Cora Kirk

Cora Kirk is a British stage and film actress. She starred in the film Your Christmas or Mine? and its sequel (2023). In 2026, she joined the cast of the BBC school drama series Waterloo Road as Leah Merchant.

Early life From Moorside in Oldham, Greater Manchester, Kirk attended the Waterhead Academy in her home town. She attended the Oldham Theatre Workshop, before she trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London.

Career In 2017, Kirk played Lucy in a Sally Cookson stage adaptation of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe in Leeds. She worked with Cookson again in 2020 on her adaptation of A Monster Calls, cast as Lily for a UK tour. She also played Wendy in an adaptation of Peter Pan at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in London. She also appeared in Peter Pan when Sally Cookson took an adaptation to the National Theatre.

In 2022, Kirk could be seen in the Daniel Stamm directed film Prey for the Devil. Kirk had a lead role playing Hayley, alongside Asa Butterfield, in the Tom Parry penned 2022 Christmas comedy film Your Christmas or Mine?, and the 2023 sequel Your Christmas or Mine 2.

In March 2023, she played Aalyah in Federico García Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba in Manchester. In 2026, it was announced that she had joined the cast of the BBC school drama series Waterloo Road as Leah Merchant, a newly qualified teacher. She will make her first on-screen appearance in its eighteenth series.

Filmography Film Veronica Short film 2020 Don't Water the Vine|Helen Short film 2021 Tony|Malaya Short film 2022 Prey for the Devil|Emilia 2022 Your Christmas or Mine?|Hayley Taylor 2023 After Everything|Freya 2023 Your Christmas or Mine 2''Hayley Taylor

Television