# Susan Lynch

Susan Lynch (born 1971) is an actress from Northern Ireland. She is known for her role in the 2003 film 16 Years of Alcohol. Her other film appearances include Waking Ned Devine (1998), Nora (2000), Beautiful Creatures (2000), and From Hell (2001). In 2020, she was listed as number 42 on The Irish Times list of Ireland's greatest film actors.

## Early life and education

Lynch was born in 1971 in Corrinshego, County Armagh, Northern Ireland to an Italian mother (from Trivento) and an Irish father. She has four siblings; her eldest brother is actor John Lynch.
She trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama.

## Career

In August 2004, she starred in The Night Season at the Royal National Theatre in London. In 2008, she was one of the leads in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot at the Almeida Theatre.
Her film roles include Beautiful Creatures (2000), Waking Ned (1998), Ready Player One (2018), and the title role in Nora (2000), about Nora Barnacle the wife of James Joyce.
Lynch played Alison Garrs in Happy Valley. The programme's creator and writer, Sally Wainwright, wrote the part of Alison Garrs with Lynch in mind.

## Personal life

Lynch and her husband, actor Craig Parkinson, lived in Painswick, Gloucestershire in 2016. The couple separated in 2019.

## Awards and recognition

Lynch has won three Irish Film and Television Academy Awards, including Best Leading Actress for her work in the film Nora, about Nora Barnacle and her husband, Irish author James Joyce.
She also won the British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 2003 film 16 Years of Alcohol.
In 2020, she was listed as number 42 on The Irish Times list of Ireland's greatest film actors.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1994 | The Secret of Roan Inish | Selkie | |
| 1994 | Interview with the Vampire | Paris Vampire | |
| 1997 | Downtime | Chrissy | |
| 1998 | Waking Ned Devine | Maggie O'Toole | Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |
| 1999 | Deceit | Corinna | |
| 2000 | Nora | Nora Barnacle | IFTA Award for Best Actress |
| 2000 | Beautiful Creatures | Dorothy | Nominated — British Independent Film Award for Best Actress |
| 2001 | Happy Now? | Tina Trent | |
| 2001 | From Hell | Liz Stride | |
| 2001 | Morlang | Ann Morlang | |
| 2001 | Dumping Elaine | Beth | Short film |
| 2001 | Mapmaker | Jane Bates | Nominated — IFTA Award for Best Actress in a Feature Film |
| 2002 | Jedermanns Fest | Maria | |
| 2003 | 16 Years of Alcohol | Mary | British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actress IFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress |
| 2003 | Casa de los babys | Eileen | |
| 2003 | Bye-Child | Woman | Short film |
| 2003 | Red Roses and Petrol | Catherine Doyle | |
| 2004 | School of Life | Teacher | Short film |
| 2004 | Mickybo and Me | Torch Woman | |
| 2004 | Enduring Love | Rachel | |
| 2005 | Duane Hopwood | Gina | |
| 2006 | A Woman in Winter | Marianne | |
| 2006 | Soundproof | Penny | Nominated — RTS Television Award for Best Actress |
| 2006 | Someone Else | Lisa | |
| 2007 | Elizabeth: The Golden Age | Annette Fleming | |
| 2009 | City Rats | Gina | |
| 2009 | Holy Water (Hard Times) | Geraldine | |
| 2009 | The Race | Katey Kensay | |
| 2009 | The Scouting Book for Boys | Sharon | |
| 2010 | Capture Anthologies: Love, Lust and Tragedy | Woman (segment: "Bye-Child") | Direct-to-video |
| 2011 | Hideaways | Mrs. O'Mara | |
| 2011 | Stop the World | Susan | Short film |
| 2014 | Here and Now | Lucy | |
| 2015 | Cleaned | Helen (Nurse) | Short film |
| 2016 | Away | Angie | |
| 2016 | The Secret Scripture | Nurse Caitlin | |
| 2017 | Bad Day for the Cut | Frankie Pierce | |
| 2018 | Ready Player One | Aunt Alice | |
| 2018 | Dead to the World | Emily Tennison | Short film |
| 2019 | Downton Abbey | Miss Lawton | |
| 2020 | Cold Blow Lane | Mademoiselle | |
| 2020 | Here Are the Young Men | Lynn Connolly | |
| 2024 | Bring Them Down | Peggy | |

