{{Short description|American actress}} {{Infobox person | name = Brenda Meaney | image = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = <!-- Valid citation required for date of birth for BLP. (WP:BLPPRIVACY) --> | birth_place = New York City, U.S. | alma_mater = Trinity College Dublin (BA) <br/> Yale University (MFA) | occupation = Actress | years_active = 2010–present | spouse = Henry Clarke | children = | mother = Bairbre Dowling | father = Colm Meaney | relatives = {{plainlist| * Vincent Dowling (grandfather) * Brenda Doyle (grandmother)}} }}
'''Brenda Meaney''' is an Irish-American actress, born in 1984. Best known for her work on stage, in 2023 she appeared opposite her father Colm Meaney in Landmark Productions revival of ''Bedbound'' by Enda Walsh.<ref name=Bedbound>Hayes, Katy. "Bedbound Review: Colm Meaney and Daughter Brenda Are Inspired Casting in Tale of Celtic Tiger Hubris." ''Irish Independent'', July 19, 2023.https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/theatre-arts/bedbound-review-colm-meaney-and-daughter-brenda-are-inspired-casting-in-tale-of-celtic-tiger-hubris/a805730622.html</ref> Meaney frequently appears in the plays of Tom Stoppard.<ref>About The Artists. "Brenda Meaney." Accessed March 15, 2025. https://www.abouttheartists.com/artists/468629-brenda-meaney.</ref><ref>Internet Broadway Database. "Brenda Meaney." Accessed March 15, 2025. https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/brenda-meaney-539481.</ref>
==Early life and education== Meaney was born in New York City to Irish actors Bairbre Dowling and Colm Meaney. She spent the majority of her childhood and adolescence in Los Angeles, California, and Dublin, Ireland.<ref>Murphy, Lauren. "Colm Meaney’s Daughter Brenda on Sharing the Stage with Her Famous Dad." ''The Irish Times'', July 16, 2023. https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/colm-meaneys-daughter-brenda-on-sharing-the-stage-with-her-famous-dad-c3gbxpj9c.</ref> She graduated from The Archer School for Girls in 2003.<ref> McIntosh, Christina. "The Archer School for Girls: Alumni News". ''Artemis'', April 9, 2013. https://issuu.com/thearcherschoolforgirls/docs/130409181219-b383171f43c045b887a1a2b554dbc6ba_orig.</ref>
Meaney later attended Trinity College Dublin, where a childhood fascination with Egyptology inspired her to pursue a Joint honours degree in the History of Art and Architecture & Ancient History and Archaeology. Meaney graduated in 2007 with plans to become a paleontologist, but later decided to pursue acting. She then matriculated to the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University, graduating in 2013 with an MFA in Acting.<ref>Finn, Melanie. "Family ties: Colm Meaney and his daughter, Brenda, to share silver screen." ''Irish Independent'', November 6, 2020. https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/family-ties-colm-meaney-and-his-daughter-brenda-to-share-silver-screen/39712935.html.</ref>
==Career== Meaney made her professional stage debut as Melanie Coleman in Lewis Black's ''One Slight Hitch'' at the Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater, directed by Joe Grifasi and appearing opposite Mark Linn-Baker and Lizbeth MacKay.<ref name=W.H.A.T>Phelps, Rob. "One Slight Hitch is One Extremely Funny Play at W.H.A.T." ''The Columbus Dispatch'', August 1, 2013. https://www.dispatch.com/story/archive/2013/08/01/one-slight-hitch-is/39506899007/.</ref> The same year, she appeared in Caryl Churchill's ''Owners'' at the Yale Repertory Theatre.<ref name=Owners>Gold, Sylviane. "The Implications of Ownership." ''The New York Times'', November 9, 2013. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/nyregion/a-review-of-owners-at-yale-repertory-theater.html.</ref> The following year, Meaney starred in the West Coast premiere of David Ives' Tony Award winning play ''Venus in Fur'' at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, California.