- Charlene McKenna
-
Charlene Lee McKenna 
McKenna in Paris with Carice van HoutenBorn 1984 (age 26–27)
Glaslough, County Monaghan, IrelandOccupation Actress Years active 2005-present Charlene McKenna (Irish: Searlaoin Mac Cionaoith; born 1984, Glaslough, County Monaghan, Ireland)[1] is an award-winning Irish actress. She became a household name and face in Ireland after starring as Jennifer in the television series Pure Mule in 2005.[1] She has had numerous other roles in television dramas in Ireland, including Raw, Single-Handed 2 and Whistleblower. She won the Best Actress (Television) award at the Irish Film and Television Awards in 2009 for Raw and won the Outstanding Actress in a Mini-Series award for her role in Whistleblower at the Monte Carlo Television Festival in June 2009.
Contents
Career
McKenna first appeared on stage at the age of eleven, playing a small role in Oklahoma! with the Monaghan Youth Theatre.[1] She studied Religious Education and Music at Mater Dei Institute of Education.[1] Her first large-scale production was Pure Mule which launched her career.[1] She played Jennifer, a racy character, in the series.[2]
McKenna has had roles in several other Irish television shows as well, including Raw, Single Handed and Whistleblower.[3] She had a role in a two-hour Dickensian period drama filmed in Dublin and broadcast on ITV in late 2007.[4] The drama also featured Derek Jacobi, Toby Jones, Bradley Walsh, Zoë Wanamaker, Martin Freeman, Steve Pemberton, Anna Madeley and Gina McKee.[4]
In 2007, she filmed the short film Danger High Voltage at the Electric Picnic music festival in Stradbally, County Laois. The film, which also starred Barry Ward and was directed by Luke McManus, went on to win awards at both the Galway Film Fleadh and the Cork Film Festival in 2008.
She appeared in the second episode of Single Handed 2, broadcast on 1 January 2008, in which Garda Sergeant Jack Driscoll investigated the case of the missing two-year-old son of her character, Eilish.[2][5] Eilish also had to endure several resentful in-laws.[6] This performance was described as "outstanding".[7]
Whistleblower, a two-part fact-based drama broadcast in August 2008, was based on the late 1970s scandal at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, County Louth, involving gynaecologist Michael Neary.[8] McKenna played Karen, a young mother who has an unnecessary hysterectomy performed on her after giving birth.[8] Emma Stansfield played the nurse who blew the whistle.[8]
For her role in Raw, McKenna stripped naked for a full frontal scene in the fourth episode.[3] The actress was pleased with the lack of complaints about the scene, apparently considering it an indication of the growing tolerance of Irish audiences. Scenes involving restaurant staff tampering with their guests' food similarly failed to attract much complaint.[3] McKenna's character in the series is Jojo, a young chef, working under Tanya, a stressed manager, and a head chef. In the second episode, Jojo organises a party but the alcohol runs out and tensions rise.[9][10] Raw, a six-part series set in a fictitious restaurant in Dublin, saw McKenna interact with Bachelors Walk actor Keith McErlean and Mistresses actress Shelley Conn.[11]
McKenna also appeared in the film Dorothy Mills, which was released in 2008, as the role of Mary McMahon.
She narrowly lost out on a role in the film Land of the Lost opposite Will Ferrell.[3] Despite meeting the director, the part was given to Anna Friel instead.[3]
McKenna returned to Irish screens later in 2009 as the character Jojo in the second series of Raw on RTÉ Two.[12] The show returned for a third series, which first aired on the 9th of January, 2011.
In 2011, McKenna appeared in an episode of Channel 4 comedy-drama Sirens. She played the eponymous antagonist "Lamia" (/lɑːmiːə/) in that episode of the fourth season of the BBC TV series Merlin.[13]
Awards
IFTAs
McKenna won the Best Actress (Television) award at the Irish Film and Television Awards in 2009 for her role in Raw.[12][14]
Year Nominated work Award Result 2009 Raw Best Actress (Television) Won Monte Carlo
McKenna won the Outstanding Actress in a Mini-Series award for her role in Whistleblower at the Monte Carlo Television Festival in June 2009.[12] McKenna used to date Adrian Kerley from Scotstown.
Year Nominated work Award Result 2009 Whistleblower Outstanding Actress in a Mini-Series Won Personal life
McKenna is from Monaghan but lives in London.[3][15] She watches several television programmes including Strictly Come Dancing, Sex and the City, Friends and The Clinic, but dislikes Big Brother.[15] Her other leisure pursuits include fashion and shopping.[15]
References
- ^ a b c d "Lonesome West for Charlene". Laois Nationalist. 2005-03-11. http://www.laois-nationalist.ie/news/story/index.aspx?trs=cwkfkfojgb. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ a b "Raw talent: New RTÉ drama series ready to cook up a storm". Irish Independent. 2008-05-08. http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/raw-talent-new-rte-drama-series-ready-to-cook-up-a-storm-1369608.html. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ a b c d e f "It's the Raw truth: Charlene McKenna nabs The Clinic's Aidan Turner". Sunday Tribune. 2008-10-05. http://www.tribune.ie/news/article/2008/oct/05/its-the-raw-truth-charlene-mckenna-nabs-the-clinic/. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ a b "What the Dickens! Stars film classic novel". Irish Independent. 2007-05-30. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/what-the-dickens-stars-film-classic-novel-893489.html. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ "Single-Handed 3: The Drowning ManSunday, RTE1, 9.25pm". Irish Independent. 2009-04-11. http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/singlehanded-3--the-drowning-mansunday-rte1-925pm-1706067.html. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ "Singlehanded 2". Irish Independent. 2007-12-29. http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/singlehanded-2-1254611.html. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ "Grim tale of abduction a dramatic victory for RTÉ". Irish Independent. 2008-01-05. http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/grim-tale-of-abduction-a-dramatic-victory-for-rte-1258323.html. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ a b c "Syriana". Irish Independent. 2008-08-30. http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/syriana-1466052.html. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ "Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit". Irish Independent. 2008-09-13. http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/wallace--gromit-in-the-curse-of-the-wererabbit-1474809.html. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ "Schindler's List". Irish Independent. 2008-09-06. http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/schindlers-list-1470650.html. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ "Raw's racy sex scenes failing to rattle viewers". Irish Independent. 2008-09-14. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/raws-racy-sex-scenes-failing-to-rattle-viewers-1475229.html. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ a b c "Irish star a winner in Monte Carlo". RTÉ. 2009-06-12. http://www.rte.ie/arts/2009/0612/mckennac.html. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ "Merlin Series 4". Merlin Wikia. 2011-09-06. http://merlin.wikia.com/wiki/Series_4. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
- ^ "Fassbender secures top IFTA acting honour for hard-hitting 'Hunger' role". Irish Independent. 2009-05-15. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/fassbender-secures-top-ifta-acting-honour-for-hardhitting---hunger-role-1640569.html. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ a b c "Star of the Day". RTÉ Guide. 2008-08-31. http://www.rteguide.ie/2008/0831/staroftheday.html. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
Categories:- Irish television actors
- 1985 births
- Living people
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