Known for movies
A Love Divided (1999)
as Sheila Kelly Cloney
Wuthering Heights (1998)
as Cathy
The Luzhin Defence (2000)
as Aunt Anna
Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise (2006)
as Lilly Summers
Short Info
| Spouse | Nick Brandt |
| Fact | Educated at a Loreto Convent in Wicklow and an Ursuline Convent in Dublin. |
- Orla Brady, born 28 March 1961 in Dublin, Ireland, is a respected Irish actress and former model known for her roles in “Doctor Who” and “Fringe”.
- She studied acting at Ecole Philippe Gaulier in Paris and began her career in modeling before transitioning to acting.
- Orla has played significant roles in theater, film, and television, including a Golden Nymph Best Actress Award-winning performance in “A Love Divided”.
- Married to photographer Nick Brandt since 2002, she is an avid traveler and a fan of safaris.
- As of the latest reports, Orla has an estimated net worth of approximately $3 million and stands at a height of 5ft 7in (170cm).
Who is Orla Brady?
Born on 28 March 1961, in Dublin, Ireland, under the sun sign of Aries, Orla Brady is a 62-year-old Irish actress and former model. One of the most famous Irish entertainers, Orla studied acting at the prestigious Ecole Philippe Gaulier in Paris, France, and her career includes roles in film and television, with sporadic appearances in theater productions. She is most famous for her role as Tasha Lem in “Doctor Who”, as well as playing Elizabeth Bishop in “Fringe”, a hit science fiction drama that was produced by JJ Abrams, the man behind movies like “Armageddon”, “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens” and “Star Trek”. So Orla is known as a versatile actress, hence the large number of acting credits to her name.
Early Life and Education: Growing Up in Dublin
Orla was born into the Irish family of Catherine and Patrick Brady, the second of four children; the family quickly relocated to Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland. Since she was a child, Orla was charismatic and destined for a career in entertainment. She got her education at the Loreto Convent in Wicklow, with additional specialization at the Ursuline Convent in Dublin convents are seen as the Irish equivalent to American high schools, but with far wider religious implications. After completing her secondary education, Orla wasn’t sure what she was going to do, being at a crossroads with several ideas about shaping her future. Eventually, she decided to have a try at her first preference – modeling.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Orla Brady |
| Known For | Roles in “Doctor Who” and “Fringe” |
| Profession | Actress, Former Model |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Education | Loreto Convent, Wicklow; Ursuline Convent, Dublin; École Philippe Gaulier, Paris |
| Net Worth | Approximately $3 million |
| Spouse | Nick Brandt (m. 2002) |
| Siblings | Second of four children |
| Parents | Catherine and Patrick Brady |
| Date of Birth | 28 March 1961 |
| Zodiac Sign | Aries |
| Place of Birth | Dublin, Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Ethnicity | Irish |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Gender | Female |
| Height | 5ft 7in (170cm) |
| Awards | 1999 Golden Nymph Best Actress Award for “A Love Divided” |
| Notable Works | “Doctor Who” (as Tasha Lem), “Fringe” (as Elizabeth Bishop) |
| Hobbies | Travel, especially to Africa; interest in art and photography |
| Social Profiles | Instagram, Twitter |
Career Beginnings: Modeling, Specialization in Paris and Theater
When Orla turned 20, she made the decision to make London her permanent home. Blessed with natural attractiveness, she was keen to explore the possibilities awaiting her in the modeling industry. Over the course of the 1980s, she experienced moderate success, landing gigs with notable brands and making appearances in commercials. Yet, by the time she reached 25, Orla began to feel a pull towards acting, sensing untapped potential waiting to be unleashed. Encouraged by the backing of her parents and friends, Orla pursued admission to Ecole Philippe Gaulier, a renowned art institution nestled in Paris, France. Upon acceptance, she embarked on her educational journey at École Internationale de Mimodrame de Paris, mentored by the legendary Marcel Marceau. Despite grappling with the initial challenges of mastering French, Orla swiftly honed her language skills, enabling her to grace the stages of numerous theatrical productions in France—an invaluable foundation for the work that lay ahead.
Making a Name for Herself: Balloonatics Theater Company and More
After returning from Paris, she decided that she wanted to stay in London and seek opportunities. The official beginning of Orla’s acting career can be traced to her time with the Balloonatics Theater Company, a troupe renowned for bringing classic English and Irish works of literature to life on stage. She toured various productions of “Finnegans Wake” and “Hamlet”, then after a short period in London, she relocated to Dublin yet again, where she would play important roles in “House of Bernarda Alba” and “Three Sisters”, both of which were regularly shown at the Gate Theater. She then returned to London, where she would play Kate in “Philadelphia, Here I Come!”, by Brian Friel, before focusing more on television and film.
