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Irish actress (Born 2003)
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]
Since January 2024, McDonnell has played the part of Young Joan in the play
The Hills of California .
[13]
Acting credits
Film
Television
Stage
References
^ 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 .
^ 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 .
^
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 .
^
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 .
^ Wallace-Jones, Ines (18 June 2020).
"Lara McDonnell" . Flaunt Magazine .
Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2021 .
^
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 .
^ Alexander, Mischa (24 June 2020).
" 'Artemis Fowl' review" .
The Boar .
Archived from the original on 27 July 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022 .
^ 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 .
^ 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 .
^
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 .
^ 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 .
^
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 .
^ 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 .
^
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 .
^ Dwyer, Ciara (23 January 2022).
"Upfront: Lara McDonnell on acting, riot scenes and Oscar hopes" . Irish Independent . Retrieved 30 July 2022 .
^ 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 .
^ 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 .
External links