Charlene McKenna

Charlene Lee McKenna (; born 26 March 1984) is an Irish actress. She became a household name in Ireland after starring as Jennifer Jackson in the miniseries Pure Mule. She attended St Louis Secondary School in Monaghan before going on to study Classical Music and Religious Education at Mater Dei Institute of Education in Dublin.

Career McKenna first appeared on stage at the age of eleven, playing a small role in Oklahoma! with the Monaghan Youth Theatre. Her first large-scale production was Pure Mule which launched her career. She played Jennifer Jackson, a racy character, in the series. She also appeared in The Old Curiosity Shop, a 2007 ITV adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel of the same name starring Derek Jacobi, Toby Jones, Bradley Walsh, Zoë Wanamaker, Martin Freeman, Steve Pemberton, Anna Madeley and Gina McKee.

In 2007, she appeared in the short 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. McKenna also appeared as Mary McMahon in Dorothy Mills.

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. Eilish also had to endure several resentful in-laws. This performance was described as "outstanding".

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. McKenna won the Outstanding Actress in a Mini-Series award for her role in Whistleblower at the Monte Carlo Television Festival in June 2009.

McKenna starred in the RTÉ series Raw. Scenes involving restaurant staff tampering with their guests' food failed to attract much complaint. 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. 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. McKenna won the Best Actress (Television) award for her role in Raw at the Irish Film & Television Awards in February 2009. McKenna departed Raw following the Season 5 finale on 10 February 2013.

In 2009, McKenna played the role of Paula Abbot in the second series of The Fixer. In 2010, McKenna portrayed the young version of Josie, the love interest of vampire John Mitchell (Aidan Turner) in BBC supernatural comedy-drama Being Human. In 2011, McKenna appeared in an episode of Channel 4 comedy-drama Sirens. She played the eponymous antagonist "Lamia" in the eighth episode of the fourth season of Merlin. She starred as Seth's dead girlfriend Shannon in Misfits. In 2013, she appeared on Skins Pure as Maddie. Between 2012 and 2016, McKenna appeared as Rose Erskine in BBC mystery drama Ripper Street. In 2015, McKenna played Eva in A.D. The Bible Continues.

In 2019, McKenna appeared in the role of Leah Liebermann in BBC crime drama Vienna Blood. In February 2021, McKenna played a lead role as Detective Sergeant Niamh McGovern in the BBC police procedural drama series, Bloodlands.

Personal life McKenna announced her engagement to American actor Adam Rothenberg in 2019. They were married in January 2021 at Castle Leslie adjacent to McKenna's hometown. McKenna splits her time between Monaghan, New York, and London.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2005 Breakfast on Pluto Caroline Braden 2006 Middletown Adele The 18th Electricity Plan Mia Short film The Tiger's Tail Samantha Small Engine Repair Melanie 2007 Kitchen Kirsty Dunne TV movie The Old Curiosity Shop The Marchioness 2008 Danger High Voltage Sarah Short film Dorothy Mills Mary McMahon 2009 A Boy Called Dad Nia 2010 Inn Mates Maisie TV movie 2012 Henry Claire Short film Jump Marie The Nightclub Days Drew 2014 Ghosts Regina Engstrand Live recording of stage production at Trafalgar Studios Boogaloo and Graham Mother Short film 2015 Clan of the Cave Bear Iza TV movie 2017 The Date Sinead Short film 2023 A Greyhound of a Girl Tansey Voice

Television Year Title Role Notes 2005 Pure Mule Jennifer Jackson Miniseries 2006 Stew Various characters 1 episode 2007 Prosperity Natasha Episode: "Gavin's Story" Coming Up Aisling Episode: "99, 100" 2008 Single-Handed 2 Eilish 2-part series Whistleblower Karen 2008–2013 Raw Jojo Harte 2009 The Fixer Paula 1 episode Pure Mule: The Last Weekend Jennifer Jackson 2010 Being Human Josie 1 Episode 2011 Sirens Angie Episode: "Two Man Race" Merlin Lamia Episode: "Lamia" Misfits Shannon Speers 1 episode 2012–2016 Ripper Street Rose Erskine Main role 2013 Skins Pure Maddie Special episode 2015 A.D. The Bible Continues Eva Supporting role; 6 episodes 2017 Stan Lee's Lucky Man Clare Cartmell Episode: "What Lies Beneath" 2018 Death and Nightingales Mercy Boyle Miniseries 2019 Bump Liz Pilot 2019–present Peaky Blinders Captain Swing Guest, series 5Main, series 6 Vienna Blood Leah Liebermann Supporting role; 6 episodes 2021–2022 Bloodlands Detective Sergeant Niamh McGovern Main role 2022 Holding Evelyn Ross 4 episodes 2023 Clean Sweep Shelly Mohan 6 episodes

Awards and nominations