Charlene McKenna Biography: Husband, Age, Height, Net Worth, Movies, Religion, Ethnicity

Charlene Mary Ann McKenna, professionally known as Charlene McKenna, is an award-winning Irish actress who has carved out a highly respected position in both British and Irish drama.

Initially capturing the hearts of Irish viewers as Jojo Harte in the hit RTÉ drama series Raw, she went on to secure international acclaim for her powerful dramatic performances, most notably as the resilient Rose Erskine in the mystery series Ripper Street and the ruthless republican Captain Swing in the final season of BBC’s epic Peaky Blinders.

Charlene McKenna
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	Charlene Mary Ann McKenna
Stage Name:	Charlene McKenna
Born:	26 March 1984 (age 42 years old)
Place of Birth:	Glaslough, County Monaghan, Ireland
Nationality:	Irish
Ethnicity:	White Irish
Height:	1.57m
Religion:	Roman Catholic
Parents:	Brendan and Josie McKenna
Siblings:	Five older brothers
Spouse:	Adam Rothenberg (m. 2021)
Relationship:	Married
Children:	Martha Josephine Rothenberg
Occupation:	Actress
Net Worth:	$1.8 million

Early Life and Education

Charlene McKenna was born on 26 March 1984 in the picturesque village of Glaslough, County Monaghan, Ireland, where she grew up as the youngest of six children and the only girl alongside her five older brothers.

Her parents, Brendan and Josie McKenna, worked tirelessly on their family mushroom farm while later establishing local presence as business owners of The Pillar House pub.

Her educational foundation took shape at St Louis Secondary School in Monaghan before she relocated to Dublin to study Classical Music and Religious Education at the Mater Dei Institute of Education.

Born into a deep Irish heritage, she was raised in a traditional Roman Catholic household.

Career

Charlene McKenna stepped onto the professional stage at a young age, overcoming early industry struggles by working tirelessly in small-scale theater before landing her screen debut in the 2005 RTÉ miniseries Pure Mule.

This striking performance immediately set her career in motion, earning her rapid industry recognition and leading to a defining dramatic turn as Karen in the two-part medical scandal drama Whistleblower.

By 2008, she achieved mainstream household fame in Ireland when she assumed the central role of Jojo Harte in the popular culinary-drama series Raw, a highly successful production that earned her an Irish Film & Television Award for Best Actress.

Charlene McKenna successfully leveraged her domestic success into a highly dynamic international career, breaking into the British television market with her casting as Rose Erskine in the popular Victorian crime drama Ripper Street in 2012.

Her outstanding range subsequently allowed her to navigate a spectrum of high-caliber roles, from the comedy-drama Skins Pure to major feature films such as A Boy Called Dad and the Oscar-nominated short film Boogaloo and Graham.

Her legacy in British television was further cemented by her complex, commanding guest roles in Vienna Blood, Clean Sweep, and the cultural phenomenon Peaky Blinders, solidifying her standing as one of Ireland’s most consistently compelling dramatic actors.

Awards and Nominations

• Outstanding Actress in a Mini-Series (Monte Carlo Television Festival, 2009)
• Irish Film & Television Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role – Television (2009)
• Irish Film & Television Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress – Film (2013)
• Irish Film & Television Award Nominee for Best Actress in a Leading Role – Drama (2017)

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @charlenemckenna
• Facebook Handle: @CharleneMcKennaOfficial
• Twitter Handle: @charlenemckenna

Personal Life

Charlene McKenna, who is 42 years old and stands at a height of 1.57m, is happily married to American actor Adam Rothenberg, whom she met on the set of Ripper Street in 2016 and wed in an intimate, lockdown-era ceremony at Castle Leslie in February 2021.

The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Martha Josephine, in April 2024.

Prior to her marriage, her most notable public relationship was a two-year partnership with fellow Irish actor Aidan Turner, which ended in 2009.

Net Worth

Charlene McKenna possesses an estimated net worth of $1.8 million.

This fortune has been steadily built through her twenty-year career as a top-billed actress across prominent British and Irish national broadcasters like RTÉ, BBC, and ITV.

Her financial standing is further augmented by international streaming royalties, voice-over work, high-profile stage appearances, and commercial brand alignments in the UK and Ireland.

Filmography

• Pure Mule (2005)
• Prosperity (2007)
• Whistleblower (2008)
• Raw (2008–2013)
• A Boy Called Dad (2009)
• Being Human (2010)
• Merlin (2011)
• Ripper Street (2012–2016)
• Skins Pure (2013)
• Boogaloo and Graham (2014)
• Vienna Blood (2019–2024)
• Peaky Blinders (2022)
• Goodnight Mommy (2022)
• A Greyhound of a Girl (2023)
• Clean Sweep (2023)