Kelly Macdonald Biography: Age, Net Worth, Siblings, Height, Ethnicity, Parents, Awards, Films, Children, Husband

Kelly Macdonald is a Scottish actress who first became recognized as Diane, the teenage love interest in Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting (1996).

From there, she went on to earn acclaim for her work in period dramas and thrillers, including her Emmy-winning turn as Gina in the BBC film The Girl in the Café (2005) and her Emmy-nominated portrayal of Margaret Thompson on HBO’s Boardwalk Empire (2010–2014).

She has balanced supporting roles in Oscar-winning films, such as No Country for Old Men (2007), with family-friendly fare, including voicing Merida in Pixar’s Brave (2012), while continuing to take on challenging television roles in series like Black Mirror and Line of Duty.

Profile

• Full name: Kelly Macdonald
• Date of birth: February 23, 1976
• Age: 49 years old
• Gender: Female
• Place of birth: Glasgow, Scotland
• State of origin: Scotland
• Nationality: Scottish
• Profession: Actress; voice actress
• Height: 5 ft 2½ in (1.59 m)
• Parents: Mother – Kathleen Macdonald; Father – Peter Macdonald
• Siblings: One brother – David Macdonald
• Spouse: Dougie Payne (m. August 2003; separated 2017)
• Children: Freddie Payne; Theodore Payne
• Relationship status: Separated
• Religion: N/A
• Ethnicity: Scottish
• Net worth: $8 million

Early Life and Education

Kelly Macdonald is now 49 years old and was born on February 23, 1976, in Glasgow, Scotland. She grew up in the village of Neilston, raised by her mother after her parents’ divorce when she was young, alongside her brother, David.

Her mother worked as a sales executive in the garment industry. Kelly attended Eastwood High School from 1989 to 1993; details of any further formal training or higher education are not publicly available.

Personal Life

In August 2003, Kelly Macdonald married Dougie Payne, bassist for the band Travis. The couple lived in London and New York City before returning to Glasgow in 2014.

They have two sons, Freddie and Theodore, and separated in 2017. Kelly shares custody of her children with her ex-husband and maintains a private lifestyle.

Career

Macdonald’s acting career began unexpectedly when she auditioned for Trainspotting while working as a barmaid in Glasgow, winning the role of Diane at age 20. She followed her debut with performances in Elizabeth (1998), Gosford Park (2001), and Intermission (2003).

Her performance as Gina in The Girl in the Café earned her a Primetime Emmy Award in 2005, and her role as Margaret Thompson on Boardwalk Empire won her further Emmy nominations and a SAG Ensemble Award.

In film, she received a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress for No Country for Old Men (2007) and voiced Princess Merida in Brave (2012).

Other credits include Nanny McPhee (2005), Finding Neverland (2004), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011), Anna Karenina (2012), the “Hated in the Nation” episode of Black Mirror (2016), T2 Trainspotting (2017), Giri/Haji (2019), Line of Duty Season 6 (2021), and Operation Mincemeat (2021).

Awards

• BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role nomination – No Country for Old Men (2007)
• Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie – The Girl in the Café (2005)
• Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series – Boardwalk Empire (2011, 2012, 2013)
• Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series – Boardwalk Empire cast (2011)
• Annie Award nomination for Outstanding Voice Acting in a Feature Production – Brave (2012)

Net worth

Kelly Macdonald’s net worth is estimated at $8 million, accrued through her extensive work in film, television, voice acting, and occasional theatre appearances.

Social Media

• N/A

Filmography

• Trainspotting (1996)
• Stella Does Tricks (1996)
• Elizabeth (1998)
• Gosford Park (2001)
• Two Family House (2000)
• Intermission (2003)
• Finding Neverland (2004)
• The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
• Nanny McPhee (2005)
• All the Invisible Children (2005)
• Lassie (2005)
• No Country for Old Men (2007)
• The Merry Gentleman (2008)
• Choke (2008)
• In the Electric Mist (2009)
• Skellig (2009)
• The Decoy Bride (2011)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011)
• Brave (2012)
• Anna Karenina (2012)
• Special Correspondents (2016)
• Swallows and Amazons (2016)
• Black Mirror: “Hated in the Nation” (2016)
• T2 Trainspotting (2017)
• The Child in Time (2017)
• Puzzle (2018)
• State of Play (2003)
• The Girl in the Café (2005)
• Boardwalk Empire (2010–2014)
• The Victim (2019)
• Giri/Haji (2019)
• Line of Duty (2021)
• Ten Percent (2022)
• Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (2024)