# Alisha Weir

Alisha Weir (born 26 September 2009) is an Irish actress and singer, best known for her leading roles in the films Matilda the Musical (2022) and Abigail (2024); for the latter, she received a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer nomination. In April 2024, Weir was named in Forbes 30 Under 30.

## Early life

Alisha Weir was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. She attended Our Lady's School and has two older sisters, both of whom participated in drama classes, inspiring her to pursue acting at a young age.
Her father manages a car dealership, and she is scheduled to take her Junior Cert exams in 2025.

## Career

Weir began her career in theatre, debuting as Ivanka in the musical Once at Dublin's Olympia Theatre in 2017. She gained attention for her singing talent on The Late Late Toy Show, where she performed Justin Timberlake's cover of "True Colors".
Her feature film debut was in the 2018 thriller Don't Leave Home, and she made her television debut as Laura in the 2019 crime drama Darklands. Weir has also appeared in stage productions of Annie, The Wizard of Oz, and Oliver!.
At eleven, Weir was cast as Matilda Wormwood in the Netflix adaptation of Matilda the Musical. She later starred in the 2024 horror film Abigail, released on 19 April 2024. For this role, she trained in ballet and performed her own stunts. Critics praised her performance, with Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter describing it as "mesmerising" and "frightening and sardonically funny".
Weir is also set to voice the lead role in the animated feature The Land of Sometimes, alongside Jessica Henwick and Ewan McGregor.

## Personal life

Weir resides with her parents in Knocklyon, South Dublin, and they have a pet dog. She enjoys films such as The Parent Trap and The Black Phone, and she cites actress Saoirse Ronan as one of her idols.

## Filmography
### Film and Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2018 | Don't Leave Home | Siobhan Callahan | |
| 2018 | Day Out | Rachael | Short film |
| 2019 | Darklands | Laura | 5 episodes |
| 2020 | Ooops! The Adventure Continues | Primrose (voice) | |
| 2022 | Matilda the Musical | Matilda Wormwood | |
| 2022 | Fia's Fairies | Fia (voice) | Main role |
| 2023 | Wicked Little Letters | Nancy Gooding | |
| 2024 | Abigail | Abigail | |
| 2024 | Buffalo Kids | Mary (voice) | |

### Stage

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2017 | Once | Ivanka | Olympia Theatre, Dublin |
| 2017 | Annie | Molly | National Concert Hall, Dublin |
| 2018 | The Wizard of Oz | Munchkin | National Concert Hall, Dublin |
| 2019 | Oliver! | Chorus | National Concert Hall, Dublin |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 2022 | Dublin Film Critics' Circle | Breakthrough Artist – Irish | Matilda the Musical | Won |
| 2023 | London Film Critics' Circle | Young British/Irish Performer of the Year | Matilda the Musical | Nominated |
| 2023 | Irish Film & Television Awards | Lead Actress – Film | Matilda the Musical | Nominated |
| 2024 | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Supporting Performance | Abigail | Nominated |
| 2025 | Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Young Performer | Abigail | Nominated |
| 2025 | Saturn Awards | Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Film | Abigail | Nominated |
| 2025 | IFTA Film & Drama Awards | Lead Actress – Film | Abigail | Nominated |