Emma McDonald | |
|---|---|
| Born | Emma Katherine McDonald 1993 (age 32–33) |
| Alma mater | University of Nottingham |
| Years active | 2015–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).
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]
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]
| 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 | |
| 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 |
| 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 | |