Niamh Algar (born 28 June 1992) is an Irish actress. She is known for winning Best Actress in a Leading Role – TV Drama at the 2020 IFTA Film & Drama Awards for her performance in The Virtues. Other roles include MotherFatherSon, Raised by Wolves and Pure. In 2021, she appeared in Wrath of Man and Censor. For her role in Calm with Horses, she was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
Early life and education A native of Mullingar, Ireland, Algar is the youngest of five children. She studied design at the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) and graduated from the Programme of Screen Acting at the Bow Street Academy in Dublin.
Career Algar has appeared in films including Conor McMahon's From the Dark, Aoife Crehan's road trip film The Last Right, Lorcan Finnegan's Without Name and the Michael Fassbender-produced Calm With Horses.
On television she has appeared in Rose Cartwright's Pure, and as Tania in Desiree Akhavan's The Bisexual.
She was named amongst the 2019 BAFTAs Breakthrough Brits.
In 2019, Algar played Dinah in Shane Meadows's The Virtues with co-star Stephen Graham. for which she won Best Actress in a Leading Role - TV Drama at the 2020 IFTA Film & Drama Awards.
She has also appeared as Orla Green in MotherFatherSon in 2019 alongside Richard Gere, and as the wife of Travis Fimmel in the Ridley Scott directed American television series Raised by Wolves, and as Amber in the Channel 4 television series Pure.
Filmography +Key Denotes projects that have not yet been released
Film
+YearTitleRole2014TrampolineMaria ReidyThe Light of DayDawn / SaoirseFrom the DarkSarah2016Without NameOlivia2017The Drummer and the KeeperIngrid2017Seedling (short film)Eve2019Calm with HorsesUrsulaThe Last RightMary Sullivan2021CensorEnid BainesWrath of ManDana Curtis2022The WonderKittyTBAThe Last Days of Rabbit Hayes
Television YearTitleRoleNotes2011ReabhloidMargaret SkinniderEpisode: "Death of a Pacifist"2014The Savage EyeVariousEpisode: "Why Is Ireland a Better Place to Be a Foetus Than a Baby?"2015VikingsSecond WomanEpisode: "Warrior's Fate"2018The BisexualTaniaRecurring role2019PureAmber DohertyMain castMotherFatherSonOrla GreenRecurring roleThe VirtuesDinahMain cast2020Raised by WolvesSueMain cast2021DeceitSadie Byrne / Lizzie JamesMain cast, miniseries2022SuspectNicolaMain cast2023MalpracticeDr. Lucinda Edwards Main cast Culprits Psycho Recurring role2024Mary & George Sandie Miniseries Playing Nice Maddie Wilson Main cast 2025 The Iris Affair Iris Nixon Main cast2026Star CityYana AkhmatovaEpisode: "The Eyes"
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2017 Dublin International Film Festival Discovery Award TV & Film career so far 2018 IFTA Film & Drama Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Film The Drummer and the Keeper 2020 Royal Television Society Best Actor (Female) The Virtues 2020 IFTA Film & Drama Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role – TV Drama Pure 2020 Rising Star TV & Film career so far 2020 Best Actress in a Leading Role – TV Drama The Virtues 2020 Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Film Calm with Horses 2020 British Independent Film Awards BIFA for Best Supporting Actress 2021 British Academy Film Awards BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress – Film 2021 IFTA Film & Drama Awards Best Actress in a Lead Role – TV DramaRaised by Wolves 2022 British Academy Television Awards Best ActressDeceit 2022 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Best Lead Performance Censor
References
External links
Independent Talent profile Bow Street Vaults – Niamh Algar Niamh Algar - The Virtues; IFTA Winner of Best Actress Drama 2020