Aisling Loftus

Aisling Sinead Katie Loftus (born 1 September 1990) is a British actress. She began her career as a child actress and first gained prominence through her roles in the BBC dramas Five Daughters and Dive (2010), the play Spur of the Moment, and the film Death of a Superhero (2011).

She has since appeared in the ITV period drama Mr Selfridge (2013–2015), the BBC series War & Peace (2016) and Broken (2017), and the Sky series A Discovery of Witches (2018–2022) and The Midwich Cuckoos (2022). Her performance in the film Property of the State (2016) earned her an IFTA nomination.

Early life and education Loftus was born in Nottingham to Irish parents Paddy and Eileen she has an older sister. She considered going to drama school, but decided against it when she was cast in Dive whilst on study leave.

Career Loftus made her television debut in a 2000 episode of the ITV medical drama Peak Practice. This was followed by guest appearances in the CITV series Help! I'm a Teenage Outlaw as well as Casualty, Doctors, and The Bill. In 2009, she starred as Amy in the ITV comedy-drama television film The Fattest Man in Britain, which won Silver Bear for Best Short Film at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2009. Loftus was named a 2009 Screen International Star of Tomorrow.

In 2010, Loftus starred in the BBC dramas Five Daughters and Dive as Gemma Adams and Lindsey respectively. In her review of Dive, Euan Ferguson of The Observer predicted that Aisling "Ash" Loftus would be a "phenomenon." That same year, Loftus made her London stage debut as Leonie Fowler in Spur of the Moment by Anya Reiss at the Royal Court Theatre. Dominic Cavendish of The Daily Telegraph called her "superb." She also appeared in the Australian film Oranges and Sunshine and the Sky One crime drama Thorne: Sleepyhead.

Loftus starred in the 2011 Irish film Death of a Superhero,

In 2017, she played Joan in the 40th anniversary production of Stephen Lowe's Touched at Nottingham Playhouse alongside fellow Television Workshop alumni. and Anne in The Treatment at the Almeida Theatre. She appeared in the film Gun Shy,

In 2024, Loftus played Mia in the BBC Radio 4 drama Sabine.

Personal life In December 2018, Loftus married actor Jacob Anderson at the Ace Hotel (now One Hundred Shoreditch). They have two daughters. The couple's first daughter was born in 2020.

Acting credits Film Year Title Role Notes 2006 This Is England Scene cut from theatrical release Blind Man's Alley Player 4 Short film 2009 Jade 2018–2022 A Discovery of Witches Sophie Wilson / Susanna Norman Main role; 14 episodes 2022 The Midwich Cuckoos Zoë Moran Main role 2024 Sherwood Sandy Waters 6 episodes

Theatre Year Title Role Notes 2010 Spur of the Moment Leonie Fowler Royal Court Theatre, London 2011 Noises Off Poppy Norton-Taylor The Old Vic / Novello Theatre, London 2014 The Hotel Plays Girl Langham Hotel, London 2017 The Treatment Anne Almeida Theatre, London Touched Joan Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham 2018 Aristocrats Claire Donmar Warehouse, London 2019 Small Island Queenie Royal National Theatre, London 2020 Far Away Joan Donmar Warehouse, London 2025 Girls and Boys Performer Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham Till the Stars Come Down Maggie Theatre Royal Haymarket, London

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref. 2009 Screen International Star of Tomorrow Career achievement so far 2012 Dublin International Film Festival Special Jury Prize Death of a Superhero 2017 Irish Film & Television Awards Best Actress in a Lead Role – Film Property of the State