Quick Facts
Biography
Elaine Cassidy (born 31 December 1979) is an Irish actress who is best known for playing the lead character Abby Mills in the American CBS TV series Harper's Island, Felicia in Felicia's Journey opposite Bob Hoskins, Runt in Disco Pigs opposite Cillian Murphy, Lydia in The Others, and Katherine Glendenning in The Paradise.
Early life
Elaine Cassidy's family moved to Kilcoole, County Wicklow, when she was three years old. Her first role was as the title character in a school production of Pinocchio when she was five.
Career
In 1996, Cassidy was nominated for the Most Promising Actress at the Geneva Film Festival for her role in The Sun, the Moon and the Stars. She played the starring role in Felicia's Journey with Bob Hoskins, for which she was nominated Best Actress at the 20th Genie Awards. She has won 2 Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTA) for Best Actress in a Lead Role in Film in 2003 for her role as Runt in Disco Pigs, opposite Cillian Murphy, and in 2010 for Best Actress in a Lead Role in Television for her role as Abby Mills in the American CBS TV series Harper's Island. She was also nominated for an IFTA in 2005 as Best Actress in a Lead Role in Television for her role as "Maud Lilly" in the BBC BAFTA nominated drama Fingersmith, in 2007 as Best Actress in a Supporting Role in Film for her role as Sandra in And When Did You Last See Your Father? alongside Jim Broadbent and Colin Firth, and in 2009 as Best Actress in a Lead Role in Television for her role as Annie Mulcahy in Little White Lie.
She is also a stage actress, appearing in The Lieutenant of Inishmore (2002) and The Crucible (2006) with the Royal Shakespeare Company and in There Came A Gypsy Riding at the Almeida Theatre in 2007. She appeared in the music video for Coldplay's "The Scientist". She plays DC Dinah Kowalska in Paul Abott's No Offence.
She also plays Maureen in the one-off ITV drama special of the book Just Henry, which was made into film in August 2011 and screen on ITV on 18 December 2011.
Personal life
She is married to actor Stephen Lord, whom she met on the set of The Truth. They live in Greenwich, London, with their daughter Kila, born on 16 September 2009.
Their second child, a son named Lynott Lord Cassidy, was born around 23 January 2013.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Stranger Within Me, TheThe Stranger Within Me | Michelle | Short film |
| 1996 | Sun, the Moon and the Stars, TheThe Sun, the Moon and the Stars | Shelley | |
| 1999 | Felicia's Journey | Felicia | |
| 2001 | Others, TheThe Others | Lydia | |
| 2001 | Disco Pigs | Runt – Sinead | |
| 2002 | Bay of Love and Sorrows, TheThe Bay of Love and Sorrows | Carrie Matchett | |
| 2006 | Truth, TheThe Truth | Candy | |
| 2007 | And When Did You Last See Your Father? | Sandra | |
| 2012 | Hannah Cohen's Holy Communion | Rachel Cohen | Short film |
| 2014 | Loft, TheThe Loft | Ellie Seacord | |
| 2015 | Program, TheThe Program | Betsy Andreu | |
| TBA | Strangeways Here We Come | Steph Nolan | Post-production |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Mission Top Secret | Mary | "The Crown Jewels Are Missing" |
| 2001 | Lost World, TheThe Lost World | Agnes Cluny | TV film |
| 2003 | Watermelon | Anna Ryan | TV film |
| 2005 | Uncle Adolf | Geli Raubal | TV film |
| 2005 | Fingersmith | Maud Lilly | TV miniseries |
| 2005 | Ghost Squad, TheThe Ghost Squad | Det. Amy Harris | Main role |
| 2007 | Room with a View, AA Room with a View | Lucy Honeychurch | TV film |
| 2008 | Little White Lie | Annie Mulcahy | TV film |
| 2009 | Dr Hoo | Zara | TV series |
| 2009 | Harper's Island | Abby Mills | Lead role |
| 2011 | Just Henry | Maureen Dodge | TV film |
| 2011 | Miraculous Year, TheThe Miraculous Year | Brona McKinney | TV film |
| 2012–13 | Paradise, TheThe Paradise | Katherine Weston | Main role |
| 2015–Present | No Offence | DC Dinah Kowalska | Main role |
Theatre
- The Lieutenant of Inishmore (2002)
- Scenes from the Big Picture (2003)
- The Crucible (2006)
- There Came a Gypsy Riding (2007)
- Fathers and Sons (2014)
- Deluge (2015)
- Les Liaisons Dangereuses (2015 to 2016)
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Geneva Film Festival | Most Promising Actress | Won | Shelley in The Sun, the Moon and the Stars |
| 2000 | Golden Satellite Award | Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama | Nominated | Felicia in Felicia's Journey |
| Genie Award | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role | Nominated | ||
| 2002 | British Independent Film Award | Best Actress | Nominated | Runt in Disco Pigs |
| 2003 | Irish Film and Television Awards | Best Actress in a Feature Film | Won | |
| 2005 | Best Actress in Television | Nominated | Maud Lilly in Fingersmith | |
| 2008 | Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Feature Film | Nominated | Sandra in And When Did You Last See Your Father? | |
| 2009 | Best Actress in Television | Nominated | Annie Mulcahy in Little White Lie | |
| 2010 | Best Actress in Television | Won | Abby Mills in Harper's Island | |
| 2016 | Best Actress in a Lead Role – Drama | Nominated | Dinah Kowalska in No Offence |