Emma McDonald

Emma McDonald
Born
Emma Katherine McDonald

1993 (age 32–33)
Alma materUniversity of Nottingham
Years active2015–present

Emma Katherine McDonald (born 1993) is an English actress. She began her career in theatre. On television, she is known for her roles in the AMC+ series Moonhaven (2022) and the Starz series The Serpent Queen (2024). Her films include 7 Keys (2024) and Low Rider (2025).

Early life

McDonald grew up around Brixton and Camberwell, South London.[1] McDonald attended St Marylebone School.[2] She was discovered in a school play by Michael Frayn. Before pursuing acting professionally, McDonald graduated with a degree in maths and psychology from the University of Nottingham.[3] During her time at university, she took part in Nottingham New Theatre student productions.[4]

Career

After leaving Nottingham, in 2015, McDonald made her professional stage debut as Georgiana Darcy in Pride and Prejudice at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.[5] She then played Hero in the Iris Theatre production of Much Ado About Nothing at St Paul's, Covent Garden in 2016.[6] McDonald joined the Watermill Theatre company, appearing in productions and tours of Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night and The Picture of Dorian Gray in 2017, A Midsummer Night's Dream in 2019 and Macbeth in 2020.[7] Also in 2019, McDonald played Anna Lamb in The Sweet Science of Brusing at Wilton's Music Hall.[8]

Amid 2020 and 2021, McDonald starred as Eve opposite May Kelly in the film Get Luke Lowe[9] and appeared in digital productions of The Picture of Dorian Gray alongside Fionn Whitehead and Alfred Enoch[10] and Going the Distance.[11] She made her television debut as Yasmin Hayes in the second series of the Acorn TV series Queens of Mystery.[12]

Announced in 2021, McDonald was cast in her first lead role as Bella Sway in the 2022 AMC+ science fiction series Moonhaven.[13] In 2024, she replaced Sennia Nanua as Rahima in the second season of the Starz historical drama The Serpent Queen.[14] She had a supporting role as Areej in Amrou Al-Kadhi's film Layla and starred as Lena in Joy Wilkinson's 7 Keys[15] and Quinn in Campbell X's Low Rider.[16] McDonald returned to the stage in Foreverland at Southwark Playhouse[17] and the Royal Shakespeare Company production of The Constant Wife.[18]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2019 Landfall (1734-1987-2018) Martha York
2020 Get Luke Lowe Evelyn "Eve" Brown
2021 The Everlasting Club Short film
2022 Here We Are Mona Short film
2024 Layla Areej
7 Keys Lena
2025 Low Rider Quinn

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2021 Queens of Mystery Yasmin Hayes 2 episodes
2022 Moonhaven Bella Sway Main role
2024 The Serpent Queen Rahima Main role (season 2)
2025 The Chelsea Detective Stacey Ford 1 episode
2026 Death in Paradise Esme LeRoux Series 15, Episode 7

Stage

Year Title Role Notes
2015 Pride and Prejudice Georgiana Darcy Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
2016 Much Ado About Nothing Hero St Paul's, Covent Garden
2017 Romeo and Juliet Lady Capulet Watermill Theatre, Newbury / tour
Twelfth Night Antonia
The Picture of Dorian Gray Dorian Gray
2019 The Sweet Science of Bruising Anna Lamb Wilton's Music Hall
A Midsummer Night's Dream Titania Watermill Theatre / tour
2020 Macbeth Lady Macbeth
2021 The Picture of Dorian Gray Sybil Vane Digital production
Going the Distance Gail
2024 Foreverland Southwark Playhouse, London
2025 The Constant Wife Marie-Louise Durham Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

References

  1. ^ "interview - emma mcdonald". Schön!. 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  2. ^ Masso, Giverny (4 March 2019). "Actor Emma McDonald: 'After he saw me in a school play, Michael Frayn set me up with an agent'". The Stage. Retrieved 15 February 2024.(subscription required)
  3. ^ Chetrar, Sofi (24 August 2022). "Emma McDonald – to the Moon and Back". Puss Puss. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Emma McDonald". Nottingham New Theatre History Project. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  5. ^ Hewis, Ben (13 May 2015). "First look at the cast of Pride and Prejudice at Sheffield Crucible". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  6. ^ Penn, Brian (1 July 2016). "Much Ado About Nothing, St Paul's Church – Review". Everything Theatre. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  7. ^ Moses, Caro (17 January 2020). "Emma McDonald: Macbeth and A Midsummer Night's Dream". This Week. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  8. ^ Stewart, Greg (30 May 2019). "Interview: Emma McDonald on The Sweet Science of Bruising". Theatre Weekly. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  9. ^ "ABFF Film Festival: Get Luke Lowe (2020) Movie Drinking Game & Review". MovieBoozer. 25 August 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  10. ^ Cuadros, Pat (16 March 2021). "Theater Interview: Emma McDonald from 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'". Blogcritics. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  11. ^ Wood, Alex (4 October 2021). "Going the Distance review – local theatre tries to head over the rainbow in this digital production". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  12. ^ "Queens of Mystery: Season 2 Premieres with Delightful Two-Part Whodunit". The British TV Place. January 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  13. ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (19 July 2021). "'Moonhaven': Emma McDonald To Headline AMC Utopian Drama From Peter Ocko". Deadline. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  14. ^ Baugher Milas, Lacy (3 September 2024). "The Serpent Queen Season 2 Ends with the Collapse of Its Strongest Relationship". Paste. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  15. ^ Felperin, Leslie (13 March 2024). "'7 Keys' Review: Emma McDonald and Billy Postlethwaite Bring Much-Needed Heat to Misguided London Hook-Up Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  16. ^ McLennan, Callum (7 August 2025). "Alief Boards Campbell X Helmed 'Low Rider' Ahead of Edinburgh World Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  17. ^ "Foreverland review – dystopian drama probes ethics of life extension". The Guardian. 10 October 2024. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  18. ^ Wiegand, Chris (2 July 2025). "The Constant Wife review – Rose Leslie and Laura Wade let fresh light into Maugham's drawing room". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
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