Genevieve O'Reilly facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Genevieve O'Reilly
O'Reilly at Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025
Born	(1977-01-06) 6 January 1977 (age 48) Dublin, Ireland
Education	National Institute of Dramatic Art (BFA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2000–present
Spouse(s)	Luke Mulvihill
Children	2

Genevieve O'Reilly was born on January 6, 1977. She is an actress from both Ireland and Australia. She is well-known for playing the character Mon Mothma in the Star Wars stories. She first appeared as Mon Mothma in Revenge of the Sith in 2005. Her acting in the TV show Andor even earned her a nomination for a Saturn Award! Genevieve has also acted in many other plays, movies, and television shows.

Early Life and School

Genevieve O'Reilly was born in Dublin, Ireland. When she was ten years old, her family moved to Adelaide, in South Australia. She had two younger brothers or sisters when they moved. Later, she became an Australian citizen.

Genevieve moved to Sydney to study acting. She wanted to go to the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). She tried three times before she was accepted! She finished her studies there in the year 2000.

Acting Career

Genevieve O'Reilly has had a busy acting career. She has performed in plays, movies, and TV shows.

Theatre Performances

Just one week after finishing drama school, Genevieve got a role. She was an understudy in a play called The White Devil. An understudy learns a role so they can perform if the main actor cannot. She also appeared in another play called The Way of the World.

Genevieve has acted in plays in Dublin, Ireland, and London, England. She performed in The Weir and Richard II. She also acted in new plays at the Royal National Theatre. These included 13 and Emperor and Galilean. In 2012, she was in The Doctor's Dilemma. Later, in 2015, she played Kathryn in Splendour. In 2017, she was Mary Carney in The Ferryman. This play was shown at the Royal Court Theatre and then in London's West End.

Movie Roles

Genevieve O'Reilly has been in several movies. Some of these were filmed in Australia. She appeared in the Matrix movies. These included The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, both from 2003. She also played the main character, Dash MacKenzie, in the 2004 science fiction movie Avatar. This movie was also known as Cyber Wars.

Star Wars Movies and Shows

In 2005, Genevieve played a younger version of Mon Mothma. This was in the movie Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Most of her scenes were cut from the movie. But you can find them as extra features on the DVD!

In 2016, she played Mon Mothma again in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. She also lent her voice to the character in the animated TV show Star Wars Rebels in 2017. In 2020, it was announced that she would return as Mon Mothma. This was for the TV series Andor, which started in September 2022. She continued her role as Mon Mothma in the Disney+ series Ahsoka in 2023. She also returned for the second season of Andor in 2025.

Television Appearances

Genevieve O'Reilly's first TV role was in 2001. She was a guest star in the Canadian show BeastMaster. The next year, she appeared in Young Lions. From 2002 to 2005, she played Leanne Curtis in All Saints.

After moving to the UK, Genevieve starred in the TV mini-series The State Within in 2006. She played Princess Diana in the 2007 TV movie Diana: Last Days of a Princess. She also had a main role in The Time of Your Life in 2007. In 2009, she played Sarah Caulfield in the BBC drama Spooks. She was also in Waking the Dead and The Day of the Triffids.

From 2011 to 2014, Genevieve was a regular character in the series Episodes. In 2013, she appeared in the first episode of Crossing Lines. She played detective Sienna Pride. In 2014, she was in the mini-series The Honourable Woman. In 2015, she played Mary Johnson in the BBC show Banished. This show was about British convicts in Australia.

Also in 2015, Genevieve starred as Dr. Elishia McKellar in Glitch. This was an Australian drama about strange events in a small town. The first season won many awards. The second season aired in 2017. In 2016, she was in the British drama The Secret. Her performance in this show was highly praised. In 2017, she was cast as Angela Worth in the British TV series Tin Star. In 2021, she appeared in the BBC drama Three Families.

Video Games

Genevieve O'Reilly has also voiced characters in video games. She voiced Moira in Overwatch (2017) and Overwatch 2 (2022).

Personal Life

In 2005, Genevieve O'Reilly moved to London with her husband, Luke Mulvihill. They planned to stay for only a few years, but they were still living there in 2020. They have two children, a son and a daughter.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Video Games