Genevieve O'Reilly

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Genevieve O'Reilly
Born (1977-01-06) 6 January 1977 (age 44)
Dublin, Ireland
Alma materNational Institute of Dramatic Art
OccupationActress
Years active2000–present
Spouse(s)Luke Mulvihill
Children2

Genevieve O'Reilly (born 6 January 1977) is an Irish-Australian actress known for her work in the Star Wars franchise as Mon Mothma, having portrayed the character in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and Rogue One, and as well as her voice role as the character in Star Wars Rebels, and as Moira in Overwatch. She will reprise her role as Mothma in the upcoming series Andor, set to premiere in 2022.

Alongside her appearances in television, O'Reilly is also known for her career in films with her credits in the movie industry notably including the 2004 film Avatar in which she portrayed Dash MacKenzie, the 2009 period drama The Young Victoria in which she played Lady Flora Hastings, and the 2010 romantic movie Forget Me Not where she played Eve. In 2016, O'Reilly appeared in the role of Tarzan's mother in The Legend of Tarzan.

Early life and education[]

O'Reilly was born in Dublin, Ireland and raised in Adelaide, Australia. She is the eldest of four siblings.[1] At the age of twenty O'Reilly moved to Sydney to attend the National Institute of Dramatic Art,[2] graduating in 2000.[3]

Personal life[]

In 2005, she moved to the United Kingdom with her husband, Luke Mulvihill, and lives in East London.[2] They have two children, a son and a daughter.[4]

Career[]

Theatre[]

O'Reilly was cast as the understudy in director Gale Edwards' production of The White Devil a week after graduating from drama school. She went on to appear in Edwards' Sydney Theatre Company production of The Way of the World.[3] Other theatre credits include The Weir by Conor McPherson, at the Gate Theatre, Dublin, and Richard II at the Old Vic.[5] Recent parts at the Royal National Theatre have been in new play, Mike Bartlett's 13, and as Helena, wife to Andrew Scott's emperor Julian in the 2011 production of Ibsen's epic Emperor and Galilean. In July 2012, O'Reilly performed in George Bernard Shaw's The Doctor's Dilemma.[6]

In 2015 she played Kathryn in Splendour by Abi Morgan at the Donmar Warehouse.[7]

In 2017, she played Mary Carney in The Ferryman, first at the Royal Court Theatre and later at the Gielgud Theatre in the West End of London.[8]

Film[]

O'Reilly has appeared in several productions filmed in Australia, including both The Matrix sequels. She was also in the 2004 Singaporean science fiction film Avatar, playing the lead role of Dash MacKenzie.[9]

Star Wars[]

In 2005, O'Reilly played the young Mon Mothma in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, though most of her scenes were ultimately cut. The scenes were included as bonus material for the 2005 DVD release). In late 2016, she reprised her role as Mon Mothma in Rogue One, and voiced the same character in the animated TV show Star Wars Rebels in early 2017. In April 2020, she was revealed to come back as Mon Mothma in Andor (set for 2022).

Television[]

In television, O'Reilly's first appearance was in 2001 in the Canadian television series BeastMaster as a guest star in "Slayer's Return". The following year O'Reilly appeared in Young Lions as Kimberly Oswald in the episode "Asylum Seekers". O'Reilly then appeared as a prominent character in All Saints from 2002 - 2005 as Leanne Curtis. From 2011 to 2014, O'Reilly appeared in the series Episodes as a recurring character alongside Matt LeBlanc. Later in 2014, O'Reilly starred in the television mini series The Honourable Woman as Frances Pirsig in which she starred in six episodes. In the following year of 2015, O'Reilly starred in the BBC television series Banished as Mary Johnson. In 2016, O'Reilly starred in the British drama The Secret from which she gained acclaim and was reported to play her character "beautifully".[10] In Australia she starred as Leanne Curtis in the medical drama All Saints. She also starred alongside Tim Roth in ‘’Tin Star’’.

Since moving to the UK, O'Reilly has starred in the political mini-series The State Within, played Princess Diana in the 2007 television docudrama Diana: Last Days of a Princess, and taken the lead role in The Time of Your Life. She played CIA liaison officer Sarah Caulfield in the eighth series of BBC drama Spooks.[11] She played Julie Rees in Harbinger, S9:E1&2 of Waking the Dead broadcast 17 June 2009. O'Reilly also played the character of Michelle Beadley in the remake of The Day of the Triffids that aired on BBC One in December 2009.[12]

In June 2013, O'Reilly appeared in the pilot episode of the international crime drama Crossing Lines cast as detective and interrogation specialist Sienna Pride,[13] attached to the ICC team from Britain's Scotland Yard.

