Laura grew up in Belfast, Ireland, and trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

She won the ‘Best Actress’ Olivier Award and was further nominated for a Tony Award and Evening Standard Theatre Award for her portrayal’ of ‘Caitlin’ in the critically acclaimed production of Jez Butterworth’s THE FERRYMAN, directed by Sam Mendes.

The "triumphant, bold piece of theatre” appeared at the Royal Court and Gielgud Theatre in London before transferring to the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on Broadway. 

Laura now stars in THE HILLS OF CALIFORNIA on Broadway, a new play by Butterworth and Mendes. Donnelly reprises her role from its debut on the West End which saw her earn a ‘Best Actress’ Olivier nomination. Other stage highlights include her role as ‘Other Woman’ in THE RIVER (West End and Broadway) written by Butterworth and directed by Ian Rickson, THE WASP (Trafalgar Studios), PHILADELPHIA, HERE I COME! (Donmar Warehouse), JUDGEMENT DAY (Almeida Theatre) ROMEO AND JULIET and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (both at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) and DANCING AT LUGHNASA (Lyric Theatre, Belfast). 

For television, Laura starred alongside Gael Garcia Bernal in a Marvel Studios one-off Halloween special called WEREWOLF BY NIGHT (Disney+) and as ‘Amalia True’ in HBO’s fantasy series THE NEVERS also starring James Norton, Eleanor Tomlinson, Olivia Williams and Nick Frost. She is also known for playing 'Jenny Fraser’ in the Golden Globe nominated drama, OUTLANDER. Further credits include the International Emmy Award winning series, SUGAR RUSH (Channel 4), THE FALL (BBC) starring Jamie Dornan and Gillian Anderson, MERLIN (BBC), the ABC production of MISSING, the BAFTA award-winning drama OCCUPATION (BBC), BRITANNIA (Amazon Studios), HEX (Sky One) and BEST (BBC). 

Laura’s film credits include Fox Searchlight’s TOLKIEN, THE PROGRAM (StudioCanal), HELLO CARTER (Bankside), DREAD (Seraphim Films), INSATIABLE (Kirby Films) and RIGHT HAND DRIVE (Pine Road Pictures).

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