Lara McDonnell explained
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. After this, McDonnell played a young Anne Brontë in To Walk Invisible (2016) and then as Alannah in The Delinquent Season (2018).
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. 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.[6] [7] McDonnell would work with Branagh again on his film Belfast (2021), playing Moira.[8]
In 2022, she appeared in the Channel 5 drama The Holiday as Lucy.[9] The same year, she also appeared in the Netflix series The Last Bus.[10] In 2023, she starred in Greatest Days, playing a teenage Rachel.[11]
Since January 2024, McDonnell has played the part of Young Joan in the play The Hills of California.[12]
Acting credits
Film
Television
Stage
Notes and References
- Lara McDonnell . laramcdonnell1 . 7 November 2020 . I'm officially a dancing queen . 1325122964283674624 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220423154902/https://twitter.com/laramcdonnell1/status/1325122964283674624 . 23 April 2022 . Twitter . 27 July 2021.
- Web site: 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 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220423143916/https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/movies/time-to-shine-eight-irish-actors-and-film-makers-to-go-stellar-in-2021-from-paul-mescal-to-aisling-franciosi-39944938.html . 23 April 2022 . Irish Independent . 27 July 2021.
- Web site: Moynihan . Caitlin . 25 June 2020 . Former Matilda Star Lara McDonnell on Filming Artemis Fowl, Her Family of Fans & More . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220423144730/https://www.broadway.com/buzz/199525/former-matilda-star-lara-mcdonnell-on-filming-artemis-fowl-her-family-of-fans-more/ . 23 April 2022 . 27 July 2021 . Broadway.com.
- Web site: Sweeney . Tanya . 13 June 2020 . A fairy tale begins - meet the Dublin teen starring in the big screen version of Artemis Fowl . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220423145506/https://www.independent.ie/weekend-magazine/a-fairy-tale-begins-meet-the-dublin-teen-starring-in-the-big-screen-version-of-artemis-fowl-39274804.html . 23 April 2022 . Irish Independent . 27 July 2021.
- Web site: Wallace-Jones . Ines . 18 June 2020 . Lara McDonnell . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220423145901/https://flaunt.com/content/flaunt-qampa-lara-mcdonnell . 23 April 2022 . Flaunt Magazine . 27 July 2021.
- News: Alexander . Mischa . 24 June 2020 . 'Artemis Fowl' review . live . https://archive.today/20220727200250/https://theboar.org/2020/06/artemis-fowl-review/ . 27 July 2022 . . 17 April 2022.
- Web site: Baron . Reuben . 3 March 2020 . Disney May Have Missed the Point of Artemis Fowl . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220423151816/https://www.cbr.com/disney-missed-the-point-artemis-fowl/ . 23 April 2022 . 17 April 2022 . CBR.
- News: McNamara . Mary . 24 March 2022 . How 'Belfast' shows the evolution of the Troubles on screen . https://web.archive.org/web/20220423152031/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-03-24/oscars-2022-belfast-troubles-in-the-name-of-the-father . 23 April 2022 . Los Angeles Times . 17 April 2022.
- News: Carr . Flora . 3 March 2022 . Meet the cast of Channel 5 drama The Holiday . https://web.archive.org/web/20220423152217/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/the-holiday-channel-5-cast/ . 23 April 2022 . Radio Times . 17 April 2022.
- News: Bulbul . Nuray . 1 April 2022 . Who is in The Last Bus cast on Netflix and what is the series about? . https://web.archive.org/web/20220423152406/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/tv/who-last-bus-cast-netflix-23563537 . 23 April 2022 . Manchester Evening News . 17 April 2022.
- Web site: Wiseman . Andreas . 24 March 2022 . Take That Movie 'Greatest Days', Starring Aisling Bea, Sets Cast, Financiers, Distributors Ahead Of Shoot . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220423152640/https://deadline.com/2022/03/take-that-movie-aisling-bea-greatest-days-1234985537/ . 23 April 2022 . Deadline . 17 April 2022.
- Web site: Riley . Kate . 2023-11-17 . 'The Hills of California' sets West End cast . https://web.archive.org/web/20240103181941/https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/the-hills-of-california-sets-west-end-cast . 2024-01-03 . 2024-01-03 . London Theatre . en.
- Web site: Smith . Josh . 9 June 2020 . 'Everyone should have the courage to speak up!' Meet Disney's new heroine, Artemis Fowl's Lara McDonnell . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220423150406/https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/lara-mcdonnell-artemis-fowl-disney-movie-interview-2020 . 23 April 2022 . Glamour . 27 July 2021.
- Web site: Davids . Brian . 12 June 2020 . How 'Artemis Fowl' Star Lara McDonnell Got Over Her Judi Dench Jitters . https://web.archive.org/web/20220423153341/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/how-artemis-fowl-star-lara-mcdonnell-got-her-judi-dench-nerves-1298106/ . 23 April 2022 . The Hollywood Reporter . 27 July 2021.
- Web site: Dwyer . Ciara . 23 January 2022 . Upfront: Lara McDonnell on acting, riot scenes and Oscar hopes . Irish Independent . 30 July 2022.
- Web site: Jenkins . Bethan Rose . 27 May 2021 . Bestselling thriller The Holiday is being adapted into a TV adaptation starring Jill Halfpenny . https://web.archive.org/web/20220423154231/https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/lifestyle/a36555088/the-holiday-jill-halfpenny/ . 23 April 2022 . Good Housekeeping . 27 July 2021.
- Web site: Dunn . Carrie . 16 March 2015 . New Pic - Minchin and Warchus With The MATILDA Girls! . https://web.archive.org/web/20220423154459/https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/New-Pic-Minchin-and-Warchus-With-The-MATILDA-Girls-20150316 . 23 April 2022 . Broadway World . 27 July 2021.