Kathy Kiera Clarke (possibly Keira[1]) is a Northern Irish actress. She is best known for her role as Aunt Sarah in Derry Girls.

Kathy Kiera Clarke
Born10 June 1973
OccupationActress
Years active1993–present

Career

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Film and television

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In 1993, Clarke featured prominently in the music video "For Tomorrow" for the British band Blur.[2]

Clarke's first television role was as Bernadette Brennan in Head over Heels in 1993. In 1995, she appeared in an episode of Chandler & Co as Poppy Farquhar. She appeared as Rosemary in the 1996 film Eskimo Day.[3]

In 2000, she played Rosie in the film The Most Fertile Man in Ireland[4] and a production assistant in the film Wild About Harry. She also played Anna Le Page in the television series, Take a Girl Like You. In 2002, Clarke played Frances in Bloody Sunday. In 2003, she played Nicola Blyth in the film Solid Air.

In 2004, Clarke appeared as Una in the comedy series Pulling Moves. She played Elizabeth Gibson in the film Omagh and played Jenifer Gaghan in two episodes of Silent Witness. In 2005, she played Sinead in four episodes of Proof. In 2006, she played Agnes in the film Small Engine Repair. In 2009, she played Emma in the film Cherrybomb.

In 2013, she played Marlene Riley in The Ice Cream Girls. In 2017, she played Varvara in the film Bitter Harvest. Since 2018, Clarke has played the role of Aunt Sarah in the Channel 4 sitcom Derry Girls written by Lisa McGee.[5][6]

In 2020, Clarke played the role of Sybil Stamfordis in the BBC One miniseries, The Pale Horse. Ann Donahue, writing for IndieWire, said that Clark's "portrayal of witch Sybil is a fun triple-take-inducing switch from her work as the ditzy aunt on Derry Girls."[7]

In 2021, Clarke played the role of Claire Keenan in Bloodlands.

Stage

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Clarke has also appeared on stage and has appeared in shows such as Brilliant Traces, Low Level Panic, The Coronation Voyage, Woman and Scarecrow, Scarborough, God of Carnage, Macbeth, Primecut, The Recruiting Office, Heartbreak House, Hamlet, Pentecost, Spokesong, The Bonefire, Dream of Autumn, Attempts on her Life, Don Carlos, Roberto Zucco, Shining City, Faith Healer, Lagan, Borders of Paradise, Torquato Tasso, Once a Catholic, The Factory Girls, Jekyll and Hyde, Riders to the Sea, Damaged Goods, Summit Conference, Medea, Stormont: a Farce and An Oak Tree.[8][9]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1993 Head over Heels Bernadette Brennan Series regular
1995 Chandler & Co Anna Farquhar 1 episode "No Tomorrow"
1996 Eskimo Day Rosemary
Hard Nut: A Love Story Janet Short film
2000 The Most Fertile Man in Ireland Rosie
Wild About Harry Production assistant
Take a Girl Like You Anna Le Page
2001 Last Legs Short film
2002 Bloody Sunday Frances
2003 Solid Air Nicola Blyth
2004 Pulling Moves Una Series regular
Omagh Elizabeth Gibson
Silent Witness Jenifer Gaghan 2 episodes
2005 Proof Sinéad 4 episodes
2006 Small Engine Repair Agnes
2008 The Man Inside Receptionist Short film
Voice role
2009 Cherrybomb Emma
2010 Dinner Party Ashley Short film
2011 Hold Your Breath Woman Short film
2013 The Ice Cream Girls Marlene Riley Miniseries
2017 Bitter Harvest Varvara
2018–2022 Derry Girls Aunt Sarah Main role
2020 The Pale Horse Sybil Stamfordis Miniseries
A Bend in the River Katie Hughes
2021 Bloodlands Claire Keenan

Personal life

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Clarke lives near Hampstead Heath, Primrose Hill and Regent's Park.[6] She is a fan of the Buddhist teacher Tara Brach.[6]

References

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  1. ^ see VIAF.
  2. ^ Doherty, Eighan (2023). "The Shared Table Series: Derry Girls - Siobhan & Kathy" (video). youtube.com. Birra Moretti Ireland. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  3. ^ Interview Day, 28 May 1996, retrieved 28 July 2020
  4. ^ The Most Fertile Man in Ireland (1999), retrieved 28 July 2020
  5. ^ "Third season of Derry Girls could be the last, says sitcom's star Kathy Kiera Clarke". Belfasttelegraph – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
  6. ^ a b c Bell, Gail (15 August 2019). "Derry Girls' Kathy Kiera Clarke recalls 'exotic' pomegranates on Falls Road in the 70s". The Irish News. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  7. ^ Donahue, Ann (6 March 2020). "'Agatha Christie's The Pale Horse' Review: Stylish Folk Horror in 1960s England Goes Awry". IndieWire. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Kathy Kiera Clarke}". National Theatre. London.
  9. ^ "Kathy Kiera Clarke". www.agathachristie.com.
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