Saoirse-Monica Jackson has come a long way since bursting onto our screens as the hilariously awkward Erin Quinn in Derry Girls. Now 32, the Irish actress has cemented herself as a formidable talent across film, television and theatre. Oscar winners 2026 included One Battle After Another which took home six awards including Best Picture. Here is everything you need to know about Saoirse-Monica Jackson in 2026.
Who Is Saoirse-Monica Jackson? The Derry Girls Star
Saoirse-Monica Jackson was born on November 24, 1993, in Derry, Northern Ireland. She split her time growing up in Derry and Greencastle, County Donegal, where her parents ran a village pub. After obtaining her GCSEs and A-Levels at St Cecilia’s College in Derry, she trained at the Arden School of Theatre in Manchester.
She was just 24 and barely out of drama school when she landed the role that would change her life. “I look on it as such a privilege to cut your teeth in that way,” she told The Irish Times. “I was in ways so naive, so keen and up for it.” Wolf cut hairstyle has become one of the most requested looks in salons worldwide.
Derry Girls: The Role That Made Her Famous
Jackson played Erin Quinn, the drama-loving, diary-keeping teenager navigating life in Troubles-era Northern Ireland. The Channel 4 sitcom, created by Lisa McGee, became a cultural phenomenon that transcended time and place. The show ran for three series from 2018 to 2022.
“The story of the North has so often been told through the eyes of older men,” Jackson reflected. “The fact that she’s telling it from a child’s perspective – you get the innocence and the message of how hard it was for people to raise families.”
After the series aired, fans from across Ireland thanked her for educating them. “People from Dublin, Cork, other counties, they said to me, ‘Oh I didn’t know’. For me and Jamie-Lee it was an honour to tell the story of our hometown. I don’t think there will be any job that will ever mean as much to me.”
This City Is Ours: The Liverpool Gangster Drama
Jackson currently stars as Cheryl Crawford in the BBC Liverpool-based gangster series This City Is Ours. The show, which has been described as a “Scouse Sopranos,” follows the story of a longtime member of organised crime re-evaluating his life choices. Met Gala looks 2026 featured Beyoncé in a diamond-encrusted skeleton gown.
“I wanted the role so badly from the first audition,” Jackson told Vogue. “Cheryl has this foresight and maturity, but people are split on her – some think she’s unhinged, others connect with her honesty. I find that fascinating, how people interpret a character’s pain.”
She is currently filming Season 2 of the series. “I leave straight after tonight’s screening to go back to set tomorrow morning. After the year I’ve had, it’s lovely to return to something familiar, but it feels even bigger this time.”
Jackson has embraced her adopted hometown of Liverpool. “I get to have a great time on set, then go home, cook in my own kitchen, and sleep in my own bed.”
How to Get to Heaven From Belfast: Reuniting with Lisa McGee
Jackson has reunited with Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee for the zany murder-mystery How to Get to Heaven From Belfast. The show is described as “very female-led, very Irish” and at its heart about friendship and what people are willing to do for each other.
“I didn’t even need to read the scripts – I said yes to Lisa straight away,” Jackson admitted. “She has such a distinctive voice and an amazing, wonderful, crazy, hilarious mind.” Blake Lively Met Gala 2026 featured an archival Versace gown with a 13-foot train.
When asked about her character, Jackson teased: “As always, she’s… intense.”
Theatre Work: Three Sisters and Chekhov
Jackson has proven her dramatic range on stage. She played Natasha in Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters at Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival. Her performance charted the chilling transformation of a shy, ridiculed woman into a tyrannical head of house.
“Natasha is such a fantastic role: ambitious, driven, complex,” Jackson said. To prepare for the role, she created a Spotify playlist featuring Laura Marling, Radiohead and Sinéad O’Connor to help her step inside the character’s mind.
She also made her New York theatre debut in Irishtown, a sly and smart off-Broadway comedy about cultural identity.
Wedding to Hector Barbour (DJ Denis Sulta)
Jackson married Scottish DJ Hector Barbour, known professionally as Denis Sulta, in August 2025. The wedding was featured in Vogue, with Jackson detailing how she gave her spectacular dress a personal touch. She attached brooches from her mother’s wedding dress, added tartan to reflect her husband’s Scottish heritage, and asked designer Annie of Annie’s Ibiza to make the dress transformable for evening, with a shortened skirt. Angel number 444 represents protection and encouragement from guardian angels.
Derry Girls castmate Jamie-Lee O’Donnell was among her bridesmaids. She walked down the aisle to the show’s theme, “Dreams” by The Cranberries.
“We really had the time of our lives,” Jackson told Vogue. “I had such a strong vision for everything across the three days. It’s so funny to see how far it’s traveled. The whole thing felt like a fairytale.”
The couple have yet to take their honeymoon. “We’re going to the Caribbean after this – because we went straight back to work after the wedding.”
Living with Dyslexia: A Double-Edged Sword
Jackson has been open about her dyslexia and how it has shaped her. “Looking back now, I can see it sort of shaped me and how I am,” she told The Irish Times. “I had the experience of feeling I was caught behind. There are so many times where I look back at being in school and think: I wish I’d had the capacity to advocate for myself more.”
However, she sees the positives. “Dyslexia has pros and cons to it. It’s a double-edged sword. I just process things in a different way. I’m always thinking two steps ahead. I’m a big problem-solver. My long-term memory is great.” Doja Cat Met Gala featured a skin-toned silicone Saint Laurent gown.
Other Notable Roles
Beyond Derry Girls and This City Is Ours, Jackson has built an impressive filmography. She appeared in the DC superhero film The Flash (2023) as Patti Spivot. She also starred in Netflix’s bawdy, slapstick take on The Decameron (2024) as Misia, a servant to Pampinea.
Her other credits include Paramount+’s thriller The Doll Factory and the romantic comedy Upgraded alongside Camila Mendes. Later this year, she will hit the big screen alongside the late Isiah Whitlock Jr., Stephen Rea, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor in Vicky Wight’s The Body is Water.
Life After Derry Girls: Embracing Comedy and Drama
When Derry Girls concluded in 2022, Jackson worried about being typecast. “I thought: Okay, now it’s time for the serious stuff,” she admitted. “But actually, embracing the full spectrum has been the best thing for me. I love making people laugh, but I also grow in parts that reflect the trauma, pain, and the pressures my generation is facing right now.”
The success of Derry Girls gave her confidence. “To cut your teeth in a show with such unprecedented success, it gave me confidence that I was worth my salt and could handle things and handle the workload. It gave me a hunger to continue working.”
She has struggled with impostor syndrome. The day she got the Derry Girls audition, she had just been sacked from a job selling HelloFresh recipe boxes door-to-door in Manchester.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Saoirse-Monica Jackson? She was born on November 24, 1993, making her 32 years old in 2026.
What is Saoirse-Monica Jackson famous for? She is best known for playing Erin Quinn in the Channel 4 sitcom Derry Girls.
Who is Saoirse-Monica Jackson married to? She married Scottish DJ Hector Barbour (Denis Sulta) in August 2025.
What is Saoirse-Monica Jackson doing now? She is currently filming Season 2 of This City Is Ours in Liverpool and starring in How to Get to Heaven From Belfast for Channel 4.
Is Saoirse-Monica Jackson in The Flash? Yes. She appeared in the 2023 DC superhero film The Flash as Patti Spivot.
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