Ann Skelly

Ann Skelly is an Irish actress who has quickly become one of the most compelling young talents emerging from Ireland's vibrant film and television scene. Born on 6 December 1996 in Wexford, Ireland, she spent her earliest years moving between Dublin and several small towns in County Wexford, including Ballycanew, Oylegate and Kilmuckridge, experiences that gave her a deep appreciation for the varied Irish landscape and culture. Skelly attended Coláiste Bríde in Enniscorthy before completing her Leaving Certificate through homeschooling, a path that allowed her to devote extra time to the Irish Film Academy’s weekend acting classes as a teenager. Determined to hone her craft, she later enrolled at Bow Street Academy, graduating in 2017, and immediately began landing professional work. Her on‑screen debut came in 2015 with the crime drama Red Rock, where she portrayed Rachel Reid, a role that introduced her to a national audience and set the stage for a series of high‑profile appearances. She soon earned guest spots on series such as Rebellion (2016) and Little Women (2017), demonstrating an early versatility across genres. In 2017 she starred as Candice in Aoife McArdle’s Kissing Candice, a performance that garnered an Irish Film & Television Awards (IFTA) nomination for Best Actress in a Lead Role – Film and a Rising Star nod in 2018. The following year she took on the lead role of Beth Winters in the period miniseries Death and Nightingales, acting alongside Jamie Dornan and Matthew Rhys, which earned her a second IFTA nomination for Best Actress in a Lead Role – Drama in 2021. Skelly also appeared as Lady Ethelfled in Vikings (2018‑2019) and played the titular character in the critically acclaimed film Rose Plays Julie (2019), directed by Joe Lawlor and Christine Molloy. Most recently, she was cast as the enigmatic Penance Adair in HBO’s sci‑fi drama The Nevers (2021), confirming her status as a rising star on the international stage. Beyond her professional achievements, Skelly has been in a relationship with Scottish actor Iain De Caestecker since 2021, maintaining a private personal life while focusing on her expanding body of work.