---
name: "Deirdre O'Connell"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/deirdre-oconnell"
fi1m_id: "deirdre-oconnell"
imdb_id: "nm0640055"
tmdb_id: 77013
wikidata_id: "Q1524102"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "30 December 1951"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 7
average_fi1m_score: 73
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 7
updated: "2026-10-07T15:06:58.865170+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Deirdre O'Connell

## Identity

Deirdre O'Connell

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/deirdre-oconnell
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** deirdre-oconnell
- **IMDb ID:** nm0640055
- **TMDB ID:** 77013
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1524102
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deirdre_O%27Connell_(actress), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1524102, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0640055/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/77013

Actor. Born 30 December 1951 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 30 December 1951, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA
- **Active:** 1998–present
- **Also known as:** Deidre O'Connell, Dierdre O'Connell, Дирдри О’Коннелл
- **Average Fi1m score:** 73, as actor, over 7 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 55 (1), 2000s 81 (3), 2020s 70 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 73 to 69 across 7 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 4 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 5 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 6, Comedy 2, Crime 2, Romance 2, Fantasy 1, Mystery 1
- **Screen time:** 8 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $289m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deirdre_O%27Connell_(actress), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1524102, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0640055/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/77013

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*The Penguin*](https://film.one/tv/the-penguin.md) (78), [*Eddington*](https://film.one/film/eddington.md) (64)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*Synecdoche, New York*](https://film.one/film/synecdoche-new-york.md) (84)
- **Netflix:** [*The Beast in Me*](https://film.one/tv/the-beast-in-me.md) (67)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Deirdre O'Connell is an American character actress who has worked in theatre, film and television. She began her career in experimental theatre at Stage One in Boston and made her Broadway debut in the 1986 revival of The Front Page. She received a Drama Desk Award nomination for her performance in the off-Broadway production Love and Anger, and has won two Drama-Logue Awards and a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for stage work in Los Angeles.

Her screen credits include Tin Men, State of Grace, Fearless, City of Angels, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), What Happens in Vegas (2008), Synecdoche, New York (2008), Secondhand Lions (2003), St. Vincent (2014), The Bear (2022) and The Penguin (2024). She has appeared in numerous television series, including recurring or guest roles in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Daredevil, The Affair and Nurse Jackie. In 2022 she won a Tony Award for her performance in Dana H.

Recent credits include the role of Dawn Bodkin in the 2025 film Eddington and Carol McGiddish in the 2025 series The Beast in Me. She has received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her work in The Penguin.

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org, theatermania.com.*

## On Fi1m (7)

- *Eddington* (2025), Fi1m 64, as Dawn Bodkin — [page](https://film.one/film/eddington.md)
- *The Beast in Me* (2025), Fi1m 67, as Carol McGiddish — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-beast-in-me.md)
- *The Penguin* (2024), Fi1m 78, as Francis Cobb — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-penguin.md)
- *Nurse Jackie* (2009), Fi1m 72, as Helen — [page](https://film.one/tv/nurse-jackie.md)
- *Synecdoche, New York* (2008), Fi1m 84, as Ellen's Mother — [page](https://film.one/film/synecdoche-new-york.md)
- *Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind* (2004), Fi1m 88, as Hollis — [page](https://film.one/film/eternal-sunshine-of-the-spotless-mind.md)
- *City of Angels* (1998), Fi1m 55, as Mrs. Balford — [page](https://film.one/film/city-of-angels.md)