1993-2002: Various Works
In 1993, Orla assumed a minor role in “Minder”, a hit British TV comedy/drama that depicts the stories of some of London’s most notorious criminals. The next year she had two roles, in “Words Upon the Window Pane”, an Irish film based upon a play by William Butler Yeats, and in “The Bill”, a cult British police drama. Afterwards, she appeared in “Absolutely Fabulous”, “Dangerfield” and “Casualty”. All of these roles were minor but brought her the attention she needed to distinguish herself as a prominent television actress. On “Out of the Blue”, she played Rebecca Bennett for 12 episodes, which was her first lead role in a TV show. Subsequently, she also took the lead roles in “Noah’s Ark” and “Pure Wickedness”. For her role as Sheila Cloney in the movie “A Love Divided”, she won the 1999 Golden Nymph Best Actress Award. 2001 saw her undertake one of her most prominent roles, as Naoise O’Neill on “Family Law”, for 43 episodes.
2002-2010: Mistresses, Proof and More
The 2000s saw Orla implement an interesting mix of minor and major roles in various TV programs, with almost no movies in this period. She appeared in two hit shows during this time, firstly in “Mistresses”, a British show depicting the lives of four female friends and their love affairs, as well as the repercussions of their decisions; This is widely regarded as one of Orla’s best roles, in which she showcased her versatility and displayed the full extent of her talent. Before and after this role, Orla cheated in other shows and movies, which prompted this famous quote: ‘Mum asks why I am so often cast in adulterous roles. I think it must be because I am fairly flirty.’ The same decade, she appeared in “Proof”, another critically acclaimed Irish TV show, in the role of an investigative journalist, who inadvertently enters the world of crime. 2009 was the year she appeared in “Fringe”, much to the joy of sci-fi fans around the world.
Recent Years
In the last few years, we saw Orla take on the role of Tasha Lem in “Doctor Who”, which resulted in her becoming more famous than ever before. She also appeared in shows like “Jo”, “Eternal Law” and “Banished”. Other than Tasha Lem, she also played Lydia in “Into the Badlands”, which became one of the most significant roles in her career, to date.
In the spirit of the day, shall we all agree to be a bit more open about our mental health ups & downs? And ask people how they’re doing? And not feel we always need to be ‘grand’? Sound like a plan? #WorldMentalHealthDay pic.twitter.com/TS6rOF4YVX
— Orla Brady (@orla_brady) October 10, 2021
Personal Life: Who is Orla Brady’s Husband, Nick Brandt?
Orla dated quite a lot during the 1980s and 1990s, which apparently didn’t fulfill her at all. She decided to take a break from men until she met Nick Brandt, a famous natural photographer who uses his work to educate people about pollution, climate change and other significant ecological problems. The two met in 2001, hit it off immediately, and married in December 2002 in a beautiful ceremony in the Chyulu Hills in Kenya, right beside Mount Kilimanjaro. Both Nick and Orla are big safari fans and try to go to Africa at least once a year. Currently, they reside in the hills of Southern California.
What is Orla Brady’s Net Worth?
According to several credible sources, Orla Brady has a net worth of approximately $3 million, accumulated over the course of her almost 30-year career. She is known for her incessant will to improve and find better opportunities. Given the fact that she’s still going strong, we might see this number rise in the foreseeable future.
Body Measurements: How Tall is Orla Brady?
Orla Brady is 5ft 7in (170cm) tall. Her other measurements are currently unknown.
General Info
| Full Name | Orla Brady |
| Height | 1.68 m |
| Profession | Actor |
| Nationality | Irish |
Family
| Spouse | Nick Brandt |
| Parents | Patrick Brady, Catherine Brady |
Accomplishments
| Movies | The Price Of Desire, Wayland’s Song, The Debt, How About You, 32A, Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise, The Luzhin Defence, The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns, A Love Divided, Wuthering Heights, Fogbound, 60 Minute Man |
| TV Shows | Into the Badlands, Strike Back, Eternal Law, The Deep, Proof, Family Law, Servants, Empire, Noah’s Ark, Mistresses, Jo, Sinbad, Out of the Blue, Out of the Blue (UK), Lawless |
Social profile links
Facts
| # | Fact |
|---|---|
| 1 | Is the second of four children born to Patrick and his wife Catherine. |
| 2 | Educated at a Loreto Convent in Wicklow and an Ursuline Convent in Dublin. |
| 3 | When she was 25, moved to Paris where she studied at the L’École Philippe Gaulier, securing a place at Marcel Marceau’s École Internationale de Mimodrame de Paris. |
