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Orla Brady (aka Tasha Lem on Doctor Who) Wiki Biography

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Known for movies

Sheila Kelly Cloney

A Love Divided (1999)
as Sheila Kelly Cloney

Cathy

Wuthering Heights (1998)
as Cathy

Aunt Anna

The Luzhin Defence (2000)
as Aunt Anna

Lilly Summers

Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise (2006)
as Lilly Summers

Short Info

SpouseNick Brandt
FactIn 2001 moved to Los Angeles where she met English photographer, Nick Brandt, whom she married in December 2002 in the Chyulu Hills of Kenya.


Who is Orla Brady?

Born on 28 March 1961, in Dublin, Ireland, under the sun sign of Aries, Orla Brady is a 58-year-old Irish actress and former model. One of the most famous Irish entertainers, Orla studied acting in the prestigious Ecole Philippe Gaulier in Paris, France, and her career includes roles in film and television, with sporadic appearances in theater productions. She is most famous for her role of Tasha Lem in “Doctor Who”, as well as playing Elizabeth Bishop in “Fringe”, a hit science fiction drama that was produced by JJ Abrams, the man behind movies like “Armageddon”, “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens” and “Star Trek”. So Orla is known as a versatile actress, hence the large number of acting credits to her name.

Early Life and Education: Growing Up in Dublin

Orla was born into the Irish family of Catherine and Patrick Brady, the second of four children; the family quickly relocated to Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland. Since she was a child, Orla was charismatic and destined for a career in entertainment. She got her education at the Loreto Convent in Wicklow, with additional specialization at the Ursuline Convent in Dublin  convents are seen as the Irish equivalent to American high schools, but with far wider religious implications. After completing her secondary education, Orla wasn’t sure what she was going to do, being at a crossroads with several ideas about shaping her future. Eventually, she decided to have a try at her first preference – modeling.

Career Beginnings: Modeling, Specialization in Paris and Theater

At the age of 20, Orla permanently relocated to London – she was always thought of as attractive, so she wanted to see what she could accomplish in the modeling world. Throughout the 1980s she had moderate success, working for some relatively big brands and appearing in commercials. However, at the age of 25, Orla felt that she could excel at acting. With the support of her parents and friends, she applied to study at Ecole Philippe Gaulier, a prestigious art school in Paris, France; she was accepted and given the opportunity to study at École Internationale de Mimodrame de Paris, under the guidance of Marcel Marceau. While she initially struggled to learn French, Orla quickly became fluent, which allowed her to appear in several plays in France, which was excellent preparation for what was about to come.

Orla Brady

Making a Name for Herself: Balloonatics Theater Company and More

After returning from Paris, she decided that she wanted to stay in London seek opportunities. The official beginning of Orla’s acting career can be traced to her time with the Balloonatics Theater Company, a troupe renowned for bringing classic English and Irish works of literature to life on stage. She toured various productions of “Finnegans Wake” and “Hamlet”, then after a short period in London, she relocated to Dublin yet again, where she would play important roles in “House of Bernarda Alba” and “Three Sisters”, both of which were regularly shown at the Gate Theater. She then returned to London, where she would play Kate in “Philadelphia, Here I Come!”, by Brian Friel, before focusing more on television and film.

1993-2002: Various Works

In 1993, Orla assumed a minor role in “Minder”, a hit British TV comedy/drama that depicts the stories of some of London’s most notorious criminals. The next year she had two roles, in “Words Upon the Window Pane”, an Irish film based upon a play by William Butler Yeats, and in “The Bill”, a cult British police drama. Afterwards, she appeared in “Absolutely Fabulous”, “Dangerfield” and “Casualty”. All of these roles were minor, but brought her the attention she needed to distinguish herself as a prominent television actress. On “Out of the Blue”, she played Rebecca Bennett for 12 episodes, which was first lead role in a TV show. Subsequently, she also took the lead roles in “Noah’s Ark” and “Pure Wickedness”. For her role as Sheila Cloney in the movie “A Love Divided”, she won the 1999 Golden Nymph Best Actress Award. 2001 saw her undertake one of her most prominent roles, as Naoise O’Neill on “Family Law”, for 43 episodes.

