Kelly Macdonald

KELLY MACDONALD

Date of Birth: February 23, 1976

Scotland-born actress Kelly Macdonald was getting ready to apply to drama school and working as a barmaid when she saw a leaflet advertising an open casting session. She got the part and from there, was propelled into the whirlwind that was Danny Boyle's Trainspotting (1996). As the teenage seducer Diane, she gave heroin junkie Renton (Ewan McGregor) one of his more memorable nights—and surprises—of his young life.

Following the film's success, Kelly began getting steady work in a number of films as both a lead and supporting player. In the immediate wake of Trainspotting, she played the title character (a teenage prostitute) in Stella Does Tricks. Subsequently, she nabbed a lead role in the period drama Cousin Bette (1997) and a small, but memorable, part in the lavish historical epic Elizabeth (1998).

In 1999, Kelly was featured in four very diverse films. In My Life So Far, she played a young girl growing up in 1920s Scotland, while Entropy featured the actress in the thoroughly modern milieu of 20-something romantic angst. Macdonald alos appeared in Mike Figgis' The Loss of Sexual Innocence, playing the young girlfriend of the film's protagonist; and in Gregg Araki's romantic comedy Splendor, she played the heroine's blue-haired best friend.

Since then, she has appeared in Gosford Park (2001) with Maggie Smith, Intermission (2004) with Colin Farrell, Finding Neverland (2004) with Johnny Depp, Nanny McPhee (2006) with Colin Firth and No Country for Old Men (2007) alongside Tommy Lee Jones and Woody Harrelson.

Kelly then went on to star in the hit HBO series Boardwalk Empire before landing a voiceover role for the lead character, Princess Merida, in the Disney/Pixar film Brave (2012) and the role of Dolly in the film adaptation of Anna Karenina (2012).

More recent credits include the films The Journey is the Destination (2016), T2 Trainspotting (2017), Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017) and a starring role in Puzzle (2018).

In 2019, she starred on the critically acclaimed Netflix series Giri/Haji, then took on the role of DCI Joanne Davidson on the popular BBC TV series Line of Duty during its sixth season, which was filmed in late 2020 and aired in 2021 on BBC, BritBox and Acorn TV.

Next up, she stars with Colin Firth and Penelope Wilton in Operation Mincemeat (2022), set during WWII.

Kelly married musician Dougie Payne in 2003, with whom she has two sons, but they have since separated.

Filmography:

Operation Mincemeat (2022)
Dirt Music (2019)
Holmes & Watson (2018)
Puzzle (2018)
Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017)
T2 Trainspotting (2017)
The Journey is the Destination (2016)
Anna Karenina (2012)
Brave (2012) (voice)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
The Decoy Bride (2011)
In the Electric Mist (2008)
Choke (2008)
The Merry Gentleman (2008)
No Country for Old Men (2007)
Lassie (2005)
Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story (2006)
Nanny McPhee (2006)
All the Invisible Children (2005)
Finding Neverland (2004)
Intermission (2004)
Gosford Park (2001)
Strictly Sinatra (2001)
Cocozza's Way (2000)
Some Voices (2000)
House! (2000)
Two Family House (2000)
My Life So Far (1999)
The Loss of Sexual Innocence (1999)
Entropy (1999)
Splendor (1999)
Elizabeth (1998)
Cousin Bette (1998)
Dead Eye Dick (1997)
Stella Does Tricks (1997)
Trainspotting (1996)