<ref name=Venus>Examiner Staff. "Battle of Sexes Fuels 'Venus in Fur' at ACT." ''San Francisco Examiner'', March 31, 2014. https://www.sfexaminer.com/culture/battle-of-sexes-fuels-venus-in-fur-at-act/article_bbe478c4-2e99-526a-a3c3-34636d64c59d.html.</ref> Later that same year, she made her New York stage debut as Nell in the American premiere of Tom Stoppard’s ''Indian Ink'' at Roundabout Theatre Company, directed by Carey Perloff. In a review for ''The New York Times'', chief theatre critic Ben Brantley deemed the production as one of the year's best plays.<ref name=Indian.Ink.NYC>Brantley, Ben. "The Tony Award Nominations Should Be ..." ''The New York Times'', May 9, 2015. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/10/theater/theaterspecial/the-tony-award-nominations-should-be.html.</ref> ''Indian Ink'' was subsequently restaged at the American Conservatory Theater in 2015, with Meaney taking over the lead role of Flora Crewe. In a review for the ''SFGate'', theatre critic Robert Hurwitt observed "Brenda Meaney, who played a smaller role in New York, is a magnetic Flora, as sensually alive as she is smart."<ref name=Indian.Ink.SF>Hurwitt, Robert. "Theater Review: ACT’s 'Indian Ink' Shimmers, Then Fades." ''SFGATE'', January 22, 2015. https://www.sfgate.com/performance/article/Theater-review-ACT-s-Indian-Ink-6030740.php.</ref> Later that same year, Meaney worked in three successive stage productions, appearing as Natella Abashvili in Bertolt Brecht's ''The Caucasian Chalk Circle'' at the Yale Repertory Theatre;<ref name=TCCC>DeWitt, David. "Choosing to Do Good, Once Upon a Time." ''The New York Times'', April 4, 2015. Accessed March 15, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/05/nyregion/choosing-to-do-good-once-upon-a-time.html.</ref> Helen Stott in C. P. Taylor's ''And a Nightingale Sang...'' at the Westport Country Playhouse;<ref name=Nightingale>DeWitt, David. "A Review of ‘And a Nightingale Sang’ at the Westport Country Playhouse." ''The New York Times'', June 20, 2015. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/21/nyregion/a-review-of-and-a-nightingale-sang-at-the-westport-country-playhouse.html.</ref> and Betty Jones in Harold Chapin's ''The New Morality'' at the Mint Theater Company.<ref name= TNM>Soloski, Alexis. "Review: 'The New Morality,' a Vintage Play, at the Mint." ''The New York Times'', September 24, 2015. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/25/theater/review-the-new-morality-a-vintage-play-at-the-mint.html.</ref>
In 2016, Meaney reunited with director Carey Perloff, appearing as Hillary in Tom Stoppard’s ''The Hard Problem'' at the American Conservatory Theater.<ref name=THP>Janiak, Lily. "Tom Stoppard Couldn't Not Write 'The Hard Problem.'" ''SFGATE'', October 18, 2016. https://www.sfgate.com/performance/article/Tom-Stoppard-couldn-t-not-write-The-Hard-9976267.php.</ref> In 2018, Meaney starred opposite Academy Award winner Hayley Mills in the American premiere of Isobel Mahon's ''Party Face'' at New York City Center.<ref name=Party.Face>Vine, Hannah. "Hayley Mills and the Cast of Off-Broadway’s 'Party Face' Meet the Press." ''Playbill'', December 18, 2017. https://playbill.com/article/hayley-mills-and-the-cast-of-off-broadways-party-face-meet-the-press.</ref> Later that year, Meaney would once again reunite with Perloff to appear as Renia in the regional premiere of Martyna Majok's ''Queens'' at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, California. In 2019, Meaney appeared as Jerri in the world premiere of Neil LaBute's ''Great Negro Works of Art'' at the Davenport Theatre, programmed as part of the annual LaBute New Theater Festival.<ref name=LaBute.NTF>Vincentelli, Elisabeth. "Review: Neil LaBute's New Theater Festival Offers Familiar Themes." ''The New York Times'', January 17, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/17/theater/review-labute-new-theater-festival-neil-labute.html.</ref> Later that year, she starred as Bairbre in Micheál Mac Liammóir's ''The Mountains Look Different'' at the Mint Theater Company. The production was named a ''The New York Times'' Critics' Pick.<ref name=Mountains>Collins-Hughs, Laura. "Review: 'In the Mountains Look Different' Explores Sin, Shame, and Self-Determination." ''The New York Times'', June 20, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/20/theater/review-in-the-mountains-look-different-sin-shame-and-self-determination.html.</ref> Shortly thereafter, Meaney starred opposite Academy Award nominee Marsha Mason in Elaine Murphy's ''Little Gem'' at the Irish Repertory Theatre.<ref name=Little.Gem>Vincentelli, Elisabeth. "Review: 'Little Gem' Offers Three Generations of Family Drama." The New York Times, July 31, 2019. Accessed March 15, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/31/theater/little-gem-review.html.</ref>
In 2023, Meaney appeared in workshop productions of William Shakespeare's ''Richard II'' and ''Henry IV'', in repertory at Theatre for a New Audience.<ref name=TFANA>Putnam, Leah. "Broadway Alums to Star in Repertory Workshop of Richard II and Henry IV at TFANA." Playbill, January 25, 2023. https://playbill.com/article/broadway-alums-to-star-in-repertory-workshop-of-richard-ii-and-henry-iv-at-tfana.</ref> Later that year, she returned to Theatre for a New Audience to appear as Pascuala in a new adaptation of Lope de Vega's play ''Fuenteovejuna'', written by Adrian Mitchell.<ref name=Fuenteovejuna>Putnam, Leah. "TFANA's Fuente Ovejuna Opens Off-Broadway May 23." ''Playbill'', May 23, 2023. https://playbill.com/article/tfanas-fuente-ovejuna-opens-off-broadway-may-23.</ref> Shortly thereafter, she made her Irish stage debut, starring opposite her father Colm Meaney in Enda Walsh's ''Bedbound'' at the Galway International Arts Festival. The production later transferred to Olympia Theatre, Dublin, where it received critical acclaim. Both ''The Stage'' and ''The Arts Review'' awarded the production 4 stars, while ''The Irish Times'' praised the pairs chemistry, and RTÉ Arena described Meaney's performance as "magnetic, electric, and extraordinary."<ref>Landmark Productions. "Bedbound." Last modified November 25, 2023. https://www.landmarkproductions.ie/production/bedbound/.</ref> Meaney made her Broadway debut the following year, in a new adaptation of Anton Chekhov's ''Uncle Vanya'' at Lincoln Center Theatre, understudying the roles of Sonya and Elena for Alison Pill and Anika Noni Rose, respectively.<ref name=Uncle.Vanya>Tran, Diep. "On the Red Carpet: There Are No Small Roles in Uncle Vanya." ''Playbill''. April 26, 2024.https://playbill.com/article/on-the-red-carpet-there-are-no-small-roles-in-uncle-vanya.</ref> Later that year, she starred as Gretl in back-to-back productions of Tom Stoppard's Tony Award winning play ''Leopoldstadt'' at Huntington Theatre Company in Boston, Massachusetts, and Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C.<ref name=Leopoldstadt>Huntington Theatre Company. "Brenda Meaney." Accessed March 15, 2025. https://www.huntingtontheatre.org/bio/brenda-meaney/.</ref><ref>Shakespeare Theatre Company. "Leopoldstadt 24-25." Accessed March 15, 2025. https://www.shakespearetheatre.org/events/leopoldstadt-24-25/.</ref> Meaney made her screen debut in the 2021 family drama ''There's Always Hope'', appearing opposite her father, Colm Meaney. She later had supporting roles as Bridget in Neil LaBute's 2023 action thriller ''Fear the Night'', and Helen in Lorcan Finnegan's 2024 psychological thriller ''The Surfer'', which premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/2024/the-screenings-guide-of-the-77th-festival-de-cannes/|title=The Screenings Guide of the 77th Festival de Cannes|date=8 May 2024|website=Festival de Cannes|access-date=8 May 2024}}</ref> Her television credits include guest roles on ''Love/Hate'', ''Hell on Wheels'', ''For Life'', and ''FBI: Most Wanted''. From 2021-2024, Meaney starred as Debra in the podcast series ''Fear, A Love Story'' on Acast.
==Personal life== Meaney is married to American actor Henry Clarke. The pair performed opposite one another in David Ives' ''Venus in Fur'' at the American Conservatory Theatre in 2014.<ref>BroadwayWorld. "Photo Flash: First Look at Brenda Meaney and Henry Clarke in ACT's 'Venus in Fur.'" BroadwayWorld, March 21, 2014. https://www.broadwayworld.com/san-francisco/article/Photo-Flash-First-Look-at-Brenda-Meaney-and-Henry-Clarke-in-ACTs-VENUS-IN-FUR-20140321.</ref>
==Credits== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes ! class=unsortable|Ref. |- |2021 |''There's Always Hope'' |Amelia | |<ref name=Meanet.RT>Brenda Meaney Movies & TV Shows List. Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Accessed June 29, 2025. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/brenda_meaney.</ref> |- |2023 |''Fear the Night'' |Bridget | |<ref name=Meanet.RT /> |- |2024 |''The Surfer'' |Helen | |<ref name=Meanet.RT /> |- |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes ! class=unsortable|Ref. |- |2010 |''Love/Hate'' |Yvonne |Episode: #1.3 |<ref name=Meaney.TVGuide>“Brenda Meaney Credits.” TV Guide. Accessed June 29, 2025. TV Guide. https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/brenda-meaney/credits/3030122768/.</ref> |- |2014 |''Hell on Wheels'' |Anna |Episode: "Reckoning" |<ref name=Meaney.TVGuide /> |- |2020 |''For Life'' |Granger |Episode: "Character and Fitness" |<ref name=Meaney.TVGuide /> |- |2022 |''FBI: Most Wanted'' |Lydia Washburn |Episode: Gold Diggers |<ref name=Meaney.TVGuide /> |- |2022-2025 |''Fear, A Love Story'' |Debra |Main Role: 14 episodes | |- |}
===Stage=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Playwright ! Venue ! class=unsortable|Ref. |- |rowspan="2"|2013 | ''One Slight Hitch'' | Melanie Coleman | Lewis Black | Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater | <ref name=W.H.A.T /> |- | ''Owners'' | Marion | Caryl Churchill | Yale Repertory Theatre | <ref name=Owners /> |- |rowspan="2"|2014 | ''Venus in Fur'' | Vanda | David Ives | American Conservatory Theater | <ref name=Venus /> |- | ''Indian Ink'' | Nell | Tom Stoppard | Roundabout Theatre Company | <ref name=Indian.Ink.NYC /> |- |rowspan="4"|2015 | ''Indian Ink'' | Flora Crewe | Tom Stoppard | American Conservatory Theater | <ref name=Indian.Ink.SF /> |- | ''The Caucasian Chalk Circle'' | Natella Abashvili / Aniko | Bertolt Brecht | Yale Repertory Theatre | <ref name=TCCC /> |- | ''And a Nightingale Sang'' | Helen Scott | C. P. Taylor | Westport Country Playhouse | <ref name=Nightingale /> |- | ''The New Morality'' | Betty Jones | Harold Chapin | Mint Theater Company | <ref name= TNM /> |- |rowspan="2"|2016 | ''Incognito'' |Martha Murphy / Elouis Harvey / Brenda Walsh / Anna Vaun / Evelyn Einstein / Margaret Thomson / Lisa-Scott Hannigan / Patricia Thorn / Sharon Shaw u/s | Nick Payne | Manhattan Theatre Club | <ref>Simoes, Monica. “Meet the Cast of Nick Payne’s Incognito.” Playbill, April 8, 2016. Accessed June 29, 2025. https://playbill.com/article/meet-the-cast-of-nick-payne-39-s-incognito.