Biography

Michèle Forbes was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and studied English and Psychology at Trinity College, Dublin. She worked as a script reader for the Abbey Theatre and subsequently began acting with the Abbey Theatre Company, touring worldwide with such productions as The Great Hunger and Dancing at Lughnasa . Her film work includes the BAFTA winning Omagh (Paul Greengrass) for which she won Best Actress Monte Carlo and was nominated Best Actress at the Irish Film &Television Awards. Her short stories have won both The Bryan MacMahon and The Michael McLaverty Awards. Her first novel Ghost Moth was shortlisted for Newcomer of the Year Irish Book Awards, the First Book Award Edinburgh International Book Festival, nominated for the First European Novel Award at Chambery’s Festival du Premier Roman, the Prix Escapades, the French Booksellers Novel Discovery Selection, the Prix des Lectrices Elle, and most recently for the Ireland Francophonie Ambassador’s Literary Award 2017. Her second novel Edith & Oliver was a Sunday Times Book of the Year.

Photos

Filmography

View Titanic: Blood and Steel
Titanic: Blood and Steel

Titanic: Blood and Steel

2012Series
7.2
View Bodkin
Bodkin

Bodkin

2024Series
6.4
View Small Town, Big Story
Small Town, Big Story

Small Town, Big Story

2025Series
6.7
View Jack Taylor
Jack Taylor

Jack Taylor

2010Series
6.9
View No Ordinary Heist
No Ordinary Heist

No Ordinary Heist

2026Film
7.0
View The Playboys
The Playboys

The Playboys

1992Film
6.2
View Omagh
Omagh

Omagh

2005Film
6.5
View Dorothy Mills
Dorothy Mills

Dorothy Mills

2008Film
6.0
View An Ranger
An Ranger

An Ranger

2008Film0