Born:
October 24, 1983
in
Ashford, County Wicklow, Ireland
Best Known For:
Merlin.
Early-life:
Born Katherine Elizabeth McGrath in Ashford, County Wicklow, Ireland, on October 24, 1983, Katie graduated from Trinity College, Dublin with a degree in History. She wanted to work in fashion journalism but after landing a job as a wardrobe assistant on the series The Tudors, staff on the production encouraged her to try acting.
Career:
Success soon followed for McGrath when she made her acting debut in Irish TV movie Damages (2007). She won a small part in The Tudors, but her big break came in 2008 when she was cast as Morgan Pendragon in BBC fantasy series Merlin. While working on Merlin, McGrath also appeared in drama-documentary The Queen, and W.E. (2011). More recently, she has been playing Lucy Westenra in TV horror drama Dracula.
Quote:
'I do feel quite bad when everyone talks about how difficult it is to get a foothold in this [acting] business. Most actors slog for years. For instance, everyone on Merlin did four years at drama school, but I just lucked out.'
Trivia:
Prior to becoming a wardrobe assistant on The Tudors, McGrath worked at a piercing studio, in a cocktail bar, as a make-up artist and at Image magazine.