Leah O'Rourke

Leah O'Rourke (born 12 November 1988) is an actress from Northern Ireland. She is best known for her role as Jenny Joyce in the Channel 4 comedy series Derry Girls.^[1]

Leah O'Rourke
Born	(1988-11-12) 12 November 1988 (age 36) Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2006–present
Television	Derry Girls
Relatives	John Lynch (uncle), Susan Lynch (aunt)

Career

O'Rourke rose to prominence in 2018 following her supporting role in the comedy series, Derry Girls.^[2]

Outside of Derry Girls, O'Rourke has appeared in several short films, including Wasted (2013), Anna (2013), and Normality (2014). In 2016 O'Rourke played the character of Siobhán in the award-winning film Half Brothers.^[3][4] O'Rourke has spoken about how she auditioned for the role of 'Marianne' in the critically acclaimed drama series, Normal People, but lost out to eventual-star, Daisy Edgar-Jones.^[5]

Aside from acting professionally, O'Rourke has also worked as a drama tutor in the Fermanagh School of Music and Performing Arts.^[6]

In 2023, O'Rourke took part as a contestant on the sixth series of Dancing with the Stars, paired with John Nolan.

Leah is also the niece of actor John Lynch and actress Susan Lynch.

Filmography

Year	Film/Television	Role	Notes
2006	Fiddler's Walk	Young Naomh	Film
2008	Last Man Hanging	Dancer	TV film
2009	Seacht	Student	TV series
2012	Game of Thrones	Extra	TV series
2013	Wasted	Girl at party	Short film
	Anna	Anna Phelan	Short film
	Midnight	Sarah	Short film
2014	1: Nenokkadine	Passerby	Film
	Normality	Julie	Short film
2016	Half Brothers	Siobhán	Film
2018–2022	Derry Girls	Jenny Joyce	TV series
2022	The Six O'Clock Show	Guest	Chat show
2023	Dancing with the Stars	Contestant	Series 6