Margaret "Maggie" O'Neill (born 15 November 1962) is an English actress. She is known for her television roles in Peak Practice (2000–2002), Shameless (2004–2007) and EastEnders (2008). In 1986 she appeared in the music video for Simply Red's single "Holding Back The Years". In 1988, she appeared in the film Gorillas in the Mist.
Biography
The youngest of six Catholic brothers and sisters born to head-teacher parents, O'Neill grew up in the Midlands, where she was educated at a convent school, and, after being inspired by a sixth-form drama teacher, "fell" into acting.
After training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, she starred in the video for Simply Red's "Holding Back the Years" in 1986, before making her professional stage debut in Moving Pictures, by Stephen Lowe, at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, in 1985. After making her professional screen debut in the British production Mona Lisa opposite Bob Hoskins in 1986, she made her Hollywood debut in the Sigourney Weaver film Gorillas in the Mist in 1988. She played alongside Keith Barron and Annette Crosbie in the 1989 TV series Take Me Home.
O'Neill played Alex Redman in ITV's medical drama Peak Practice, and appeared as Sheila Jackson in Channel 4's comedy drama Shameless. O'Neill also played Max and Jack Branning's sister Suzy in the BBC1 soap opera EastEnders for five months in 2008, until the Boxing Day episode.
Filmography
Mona Lisa (1986) as Girl in Paradise Club
Wherever You Are... (1988) as Julian's second wife
Gorillas in the Mist (1988) as Kim
Defrosting the Fridge (1988) (TV) Jim Henson's The Storyteller – Greek Myths (TV) { Theseus and the Minotaur} as Ariadne Take Me Home BBC – Three Part TV Drama (1989) (TV) as Kathy (1989) as Berta Inspector Morse (1991) (TV) in episode "Fat Chance" as Hilary Dobson Under Suspicion (1991) as Hazel Aaron Boon (1991) (TV) in episode "Lie of the Land" as Amanda Shepley The Life and Times of Henry Pratt (1992) TV Friday on My Mind (1992) BBC TV as Louise When Pigs Fly (1993) as Sheila Cadfael (1994) (TV) in episode "One Corpse Too Many" as Aline Siward All Men Are Mortal (1995) as Florence Killing Me Softly (1995) (TV) as Sara Thornton The Fix (1997) (TV) as Marina Kay Invasion: Earth (1998) (TV) as Amanda Tucker Births, Marriages and Deaths (1999) as Alex Hero of the Hour (2000) (TV) as Alison Liddle Peak Practice (2001, 2002) (TV) as Alex Redman White Teeth (2002) (TV) as Poppy Burt-Jones Murder in Mind (2002) (TV) in episode "Rage" Blue Murder (2004) in episode "Lonely" (TV) as Matilda Urwin Shameless (2004–2007) (TV) as Sheila Jackson Midsomer Murders (2004) (TV) in episode "The Straw Woman" as Agnes Waterhouse. Wild at Heart (2007) as Elaine Mansfield Park (2007) as Mrs Norris Little Devil (2007) (TV) as Laura Crowe The Royal (2007) (TV) as Jane Cooper in episode #2.5 EastEnders (2008) (TV) as Suzy Branning New Tricks (2010) (TV) in episode "Gloves Off" as Ronni Mayfair Inspector George Gently (2012) (TV) in episode "Gently Northern Soul" as Matilda Braithwaite Truckers (2013) (TV) as Sue A Gert Lush Christmas (2015) (TV) as Aunty Jade Death in Paradise (2016) as Perrie Campbell episode #5.8 The Halcyon (2017) (TV) as Gloria episode #1.4 Midsomer Murders (2018) (TV) in episode #19.6, "The Curse of the Ninth" as Audrey Glenhill. Unforgotten as Ellen Price episodes #2.4 & #2.5 Call the Midwife (2018) as Mae Stanton episode #7.2 Father Brown as Mrs. Kendall in episode #7.9 “The Skylark Scandal" (2019) Two Doors Down (2019) as Sandra White Lines (2020) as Yoana Casualty (2021) as Cindy