Charlene McKenna

Charlene McKenna (Irish: Searlaoin Nic Chionaoith; born 26 March 1984) is an Irish actress. Born in Glaslough, County Monaghan, she became a household name and face in Ireland after starring as Jennifer in the television series Pure Mule in 2005. She has had numerous other roles in television dramas in Ireland, including Raw, Single-Handed 2 and Whistleblower. She won the Best Actress (Television) award at the Irish Film and Television Awards in 2009 for Raw and won the Outstanding Actress in a Mini-Series award for her role in Whistleblower at the Monte Carlo Television Festival in June 2009.

Career

McKenna first appeared on stage at the age of eleven, playing a small role in Oklahoma! with the Monaghan Youth Theatre. She studied Religious Education and Music at Mater Dei Institute of Education, Dublin. Her first large-scale production was Pure Mule which launched her career. She played Jennifer, a racy character, in the series.

McKenna has had roles in several other Irish television shows as well, including Raw, Single Handed and Whistleblower. She had a role in a two-hour Dickensian period drama filmed in Dublin and broadcast on ITV in late 2007. The drama also featured Derek Jacobi, Toby Jones, Bradley Walsh, Zoë Wanamaker, Martin Freeman, Steve Pemberton, Anna Madeley and Gina McKee.