Trending 17th August 2023 by Stellar Magazine

Jamie Lee O’Donnell: ‘I Always Said I’d Keep The Door Open Behind Me, It’s The Right Thing’

"I still think working-class people are massively underrepresented"

Fame is not something Jamie Lee O’Donnell would choose, if she had a choice.

The Northern Irish actor is STELLAR’s cover star for September, and she sits down with editor-in-chief Megan Roantree to chat all thing dealing with stardom, her role in TV series Screw, and of course, how she feels looking back on the wild success of Derry Girls.

“I don’t think I’m far enough away from it to realise how amazing and impactful it will be,” she says of the Channel 4 series.

“I’m so proud of it, I’ve never been prouder of anything in my life work-wise, especially that last episode and the reflection of my community. But I don’t think I’m at the point where I can fully grasp the impact, my brain isn’t letting me do it yet.”

Jamie-Lee also chats “keeping the door open” behind her when it comes to opportunities in the acting world, and why the representation of working class people in the media is so important to her.

“I do think more should be done for people from less financially secure backgrounds to come into the arts and feel comfortable and welcome and like it’s their right to be there – because it’s everybody’s right,” she says.

“I still think working-class people are massively underrepresented even though our stories are told and people make money off of our stories over and over again. But we’re not represented within the industry getting employed and paid. That’s still a big problem.”

Screw Series 2 begins on Wednesday 30th August at 9pm to stream and watch live on Channel 4.

You can check out our full interview with the star in the September issue of STELLAR magazine – on shelves nationwide now!

Credits:

  • Interview: Megan Roantree
  • Photography: Evan Doherty
  • Makeup: Celebrity makeup artist Sue Brophy using Laura Mercier
  • Hair: Emma Smith for Platinum Expert Hair
  • Styling: Zeda the Architect
  • Styling assistants: Lara Razzi & Ella Keilthy
  • With thanks to Hard Rock Hotel Dublin
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