kelly macdonald line of duty
TV

Kelly Macdonald stars as DCI in new Line of Duty series

She's a brilliant actress...

Kelly Macdonald is starring in the new series of Line of Duty as a guest lead.

The Scottish actress, 45, has been a regular in movies and television for the last two decades.

She’s one of those faces you instantly recognise – but can you always place?

Here’s a rather handy look at some of her most famous roles, and a bit about her personal life to boot…

Who is Kelly Macdonald in Line of Duty?

Kelly plays Detective Chief Inspector Joanne Davidson in series six of Line of Duty.

Read more: Jed Mercurio says ‘possible’ main Line of Duty characters killed off

The character is described as “senior investigating officer on an unsolved murder case whose unconventional conduct attracts the attention of AC-12”.

Going by her IMDB, she will feature in all seven of the upcoming series’ episodes.

kelly macdonald in line of duty
Kelly as Detective Joanne Davidson in Line of Duty (Credit: BBC)

What has she said about her character?

Speaking to Radio Times, Kelly said Joanne has a “steeliness” to her – and demands respect.

She explained: “When she walks into a room, everyone is deferential and calls her ‘Ma’am’, which I found quite funny. I struggled with having that kind of authority!”

In fact, she says she initially considered turning down the role as she found the script and police jargon so intimidating.

Read more: How Line of Duty series six links back to series one

However, former Line of Duty star Keeley Hawes persuaded her to take the role.

Poster

Kelly said: “Keeley was brilliant; she talked me down from the ledge.

“She said it might look as though you are being asked to do something completely impossible, but it’s not.”

Who was Kelly Macdonald in Harry Potter?

Kelly played the Grey Lady in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. The Grey Lady is the ghost of Helena Ravenclaw.

Speaking to The Sun, she said she was disappointed she didn’t get to film any of her scenes with Daniel Radcliffe.

She said: “I was only there for a few days and literally, I had to work with a cardboard cut-out of Daniel Radcliffe — they made me one.

‘I was prepared to go without but they’d gone to the trouble of doing that for me because he couldn’t be there.”

kelly macdonald with ewan mcgregor
Kelly with Ewan McGregor (Credit: SplashNews)

Was Kelly in Trainspotting?

Yes, Kelly played Diane in the 1996 movie Trainspotting.

She won the role after seeing a leaflet about the auditions while working as a barmaid in Glasgow.

She reprised her role for T2 Trainspotting in 2017.

Who did she play in Boardwalk Empire?

Kelly appeared in five series of the HBO gangster drama Boardwalk Empire.

Here she played single mother Margaret Thompson and the love interest of Enoch ‘Nucky’ Thompson (played by Steve Buscemi).

Which episode of Black Mirror was she in?

She stars in the longest ever episode of Black Mirror to date.

Kelly played detective Karin Parke in series three episode six.

kelly with husband douglas
Kelly with her husband Dougie (Credit: SplashNews)

Is she married? Any kids?

Kelly is married to backing vocalist and bassist Dougie Payne from Scottish band Travis. The couple wed in 2003 and they share two sons – Theodore and Freddie.

When is Line of Duty next on?

Series six of Line of Duty begins on Sunday March 21 on BBC One at 9pm and runs for seven weeks.

Once episodes have aired, they will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Will you be watching? Let us know on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor