Meet Orla (26)

Orla is an incredibly talented and successful person, who always dreamt of being on the big screen! ‘When I was a child, growing up, my dream job was to be an actress, I eventually got that dream.‘

Speaking about where their love of acting came from, Orla said,

‘The reason why I love acting is to bring joy to other people who like seeing people on stage or on TV and film. I started very young. I was in school plays.’

Orla has since gone on to star in multiple productions such as RTE’s Clean Sweep, Netflix’s Bodkin, and the film Aretha, and has worked alongside stars Barry Ward, Charlene McKenna and Fionnuala Flanagan.

When Orla isn’t busy on set, they are advocating for the rights of people with Down syndrome. Orla is a part of the National Advisory Council (NAC), a panel of adult members who guide Down Syndrome Ireland. They campaign and advocate for people with Down syndrome across the country on issues including transport, voting rights, employment and education. Speaking about the NAC, Orla said,

‘We talk about different topics such as mental health, voting or housing, and why that’s important.’

Orla is a huge advocate for inclusion, stating that

‘inclusion is important for everyone regardless if you have a disability or not, it’s just being accepted. Even though some people don’t understand Down syndrome, just put yourself in our shoes and think of how important it is to be included.’

We’re excited to see what amazing things Orla will do next, both on and off the screen!