</ref> |- | ''The Hard Problem'' | Hillary | Tom Stoppard | American Conservatory Theater | <ref name=THP /> |- |rowspan="2"|2018 | ''Party Face'' | Maeve | Isobel Mahon | New York City Center | <ref name=Party.Face /> |- | ''Queens'' | Renia | Martyna Majok | La Jolla Playhouse | <ref>La Jolla Playhouse. “Queens.” La Jolla Playhouse. July 3–29, 2018. Accessed June 29, 2025. https://lajollaplayhouse.org/show/queens/.</ref> |- |rowspan="3"|2019 | ''Great Negro Works of Art'' | Jerri | Neil LaBute | Davenport Theatre | <ref name=LaBute.NTF /> |- | ''The Mountains Look Different'' | Bairbre | Micheál Mac Liammóir | Mint Theater Company | <ref name=Mountains /> |- | ''Little Gem'' | Lorraine | Elaine Murphy | Irish Repertory Theater | <ref name=Little.Gem /> |- |2020 | ''Round Room'' | Concepta | Honor Molloy | Origin Theatre Company | <ref>Rabinowitz, Chloe. “2020 Origin 1st Irish‑Theatre Festival Releases Full Schedule.” BroadwayWorld, January 3, 2020. Accessed June 29, 2025. https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/2020-Origin-1st-Irish-Theatre-Festival-Releases-Full-Schedule-20200103/.</ref> |- |rowspan="5"|2023 | ''Richard II'' |Sir Stephen Scroop / Lord Willoughby / Lord 1 / Lord Fitzwater | William Shakespeare | Theatre for a New Audience | <ref name=TFANA /> |- | ''Henry IV'' | Thomas Percy / Doll Tearsheet | William Shakespeare & Dakin Matthews | Theatre for a New Audience | <ref name=TFANA /> |- | ''Fuente Ovejuna'' | Pascuala | Lope de Vega & Adrian Mitchell | Theatre for a New Audience | <ref name=Fuenteovejuna /> |- | ''Bedbound'' | Daughter | Enda Walsh | Galway International Arts Festival | <ref name=Bedbound /> |- | ''Bedbound'' | Daughter | Enda Walsh | Olympia Theatre | <ref name=Bedbound /> |- |rowspan="3"|2024 |''Uncle Vanya'' | Sonya / Yelena (u/s) | Anton Chekhov & Heidi Schreck | Lincoln Center Theatre | <ref name=Uncle.Vanya /> |- |''Leopoldstadt'' | Gretl | Tom Stoppard |Huntington Theatre Company | <ref name=Leopoldstadt /> |- |''Leopoldstadt'' | Gretl | Tom Stoppard |Shakespeare Theatre Company | <ref name=Leopoldstadt /> |- |2025 | ''Irishtown'' | Aisling | Ciara Elizabeth Smyth | Irish Repertory Theatre |<ref>Huston, Caitlin. “Saoirse‑Monica Jackson to Star in ‘Irishtown’ Off‑Broadway.” The Hollywood Reporter, April 2025. Accessed June 29, 2025. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/saoirse-monica-jackson-irishtown-off-broadway-1236145405/.</ref> |- |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meaney, Brenda}} Category:Living people Category:Irish film actresses Category:Irish stage actresses Category:Irish television actresses Category:American film actresses Category:American stage actresses Category:American television actresses Category:Alumni of Trinity College Dublin Category:David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:20th-century births