# Elaine Cassidy

Elaine Cassidy (born 31 December 1979) is an Irish actress. Her films include The Sun, the Moon and the Stars (1996), Felicia's Journey (1999), The Others (2001), Disco Pigs (2002), And When Did You Last See Your Father? (2007), The Program (2015), Strangeways Here We Come (2018), The Wonder (2022), and The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die (2023). On television, her credits include The Ghost Squad (2005), Fingersmith (2005), Little White Lie (2008), Harper's Island (2009), The Paradise (2012), No Offence (2015–2018), Intruder (2021), A Discovery of Witches (2021–2022).

## Early life

Cassidy was born in Raheny, and moved with her family to Kilcoole when she was three years old. Her first role was as the title character in a school production of Pinocchio when she was five. She participated in drama classes throughout secondary school.

## Career

In 1996, Cassidy was nominated for the Most Promising Actress at the Geneva Film Festival for her role in The Sun, the Moon and the Stars. In 1999, she played the starring role in Felicia's Journey, for which she was nominated Best Actress at the 20th Genie Awards. She was named EFP European Shooting Star for in 2001.
She has won two Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTA) for Best Actress in a Lead Role in Film in 2003 for her role as Runt in Disco Pigs, and in 2010 for Best Actress in a Lead Role in Television for her role as Abby Mills in the American CBS TV series Harper's Island. She was also nominated for an IFTA in 2005 as Best Actress in a Lead Role in Television for her role as "Maud Lilly" in the BBC BAFTA nominated drama Fingersmith, in 2007 as Best Actress in a Supporting Role in Film for her role as Sandra in And When Did You Last See Your Father?, and in 2009 as Best Actress in a Lead Role in Television for her role as Annie Mulcahy in Little White Lie.
In theatre, she has appeared in The Lieutenant of Inishmore (2002) and The Crucible (2006) with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and in There Came A Gypsy Riding at the Almeida Theatre in 2007.
In 2002, she appeared in the music video for Coldplay's "The Scientist". In 2011, she played Maureen in the TV film Just Henry.
In 2015, she played a main role of DC Dinah Kowalska in the Channel 4 drama series No Offence (2015–2018), and Sarah Manning in Acceptable Risk (2017).
In 2022, she starred as Rosaleen O'Donnell in the Irish film The Wonder, alongside her own daughter Kila, who played "the wonder" and co-starring Florence Pugh. She received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Film at the 'Irish Film and Television Awards in 2023.
In 2023, she starred in the film The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die, playing Eadgifu of Kent, the role was previously played by Sonya Cassidy in the TV series.

## Personal life

Cassidy married English actor Stephen Lord, whom she met on the set of The Truth, on 31 December 2007. They live in Greenwich, London, with their daughter Kíla, and their son.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1996 | The Sun, the Moon and the Stars | Shelley | |
| 1999 | Felicia's Journey | Felicia | |
| 2001 | The Others | Lydia | |
| 2001 | Disco Pigs | Runt | |
| 2002 | The Bay of Love and Sorrows | Carrie Matchett | |
| 2006 | The Truth | Candy | |
| 2007 | And When Did You Last See Your Father? | Sandra | |
| 2014 | The Loft | Ellie Seacord | |
| 2016 | The Program | Betsy Andreu | |
| 2016 | Mum's List | Rachel | |
| 2016 | Property of the State | Margaret | |
| 2018 | Strangeways Here We Come | Steph Nolan | |
| 2022 | The Wonder | Rosaleen O'Donnell | |
| 2023 | The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die | Eadgifu | |
| TBA | Salvable | TBA | Post-production |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1995 | Mission Top Secret | Mary | Episode: "The Crown Jewels Are Missing" |
| 2001 | The Lost World | Agnes Cluny | Miniseries |
| 2003 | Watermelon | Anna Ryan | TV film |
| 2005 | Uncle Adolf | Geli Raubal | TV film |
| 2005 | Fingersmith | Maud Lilly | Miniseries; 3 episodes |
| 2005 | The Ghost Squad | Det. Amy Harris | Main role; 8 episodes |
| 2007 | A Room with a View | Lucy Honeychurch | TV film |
| 2008 | Little White Lie | Annie Mulcahy | TV film |
| 2009 | Harper's Island | Abby Mills | Main role; 13 episodes |
| 2011 | Just Henry | Maureen Dodge | TV film |
| 2011 | The Miraculous Year | Brona McKinney | TV film |
| 2012–2013 | The Paradise | Katherine Weston | Main role; 16 episodes |
| 2015–2018 | No Offence | DC Dinah Kowalska | Main role; 21 episodes |
| 2017 | Acceptable Risk | Sarah Manning | Main role; 6 episodes |
| 2020 | The Dark Tower | Gabrielle Deschain | TV film |
| 2021 | Intruder | Rebecca Hickey | Main role; 4 episodes |
| 2021–2022 | A Discovery of Witches | Louisa de Clermont | Main role (series 2) |
| 2024 | Sanctuary: A Witch's Tale | Sarah Fenn | Main role; 7 episodes |
| 2024 | Belgravia: The Next Chapter | Davison | Main role; 8 episodes |

### Music video

* "The Scientist" by Coldplay, as Passenger

## Theatre

* The Lieutenant of Inishmore (2002)
* Scenes from the Big Picture (2003)
* The Crucible (2006)
* There Came a Gypsy Riding (2007)
* Fathers and Sons (2014)
* Deluge (2015)
* Les Liaisons Dangereuses (2015 to 2016)
* Aristocrats, Donmar Warehouse (2018)

## Awards

| Year | Award | Category | Result | Work |
| 1996 | Geneva Film Festival | Most Promising Actress | Won | The Sun, the Moon and the Stars |
| 2000 | Golden Satellite Award | Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama | Nominated | Felicia's Journey |
| 2000 | Genie Award | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Nominated | Felicia's Journey |
| 2001 | EFP Shooting Stars Award | Most promising international talent for Ireland | Won | Career achievement |
| 2002 | British Independent Film Award | Best Actress | Nominated | Disco Pigs |
| 2003 | Irish Film and Television Awards | Best Actress in a Feature Film | Won | Disco Pigs |
| 2005 | Irish Film and Television Awards | Best Actress in Television | Nominated | Fingersmith |
| 2008 | Irish Film and Television Awards | Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Feature Film | Nominated | And When Did You Last See Your Father? |
| 2009 | Irish Film and Television Awards | Best Actress in Television | Nominated | Little White Lie |
| 2010 | Irish Film and Television Awards | Best Actress in Television | Won | Harper's Island |
| 2016 | Irish Film and Television Awards | Best Actress in a Lead Role – Drama | Nominated | No Offence |
| 2018 | Irish Film and Television Awards | Best Actress in a Lead Role – Drama | Nominated | Acceptable Risk |
| 2023 | Irish Film and Television Awards | Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Feature Film | Nominated | The Wonder |