## Complete filmography (81)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Beast in Me* (2025), series, as Carol McGiddish — Fi1m 67, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-beast-in-me.md)
- *Eddington* (2025), as Dawn Bodkin — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/eddington.md)
- *The Better Sister* (2025), series, as Debbie Macintosh
- *The Penguin* (2024), series, as Francis Cobb — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-penguin.md)
- *The Big Door Prize* (2023), series, as Eloise Hubbard
- *The Bear* (2022), series, as Mary 'Crazy Mary' Heyman — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-bear-2022.md)
- *Ghostwritten* (2022), as Mary Laury
- *Outer Range* (2022), series, as Patricia Tillerson
- *The Requin* (2022), as Anne
- *I Am a Seagull* (2019), as Didi / Arkadina
- *Diane* (2019), as Donna
- *Lez Bomb* (2018), as Rose Anderson
- *The Boy Downstairs* (2018), as Amy
- *The Holdouts* (2017), as Annie
- *In the Radiant City* (2016), Actor
- *Detours* (2016), as Beth
- *Gabriel* (2015), as Meredith
- *Marvel's Daredevil* (2015), series, as Anna Nelson — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/marvels-daredevil.md)
- *The Affair* (2014), series, as Athena Bailey
- *St. Vincent* (2014), as Linda
- *Madam Secretary* (2014), series, as Audrey Stewart
- *The Quitter* (2014), as Kathleen Lembo
- *Apartment Troubles* (2014), as Ina the Tarot Reader
- *Being Flynn* (2012), as Frowzy Woman
- *Person of Interest* (2011), series, as Joan — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/person-of-interest.md)
- *Unforgettable* (2011), series, as Sue Kelly
- *You Don't Know Jack* (2010), as Linda
- *A Dog Year* (2009), as Donna Brady
- *Nurse Jackie* (2009), series, as Helen — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/nurse-jackie.md)
- *The Greatest* (2009), as Joyce
- *Wendy and Lucy* (2008), as Deb (voice)
- *Synecdoche, New York* (2008), as Ellen's Mother — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/synecdoche-new-york.md)
- *What Happens in Vegas* (2008), as Mrs. Fuller
- *Socket* (2007), as Hospital Staff
- *American Loser* (2007), as Cynthia
- *Stephanie Daley* (2007), as Jane
- *Winter Passing* (2006), as Deirdre
- *The Closer* (2005), series, as Liz Provenza
- *Imaginary Heroes* (2004), as Marge Dwyer
- *Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind* (2004), as Hollis — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/eternal-sunshine-of-the-spotless-mind.md)
- *Secondhand Lions* (2003), as Helen
- *Dragonfly* (2002), as Gwyn
- *Law & Order: Criminal Intent* (2001), series, as Nina Lipton
- *Hearts in Atlantis* (2001), as Mrs. Gerber
- *Just Ask My Children* (2001), as Landry
- *Relative Evil* (2001), as Phyllis
- *Just Looking* (1999), as Mrs. Braverman, Lenny's Teacher
- *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (1999), series, as Judge N. Owens
- *Murder in a Small Town* (1999), as Kate Faxton
- *L.A. Doctors* (1998), series, as Suzanne Blum
- *City of Angels* (1998), as Mrs. Balford — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/film/city-of-angels.md)
- *From the Earth to the Moon* (1998), series, as Barbara Young
- *Breast Men* (1997), as Lacey (voice)
- *A Deadly Vision* (1997), as Marilyn Middleton
- *The Practice* (1997), series, as Jenny Baldwin
- *Lifeform* (1996), as Dr. Gracia Scott
- *Chasing the Dragon* (1996), as Doris
- *Our Son, the Matchmaker* (1996), as Winona
- *Second Noah* (1996), series, as Shirley Crockmeyer
- *Trial by Fire* (1995), as Roberta
- *Kansas* (1995), as Holly
- *Smoke* (1995), as Sue the Waitress
- *Fighting for My Daughter* (1995), as Peggy
- *Chicago Hope* (1994), series, as Ellen Wheeler
- *Fearless* (1993), as Nan Gordon
- *Daybreak* (1993), as Mom
- *Sirens* (1993), series, as Heidi Schiller
- *Cool World* (1992), as Isabelle Malley
- *CrissCross* (1992), as Shelly
- *Leaving Normal* (1992), as Ellen
- *Straight Talk* (1992), as Lily
- *Falling from Grace* (1992), as Sally Cutler
- *Pastime* (1990), as Inez Brice
- *State of Grace* (1990), as Irene
- *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Jane Schuman, Valerie Knight, Joanna Wilder — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md)
- *Brain Dead* (1990), as Mrs. Halsey
- *Misplaced* (1989), as Ella
- *Stars & Bars* (1988), as Shanda Gage
- *Anna* (1987), as Assistant #2
- *Tin Men* (1987), as Nellie
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Kitty MacKay, Ella

## Gallery

- ![Deirdre O'Connell](https://film.one/media/person/8087/gallery-93906e26e6d4.jpg) Deirdre O'Connell — The Tony Awards, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Deirdre_o_connell_2022_1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Deirdre O'Connell](https://film.one/media/person/8087/gallery-e87dbd3908b0.jpg) Deirdre O'Connell — Image via TMDB
- ![Deirdre O'Connell](https://film.one/media/person/8087/gallery-d27a2389dd0d.jpg) Deirdre O'Connell — Image via TMDB
- ![Deirdre O'Connell](https://film.one/media/person/8087/gallery-5443bcf9647b.jpg) Deirdre O'Connell — Image via TMDB
- ![Deirdre O'Connell](https://film.one/media/person/8087/gallery-6f34da51edd7.jpg) Deirdre O'Connell — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/deirdre-oconnell