### Television

| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1991 | The Bill | Trainee investigator | Episode: "Six of One" |
| 1992 | Screen One | Receptionist 2 | Episode: "Running Late" |
| 1993 | Cracker | Tina Brien | 3 episodes |
| 1995 | Dangerous Lady | Maura Ryan | 4 episodes Television miniseries |
| 1995 | The Perfect Match | Erica | Television film |
| 1996 | Truth or Dare | Mel | Television film |
| 1997 | Ivanhoe | Rebecca | 6 episodes Television miniseries |
| 1997 | A Royal Scandal | Caroline of Brunswick | Television film |
| 1998 | Kings in Grass Castles | Sarah | 2 episodes Television miniseries |
| 1998 | Amongst Women | Maggie | 4 episodes Television miniseries |
| 2001 | Sweet Revenge | Madeleine | 2 episodes Television miniseries |
| 2002 | Any Time Now | Stevie McCutcheon | 4 episodes IFTA Award for Best Actress in a Television Drama |
| 2002–2005 | Kelly | Herself | 2 episodes |
| 2004 | Bodies | Maria Orton | 6 episodes Nominated – IFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress in Film/TV |
| 2005 | Dalziel and Pascoe | Janet Rix | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | The Ten Commandments | Miriam | Television film |
| 2006 | Soundproof | Penny | Television movie Nominated – RTS Television Award for Best Actress |
| 2007 | The Robber Bride | Charis White | Television film |
| 2009 | The Unloved | Lucy's Mother | Television film |
| 2010 | The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister | Isabella "Tib" Norcliffe | Television film |
| 2010 | Marple: The Pale Horse | Sybil Stamfordis | Television film |
| 2010 | Moving On | Tina | Episode: "Malaise" |
| 2011–2012 | Monroe | Anna Monroe | 12 episodes |
| 2011 | New Tricks | Claudia Scott | Episode: "Moving Target" |
| 2011 | Great Expectations | Molly | 3 episodes Television miniseries |
| 2012 | The Secret of Crickley Hall | Lili Peel | 2 episodes Television miniseries |
| 2013 | Ambassadors | Caitlin | 3 episodes Television miniseries |
| 2014 | Common | Margaret Ward | Television film |
| 2014 | Chasing Shadows | Dr Ellesmere | 2 episodes Television mini-series |
| 2016 | National Treasure | Christina Farnborough | 2 Episodes Television miniseries |
| 2016–2023 | Happy Valley | Alison Garrs | 7 episodes |
| 2017 | Apple Tree Yard | Susannah | 4 episodes Television miniseries |
| 2018–2020 | Save Me | Stace | 11 episodes |
| 2018 | Killing Eve | Anna | 2 episodes |
| 2018 | Doctor Who | Angstrom | Episode: "The Ghost Monument" |
| 2019 | Wild Bill | Angie | Episode: "Welcome to Boston" |
| 2020 | Sex Education | Tara Gibbs | Episode: "#2.3" |
| 2021 | Unforgotten | Liz Baildon | Series 4 |
| 2021 | Bloodlands | DCI Heather Pentland | Episode: "Goliath" |
| 2021 | Close to Me | Cathy | 4 episodes Television miniseries |
| 2022 | Pistol | John's Mum | Episode: "Track 5: Nancy and Sid" Television miniseries |
| 2023 | The Change | Agnes | 6 episodes |
| 2023 | Northern Lights | Pauline | 6 episodes |
| 2024 | Daddy Issues | Davina | 2 episodes |
| 2025 | A Thousand Blows | Jane Carr | |