---
name: "Debbie Harry"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/debbie-harry"
fi1m_id: "debbie-harry"
imdb_id: "nm0001323"
tmdb_id: 102
wikidata_id: "Q215026"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "1 July 1945"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 76
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-25T01:12:54.643054+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Debbie Harry

## Identity

Debbie Harry

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/debbie-harry
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** debbie-harry
- **IMDb ID:** nm0001323
- **TMDB ID:** 102
- **Wikidata ID:** Q215026
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debbie_Harry, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q215026, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001323/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/102

Actor. Born 1 July 1945 in Miami, Florida, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 1 July 1945, Miami, Florida, USA
- **Active:** 1983–present
- **Also known as:** Blondie , Deborah Harry, Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry, Angela Tremble
- **Average Fi1m score:** 76, as actor, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 82 (1), 2020s 70 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debbie_Harry, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q215026, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001323/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/102

## Coming up

- *A Company of Thieves* (2026-10-16)

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*High Fidelity*](https://film.one/tv/high-fidelity-2020.md) (70)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Debbie Harry

> A singer who acts rarely and chooses oddly. On screen Debbie Harry is cool, still and hard to read, and directors with strange films have used that well. Nobody has yet given her enough to do.

In *Videodrome* (1983) Debbie Harry wears red. Everything else in David Cronenberg's film is beige and brown, the colours of an office on a wet afternoon, and Delphine White dresses Nicki Brand so that she is the one thing in the frame you cannot help looking at. That is a fair picture of what Harry does in films. She does not do a great deal, and she is difficult to look away from.

She came to acting from Blondie, formed in New York in 1974, and had taken small parts, and a lead in the neo-noir *Union City* (1980), before Cronenberg gave her Nicki Brand opposite James Woods. She dyed her hair for it and has said the point was to be somebody other than the person she had built for the band. It worked. On her first night with Woods's Max Renn, Nicki asks him to hurt her, and Harry plays it flat and calm, as a request rather than a dare. We found that more unnerving than anything the rubber and latex did later, because nothing in her face suggested she thought she was being brave. Our review called her good and underused, and both hold: she is the film's poster and she is off screen for most of its running time, which is the shape of the part rather than a failing of hers.

The rest of the career is a short list. John Waters cast her in *Hairspray* (1988) as Velma Von Tussle, and she is funnier as a villain than the Cronenberg part allowed her to be. There were character parts in the 1990s, *Cop Land* (1997) among them, alongside solo records and Blondie's reunions, and she has kept appearing into the 2020s. She has said she takes scripts from directors she admires and who scare her a little, and that her oddness fits the odd films she is offered. That is about right. The persona she carries in from music, controlled, unhurried, slightly amused, suits horror and satire and not much in between, and no director has tested whether it could carry something ordinary.

What she has never had is a part the size of her presence. Cronenberg came closest and then kept her out of the picture for long stretches. If you want to see what she can do, *Videodrome* is still the place, and you will spend a fair amount of it waiting for her to come back.

## Biography

Debbie Harry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born Deborah Ann Harry on 1 July 1945 in Miami, Florida, she was adopted as an infant and raised in New Jersey. She is best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Blondie, which achieved prominence in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Harry has appeared in numerous films and television productions. Her acting credits include the role of Nicki Brand in David Cronenberg’s *Videodrome* (1983), Velma Von Tussle in *Hairspray* (1988), Delores in *Cop Land* (1997), and supporting parts in *Spun* (2003) and *My Life Without Me* (2003). She has also appeared in television series such as *Sabrina, the Teenage Witch* (1996).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, bfi.org.uk, britannica.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *High Fidelity* (2020), Fi1m 70, as Debbie Harry — [page](https://film.one/tv/high-fidelity-2020.md)
- *Videodrome* (1983), Fi1m 82, as Nicki Brand — [page](https://film.one/film/videodrome.md)