| 4 | Lived in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland, from birth until the age of seven. |
| 5 | In 2001 moved to Los Angeles where she met English photographer, Nick Brandt, whom she married in December 2002 in the Chyulu Hills of Kenya. |
Pictures
Movies
Actress
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Into the Badlands | 2015-2017 | TV Series | Lydia |
| American Odyssey | 2015 | TV Series | Sofia Tsaldari / Sophia Tsaldari |
| Banished | 2015 | TV Series | Anne Meredith |
| The Price of Desire | 2015 | Eileen Gray | |
| Doctor Who | 2013 | TV Series | Tasha Lem |
| Agatha Christie’s Poirot | 2013 | TV Series | Countess Rossakoff |
| Wayland’s Song | 2013 | Grace | |
| Jo | 2013 | TV Series | Dormont |
| Eternal Law | 2012 | TV Series | Mrs. Sheringham |
| Fringe | 2010-2012 | TV Series | Alternate Elizabeth Bishop Elizabeth Bishop |
| Sinbad | 2012 | TV Series | Taryn |
| The Deep | 2010 | TV Mini-Series | Catherine / Catherine Donnelly |
| Mistresses | 2008-2010 | TV Series | Siobhan Dhillon Siobhan Dillon Siobhan |
| Strike Back | 2010 | TV Series | Katie Dartmouth |
| Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings | 2009 | Video Game | Maggie O’Malley (voice) |
| Wallander | 2008 | TV Series | Ella Lindfeldt |
| Shark | 2007-2008 | TV Series | Claire Stark |
| Protect and Serve | 2007 | TV Movie | Dr. Lorna Herrera |
| How About You… | 2007 | Kate Harris | |
| 32A | 2007 | Jean Brennan | |
| Last Night | 2006/II | Short | Lucy |
| Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise | 2006 | TV Movie | Lilly Summers |
| Sixty Minute Man | 2006 | TV Movie | Kate Henderson |
| World of Trouble | 2005 | TV Movie | Joan Denny |
| Empire | 2005 | TV Mini-Series | Atia |
| Revelations | 2005 | TV Mini-Series | Nora Webber |
| Proof | 2004-2005 | TV Series | Maureen Boland |
| Lawless | 2004 | TV Movie | Liz Bird |
| Nip/Tuck | 2004 | TV Series | Dr. Monica Jordan |
| Hustle | 2004 | TV Series | Meredith Gates |
| The Debt | 2003 | TV Movie | Angela Jahnsen |
| Servants | 2003 | TV Mini-Series | Flora Ryan |
| Fogbound | 2002 | Ann | |
| Family Law | 2000-2002 | TV Series | Naoise O’Neill |
| Silent Grace | 2001 | Eileen | |
| The Luzhin Defence | 2000 | Aunt Anna | |
| Pure Wickedness | 1999 | TV Series | Jenny Meadows |
| A Love Divided | 1999 | Sheila Kelly Cloney | |
| Salvage | 1999 | Short | |
| The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns | 1999 | TV Mini-Series | Kathleen Fitzpatrick |
| Wuthering Heights | 1998 | TV Movie | Cathy |
| Noah’s Ark | 1997-1998 | TV Series | Clare Somers |
| The Heart Surgeon | 1997 | TV Movie | Marcella Duggan |
| The Vicar of Dibley | 1996 | TV Series | Aoife |
| Pie in the Sky | 1996 | TV Series | Kit Kelly de Goris |
| Casualty | 1995 | TV Series | Wendy |
| New Voices | 1995 | TV Series | Ruby |
| Dangerfield | 1995 | TV Series | Diane Foster |
| Words Upon the Window Pane | 1994 | Vanessa | |
| The Rector’s Wife | 1994 | TV Mini-Series | Sister Josephine |
| Absolutely Fabulous | 1994 | TV Series | Nurse Mary |
| The Bill | 1994 | TV Series | Amy |
| Minder | 1993 | TV Series | Bank Teller |
| So You Think You’ve Got Troubles | 1991 | TV Series |
Self
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4th Irish Film and Television Awards | 2007 | TV Special | Herself – Presenter |
| 3rd Irish Film and Television Awards | 2005 | TV Movie documentary | Herself – Presenter |
| The 7th Annual Irish Film and Television Awards | 2010 | TV Special | Herself – Award Presenter |
| The 6th Annual Irish Film and Television Awards | 2009 | TV Special | Herself – Award Nominee |
| Friday Night with Jonathan Ross | 2008 | TV Series | Herself |
Awards
Nominated Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | IFTA Award | Irish Film and Television Awards | Best Actress in a Lead Role – Film | The Price of Desire (2015) |
| 2013 | IFTA Award | Irish Film and Television Awards | Best Actress TV | Sinbad (2012) |
| 2012 | Saturn Award | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA | Best Guest Starring Role on Television | Fringe (2008) |
| 2011 | IFTA Award | Irish Film and Television Awards | Best Actress in a Lead Role in Film/Television | Mistresses (2008) |
| 2009 | IFTA Award | Irish Film and Television Awards | Best Actress in a Supporting Role in Television | Mistresses (2008) |
| 2004 | IFTA Award | Irish Film and Television Awards | Best Actress in a TV Drama | Proof (2004) |
| 2004 | IFTA Award | Irish Film and Television Awards | Best Actress in a TV Drama | Servants (2003) |
| 1999 | IFTA Award | Irish Film and Television Awards | Best Actor in a Female Role | A Love Divided (1999) |
