London-born Amanda Abbington started her career as a dancer, turning to acting following an injury. She has appeared in The Bill, Being Human and Casualty, and performed on stage in Alan Ayckbourn’s The Safari Party and Love Me Tonight directed by Kathy Burke. Since 2013 she has starred in ITV’s Mr Selfridge as Miss Mardle, and earlier in 2014 appeared in BBC1’s Sherlock as Mary Morstan alongside her real-life partner, Martin Freeman. She is appearing in God Bless the Child at the Royal Court theatre, London from Wednesday until 20 December.

Music: The Unthanks

Martin introduced me to one of their songs about four months ago. I didn’t really know anything about them, but I was blown away. They’re sisters, and their tone and songs feel like very old-world folk songs. The two albums I’m listening to at the moment are Here’s the Tender Coming and Last, which are heartbreaking and spellbinding. They’re a bit like Nick Drake, you can’t listen to them too much without feeling quite melancholic, but there is also something weirdly uplifting about their music.

Fashion: Roksanda Ilincic

I wore one of her dresses at the Crime Thriller awards recently. She’s beautifully eclectic, and designs really well for women. She’s like Vivienne Westwood in that respect: she designs for women that look like women, and anyone can wear their dresses. And she doesn’t do anything where everything’s showing, so you don’t get your boobs out but it’s still very sexy and womanly. Every now and again I look at her website, but it’s fiercely expensive, so mostly I just look and dream. Everything I buy from her I buy in the sales.

Film: Under the Skin

Martin and I watched this for the first time the other day, on DVD, and were completely knocked out by it. It’s an amazing piece of cinema, and Scarlett Johansson is astonishing: what she brings to the screen is just beautiful. When we turned it off we just looked at each other and went “That was amazing!” It was so evocative and heartbreaking, seeing this alien force becoming more human and having empathy. Jonathan Glazer is a brilliant director, and the film has really stayed with me.

TV: Louie

This is the Louis CK show on FX. I’ve followed it through from the very beginning. He plays this character who is a divorced stand-up comedian with two children – so it’s basically him, but everything is heightened. I love what he does with his show – it’s so funny and sad and angry. He’s the master of doing slightly left-field stuff. You think, “how could that possibly work”, because nothing really fits, but when you watch it it’s a lovely piece of theatre. He’s definitely up there with one of my favourite people in the world.

Photography: Bailey’s Stardust

The David Bailey exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery was incredible. I could spend ages looking at these photographs: you get a real snapshot of that time. I try and take photographs, and I think I fail dismally. I loved all the stuff he did with his wife [Catherine Dyer] and daughter – they were just so candid and honest. He’s got an amazing eye for capturing a moment. When we were there looking at it he was in the building. He’s such an icon, he’s photographed everybody, so I was a bit blown away.

Theatre: Richard III

I have to say Richard III! I saw it six times – I’ve never gone to see other stuff Martin’s done six times. I love Jamie Lloyd’s productions: he’s very filmic in the way he directs. I’m really looking forward to seeing his Assassins at the Chocolate Factory. The whole cast was incredible, and I thought Martin was staggering. I took our son to see it – Shakespeare can be really dense but he’s eight and totally got what was happening.