Glasgow-born Cheeky Scot Katy Townsend currently plays Maddie in the Emmy-winning animated action-adventure series Arcane on Netflix. Set in Riot Games' iconic League of Legends universe, Arcane tells the story of two sisters torn apart by the strife between Piltover and Zaun. In the new season, following Jinx’s (Ella Purnell) attack on the Council, tensions between the cities escalate, with Maddie (Katy Townsend) joining Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Caitlyn (Katie Leung) on a kickass strike team amidst the brewing conflict.
Beyond Arcane, Katy is celebrated for her iconic voice roles in blockbuster video games. Fans know her as the no-nonsense SAS operator Charlotte “Charly” in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Warzone, and Mobile. She’s also brought to life the troubled pit-fighter Cait in Bethesda’s BAFTA-winning Fallout 4, the quirky molecular biologist Suvi Anwar in Mass Effect: Andromeda, and the enigmatic truth-seeker Klue in Niantic Labs' Ingress. Her work spans beloved franchises like Final Fantasy, Magic: The Gathering, and Star Trek, and she’s even collaborated with Korean sci-fi rapper Yen Tech on video game-themed music projects.
In animation, Katy portrays the rebellious teen werewolf Silvi Timberwolf in Monster High and the lovable ghost Lucille Loud in The Loud House Movie on Netflix, alongside David Tennant and Michelle Gomez. A skilled audiobook narrator for Penguin Random House, Katy’s work has earned her accolades, including an AudioFile Earphones Award for Letters from Skye.
Her talents extend to the screen, where she has appeared in commercials for major brands like Amazon Prime, Kia, Toyota, and in a Super Bowl spot for Gildan. She’s portrayed characters in indie films and TV, including as Dean Cain’s haunted daughter in Kill Katie Malone, Catherine Dent’s heartbroken patient in Ron Judkins’ Finding Neighbors, and Peter Gadiot’s loyal girlfriend in the Studio+ mini-series All You Need Is Me.
Onstage, Katy has made an impact in Los Angeles, starring as Diane in the acclaimed production of Trainspotting at The Elephant Theatre in Hollywood, and performing live storytelling at The Lyric Hyperion, Hotel Café, and The Crow.
Future projects include an upcoming RPG blockbuster, her one-woman show Cats in the Microwave, and the queer sci-fi novella Purple Jill.