{{Short description|Irish actress}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = Justine Mitchell | birth_date = 1973 | birth_place = Dublin, Ireland | occupation = {{hlist|Actress}} | years_active = 1997–present | relatives = }}
'''Justine Mitchell''' is an Irish actress. She is best known for playing Elaine Lynch in the Irish thriller series ''Smother''.
==Early life== Mitchell was born in Dublin in 1973 to Denis Mitchell, Barrister, then senior counsel, queen’s counsel, and later a Judge in Bermuda: he was formerly an RTE journalist who was big inspiration for her career and helped her with her first sketch. When she was 12 her family moved to Hong Kong where she was bullied for her Irish accent. She said theatre helped her stay calm during tough times and developed a posh English accent. After returning to Ireland she studied drama at Trinity College Dublin. She moved to London where she worked various jobs aside from acting including working for Brentford F.C.<ref>{{Cite web|title='It's easy to get mugged by your brain' - Smother actress Justine Mitchell on learning to trust her heart|url=https://www.independent.ie/style/celebrity/celebrity-features/its-easy-to-get-mugged-by-your-brain-smother-actress-justine-mitchell-on-learning-to-trust-her-heart/41208764.html|access-date=February 16, 2025 |website=independent.ie}}</ref>
==Career== Prior to becoming a popular tv star Mitchell had a very successful theatre career where she was the winner of the Irish Times Best Supporting Actress in 2002 and bagged the UK Theatre Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Justine Mitchell|url=https://onlyrapidarts.com/2017/07/09/justine-mitchell/|access-date=September 1, 2025 |website=onyrapidarts.com}}</ref> Her first big role came playing Elaine Lynch in the thriller series ''Smother''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Justine Mitchell on the Season Finale of 'Smother'|url=https://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/the-anton-savage-show/justine-mitchell-on-the-season-finale-of-smother|website=newstalk.com|access-date=February 16, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=RTE Smother's Justine Mitchell says the idea of being spiked like her character Elaine is 'terrifying'|url=https://www.rsvplive.ie/news/celebs/rte-smothers-justine-mitchell-says-26080124|website=rsvplive.com|access-date=February 16, 2026}}</ref> She made a one off appearance in the sitcom ''Derry Girls'' where portrayed the adult version of Janette.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lia Williams out, Justine Mitchell in for Alma Mater at the Almeida|url=https://www.westendtheatre.com/240909/news/show-photos/lia-williams-out-justine-mitchell-in-at-alma-mater-at-the-almeida/|access-date=February 16, 2026|website=westendtheatre.com}}</ref> She is currently{{When|date=February 2026|reason=Avoid words like "currently" and instead use "As of (date)"}} playing Sandra in the Irish thriller series ''These Sacred Vows''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Details announced for new RTÉ drama series These Sacred Vows|url=https://www.scannain.com/teilifis/these-sacred-vows-announced/|access-date=February 16, 2026 |website=scannain.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=India Mullen, Justine Mitchell, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and Jason O'Mara To Take 'These Sacred Vows' For RTE|url=https://deadline.com/2025/04/these-sacred-vows-john-butler-series-for-rte-banijay-1236361164/|access-date=February 16, 2026 |website=deadline.com}}</ref>
