Lara McDonnell
Born (2003-11-07) 7 November 2003 (age 20)[1]
Castleknock, Dublin, Ireland
EducationSt Brigid's National School, Castleknock
OccupationActress
Years active2013–present

Lara McDonnell (born 7 November 2003) is an Irish actress. She starred as the alternating title role in the West End production of Matilda the Musical from 2015 to 2016. She has since landed roles in a number of films. McDonnell appeared on the 2021 Irish Independent list of actors to go stellar.[2]

Early life and education

McDonnell is from the Luttrellstown area of Castleknock, a suburb west of Dublin. The eldest of three to parents Hazel and Ciaran, she has a sister(Charlotte)and a brother(Andrew).[3] McDonnell attended St Brigid's National School, Castleknock. She took after school drama classes at a parish centre near her school.[4][5]

Career

McDonnell made her first acting appearance in 2014, playing an adolescent Rosie in the romantic comedy-drama film Love, Rosie. The following year, she was cast as one of four girls playing Matilda Wormwood in the West End musical Matilda the Musical.[3] After this, McDonnell played a young Anne Brontë in To Walk Invisible (2016) and then as Alannah in The Delinquent Season (2018).[4]

She then played Captain Holly Short in Kenneth Branagh's Artemis Fowl (2020), a Disney film based on the novel of the same name by Eoin Colfer.[6] Following the release of the trailer, McDonnell's casting drew some criticism as Holly is described in the book as having "nut-brown skin", leading to accusations of whitewashing.[7][8] McDonnell would work with Branagh again on his film Belfast (2021), playing Moira.[9]

In 2022, she appeared in the Channel 5 drama The Holiday as Lucy.[10] The same year, she also appeared in the Netflix series The Last Bus.[11] In 2023, she starred in Greatest Days, playing a teenage Rachel.[12]

In January 2024, McDonnell is set to appear in the play The Hills of California.[13]

Acting credits

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2014 Love, Rosie 10-year-old Rosie Dunne Debut role [6]
2016 To Walk Invisible Young Anne Television film
2018 The Delinquent Season Alannah [14]
2020 Artemis Fowl Holly Short [14]
2021 Belfast Moira [15]
2023 Greatest Days Young Rachel [12]

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2022 The Holiday Lucy [10][16]
The Last Bus Lucy Monkhouse Episode 10

Stage

Year Title Role Venue Notes Ref.
2015–2016 Matilda the Musical Matilda Wormwood Cambridge Theatre
London, England 		Produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company [17]

References

  1. ^ Lara McDonnell [@laramcdonnell1] (7 November 2020). "I'm officially a dancing queen" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2021 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Wasser, Chris (9 January 2021). "Time to shine: eight Irish actors and film-makers to go stellar in 2021, from Paul Mescal to Aisling Franciosi". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b Moynihan, Caitlin (25 June 2020). "Former Matilda Star Lara McDonnell on Filming Artemis Fowl, Her Family of Fans & More". Broadway.com. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  4. ^ a b Sweeney, Tanya (13 June 2020). "A fairy tale begins - meet the Dublin teen starring in the big screen version of Artemis Fowl". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  5. ^ Wallace-Jones, Ines (18 June 2020). "Lara McDonnell". Flaunt Magazine. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  6. ^ a b Smith, Josh (9 June 2020). "'Everyone should have the courage to speak up!' Meet Disney's new heroine, Artemis Fowl's Lara McDonnell". Glamour. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  7. ^ Alexander, Mischa (24 June 2020). "'Artemis Fowl' review". The Boar. Archived from the original on 27 July 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  8. ^ Baron, Reuben (3 March 2020). "Disney May Have Missed the Point of Artemis Fowl". CBR. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  9. ^ McNamara, Mary (24 March 2022). "How 'Belfast' shows the evolution of the Troubles on screen". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  10. ^ a b Carr, Flora (3 March 2022). "Meet the cast of Channel 5 drama The Holiday". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  11. ^ Bulbul, Nuray (1 April 2022). "Who is in The Last Bus cast on Netflix and what is the series about?". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  12. ^ a b Wiseman, Andreas (24 March 2022). "Take That Movie 'Greatest Days', Starring Aisling Bea, Sets Cast, Financiers, Distributors Ahead Of Shoot". Deadline. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  13. ^ Riley, Kate (17 November 2023). "'The Hills of California' sets West End cast". London Theatre. Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  14. ^ a b Davids, Brian (12 June 2020). "How 'Artemis Fowl' Star Lara McDonnell Got Over Her Judi Dench Jitters". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  15. ^ Dwyer, Ciara (23 January 2022). "Upfront: Lara McDonnell on acting, riot scenes and Oscar hopes". Irish Independent. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  16. ^ Jenkins, Bethan Rose (27 May 2021). "Bestselling thriller The Holiday is being adapted into a TV adaptation starring Jill Halfpenny". Good Housekeeping. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  17. ^ Dunn, Carrie (16 March 2015). "New Pic - Minchin and Warchus With The MATILDA Girls!". Broadway World. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2021.

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