In the flourishing field of contemporary British and Irish television drama, few talents have risen as steadily or as sincerely as Róisín Gallagher. Known for her visceral screen presence and grounded, emotionally layered performances, Gallagher has, over the past decade, carved a unique space for herself: as an actor whose work blends raw honesty with subtle humor, and whose personal journey infuses her roles with emotional depth that resonates universally.
Born Róisín Alice Gallagher in March 1987 in Andersonstown, a suburb of West Belfast in Northern Ireland, she grew up in a working‑class Catholic family alongside her siblings in a community shaped by the lingering cultural memory of the Troubles.
Early Life and Formative Influences
Growing up in West Belfast during the late 1980s and 1990s meant that Róisín’s early years were shaped by a Belfast defined by its past more than its present. She has spoken candidly in earlier interviews about growing up in a world where sectarian identity was a daily backdrop – “a world where I heard people say, ‘he’s a Protestant but he’s very nice’.” This comment reflects not only the subtle tensions of her upbringing, but also a worldview that would later inform her craft: an instinct for empathy, a recognition of complexity, and an appreciation for the shared humanity that underlies even the most divisive contexts.
Her interest in performance was sparked at school – a production of My Fair Lady gave her an early taste of being “in someone else’s shoes,” a sensation she later described as both exhilarating and transformative. This early attraction to storytelling would become the foundation of her life and career.
In pursuit of that calling, Gallagher moved to Scotland to train at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), a rigorous institution whose alumni include some of the UK’s most respected actors. It was a formative experience: geographically close to home, but artistically liberating – a space where she could explore her craft with seriousness and focus.
From Stage to Screen: Gallagher’s Early Career
Gallagher began her professional career around 2008, primarily in theater. That foundation in live performance gave her first a discipline and then a versatility that would become her trademark. Stage work — often intense and immediate — taught her to find emotional truth in every moment, and prepared her to step into characters with psychological depth.
While her early credits were largely theatrical, Gallagher soon transitioned to television, where her expressive performances quickly gained notice. One of her earliest screen appearances was a guest role in The Fall (2016), a gripping BBC psychological thriller. Though a smaller part, it showcased her ability to hold her own opposite established talents and to convey complexity even with limited screen time.
Yet it was her leap into substantial television roles that would mark the true beginning of her rise.
Breakthrough with The Dry
Gallagher’s major breakout role came with “The Dry,” an Irish comedy‑drama series created by Nancy Harris and produced by Element Pictures. Premiering in 2022, the show centers on the Sheridan family and Gallagher’s character, Shiv Sheridan, a recovering alcoholic trying to rebuild her life amidst familial chaos.
From the first episodes, audiences and critics alike noted Gallagher’s performance for its emotional honesty, comedic timing, and authentic portrayal of addiction’s frustratingly nonlinear path. Portraying Shiv required Gallagher to balance dark comedy with real emotional stakes — a challenge she met with both sensitivity and conviction. Her work drew applause not only for its artistry but for its real emotional intelligence; she had an almost documentary‑like way of making Shiv’s struggles feel both deeply specific and universally recognizable.
The public response to the series was enthusiastic. Its blend of sharp wit, thickly drawn family dynamics, and Gallagher’s dynamic central performance helped it become one of the UK and Ireland’s most talked‑about drama series of the early 2020s.
The popularity of The Dry would only grow: the first season debuted in 2022, the second in 2024, and in January 2025, it was officially renewed for a third season, expected to stream exclusively on ITVX in 2026. The anticipation around this new installment reflects both the show’s strong fanbase and Gallagher’s centrality to its success.
Critical Recognition and Awards
Gallagher’s performances have not gone unnoticed by awards bodies and critics alike. For The Dry, she was nominated for an IFTA Award (Irish Film & Television Academy) for Best Lead Actress — a high honor recognizing her nuanced work in a role that won both audience affection and critical respect.
Following that, in 2024 she received a BAFTA TV Award nomination for Female Performance in a Comedy Programme for her role in The Lovers, further cementing her status as one of the UK and Irish television’s most compelling rising talents.
