Early life

Branagh was born in Derry, Northern Ireland. During her teens she got involved, through school, in drama and music activities, and joined a local amateur dramatics group, the Oakgrove Theatre Company. At one time she was a backing singer in a local band, The Listener.

Career

Her big break came when she starred as Bernie in The Commitments (1991). A former hairdresser Branagh followed up with parts in Pulp Fiction and Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.

Gallagher's other appearances include the films Thunderpants, You, Me & Marley, Divorcing Jack, Tristan & Isolde, Last Chance Harvey, Sherlock Holmes and Grabbers, and on stage in a Théâtre de Complicité touring production of The Street of Crocodiles and The National Theatre's production War Horse as Rose Narracott.

Gallagher's first album Precious Soul was released in 2004 on the Salty Dog Records label and was produced by John Reynolds. The album features collaborations with Brian Eno on the songs "He Don't Love You" and "Hooks". Gallagher wrote most of the music on the album, played the drums and sang lead vocals.

In 2009, Gallagher starred alongside a well-known cast on the MySpace/Vertigo Films production Faintheart and starred in the BBC Three comedy TV series Pramface in 2012.

Gallagher played the mother of young Nick in the BBC drama Nick Nickleby. She also played Trisha Meehan in The Field of Blood; and the criminal maid Ada Mason in Agatha Christie: Poirot Series 2: "The Mystery of the Blue Train."

An image of Gallagher, in character as Bernie McGloughlin in the film The Commitments, was featured on an Irish postage stamp as part of the Ireland 1996: Irish Cinema Centenary series issued by An Post. The image includes her The Commitments co-stars Angeline Ball as Imelda Quirke, Maria Doyle Kennedy as Natalie Murphy and Robert Arkins as Jimmy Rabbitte.

Filmography

• 2017 : Return to Montauk

[ Source: Wikipedia ]