10 Places You’ve Already Seen The Cast
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Derry Girls is one of the most successful comedies from Northern Ireland and has become a hilarious and complex reflection of what it was like to live as a teenager through politically turbulent times. While plenty of vital themes are explored, the series’ charm doesn’t just owe its origins in the fantastic scripts.
The cast itself is stellar and fans surely want to see even more from this banterous bunch. Their careers continue to take off thanks to Derry Girls, although even before the show launched, the actors involved were building up an impressive array of credits in their filmography.
Saoirse-Monica Jackson: The Five (2016)
Saoirse-Monica Jackson is perhaps one of the main reasons why this is one of the best British comedies. The actor is arguably the leader of the piece and contributes both qualities in the timing of her delivery, alongside a great deal of charm. Fans of the performer may have already witnessed her talents in The Five.
While she’s set to star in the upcoming Flash movie and has continued to appear as Erin Quinn, The Five placed Jackson in a very different genre. The Harlan Coben mystery series starring talents like Sarah Solemani and O-T Fagbenle, saw Saoirse-Monica Jackson portray Sasha, as the case of the missing teenagers slowly unraveled. The show is gripping.
Louisa Harland: Boys From County Hell (2020)
Lousia Harland’s turn as the admittedly dim-witted Orla McCool demonstrated the actor’s fantastic ability to be completely deadpan in some of the funniest situations. Some of the best episodes of the show are led by the ridiculous escapades that Hardland’s character pushes the rest group into.
Outside of Derry Girls, fans may want to check out Boys From County Hell where she portrays Claire McCann. Part comedy, part horror, this Irish indie film sees a crew of workers having to survive against a vampire… and their consistent bickering. It plays to the best parts of the genre and allows Harland to jump into something a little more action-packed.
Nicola Coughlan: Bridgerton (2020-Present)
Nicola Coughlan’s role in Derry Girls is a little more complex than most and she’s perhaps received the most interesting arc. Playing Clare Devlin, not only is she the brightest of the bunch and therefore the one trying to get them out of trouble but she’s also been able to explore her sexuality, identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Of course, with themes of religion and sexuality mixing there, it takes a talented actor to bring all of that to the screen and still deliver humor in spades. Perhaps that’s why Coughlan has also had such success as Penelope Featherington and Lady Whistledown in Bridgerton. She’s arguably one of the many high points of the series as fans will already know, leading a double life in the shadows.
Jamie-Lee O’Donnell: Screw (2022)
Jamie-Lee O’Donnell plays the rebel of the group, Michelle Mallon in Derry Girls. She’s always the first to leap head-first into trouble and doesn’t mince her words. Somehow, she’s also the most mature of the group, with O’Donnell beautifully playing all of those nuances.
The character is certainly a contrast to the prison officer Rose Gill that she portrays in Screw. The British series set within the criminal justice system sees O’Donnell bounce off of the talented Nina Sosanya, as she sets about questioning the very workings of the corrupt role she’s landed herself in.
Siobhán McSweeney: The Fall (2013-2014)
Siobhán McSweeney will be best known to watchers of Derry Girls as Sister Michael. Indeed, the character has some of the best quotes of the series, with McSweeney’s straight reading of the lines somehow bringing even more humor to the situation. Her dry and sarcastic wit is second to none.
Sister Michael is far removed from McSweeney’s part in The Fall, where she portrayed Mary McCurdy. As an experienced detective, McCurdy was drawn into the web of deceit and crime at the heart of this thriller series centered around a serial killer. It’s well worth checking out and boasts Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan alongside Siobhán McSweeney’s brilliant work.
Dylan Llewellyn: Dodo (2021-Present)
Dylan Llewelyn usually plays the odd one of the group in Derry Girls. The only male of the squad and an Englishman, Llewlyn’s take on James Maguire is both sympathetic and a little pathetic, in the funniest of ways. He plays up to any given situation well and has a perfect handle on his character.
It’s his voice acting talent that may have gone unnoticed although younger audiences might already be familiar with his work. Dylan Llewelyn has also lent his voice to the lead role of Joe Connolly in the British animated series Dodo. It’s a smaller show set in a secondary school although features the work of comedian Mark Watson and Game Of Thrones alumnus Ellie Kendrick.
Ian McElhinney: Game Of Thrones (2011-2019)
The legendary Ian McElhinney has become a mainstay of Derry Girls and is perfect as the begrudging and extremely dry Joe McCool, grandfather to Erin. His rivalry with his son-in-law is infamous and he holds quite the reputation in his local town as well.
Of course in both the context of Irish media and further afield, Ian McElhinney has built up a tremendous career. International audiences know him as the loyal and courageous Barristan Selmy in Game Of Thrones. His character was one of principle; a former Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, he would later go on to serve Daenerys Targaryen.
Tommy Tiernan: Small Potatoes (1999-2001)
Tommy Tiernan is a highlight of the Irish comedy circuit and has a long history of starring in televised sitcoms and other sketch-based shows. As the loveable albeit slightly grouchy dad of Derry Girls, Tommy brings something unique to the family dynamic.
For those searching for a piece of underrated comedy that starred some big names alongside Tommy Tiernan, then Small Potatoes is an interesting find. Playing the lead Ed Hewitt, he would find himself in all sorts of chaos working in a video store, alongside other standups like Omid Djalili and Tony Way.
Tara Lynne O’Neill: Farr (2015)
The contrast between Erin’s family and her school life is one of the best things about the series and that wouldn’t work without the mom of the group. Enter Tara Lynne O’Neill, who’s feisty, caring, and maternal if not sometimes a little bit terrifying. O’Neill probably has some of the best line delivery in the whole show.
The actor has such a great filmography including The Fall and even Eastenders. It’s Farr that might be something to look out for where O’Neill plays Jennifer Conroy. The dramatic miniseries follows a police officer who has to juggle his work and family life while investigating some of the most horrific crimes in his city.
Kathy Kiera Clarke: Ice Cream Girls (2013)
Rounding out the family in Derry Girls is Kathy Kiera Clarke, who portrays Erin’s aunt and Orla’s mother, Sarah McCool. She’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, but that’s her charm. Her misinterpretation of events is sure to liven up any situation.
Clarke’s work on the stage and screen is respectable, but Ice Cream Girls stands out amongst the rest. Clarke plays Marlene in the dramatic miniseries, which looks at two women who are accused of the murder of a teacher. The teenage crime story is edge-of-the-seat stuff and a great display of Kathy Kiera Clarke’s more serious talents.
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