Nell Fisher Parents: Meet Her Mother and Father
Nell Fisher’s parents are Toby Fisher and Laura Clarke OBE. Her father is a New Zealand barrister and former actor, while her mother is a British former diplomat who serves as Chief Executive Officer of ClientEarth, an environmental law organisation.
The British-New Zealand actress, best known for portraying Holly Wheeler in Stranger Things Season 5, grew up in an internationally connected family. Her parents’ professional careers, her siblings and their involvement in her early acting opportunities form an important part of her background.
| Family Detail | Verified Information |
|---|---|
| Actress | Nell Fisher |
| Father | Toby Fisher |
| Father’s profession | Barrister and former actor |
| Mother | Laura Clarke OBE |
| Mother’s current profession | Chief Executive Officer of ClientEarth |
| Mother’s former profession | British diplomat |
| Mother’s diplomatic appointment | British High Commissioner to New Zealand (2018–2022) |
| Father’s background | New Zealander |
| Mother’s background | British |
| Nell’s birthplace | London, England |
| Date of birth | November 2, 2011 |
| Age | 14 as of October 15, 2026 |
| Siblings | An older brother and a younger sister |
| Childhood locations | United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand |
Nell Fisher Parents: Who Are Toby Fisher and Laura Clarke?
Nell Fisher is the daughter of Toby Fisher, a lawyer with previous acting experience, and Laura Clarke OBE, a former British diplomat. Both have established professional careers outside the film and television industry.
The UK government’s official biography of Laura Clarke identifies Toby Fisher as her husband and confirms that the couple have three children. Nell’s talent agency, GCM Management, also identifies Toby as her father and describes her British and New Zealand family background.
Their professional responsibilities have taken the family to different countries, including South Africa and New Zealand. These experiences became part of Nell’s upbringing before she began receiving international acting opportunities.
While her parents are known for their work in law and international affairs, Nell has developed her own career in entertainment. Her childhood, screen performances and professional achievements are covered in our Nell Fisher biography.
Who Is Nell Fisher’s Father, Toby Fisher?
Toby Fisher is Nell Fisher’s father and a barrister with experience in environmental, international, human rights and public law. He is also a former actor who appeared in New Zealand film and television productions.
According to his Matrix Chambers professional profile, Toby represents governments, organisations, businesses and individuals in legal matters. His work includes environmental litigation, international agreements and cases involving human rights.
Between 2019 and 2022, he served as Deputy Director of International Law for New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. His responsibilities included legal issues concerning climate change, oceans, biodiversity and international cooperation.
Although law became his main profession, Toby’s earlier experience in entertainment provides an interesting connection with his daughter’s career.
Was Toby Fisher an Actor Before Becoming a Lawyer?
Yes. Toby Fisher worked as an actor before concentrating on his legal career. One of his best-documented performances was in the New Zealand film The Whole of the Moon, directed by Ian Mune.
According to NZ On Screen, Toby portrayed Kirk Mead in the film. The organisation also records that he received a Bronze Gryphon acting award at the 1996 Giffoni Film Festival.
His screen credits include other television and film appearances, although he eventually moved away from professional acting.
Despite this background, Toby was not the main inspiration behind Nell’s initial interest in performing. In an August 2024 profile, GCM Management explained that watching her older brother act helped spark Nell’s own interest in the profession.
How Did Toby Fisher Help Nell Begin Acting?
Toby was involved in Nell’s early auditions while the family was living in New Zealand. Her interest in acting developed through drama activities and an opportunity to audition for the film Northspur.
According to a 2024 NZ Herald interview, Nell’s teachers encouraged her to try for the role, and she worked on an audition tape with her father.
The audition eventually led to one of her earliest professional screen appearances. Toby also helped the family seek appropriate industry guidance as Nell began receiving acting opportunities.
These documented experiences show that he was involved in her early career. However, Nell’s interest in performing developed through several influences, including her siblings, drama classes and experiences on film sets.
Who Is Nell Fisher’s Mother, Laura Clarke OBE?
Laura Clarke OBE is Nell Fisher’s mother, a British former diplomat and the Chief Executive Officer of ClientEarth. She previously served in senior government and international relations positions.
According to her UK government biography, Laura was British High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor of the Pitcairn Islands from January 2018 until July 2022.
Before that appointment, she worked in several government roles, including Head of the South Asia Department at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Political Counsellor in Pretoria, South Africa.
Her diplomatic responsibilities involved international relations, policy development and cooperation between governments. Those appointments also provide context for the family’s experience of living in different countries.
Laura Clarke’s Career as British High Commissioner
Laura began serving as British High Commissioner to New Zealand in January 2018. Her responsibilities included developing diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
Her work involved trade relations, environmental cooperation and wider international policy matters. She also held diplomatic responsibilities connected with the Pacific region.
The appointment coincided with part of Nell’s childhood in New Zealand, where the future actress began exploring professional acting.
Nell has described growing up in different places because of her mother’s diplomatic work. That international background became a distinctive part of her childhood, although the family has not publicly documented every detail of its private arrangements.
What Does Laura Clarke Do Now?
Laura Clarke joined ClientEarth as Chief Executive Officer in September 2022 after completing her diplomatic appointment.
According to ClientEarth’s official biography, she leads an organisation that uses legal action and policy work to address climate change, environmental protection and related challenges.
Her background includes more than two decades of experience in government, diplomacy and public policy.
Both of Nell’s parents therefore have professional connections with environmental issues, although their responsibilities differ. Toby works as a barrister, while Laura leads an environmental law organisation.
