Sinéad Keenan is one of TV’s most bankable actors right now, so you probably won’t be surprised to find out she’s got acting in her family.
She has bravely taken on the role of DCI Jess James in Unforgotten, knowing full well it’s a tricky character to step into.
Unforgotten fans will know that DCI James arrives in series 5 to replace the beloved character of DCI Cassie Stewart.
Luckily, Sinéad is used to portraying some challenging roles.
Here’s everything you need to know about Sinéad Keenan, including her career, famous family, and where she’s from.
Who is Sinéad Keenan, and what’s she been in before?
Sinéad Keenan is an actress, known for playing a werewolf in BBC Three’s supernatural drama Being Human.
Irish viewers will probably know her best for playing Farrah Phelan in Fair City.
After quitting her role as Nina in Being Human, Sinéad moved on to grittier roles.
Her role as Melanie Jones in Little Boy Blue earned her a well-deserved BAFTA nomination.
The ITV series dramatised the murder of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Croxteth, Liverpool in 2007.
Recently, Sinéad popped up as Aideen O’Shea in Derry Girls, and DI Paula Cassidy in Showtrial.
She also took on the role of Theresa Ryan in another hard-hitting drama, Three Families.
Three Families told the story of real-life families and how they were each affected by Northern Ireland’s restrictive abortion law before it was lifted in 2019.
Sinéad has also played Addams in David Tennant‘s final episodes of Doctor Who (before he came back!), Patricia in My Left Nut, Roz in Deep Water, and Dr. Bartholomew in Porters.
Her latest role sees her replace DCI Cassie Stuart in Unforgotten.
Sinéad Keenan takes the female lead as DCI Jess James, alongside Sanjeev Bhaskar’s DI Sunil ‘Sunny’ Khan.
Dublin-born Sinéad began filming her new role earlier in 2022.
How old is Sinéad Keenan?
Sinéad Keenan was born on December 27, 1977.
She is currently 45 years old.
Is it just us, or does she look at least 15 years younger?
Where is Sinéad Keenan from?
Actress Sinéad is from Dublin, Ireland.
She attended University College Dublin, graduating with a degree in Sociology and History.
As a child, Sinéad said she wanted to be a lawyer because she loved the US legal drama, Matlock…
But, as she got older, she realised that she actually just wanted to play the part of the lawyer, not be one!
Sinéad Keenan family: Who is Sinéad married to?
Sinéad is married to Chris McGill.
The pair married in 2012, and counted Fleabag’s Hot Priest Andrew Scott as one of their guests.
Chris is a TV and film director, who has worked on EastEnders, Casualty, Holby, and The Snatcher.
He is the founder of Dusthouse Theatre.
Sinéad Keenan and Chris McGill have two sons.
Who is Sinéad’s famous family? Is she related to Gemma Arterton?
Sinéad is the eldest of three children.
Her younger brother and sister, Rory and Gráinne, are also actors!
Actor Rory, 42, recently played troubled dad Steve in the Channel 4 drama Somewhere Boy.
TV viewers will also know him for playing Hugh Evans in Rules of the Game, Shep in The Duchess, and
Peaky Blinders fans might recognise him as Donal.
Rory is married to Funny Woman actress Gemma Arterton, which makes Sinéad and Gemma sisters-in-law!
Meanwhile, Sinéad’s sister Gráinne is known for her roles in Blood with Adrian Dunbar, Come Home, Victoria, and Doctors.
And now Unforgotten!
Who plays Debs in Unforgotten? Sinéad Keenan’s sister Gráinne!
Sinéad’s sister Gráinne Keenan star in series 5 of Unforgotten!
She’ll actually play Jess James’ sister Debbie in two episodes of the drama – episode 3 and episode 4.
So real life sisters play on-screen sisters!
Read more: Unforgotten viewers all say same thing about Sinéad Keenan as DCI Jess James
Unforgotten series 5 airs on Mondays on ITV1 at 9pm from February 27, 2023.
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