Julie was born and grew up in Accrington, Lancashire. She trained at LAMDA and set up Arts Threshold Theatre in the early 90s. She co-runs Take Back Theatre Collective in Manchester.

Theatre includes:  Wit (winner of Best Female Performer 2017 MTAs); Black Roses: The Killing of Sophie Lancaster (winner Best Studio Performance 2012, MTAs); Blindsided:  all at Manchester Royal Exchange; God Bless the Child, Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Upstairs.

TV includes: Broadchurch (ITV); Happy Valley (BBC1); Black Roses (BBC4) (Royal Television Society Best Actress 2014); Moving On: Taxi for Linda (ITV); Inside No 9: La Couchette (BBC2); Cucumber/Banana/Tofu/Screwdriver (Channel 4); Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street 1998-2014 (National TV Award 2014, Royal Television Society Award 2013).