Posted by Orla Brady on Sunday, October 21, 2012

2002-2010: Mistresses, Proof and More

The 2000s saw Orla implement an interesting mix of minor and major roles in various TV programs, with almost no movies in this period. She appeared in two hit shows during this time, firstly in “Mistresses”, a British show depicting the lives of four female friends and their love affairs, as well as the repercussions of their decisions; This is widely regarded as one of Orla’s best roles, in which she showcased her versatility and displayed the full extent of her talent. Before and after this role, Orla cheated in other shows and movies, which prompted this famous quote: ‘Mum asks why I am so often cast in adulterous roles. I think it must be because I am fairly flirty.’ The same decade, she appeared in “Proof”, another critically acclaimed Irish TV show, in the role of an investigative journalist, who inadvertently enters the world of crime. 2009 was the year she appeared in “Fringe”, much to the joy of sci-fi fans around the world.

Recent Years

In the last few years, we saw Orla take on the role of Tasha Lem in “Doctor Who”, which resulted in her becoming more famous than ever before. She also appeared in shows like “Jo”, “Eternal Law” and “Banished”. Other than Tasha Lem, she also played Lydia in “Into the Badlands”, which became one of the most significant roles in her career, to date.

Personal Life: Who is Orla Brady’s Husband, Nick Brandt?

Orla dated quite a lot during the 1980s and 1990s, which apparently didn’t fulfill her at all. She decided to take a break from men, until she met Nick Brandt, a famous natural photographer who uses his work to educate people about pollution, climate change and other significant ecological problems. The two met in 2001, hit it off immediately, and married in December 2002 in a beautiful ceremony in the Chyulu Hills in Kenya, right beside Mount Kilimanjaro. Both Nick and Orla are big safari fans and try to go to Africa at least once a year. Currently, they reside in the hills of Southern California.

What is Orla Brady’s Net Worth?

According to several credible sources, Orla Brady has a net worth of approximately $3 million, accumulated over the course of her almost 30-year career. She is known for her incessant will to improve and find better opportunities. Given the fact that she’s still going strong, we might see this number rise in the foreseeable future.

Body Measurements: How Tall is Orla Brady?

Orla Brady is 5ft 7in (170cm) tall. Her other measurements are currently unknown.

General Info

Full NameOrla Brady
Height1.68 m
ProfessionActor
NationalityIrish

Family

SpouseNick Brandt
ParentsPatrick Brady, Catherine Brady

Accomplishments

MoviesThe Price Of Desire, Wayland's Song, The Debt, How About You, 32A, Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise, The Luzhin Defence, The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns, A Love Divided, Wuthering Heights, Fogbound, 60 Minute Man
TV ShowsInto the Badlands, Strike Back, Eternal Law, The Deep, Proof, Family Law, Servants, Empire, Noah's Ark, Mistresses, Jo, Sinbad, Out of the Blue, Out of the Blue (UK), Lawless

Social profile links

Twitterhttp://www.twitter.com/orla_brady
IMDBhttp://imdb.com/name/nm0103699

Facts

#Fact
1Is the second of four children born to Patrick and his wife Catherine.
2Educated at a Loreto Convent in Wicklow and an Ursuline Convent in Dublin.
3When she was 25, moved to Paris where she studied at the L'École Philippe Gaulier, securing a place at Marcel Marceau's École Internationale de Mimodrame de Paris.
4Lived in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland, from birth until the age of seven.
5In 2001 moved to Los Angeles where she met English photographer, Nick Brandt, whom she married in December 2002 in the Chyulu Hills of Kenya.

Pictures

Orla Brady, Marton Csokas, Daniel Wu, Aramis Knight, Emily Beecham
Orla Brady, Alfred Gough
Orla Brady
Orla Brady
Orla Brady
Orla Brady
Orla Brady
Orla Brady
Orla Brady
Orla Brady

