Biography
Who is Moira Kelly?
Early life and education
Moira Kelly was born in Queens, New York, on March 6, 1968. She is the third of six children born to Peter, a violinist, and Anne, a nurse. Her parents were Irish immigrants who raised the family in Ronkonkoma, New York. Growing up, the household followed the Catholic faith.
She attended Connetquot Senior High School in Bohemia, Long Island, and graduated in 1986. Following her high school years, she went on to study at Marymount Manhattan College. During her youth, she participated in a school production of Annie in 1984, which sparked her interest in performing arts. At one point, she considered becoming a nun before ultimately choosing a career in acting.
Professional acting debut
Her career began with a role in the made-for-TV movie Love, Lies and Murder. She played the teenager Cinnamon Brown in this production based on true events. She was initially cast in Cannibal! The Musical, but her agent advised against it due to concerns about her future career, leading her to be replaced.
Moira Kelly appeared in several smaller film roles early on, including The Boy Who Cried Bitch and Billy Bathgate. She gained significant attention for her performance as Donna Hayward in the 1992 film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. Before filming certain scenes, she sought guidance from her priest to ensure the work aligned with her religious values.
Film and voice acting highlights
In 1992, she starred opposite D. B. Sweeney in the romantic comedy The Cutting Edge. During that same year, she played two separate roles in the film Chaplin, acting alongside Robert Downey Jr. She also portrayed the activist Dorothy Day in the independent movie Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story.
The actress is widely recognized for providing the adult voice of Nala in Disney's The Lion King. She returned to this role for the sequels The Lion King II: Simba's Pride and The Lion King 1½. In 2023, she reprised the character once again for the adventure video game Disney Dreamlight Valley.
Television career
Moira Kelly held a role in the first season of the popular political drama The West Wing, where she portrayed White House media consultant Mandy Hampton. She later joined the cast of the teen drama One Tree Hill in 2003. In that series, she played the character Karen Roe, a single mother.
Beyond acting, she took on directing duties for two episodes of One Tree Hill titled Resolve and I Slept with Someone in Fall Out Boy and All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me. She left the regular cast during the fifth season but returned for guest spots in the 100th episode and the sixth-season finale. Her other television credits include appearances on shows such as Heroes, Law & Order, and Numb3rs.
Family and personal life
On August 5, 2000, she married Steve Hewitt, who is a Texas businessman. Together, the couple has two children, a daughter named Ella and a son named Eamon. For eleven years, she maintained a residence in Wilmington, North Carolina, while working on her projects.
Birthday and age
Moira Kelly was born on March 6, 1968, which makes Moira 58 years old today. That birthday falls under the Pisces sign. Moira shares the date with 56 other famous people.
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