## Complete filmography (76)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *A Company of Thieves* (2026), Actor
- *Pretty Ugly: The Story of the Lunachicks* (2026), Actor
- *Cinderella* (2025), Actor
- *Call Me* (2025), Music
- *Catharsis* (2024), Actor
- *Faraway Eyes* (2021), as Theme Song Performance
- *Blondie: Vivir en la Habana* (2021), Actor
- *High Fidelity* (2020), series, as Debbie Harry — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/tv/high-fidelity-2020.md)
- *Shot! The Psycho-Spiritual Mantra of Rock* (2017), Thanks
- *Andy Warhol, Fluorescent* (2016), as (archive footage)
- *Difficult People* (2015), series, as Kiki
- *River of Fundament* (2014), as Singing Wake Guest
- *Robert Williams Mr. Bitchin'* (2013), Actor
- *She's Living for This* (2012), series, as Debbie Harry
- *Blondie - Live at The Enmore Theatre* (2010), Actor
- *Blondie: 2010 Isle Of Wight Festival* (2010), Actor
- *The Mystery of Claywoman* (2009), as Simone
- *Elegy* (2008), as Amy O'Hearn
- *New York Rock at the BBC* (2008), Actor
- *Anamorph* (2007), as Neighbor
- *The Singing Bee* (2007), series, Actor
- *The Dame Edna Treatment* (2007), series, Actor
- *Full Grown Men* (2006), as Beauty
- *I Remember You Now...* (2005), as Margaret
- *A Life in Suitcases: A History of Tulse Luper* (2005), as Fastidieux
- *Blondie - Live by Request* (2004), Actor
- *The Tulse Luper Suitcases: Antwerp* (2003), Actor
- *The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 1: The Moab Story* (2003), as Fastidieux
- *A Good Night to Die* (2003), as Madison
- *My Life Without Me* (2003), as Ann's Mother
- *Spun* (2003), as Neighbor
- *Blondie Greatest Video Hits* (2002), Writer
- *Try Seventeen* (2002), as Ma Mabley
- *What the Punk - An MVD Sampler* (2002), Actor
- *Deuces Wild* (2002), as Wendy
- *Downtown '81* (2001), as Fairy Godmother
- *The Fluffer* (2001), as Marcella
- *Red Lipstick* (2000), as Ezmeralda The Psychic
- *Beastie Boys: Tibetan Freedom Concert 1999* (1999), Actor
- *Six Ways to Sunday* (1999), as Kate Odum
- *Cop Land* (1997), as Delores
- *L.A. Johns* (1997), as Madam 'Jacq' Jacqueline
- *Sabrina, the Teenage Witch* (1996), series, as Cassandra
- *Drop Dead Rock* (1996), as Thor Sturmundrang
- *TFI Friday* (1996), series, Actor
- *Heavy* (1995), as Delores
- *Joy Street* (1995), Music
- *Dead Beat* (1994), as Mrs. Kurtz
- *Rakthavira* (1994), as Narrator (voice)
- *The Adventures of Pete & Pete* (1993), series, as Neighbor
- *Body Bags* (1993), as The Nurse
- *Changing Fashions* (1993), Actor
- *The Real Story of O Christmas Tree* (1991), as Anneka (voice)
- *Intimate Stranger* (1991), as Cory Wheeler
- *Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme* (1990), as Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe
- *Tales from the Darkside: The Movie* (1990), as Betty (Wraparound Story)
- *New York Stories* (1989), as Girl at Blind Alley
- *Monsters* (1988), series, as Dr. Moss
- *Hairspray* (1988), as Velma Von Tussle
- *Satisfaction* (1988), as Tina
- *Wiseguy* (1987), series, Actor
- *Forever, Lulu* (1986), as Lulu
- *Tales from the Darkside* (1984), series, Actor
- *Rock & Rule* (1983), as Angel (singing voice)
- *Videodrome* (1983), as Nicki Brand — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/videodrome.md)
- *The Making of David Cronenberg's Videodrome* (1982), as Interviewee
- *Polyester* (1981), Lyricist
- *Union City* (1980), as Lillian
- *The Foreigner* (1978), as Dee Trik
- *Blitzkrieg Bop!* (1978), Actor
- *Unmade Beds* (1976), as Blondie
- *Deadly Hero* (1975), as Singer (uncredited)
- *Musikladen* (1972), series, Actor
- *Omnibus* (1967), series, Actor
- *Simply The Best: The Mike Chapman Story*, Executive Producer
- *Maitreya*, as Barbara

## Gallery

- ![Promotional photograph of musician Debbie Harry of Blondie, circa January 1978. Issued as part of a press kit by Chrysalis Records.](https://film.one/media/person/95398/gallery-7552929d0316.jpg) Promotional photograph of musician Debbie Harry of Blondie, circa January 1978. Issued as part of a press kit by Chrysalis Records. — Brian McLaughlin; Distributed by Chrysalis Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Debbie_Harry%2C_circa_January_1978.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Blondie in 1977: Gary Valentine, Clem Burke, Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, and Jimmy Destri.](https://film.one/media/person/95398/gallery-ffb8ed11330a.jpg) Blondie in 1977: Gary Valentine, Clem Burke, Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, and Jimmy Destri. — Private Stock Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Debbie_Harry_in_1977.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Debbie Harry](https://film.one/media/person/95398/gallery-8ac9296aac33.jpg) Debbie Harry — Vera de Kok, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/Debbie_Harry_-_IFFR_2024_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Debbie_Harry_-_IFFR_2024_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![BlondieRoundhouse030517-17 (2017)](https://film.one/media/person/95398/gallery-8888d8169fb0.jpg) BlondieRoundhouse030517-17 (2017) — Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/BlondieRoundhouse030517-17_%2834284161962%29_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Debbie Harry](https://film.one/media/person/95398/gallery-00576b4849a0.jpg) Debbie Harry — Image via TMDB
- ![Debbie Harry](https://film.one/media/person/95398/gallery-8f1b494fcfb0.jpg) Debbie Harry — Image via TMDB
- ![Debbie Harry](https://film.one/media/person/95398/gallery-f285f699fa56.jpg) Debbie Harry — Image via TMDB
- ![BlondieRoundhouse030517-17 (2017)](https://film.one/media/person/95398/gallery-748a334e5b87.jpg) BlondieRoundhouse030517-17 (2017) — Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/BlondieRoundhouse030517-17_%2834284161962%29.jpg/1280px-BlondieRoundhouse030517-17_%2834284161962%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Debbie Harry at the 53rd International Film Festival Rotterdam](https://film.one/media/person/95398/gallery-d14effdd5de5.jpg) Debbie Harry at the 53rd International Film Festival Rotterdam — Vera de Kok, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Debbie_Harry_-_IFFR_2024_%28headshot%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)

## Awards

### Other awards — 1 won

- New Jersey Hall of Fame 2017: New Jersey Hall of Fame (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/debbie-harry