==Personal life== Her favourite shows as a child were ''Anything Goes'', ''Wanderly Wagon'', and ''Mister Ed''. She was heavily influenced by Linda Carter of Wonder Woman while her favourite ever show is ''I Love Lucy''. In February 2026 she stated her current favourite show is ''Barry'' starring Bill Hader.<ref>{{Cite web|title=My TV: Smother's Justine Mitchell talks telly|url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2023/0210/1355823-my-tv-smothers-justine-mitchell-talks-telly/|access-date=16 February 2026 |website=rte.ie}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes |- | 1997 || ''Painted Lady'' || Nurse || |- | 2003 || ''Goldfish Memory'' || Kate || |- | 2003 || ''Conspiracy of Silence'' || Assistant Floor Manager || |- | 2003 || ''Citizen Verdict'' || Jessica Landers || |- | 2003 || ''The Honeymooners'' || Fiona || |- | 2004 || ''Inside I'm Dancing'' || Doctor || |- | 2005 || ''A Cock and Bull Story'' || Tony's Director || |- | 2005 || ''Song of Songs'' || Laura || |- | 2005 || ''Imagine Me & You'' || Laura || |- | 2007 || ''I Want Candy'' || Wailing Daughter || |- | 2009 || ''Sleep With Me'' || Catrin || |- | 2011 || ''Siberia'' || Kelly || Short |- | 2011 || ''National Theatre Live: King Lear'' || Regan || |- | 2013 || ''The Stag'' || Linda || |- | 2021 || ''The Mauritanian'' || Cathy Taylor || |- | 2022 || ''Maryland'' || PC Eddowes || |- | 2025 || ''Hamnet'' || Joan || |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year !! Title !! Role !! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2002 || ''Doctor Who: The Monthly Adventures'' || Lucy Martin || Episode; ''Seasons of Fear'' |- | 2005 || ''New Tricks'' || Scarlet || Episode; ''Old and Cold'' |- | 2006 || ''Afterlife'' || Claire || Episode; ''Your Hand in Mine'' |- | 2006 || ''Doctors'' || Clare Wharton || Episode; ''One Part TLC, Two Parts Shoe Leather'' |- | 2008 || ''Waking the Dead'' || Una Doyle || 2 episodes |- | 2009 || ''Psych Ward'' || Valerie Johnson || 2 episodes |- | 2010 || ''Wild at Heart'' {{disambiguation needed|date=February 2026}} || Julie Kagona || Episode; ''#5.2'' |- | 2010 || ''Your Bad Self'' || Woman || 6 episodes |- | 2012 || ''Harry & Paul'' || Various || Episode; ''#4.2'' |- | 2013 || ''The Suspicions of Mr Whicher'' || Sister Anne || Episode; ''The Murder of Mr Whicher'' |- | 2014 || ''Amber'' || Maeve Flynn-Dunne || 4 episodes |- | 2019 || ''Pure'' || Connie || 2 episodes |- | 2019 || ''Cheat'' || DI Bould || 4 episodes |- | 2020 || ''Finding Joy'' || Maeve Morris || 2 episodes |- | 2020-2021 || ''Trying'' || Lizzie || 3 episodes |- | 2022 || ''Derry Girls'' || Adult Janette || Episode; ''The Reunion'' |- | 2022 || ''Conversations with Friends'' || Paula || 5 episodes |- | 2022 || ''A Spy Among Friends'' || Eleanor Philby || Episode; ''No Man's Land'' |- | 2021-2023 || ''Smother'' || Elaine Lynch || 18 episodes |- | 2023 || ''The Crown'' || Sarah McCorquodale || Episode; ''Aftermath'' |- | 2024 || ''The Dry'' || Aine Harrington || Episode; ''Camping'' |- | 2024 || ''Industry'' || Rose Winter || 2 episodes |- | 2024 || ''Storyland'' || Ruth's Mother on Phone || Episode; ''Shush'' |- | 2024 || ''Bad Sisters'' || Eileen Ryan || 3 episodes |- | 2024 || ''Black Doves'' || Emma Yarrick || 2 episodes |- | 2025 || ''Lynley'' || Beth Larwood || Episode; ''Careless in Red'' |- | 2026 || ''How to Get to Heaven from Belfast'' || Rossa || 2 episodes |- | 2026 || ''These Sacred Vows'' || Sandra || 3 episodes |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|593490}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitchell, Justine}} Category:Living people Category:Actresses from County Dublin Category:Actresses from Dublin (city) Category:21st-century Irish actresses Category:1973 births Category:Irish expatriates in Hong Kong