Dónall Ó Héalai () (born 5 March 1987) is an Irish actor and voice actor. He was named a 2020 Screen International Star of Tomorrow and twice nominated for best leading actor in film at the Irish Film and Television awards in 2020 and 2022. He was also the recipient of the Wilde Card award at the Oscar Wilde awards in Los Angeles in 2022 as well as one to watch in 2021 by The Irish Examiner.
Early life and education Ó Héalai was born in the Gaeltacht village of Inverin, County Galway and grew up in Inverin and Spiddal. He began acting at the age of 14 at a local youth club. He completed his secondary education as a boarding student at St Jarlath's College in Tuam.
He graduated from Maynooth University. He was awarded the Dr. H.H Stewart Literary Prize during his studies. He then trained at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York and Bow Street Academy in Dublin.
Career In 2006, Ó Héalai made his onscreen debut as a teenager in the recurring role of Jeaic in season 1 of the TG4 coming-of-age family series Aifric.
Ó Héalai played Otis in the 2019 American psychological thriller Impossible Monsters. That same year, he starred as Colmán Sharkey in the Irish-language period drama film Arracht, which won Best Irish film at 2020 Dublin International Film Festival (DIFF) and the Audience Award at the 2020 Glasgow Film Festival. In addition to receiving critical acclaim, Ó Héalai won the Aer Lingus Discovery Award at the DIFF as well as receiving a Best Actor nomination at the IFTAs.
Ó Héalaí stars as John Cunliffe in the Irish-language film Foscadh, an adaptation of the social novel The Thing About December by Donal Ryan. Foscadh is the Irish submission for Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2012 Skint Billy Short film 2014 Sínte Seán Short film 2015 My Name is Emily Young Policeman Pursuit Oisín Traders Kicker 2016 Catch 22 Mikey 2017 Loud Places Garrett 2019 Impossible Monsters Otis Arracht Colmán Sharkey 2021 Foscadh John Cunliffe Landlines James Filming
Television Year Title Role Notes 2006 Aifric Jeaic 5 episodes 2010–2011 Seacht Quinn 3 episodes 2013 The Siege 1922 Various Television film 2011–2014 Corp & Anam John Glynn / Garda Óg 3 episodes 2022 North Sea Connections Shane McDonagh Television drama 2024 Crá Garda Conall Ó Súilleabháin 2026The Punisher: One Last KillMickeyTelevision special
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2018 Red Dead Redemption 2 O'Driscolls
Music videos Song Year Artist Notes "All the Others" 2014 The Coronas
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref 2015 Irish Screen America Rising Star Award Sínte 2020 Dublin International Film Festival Aer Lingus Discovery Award Arracht Irish Film & Television Awards Actor in a Leading Role – Film
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