatural things exciting. I love the idea that magic could be real. It depends on your definition of magic really, doesn’t it?

“Just because we can’t see, perceive and quantify things, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist. This show is a nice metaphor for that.”