Alison Oliver, a native of Co Cork, has been named to Variety's "10 Actors to Watch" list for 2023.
Oliver, 26, had her television breakthrough as Frances Flynn on Hulu's "Conversations with Friends," the 2022 adaptation of the acclaimed novel by Irish author Sally Rooney.
“Alison is a major talent with a brilliant career in front of her, and it’s a privilege to be able to cast her in her first screen role,” Lenny Abrahamson, the Irish director of "Conversations with Friends," said upon the casting.
While "Conversations" didn't enjoy the same critical reception that the 2020 adaptation of Rooney's "Normal People" did, it clearly hasn't harmed Oliver's climb to fame.
This year, Oliver, a graduate of The Lir Academy, Ireland’s National Academy of Dramatic Art at Trinity College Dublin, appeared in two major stage productions in London - "Women, Beware the Devil" at the Almeida Theatre and "Dancing at Lughnasa" at the National Theatre.
Oliver also starred in the BBC series "Best Interests" this year alongside Michael Sheen and Irish Emmy nominee Sharon Horgan.
Deadline reported back in May that Oliver had joined the cast for "The Order," starring Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult. The thriller, set in 1983, is based on Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt’s book "The Silent Brotherhood," which chronicles the escalating crimes of the titular white supremacist domestic terror group.
This autumn, Oliver will have her big screen debut in the buzzy "Saltburn," which stars fellow Irish actor Barry Keoghan. The film, from Oscar-winner Emerald Fennell, has drawn strong reviews since its world premiere at Telluride Film Festival.
Variety says it has been honoring rising stars on its "10 Actors to Watch" list since 1998, heralding artists who are experiencing a major breakthrough on screen. The alumni group includes more than 35 Oscar winners and nominees, including Mahershala Ali, Adam Driver, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, and Lupita Nyong’o.
This year’s honorees, including Oliver, will be profiled later in the year in an issue of Variety.
Oliver joins some of Ireland's brightest stars by landing on Variety's "10 Actors to Watch" list. Kerry Condon was listed in 2022, Paul Mescal made the list in 2020, Jessie Buckley was included in 2019, and Barry Keoghan made it in 2017.
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