As of October 2026, ClientEarth continues to identify Laura as its Chief Executive Officer. Describing her only as a former diplomat would leave out an important part of her current professional career.
Where Are Nell Fisher’s Parents From?
Nell Fisher’s parents have British and New Zealand backgrounds. Her father, Toby Fisher, is a New Zealander, while her mother, Laura Clarke, is British.
Nell was born in London, England, on November 2, 2011. She subsequently spent parts of her childhood in South Africa and New Zealand before living in Britain again.
Her talent agency GCM Management identifies these countries as part of her international upbringing. Nell has also discussed moving between countries because of her mother’s professional assignments.
During a December 2025 interview with Wonderland, she recalled living in New Zealand for four years and having family connections there.
Her background reflects strong links with both the United Kingdom and New Zealand. However, her parents’ publicly established national backgrounds should not be confused with unsupported claims about their complete ancestry.
Does Nell Fisher Have Brothers or Sisters?
Yes. Nell Fisher has an older brother and a younger sister. Both siblings have been mentioned in reliable public accounts of her childhood and interest in performing.
GCM Management reported that Nell’s older brother was an important early influence on her acting ambitions. Watching him perform helped encourage her curiosity about the profession.
In a November 2025 Teen Vogue interview, Nell also discussed putting on performances with her younger sister while growing up.
She recalled that the sisters would organise shows for their parents, giving them early opportunities to enjoy performing together.
The UK government’s biography of Laura Clarke confirms that the family has three children. This is consistent with the accounts describing Nell, her older brother and her younger sister.
Reliable information about her siblings’ full names, exact ages and private lives remains limited. Their relevance to Nell’s childhood is established without needing to publish unverified personal details.
How Did Nell Fisher’s Parents Support Her Acting Career?
Nell Fisher’s early acting opportunities developed while her family was living in New Zealand. Her parents were involved in the practical decisions surrounding auditions and professional work.
Her first screen experiences included Northspur, a New Zealand action thriller. She later appeared in the horror film Evil Dead Rise, directed by Lee Cronin.
In her Teen Vogue interview, Nell recalled spending approximately three months working on Evil Dead Rise. The experience helped her realise that acting was something she wanted to continue pursuing.
She portrayed Kassie, one of the children caught in the film’s supernatural events. The character and performance are covered separately in our article about Nell Fisher in Evil Dead Rise.
During a December 2025 Wonderland interview, Nell credited Lee Cronin with giving her an important early opportunity and creating a supportive filmmaking environment.
Her other screen appearances include Bookworm, the New Zealand adventure film in which she starred alongside Elijah Wood. These projects gave her experience before she took on a major role in Stranger Things.
Her developing filmography, including Northspur, Bookworm and her television appearances, is covered in our guide to Nell Fisher’s movies and TV shows.
How Did Her Family Manage the Stranger Things Audition?
Nell’s casting in Stranger Things introduced a significant practical challenge for her family because the production required an extended period of filming in the United States.
In her December 2025 Wonderland interview, Nell explained that she was living in London when the audition opportunity arrived. She was 11 at the time, and both parents had demanding full-time careers.
The possibility of spending much of a year in America was not something the family had initially planned. Nell recalled that the arrangements were uncertain at different stages of the casting process.
She first completed a self-tape audition before progressing to further discussions with the show’s creators, Matt and Ross Duffer.
The final stage included travelling to New York for an in-person screen test with Sadie Sink, who portrays Max Mayfield.
Nell secured the role and later spent an extended period filming in Atlanta. Her account illustrates how a major acting opportunity required planning around her family’s existing professional commitments.
Did Nell’s Mother Let Her Watch Stranger Things?
Before her audition, Nell had not been allowed to watch Stranger Things because her mother considered the series too frightening.
In her November 2025 Teen Vogue interview, Nell explained that receiving an audition gave her an opportunity to begin watching the show.
She started with the earlier seasons and quickly became interested in the storyline and characters.
The experience provides a small but memorable example of the difference between Nell’s everyday family life and her professional work. A television series she had previously been unable to watch eventually became one of her biggest acting projects.
Nell Fisher’s Real Parents vs Holly Wheeler’s Parents in Stranger Things
Nell Fisher’s real parents are Toby Fisher and Laura Clarke OBE. However, the fictional character she portrays in Stranger Things, Holly Wheeler, has different parents.
In the Netflix series, Holly is the youngest daughter of Karen Wheeler and Ted Wheeler. Karen is portrayed by Cara Buono, while Ted is played by Joe Chrest.
Holly is also the younger sister of Mike Wheeler, played by Finn Wolfhard, and Nancy Wheeler, played by Natalia Dyer.
Nell took over the role of Holly Wheeler in the fifth and final season, when the character became a more prominent part of the storyline.
According to Netflix’s official character coverage, Holly’s expanded role required a different approach from her appearances in the earlier seasons.
Our dedicated article on Nell Fisher in Stranger Things covers her casting, portrayal of Holly Wheeler and the character’s expanded role in Season 5.
What Did Nell Fisher Say About Her On-Screen Mother?
Nell discussed working with Cara Buono, who portrays her fictional mother Karen Wheeler, during her November 2025 Teen Vogue interview.
She described enjoying their scenes together and developing a positive working relationship with Buono. Their performances included emotional family scenes and dangerous encounters involving supernatural threats.
Nell also spoke about learning from the show’s more experienced cast members, including Sadie Sink and Jamie Campbell Bower.
These professional relationships belong to her work as an actress, while Toby Fisher and Laura Clarke remain her real-life parents. Her interviews provide a clear distinction between the family that supported her early career and the fictional Wheeler family viewers know from Stranger Things.