All pictures

Movies

Actress

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Into the Badlands2015-2017TV SeriesLydia
American Odyssey2015TV SeriesSofia Tsaldari / Sophia Tsaldari
Banished2015TV SeriesAnne Meredith
The Price of Desire2015Eileen Gray
Doctor Who2013TV SeriesTasha Lem
Agatha Christie's Poirot2013TV SeriesCountess Rossakoff
Wayland's Song2013Grace
Jo2013TV SeriesDormont
Eternal Law2012TV SeriesMrs. Sheringham
Fringe2010-2012TV SeriesAlternate Elizabeth Bishop Elizabeth Bishop
Sinbad2012TV SeriesTaryn
The Deep2010TV Mini-SeriesCatherine / Catherine Donnelly
Mistresses2008-2010TV SeriesSiobhan Dhillon Siobhan Dillon Siobhan
Strike Back2010TV SeriesKatie Dartmouth
Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings2009Video GameMaggie O'Malley (voice)
Wallander2008TV SeriesElla Lindfeldt
Shark2007-2008TV SeriesClaire Stark
Protect and Serve2007TV MovieDr. Lorna Herrera
How About You...2007Kate Harris
32A2007Jean Brennan
Last Night2006/IIShortLucy
Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise2006TV MovieLilly Summers
Sixty Minute Man2006TV MovieKate Henderson
World of Trouble2005TV MovieJoan Denny
Empire2005TV Mini-SeriesAtia
Revelations2005TV Mini-SeriesNora Webber
Proof2004-2005TV SeriesMaureen Boland
Lawless2004TV MovieLiz Bird
Nip/Tuck2004TV SeriesDr. Monica Jordan
Hustle2004TV SeriesMeredith Gates
The Debt2003TV MovieAngela Jahnsen
Servants2003TV Mini-SeriesFlora Ryan
Fogbound2002Ann
Family Law2000-2002TV SeriesNaoise O'Neill
Silent Grace2001Eileen
The Luzhin Defence2000Aunt Anna
Pure Wickedness1999TV SeriesJenny Meadows
A Love Divided1999Sheila Kelly Cloney
Salvage1999Short
The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns1999TV Mini-SeriesKathleen Fitzpatrick
Wuthering Heights1998TV MovieCathy
Noah's Ark1997-1998TV SeriesClare Somers
The Heart Surgeon1997TV MovieMarcella Duggan
The Vicar of Dibley1996TV SeriesAoife
Pie in the Sky1996TV SeriesKit Kelly de Goris
Casualty1995TV SeriesWendy
New Voices1995TV SeriesRuby
Dangerfield1995TV SeriesDiane Foster
Words Upon the Window Pane1994Vanessa
The Rector's Wife1994TV Mini-SeriesSister Josephine
Absolutely Fabulous1994TV SeriesNurse Mary
The Bill1994TV SeriesAmy
Minder1993TV SeriesBank Teller
So You Think You've Got Troubles1991TV Series

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
4th Irish Film and Television Awards2007TV SpecialHerself - Presenter
3rd Irish Film and Television Awards2005TV Movie documentaryHerself - Presenter
The 7th Annual Irish Film and Television Awards2010TV SpecialHerself - Award Presenter
The 6th Annual Irish Film and Television Awards2009TV SpecialHerself - Award Nominee
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross2008TV SeriesHerself

Awards

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2016IFTA AwardIrish Film and Television AwardsBest Actress in a Lead Role - FilmThe Price of Desire (2015)
2013IFTA AwardIrish Film and Television AwardsBest Actress TVSinbad (2012)
2012Saturn AwardAcademy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USABest Guest Starring Role on TelevisionFringe (2008)
2011IFTA AwardIrish Film and Television AwardsBest Actress in a Lead Role in Film/TelevisionMistresses (2008)
2009IFTA AwardIrish Film and Television AwardsBest Actress in a Supporting Role in TelevisionMistresses (2008)
2004IFTA AwardIrish Film and Television AwardsBest Actress in a TV DramaProof (2004)
2004IFTA AwardIrish Film and Television AwardsBest Actress in a TV DramaServants (2003)
1999IFTA AwardIrish Film and Television AwardsBest Actor in a Female RoleA Love Divided (1999)

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia
Author

Benjy is currently a reporter for BiographyPedia based in Adelaide, Australia. Prior to joining BiographyPedia in July 2019, he was a Bizarre TV reporter and theatre critic at TheSun. Benjy has also written for DailyMail and TMZ. Benjy studied journalism at Goldsmiths University of London, graduating in 2009. You can contact him at [email protected]

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