Clare Monnelly

Clare Monnelly’s face might ring a bell if you’ve dipped into some of the sharpest Irish comedies of the past decade. She first caught people off guard with her dry wit on Moone Boy—yeah, that Chris O’Dowd show where nothing ever went smoothly for the poor lads in Boyle. Clare’s timing was killer, honestly. Then she spun that momentum into Nowhere Fast, which is basically a love letter to being thirty and totally lost, but in a way that makes you laugh instead of cry into your tea. She stole scenes as Amanda, never afraid to be a bit awkward or brutally honest, and always super relatable. Now, Fréwaka (2024) is her latest gig, and it’s grabbing headlines for good reason. She’s front and center, bringing this raw, complicated character to life—a person caught between old grudges and the weird magic of small-town Ireland. The film’s got that offbeat Irish humor but doesn’t shy away from real heartbreak either. Clare’s performance? Gutsy. She doesn’t just play a part, she disappears into it. The script gives her room to be messy, fierce, even a bit unlikable sometimes, which makes her ten times more interesting. If you’re into stories where the laughs sneak up on you right after a gut punch, or you love seeing actors do something totally unexpected, she’s one to keep an eye on. She’s not just another sitcom face—she’s got serious range and isn’t afraid to get weird with a role.