Alisha Weir
Alisha Weir | |
|---|---|
| Born | 26 September 2009 Dublin, Ireland |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2017–present |
Alisha Weir (born 26 September 2009) is an Irish actress and singer, best known for her roles as Matilda in the film Matilda the Musical (2022) and Abigail in Abigail (2024).
Early Life
[edit]Alisha Weir was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. She attended Our Lady's School and has two older sisters, both of whom participated in drama classes, inspiring her to pursue acting at a young age.[1]
Her father manages a car dealership, and she is scheduled to take her Junior Cert exams in 2025.[2]
Career
[edit]Weir began her career in theatre, debuting as Ivanka in the musical Once at Dublin's Olympia Theatre in 2017. She gained attention for her singing talent on The Late Late Toy Show, where she performed Justin Timberlake's cover of "True Colors".[3]
Her feature film debut was in the 2018 thriller Don't Leave Home, and she made her television debut as Laura in the 2019 crime drama Darklands.[4] Weir has also appeared in stage productions of Annie, The Wizard of Oz, and Oliver!.[2]
At eleven, Weir was cast as Matilda Wormwood in the Netflix adaptation of Matilda the Musical.[3] She later starred in the 2024 horror film Abigail, released on 19 April 2024. For this role, she trained in ballet and performed her own stunts. Critics praised her performance, with Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter describing it as "mesmerising" and "frightening and sardonically funny".[5]
Weir is also set to voice the lead role in the animated feature The Land of Sometimes, alongside Jessica Henwick and Ewan McGregor.[6]
Personal Life
[edit]Weir resides with her parents in Knocklyon, South Dublin, and they have a pet dog.[2] She enjoys films such as The Parent Trap and The Black Phone, and she cites actress Saoirse Ronan as one of her idols.[5]
Filmography
[edit]Film and Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Don't Leave Home | Siobhan Callahan | |
| Day Out | Rachael | Short film | |
| 2019 | Darklands | Laura | 5 episodes |
| 2020 | Ooops! The Adventure Continues | Primrose (voice) | |
| 2022 | Matilda the Musical | Matilda Wormwood | |
| Fia's Fairies | Fia (voice) | Main role | |
| 2023 | Wicked Little Letters | Nancy Gooding | |
| 2024 | Abigail | Abigail | |
| Buffalo Kids | Mary (voice) | ||
| TBA | The Land of Sometimes | TBA |
Stage
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Once[7] | Ivanka | Olympia Theatre, Dublin |
| Annie[8] | Molly | National Concert Hall, Dublin | |
| 2018 | The Wizard of Oz[5] | Munchkin | |
| 2019 | Oliver![2] | Chorus |
Awards and Nominations
[edit]| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Dublin Film Critics' Circle | Breakthrough Artist – Irish | Matilda the Musical | Won | [9] |
| 2023 | London Film Critics' Circle | Young British/Irish Performer of the Year | Nominated | [10] | |
| Irish Film & Television Awards | Lead Actress – Film | Nominated | [11] |
In April 2024, Weir was named in Forbes 30 Under 30.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ Britt, Tabitha (22 December 2022). "All About 'Matilda the Musical' Actress Alisha Weir". People. Archived from the original on 30 December 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
- ^ a b c d Barter, Pavel (28 April 2024). "Matilda star Alisha Weir: I'm back at school, I want to do my Junior Cert". The Sunday Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on 28 April 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ^ a b "Dublin actress Alisha Weir, 11, lands lead role in Netflix Matilda". The Sunday Times. 17 January 2021. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Dublin teen poised for stardom after a lead role in Netflix's 'Matilda the Musical'". IrishCentral. 3 January 2023. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
- ^ a b c Grobar, Matt (19 April 2024). "Meet Alisha Weir, The 14-Year-Old Breakout Star Of Universal's Vampire Flick 'Abigail'". Deadline. Archived from the original on 22 April 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ^ Yossman, K.J. (8 May 2024). "Jessica Henwick, Alisha Weir Join Ewan McGregor in Animated Feature 'The Land of Sometimes'". Variety. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ Donaghy, Gerard. "Teenage Irish actress Alisha Weir makes prestigious Forbes list of top European talent". The Irish Post. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ "Young Dublin Matilda star Alisha Weir to grace red carpet at Irish premiere". SundayWorld.com. 13 May 2024. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ Neglia, Matt (15 December 2022). "The 2022 Dublin Film Critics Circle (DFCC) Winners". Next Best Picture. Archived from the original on 15 December 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ Ritman, Alex (21 December 2022). "'Banshees of Inisherin', 'Aftersun' Top London Critics' Circle Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ Clarke, Donald (7 March 2023). "Irish Film & Television Awards 2023: The Banshees of Inisherin and Aisha top nominations". The Irish Times. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- ^ Guerin, Harry (9 April 2024). "Irish star Alisha Weir, 14, on Forbes 30 Under 30 list". RTÉ TEN. Archived from the original on 10 April 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
External Links
[edit]- Alisha Weir at IMDb
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| National | |
| People | |