In early 2015, O'Reilly starred as Mary Johnson in Jimmy McGovern's Banished, a television drama focusing on British convicts in an Australian penal colony.[14]

In 2015, O'Reilly starred as Dr Elishia McKellar, in an Australian paranormal drama Glitch, set in fictional small country town called Yoorana. Series 1 with 6 episodes won major awards. Series 2 was broadcast on ABC1 and Netflix toward the end of 2017.

Filmography[]

Film[]

Year Title Role Notes
2003 The Matrix Reloaded Officer Wirtz
2003 The Matrix Revolutions Officer Wirtz
2004 Avatar Dash MacKenzie
2004 Right Here Right Now Pizza Girl
2005 Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith Mon Mothma Speaking scenes cut
Silent cameo in final cut of film.
2009 The Young Victoria Lady Flora Hastings
2010 Forget Me Not Eve Fisher
2015 Survivor Lisa Carr
2016 The Legend of Tarzan Alice Clayton, Baroness Greystoke
2016 Rogue One Mon Mothma
2017 The Snowman Birte Becker
2019 Tolkien Mrs. Smith
2021 The Dry Gretchen

Television[]

Year Title Role Notes
2001 BeastMaster Nagha Episode: "Slayer's Return"
2002 Young Lions Kimberly Oswald Episode: "Asylum Seekers"
2002–05 All Saints Leanne Curtis Recurring role
2005 The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant Alicia TV miniseries
2005 Second Chance Susie Fulham TV film
2005 Life Shelly Deane TV film
2006 The State Within Caroline Hanley Main role
2007 The Time of Your Life Kate Main role
2007 Diana: Last Days of a Princess Diana, Princess of Wales TV docudrama
2009 Spooks Sarah Caulfield Recurring role
2009 Waking the Dead Julie Rees Harbinger Series 9, Episodes 1 & 2
2009 The Day of the Triffids Michelle Beadley Episode: "Part 1"
2010 New Tricks Michelle Armstrong Episode: "The Fourth Man"
2010 Law & Order: UK Claudia Martin Episode: "Skeletons"
2011 Waking the Dead Julie Rees Episode: "Harbinger: Parts 1 & 2"
2011–14 Episodes Jamie Lapidus Recurring role
2012 Midsomer Murders Nina Morgan Episode: "A Rare Bird"
2012 The Last Weekend Daisy TV miniseries
2013 Crossing Lines Sienna Pride Episode: "Pilot: Parts 1 & 2"
2014 The Honourable Woman Frances Pirsig TV miniseries
2015 Banished Mary Johnson TV miniseries
2015–17 Glitch Elishia McKellar Main role
2016 Endeavour Annette Richardson Episode: "Arcadia"
2016 The Secret Hazel Buchanan / Hazel Stewart TV miniseries
2016 The Fall Joan Kinkead Episode: "His Troubled Thoughts"
2017 Star Wars Rebels Mon Mothma (voice) 5 episodes
2017 Tin Star Angela 19 episodes
2022 Andor Mon Mothma Disney+ series
2021 Three Families Rosie Fortress Two-part BBC drama[15]

Video games[]

Year Title Role Notes
2017 Overwatch Moira

References[]

  1. ^ Wise, Jon (1 July 2007). "Genevieve's telly role is spooky reminder of past". The People. Archived from the original on 11 June 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Leo, Jessica (22 August 2007). "Irish luck for Adelaide star". Adelaide Now. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "Life of Reilly". The Sun-Herald. 23 December 2002. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  4. ^ [1] Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  5. ^ United Agents – Genevieve O'Reilly Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  6. ^ Cavendish, Dominic (25 July 2012). "The Doctor's Dilemma, National Theatre, review". The Telegraph. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  7. ^ "Splendour review – Abi Morgan puts four women in the firing line". the Guardian. 5 August 2015.
  8. ^ "Cast and West End transfer confirmed for Sam Mendes' The Ferryman". WhatsOnStage.com. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  9. ^ "Avatar (2004)". Moviefone. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  10. ^ "Genevieve O'Reilly plays The Secret's naive but guilty killer beautifully". Radio Times. May 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  11. ^ BBC – Press Office – Network TV Programme Information BBC Week 44 Retrieved on 24 October 2009.
  12. ^ "Episode 1, The Day of the Triffids - BBC One". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
  13. ^ "TV Guide".
  14. ^ Masters, Tim (4 March 2015). "Banished: Jimmy McGovern tells story of first British convicts in Australia". BBC News. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  15. ^ "Cast confirmed for BBC One drama Three Families, from the producers of Three Girls". bbc.co.uk/mediacentre. Retrieved 12 April 2021.

External links[]

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