Maggie O'Neill
Margaret O'Neill (born 15 November 1962)[1] is an English actress. She is known for her television roles in Peak Practice (2000–2002), Shameless (2004–2007) and EastEnders (2008). In 1986 she appeared in the music video for Simply Red's single Holding Back The Years. In 1988 she appeared in the film Gorillas in the Mist.
Maggie O'Neill | |
---|---|
Born | Margaret O'Neill 15 November 1962 Buckinghamshire, England, UK[1] |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1985–present |
Known for | EastEnders (2008) Shameless (2004–2007) Peak Practice (2000–2002) |
Biography
The youngest of six Catholic brothers and sisters,[2] born to head teacher parents,[3] O'Neill grew up in the Midlands,[3] where she was educated at a convent school, and after being inspired by a sixth-form drama teacher, "fell" into acting.[4]
After training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama,[1] she starred in the video for Simply Red's Holding Back the Years in 1986, before making her professional stage debut in Moving Pictures, by Stephen Lowe, at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds in 1985. After making her screen debut in the British production Mona Lisa opposite Bob Hoskins in 1986, she made her Hollywood screen debut in the Sigourney Weaver film Gorillas in the Mist in 1988. She also played alongside Keith Barron and Annette Crosbie in the 1989 TV series Take Me Home.
O'Neill played Alex Redman in ITV's medical drama Peak Practice, but is best known to British audiences for playing Sheila Jackson in Channel 4's comedy drama Shameless. O'Neill also played Max and Jack Branning's sister Suzy in the BBC1 soap opera EastEnders, for five months in 2008, before leaving the show during the Christmas Day episode.[3]
Filmography
- Mona Lisa (1986) as Girl in Paradise Club
- Wherever You Are... (1988) as Julian's second wife
- Gorillas in the Mist (1988) as Kim
- Defrosting the Fridge (1988) (TV)
- Jim Henson's The Storyteller – Greek Myths (TV) {Theseus and the Minotaur} as Ariadne
- Take Me Home BBC – Three Part TV Drama (1989) (TV) as Kathy who has affair with a taxi driver (Keith Barron)
- Seven Minutes (1989) as Berta
- Inspector Morse (1991) (TV) in episode "Fat Chance" as Hilary Dobson
- Under Suspicion (1991) as Hazel Aaron
- Boon (1991) (TV) in episode "Lie of the Land" as Amanda Shepley
- The Life and Times of Henry Pratt (1992) TV
- Friday on My Mind (1992) BBC TV as Louise[5]
- When Pigs Fly (1993) as Sheila
- Cadfael (1994) (TV) in episode "One Corpse Too Many" as Aline Siward
- All Men Are Mortal (1995) as Florence
- Killing Me Softly (1995) (TV) as Sara Thornton
- The Fix (1997) (TV) as Marina Kay
- Invasion: Earth (1998) (TV) as Amanda Tucker
- Births, Marriages and Deaths (1999) as Alex
- Hero of the Hour (2000) (TV) as Alison Liddle
- White Teeth (2002) (TV) as Poppy Burt-Jones*
- Peak Practice (2001, 2002) (TV) as Alex Redman[6]
- Murder in Mind (2002) (TV) in episode "Rage"
- Blue Murder (2004) episode "Lonely" (TV) as Matilda Urwin
- Shameless (2004–2007) (TV) as Sheila Jackson
- Midsomer Murders (2004) (TV) in episode "The Straw Woman" as Agnes Waterhouse.
- Wild at Heart (UK/South African TV series) (2007) as Elaine
- Mansfield Park (2007) (TV) as Mrs Norris
- Little Devil (2007) (TV) as Laura Crowe
- The Royal ( 2007 ) (TV) as Jane Cooper Episode 2.5
- EastEnders (2008) (TV) as Suzy Branning
- New Tricks (2010) (TV) in episode "Gloves Off" as Ronni Mayfair
- Inspector George Gently (2012) (TV) in episode "Gently Northern Soul" as Matilda Braithwaite
- Truckers (2013) (TV) as Sue
- A Gert Lush Christmas (2015) (TV) as Aunty Jade
- Death in Paradise (2016) as Perrie Campbell episode 5.8
- The Halcyon (2017) (TV) as Gloria episode 1.4
- Midsomer Murders (2018) (TV) in episode 19.6, "The Curse of the Ninth" as Audrey Glenhill.
- Unforgotten as Ellen Price episodes 2.4 & 2.5
- Call the Midwife (2018) as Mae Stanton episode 7.2
• White Lines (2020)
Other appearances
- Simply Red, Holding Back The Years (1985) (music video) as the young teacher
- Clock Opera, The Lost Buoys (2012) (music video) as the wife
References
- "Maggie O'Neill:My Secret Life". The Independent. 27 October 2007. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
- "Interrogation: Maggie O'Neill". Sunday Mirror. 29 July 2007. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
- "Maggie O'Neill: Suzy Branning". BBC – Eastenders. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
- "Maggie O'Neill – career at a glance". Radio Times. August 2004. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
- "The Changing Face of Doctor Who: How to regenerate a Time Lord". Retrieved 9 January 2014.
- "Peak Practice – Cast List". peakpracticeonline.co.uk. Retrieved 6 September 2008.