Denise Gough

Denise Gough ( ; born 28 February 1980) is an Irish actress. On television, she is best known for her roles in the BBC Two crime drama Paula, the ITV miniseries Too Close (2021), and the Disney+ series Andor (2022–2025). Her films include Colette (2018), The Other Lamb (2019), Monday (2020), and Martyrs Lane (2021). She has received a number of accolades, including two Laurence Olivier Awards as well as nominations for a Tony Award and a British Academy Television Award.

Life and career Early years and education Gough was born on 28 February 1980. Born in Wexford and raised in Ennis, County Clare, Gough is the seventh of eleven siblings; her father was variously an electrician and a fisheries head, while her mother was a marriage counsellor. One of her younger sisters is the actress Kelly Gough. Gough was raised as a Catholic. with a boyfriend, after which she became homeless for a while. She started using alcohol and drugs to block out the experience of being groomed from the age of 13 and raped twice at 14 by "a man in his 20s"; "At the time [Gough] thought it was love", but she later realised that she had been the victim of child abuse.

She was awarded a grant to study at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA) in Wandsworth aged 18, In January 2014 she was Julia in The Duchess of Malfi, the inaugural production at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, London. At the National Theatre, London, in September 2015 she presented an "electrifying" performance as a recovering substance user in Duncan Macmillan's People, Places and Things, directed by Jeremy Herrin.

She reprised the role when the production transferred to the Wyndham's Theatre in March 2016, and subsequently won the Olivier Award for Best Actress. She returned to the National Theatre in April 2017 playing the role of Harper in Marianne Elliot's revival of Tony Kushner's play Angels in America, for which she won the 2018 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Gough then returned to People, Places & Things for its New York transfer. In February 2018, Gough returned to the role of Harper in the Broadway transfer of the National Theatre's production of Angels in America, alongside the majority of the London cast.

Gough was cast in the Star Wars TV series Andor as Dedra Meero, an ambitious and strategic supervisor for the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB).

Acting credits Film Year Title Role Notes 2010 The Kid Patsy Robin Hood Village Mother 2014 Jimmy's Hall Tess 2018 Juliet, Naked Gina Colette Mathilde de Morny 2019 The Kid Who Would Be King Mary The Other Lamb Sarah 2020 Vores mand i Amerika Charlotte Kauffmann Monday Chloe 2021 Martyrs Lane Sarah 2025 H Is for Hawk Christina 2027 Post-production

Television Year Title Role Notes 2004 Casualty Susan Parish Episode: "Three's a Crowd" 2007 The Inspector Lynley Mysteries Christine Faraday Episode: "Limbo" 2008 The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall Michelle Documentary dramatization 2009 The Bill Liz O'Halloran Episode: "Lost Soul" Waking the Dead Kathleen Episodes: "Magdalene: Part I" and "Magdalene: Part II" 2010 Silent Witness Danielle Boyce Episodes: "Run: Part I" and "Run: Part II" 2011 Holby City Mona Cadogan Episode: "Culture Shock" 2012 Titanic: Blood and Steel Emily Hill 11 episodes 2013 What Remains Liz Fletcher 4 episodes Complicit Lucy Television film 2014 Stella Collette Jensen 8 episodesThe Musketeers Suzette 1 episode 2015 The Duchess of Malfi Julia Television film 2016 Apple Tree Yard DS Johns 1 episode The Fall Dr Alison Walden 2 episodes 2017 Guerrilla Fallon 6 episodes Paula Paula 3 episodes 2021 Too Close Connie Mortensen Miniseries, 3 episodes 2022 Under the Banner of Heaven Dianna Lafferty Miniseries; Main role2022–2025 Andor Dedra Meero Main role, 20 episodes 2023 Who Is Erin Carter? Lena Main role, 6 episodes 2025 The Stolen Girl Elisa Blix Miniseries, 5 episodes

Theatre Year Title Character Theatre 2004 By the Bog of Cats Caroline Cassidy Wyndham's Theatre London, England The Kindness of Strangers Cheryl Liverpool Everyman Liverpool, England 2006 Everything is Illuminated Brod Hampstead Theatre London, England O Go My Man Elsa Royal Court Theatre London, England 2007 Someone Else's Shoes Mary Soho Theatre London, England 2009 The Grouch Celia West Yorkshire Playhouse Leeds, England Six Characters in Search of an Author Stepdaughter Chichester Festival Theatre Chichester, England Gielgud Theatre London, England 2009 The Birds Julia Gate Theatre Dublin, Ireland 2010 The Plough and the Stars Nora Clitheroe Abbey Theatre Dublin, Ireland Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train Mary Jane Hanrahan Trafalgar Studios London, England 2011 The Painter Jenny Cole Arcola Theatre London, England 2012 Our New Girl Annie Bush Theatre London, England Desire Under the Elms Anna Putnam Lyric Hammersmith London, England 2014 Adler and Gibb Louise Royal Court Theatre London, England The Duchess of Malfi Julia Sam Wanamaker Playhouse London, England 2015 People, Places and Things Emma Dorfman Theatre National Theatre London, England 2016 Wyndham's Theatre London, England 2024Trafalgar Theatre London, England 2017 Angels in America Harper Pitt et al. Lyttleton Theatre National Theatre London, England People, Places and Things Emma St. Ann's Warehouse New York City, NY, U.S. 2018 Angels in America Harper Pitt et al. Neil Simon Theatre New York City, NY, U.S. 2022 Portia Coughlan Portia Coughlan Abbey Theatre Dublin, Ireland 2024White Rabbit Red Rabbit@sohoplaceLondon, England 2025High NoonAmy FowlerHarold Pinter TheatreLondon, England

Video games Year Title Role Studio Notes 2013 Divinity: Dragon Commander Catherine Larian Studios Voice 2015 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Yennefer of Vengerberg CD Projekt Red Voice Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree's Woe and the Blight Below Alena Omega Force Voice 2016 Dragon Quest Heroes II Voice

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2015 Evening Standard Theatre Award Best Actress People, Places and Things Critics' Circle Theatre AwardBest Actress 2016 Laurence Olivier Award Best Actress WhatsOnStage Award Best Actress in a Play 2018 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actress in a Play Obie Award Performance Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a PlayAngels in America Laurence Olivier Award Best Actress in a Supporting Role Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play Theatre World Award 2022British Academy Television AwardsBest ActressToo Close Peabody AwardEntertainmentAndor