The Derry Girls cast in real life: See what they look like out of character


Do you think they look different?


derry girls
June 19, 2020

We are loving that Derry Girls is airing on Channel 4 once again, and, if you're anything like us, you probably are too. We can't wait to rewatch the likes of Erin Quinn, Orla McCool and Clare Devlin as they get up to all sorts of mischief but it got us wondering, how different are the girls (and boys) who play these colourful characters like in real life. Where are they from? What age are they? What do they look like in real life? It's time to find out… 

Erin Quinn played by Saoirse-Monica Jackson

A woman with blonde hair stands against a green wall, wearing a white t-shirt and a light skirt.

Saoirse-Monica Jackson, who plays the main character, Erin Quinn, was born in Londonderry in November 1993, making her 27 years old. Her parents owned a small hotel and she grew up in Ireland between Derry and Donegal. Derry Girls has proved her biggest role yet but prior to filming the hit series, she did also star in The Five on Sky One in 2016.

Clare Devlin played by Nicola Coughlan

A woman with blonde hair eats food at a fast-food restaurant.

Nicola Coughlan is originally from Galway in the west of Ireland and is 34 years old - yes, we want to know her skincare secret ASAP! She trained at both The Oxford School of Drama and Birmingham School of Acting and, aside from Derry Girls, has started in the likes of Harlots and Doctors.  

READ: Find out everything you need to know about Derry Girls

Orla McCool played by Louisa Harland

A woman with curly hair holds a black and white cat close to her face, kissing it.

Little is known about Louisa Harland, who hails from Dublin, but it has been reported that she is 27 years old. 

Michelle Mallon played by Jamie-Lee O’Donnell

Two women smiling close together, one in a white shirt, the other with blonde hair.

Jamie-Lee O'Donnell, who plays the all-out troublemaker Michelle Mallon, is also a Derry native and is 33. She has had a few roles aside from Derry Girls and in 2018, she had a role in the BBC one-off, Doing Money.

James Maguire played by Dylan Llewellyn

Person in a canyon, wearing sunglasses and a bandana, looking ahead.

27-year-old Dylan Llewellyn who plays "the wee English fella", is actually from England. He was born in Surrey and has starred in Hollyoaks. 

Sister Michael played by Siobhan McSweeney

Two women hold a sign reading '62,000 CALL ON NI SECRETARY TO ACT NOW' in an outdoor setting with a bridge in the background.

Originally from Cork, Siobhan McSweeney has acted in theatre, TV and film over the years. Many might recognise her from her role in The Fall and Alice in Wonderland: Alice Through the Looking Glass.

READ NEXT: The sweet detail you might have missed from Derry Girls

Jenny Joyce played by Leah O’Rourke

Two women in red dresses holding drinks, smiling for the camera in a bar setting.

Leah, pictured with her friend, is from County Down and is known as the goody-goody Jenny Joyce in the series. The 32-year-old has played a variety of roles in her career and has starred in The Fall and a number of short films. 

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