These nominations reflect a consistently upward trajectory in Gallagher’s career: from respected newcomer to a performer whose work has become a staple of the small‑screen awards conversation.
Exploring Romantic Comedy: The Lovers
In 2023, Gallagher starred alongside Johnny Flynn in The Lovers, a romantic comedy series on Sky Atlantic. The show followed the unlikely relationship between a foul‑mouthed supermarket worker and a political broadcaster — a pairing fertile with both comedic and emotional potential. Gallagher’s portrayal of Janet displayed her range beyond drama into nuanced romantic comedy, balancing sharp humor with empathetic vulnerability.
Critics praised her performance for its ability to conjure authentic chemistry and emotional specificity — a reminder that at her best, Gallagher works not by performing emotions but by enabling audiences to feel them.
Her BAFTA nomination for this role acknowledged the breadth of her talent and foreshadowed a career trajectory that is both versatile and deeply rooted in character integrity.
Breaking Into International Work: Harlan Coben’s Lazarus
In 2025, Gallagher made a significant leap into international television with her role in Harlan Coben’s Lazarus, a Netflix adaptation featuring a broader global audience. In this series she portrayed Laura Mainard in several episodes — marking her U.S. debut and introducing her to a vastly expanded viewership beyond the UK and Ireland.
This step onto the international stage speaks to Gallagher’s growing appeal: one rooted not in celebrity but in the compelling authenticity she brings to each character. Audiences in the U.S. and beyond responded well to her screen presence, and her performance opened the door to new opportunities in transatlantic television.
A New Chapter: How to Get to Heaven from Belfast
2026 has already seen another major milestone in Gallagher’s career with the release of How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, a new Netflix series created by Lisa McGee, the creator of Derry Girls. The show premiered on February 12, 2026, and features Gallagher in the lead role of Saoirse, a television writer whose life is upended by the mysterious death of a childhood friend.
In this eight‑episode series, Gallagher’s character embarks on an investigation that blends dark comedy, mystery, and deeply human drama — a perfect vehicle for her strengths: sharp humor, emotional intelligence, and a grounded presence capable of carrying complex narrative arcs.
The collaboration with McGee — a creator celebrated for her sharp writing and distinctly Irish voice — positions Gallagher at a cultural crossroads: merging big‑screen storytelling with narratives that feel intensely local, personal, and true.
Artistic Philosophy and Approach to Performance
What distinguishes Róisín Gallagher as an artist is not merely the roles she chooses but how she approaches them. In interviews she has spoken about acting as a form of empathy — a way of accessing someone else’s feelings in order to better understand one’s own. For her, performance is not escapism, but connection; not performance, but truth made visible.
This commitment to authenticity carries through all her work — from the raw humor and pain of The Dry to the romantic complexity of The Lovers, and now to the mysterious emotional terrain of How to Get to Heaven from Belfast. Her work is unified not by genre but by a dedication to humanity.
This same dedication is visible in her process. For The Dry, she spoke openly of how playing Shiv allowed her to explore themes – like addiction and sobriety – with both seriousness and compassion, shifting viewers’ perceptions around complex social issues and emotional experiences.
Personal Life: Grounded, Resilient, Human
Off‑screen, Gallagher’s life remains deeply rooted in the rhythms of family and community. She is married to Craig Hutchison, a Scottish electrician she met through theatre, and together they raise two young sons. Balancing motherhood with an acting career has, by her own account, been both rewarding and challenging – a delicate negotiation between professional ambition and personal identity.
She has spoken honestly about the pressures of parenthood, the sense of guilt many working parents experience, and the ways in which taking on complex roles like Shiv allowed her to rediscover a sense of self beyond maternal identity.
Her perspective is frank, grounded, and deeply human. Gallagher does not hide behind glamour, nor does she cultivate an illusion of perfection. Instead, she embraces the messy realities of life, love, family, and creative labor – qualities that make her not just a powerful actor but a relatable, sincere human being.
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