Move over, Barry Keoghan, these ten rising Irish actors are the ones to watch in 2026.
Cillian Murphy, Saoirse Ronan, Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan – these are just a few of the household names of Irish cinema and TV. However, it’s time to make way for some new, rising Irish talent.
Irish actors are showing no signs of slowing down when it comes to making names for themselves on the world stage. Some of the actors we have mentioned have been around for a while, but we believe 2026 could be the year they grow even more well-known. Others are finding their footing in the industry. Let’s take a look at the ten rising Irish actors you’ll see everywhere in 2026.
10. Lola Petticrew – award-winning rising star
Lola Petticrew is by no means a new actor, as she starred alongside Bronagh Gallagher in the 2019 comedy film A Bump Along the Way. However, their recent starring roles in Say Nothing and Trespasses have guided Lola Petticrew quietly but determinedly into the limelight.
They won the Irish Film and Television Award (IFTA) for Best Actress in 2025 for their role as Dolores Price in Say Nothing and has been nominated again for the same award for their role in Trespasses. Lola Petticrew is one Irish actor we’re sure to see lots of in 2026.
9. Peter Claffey – rising above and beyond
Before starring in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, you might have already seen Peter Claffey play a small role in Bad Sisters, or in the British horror-comedy set on a cruise ship, Wreck.
However, it’s his role at centre stage as Ser Duncan the Tall in the Game of Thrones prequel, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, that makes us believe you’ll be seeing much more of Peter Claffey in 2026.
8. Daryl McCormack – he has appeared alongside huge stars
Similar to Peter Claffey, Daryl McCormack also previously appeared in Bad Sisters. He’s already backed by an impressive on-screen repertoire, but 2026 might be the year he becomes a household name in Irish cinema and beyond.
Hailing from Nenagh, County Tipperary, McCormack starred alongside cinematic icon Emma Thompson in the romantic comedy Good Luck to You, Leo Grand, for which he was nominated for a BAFTA. More recently, he had a starring role in the Netflix political thriller, Anniversary, where he appeared alongside notable American stars Zoey Deutch, Kyle Chandler, and Dylan O’Brien.
7. Cian Hyland – look out in 2026
Cian Hyland, who hails from County Cavan, is one of the rising Irish actors you’ll see everywhere in 2026.
He got his first starring role in the 2024 indie feature film Dreamtown, where he plays the son of an ageing rockstar who tries to build a relationship with his estranged son. He appears in the second series of the Irish comedy Faithless, and we think we’ll be seeing much more of him in 2026.
6. Éanna Hardwicke – one of the rising Irish actors you’ll see everywhere in 2026
Éanna Hardwicke has been acting since he was a child, with his career taking shape with a role in the 2009 movie The Eclipse, but we could see a lot more of him in 2026.
He has played roles in Normal People alongside Paul Mescal, and most recently starred in the 2025 sports drama Saipan, which follows the events of the famous Saipan incident between Roy Keane and the Republic of Ireland national football team manager Mick McCarthy. Hardwicke took on the role of Keane while Steve Coogan starred as Mick McCarthy.
5. Katelyn Rose Downey – a young Irish talent
At just 16 years old, Katelyn Rose Downey has appeared in a number of hit films, like The Princess, alongside Joey King in 2022, and The Nun II in 2023.
She is set to appear in the Blade Runner spinoff series, Blade Runner 2099, set 50 years after the events of Blade Runner 2049, which will see huge stars like Michelle Yeoh and Hunter Schafer take centre stage.
4. Anthony Boyle – shot quickly to the spotlight
Anthony Boyle has made quite the name for himself in the Irish acting world, and will no doubt join the list of household-name Irish actors in 2026. After giving a riveting performance as Brendan Hughes in Say Nothing, his success never got a chance to calm down as he appeared soon after with a leading role in House of Guinness.
3. Niamh McCormack – one to watch
One rising Irish actor you’re sure to see everywhere in 2026 is Dublin actor Niamh McCormack. She had her first major break in the 2023 Netflix series Everything Now. However, it’s her recent role as Ellen Cochrane in House of Guinness that could mean we’ll see a lot more of McCormack in 2026.
2. Frank Blake – a rising star who has already appeared in several acclaimed shows
Frank Blake has appeared in a number of hit Irish TV shows, including Normal People and Say Nothing. However, it’s perhaps his recurring role in the popular police drama set largely in Belfast, Blue Lights, that has shone a particular spotlight on the County Clare native.
1. Alison Oliver – we’ll still call her a rising star despite impressive catalogue
Alison Oliver is one of those quietly talented Irish actors who has appeared in countless productions, yet we still think she deserves a place on this list of rising Irish actors.
Having starred in the tv adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Conversations With Friends, the hit movie Saltburn alongside Barry Keoghan, and many more shows and movies, she will continue to grace our screens in 2026 with a role in the highly anticipated Wuthering Heights, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.
