Roma Downey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Roma Downey OBE
Downey in 2015
Born	(1960-05-06) 6 May 1960 (age 65) Derry, Northern Ireland
Alma mater	Brighton College of Art (BA) Drama Studio London
Occupation	Actress producer author
Years active	1988–present
Known for	Touched by an Angel A Woman Named Jackie
Spouse(s)	Leland Orser ​ ​ (m. 1987; div. 1989)​ David Anspaugh ​ ​ (m. 1995; div. 1998)​ Mark Burnett ​ (m. 2007)​
Children	1

Roma Downey OBE (born 6 May 1960) is a famous actress, producer, and author from Northern Ireland. She is best known for playing Monica, an angel, in the TV show Touched by an Angel. This popular CBS series ran for nine seasons.

Roma Downey also played Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in the miniseries A Woman Named Jackie. This show won an Emmy Award. More recently, she stars in and produces the TV series The Baxters. She has also performed in many plays, including those on and off Broadway.

Downey has produced and starred in several TV movies for CBS, like Borrowed Hearts and Second Honeymoon. She is the President of Lightworkers Media, which is a part of MGM. With her husband, Mark Burnett, she produced The Bible miniseries. In this series, she played Mary, mother of Jesus.

Together, Downey and Burnett have produced many films. These include Ben-Hur (2016), Son of God, and Little Boy. They also produced TV shows like The Dovekeepers for CBS and A.D. The Bible Continues for NBC. Roma Downey was also an executive producer for the documentary Faithkeepers. This film talks about the challenges faced by Christians in the Middle East. She also produced Bump Along the Way and the short film Rough, which won an IFTA award. Her recent film, On a Wing and a Prayer, was released on Amazon Prime.

Many important magazines have recognized Roma Downey. Variety called her and Mark Burnett "trailblazers." They also listed her as one of the "100 Most Powerful Women in Hollywood." In 2016, Roma Downey received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2021, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the International Christian Film & Music Festival. She was also named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her work in arts and community in Northern Ireland.

Roma Downey is also a successful author. Her book Box of Butterflies became a New York Times best-seller in 2018. Her newest book, Be an Angel: Devotions to Inspire and Encourage Love and Light Along the Way, came out in 2023. She is also an ambassador for Operation Smile. This group helps children around the world.

Early life and education

Roma Downey was born and grew up in Derry, Northern Ireland. She lived in the Bogside area. Her name, Roma, comes from her two grandmothers, Rose and Mary.

She went to Thornhill College, a Catholic school for girls. When Roma was 10, her mother passed away. Her father, a mortgage broker, died when she was 20.

Roma first wanted to be a painter. She earned a degree in Expressive Arts from Brighton College of Art. Later, she studied acting at The Drama Studio in London.

Acting Career Highlights

After her studies, Roma Downey joined the Abbey Players. This theater group is based at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. ..... During this tour, an agent suggested she move to New York City.

In New York, she first worked as a coat checker. Soon, she started getting roles in Broadway shows. Her performance in a Broadway play earned her a nomination for the Helen Hayes Best Actress Award in 1991. She also acted in The Circle with Sir Rex Harrison.

Playing Jacqueline Kennedy

In 1991, Downey played Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in the TV miniseries A Woman Named Jackie. This miniseries won an Emmy Award in 1992 for being an outstanding miniseries.

Starring in Touched by an Angel

Downey in 1998

Her role as Jacqueline Kennedy helped her get her most famous part. This was playing Monica, the angel, in the CBS series Touched by an Angel. She starred alongside Della Reese and John Dye. The show was very popular and ran from 1994 to 2003.

For her role as Monica, Roma Downey won a TV Guide award for favorite actress. She also received two Emmy Award nominations and two Golden Globe nominations. Downey liked the role of Monica because it was a strong female character. She also liked the spiritual side of the show.

She has often spoken about her close friendship with Della Reese. They remained very close until Della Reese passed away in 2017. Roma said Della was like a mother to her and a lasting gift from Touched by an Angel.

Producing The Bible Miniseries

On May 24, 2011, Roma Downey and her husband, Mark Burnett, announced a big project. They were producing a 10-hour docudrama called The Bible for the History channel. It was based on stories from the Bible and aired in 2013.

They started planning the series in 2009 and raised their own money for it. The show cost $22 million to make. Downey and Burnett wanted to be very true to the Bible's stories. They worked with many pastors and experts to check the script and filming.

The Bible was watched by over 100 million people in the United States. It was also the most downloaded series on iTunes. A movie version, Son of God, was released in theaters in 2014. The Bible was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2013. In the series, Roma Downey played Mary, the mother of Jesus. The show was filmed in Morocco in 2012.

In 2013, it was announced that Downey and Burnett would produce a sequel called A.D.. This series, which aired on NBC, showed how Christianity spread after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Other Projects and Achievements

Roma Downey has produced and starred in other TV movies, such as Borrowed Hearts and Second Honeymoon. She also recorded a spoken-word album called Healing Angel. She wrote a children's book, Love Is A Family, and co-authored A Story of God and All of Us with her husband.

She hosted the TV series It's a Miracle on the Pax Network. She also acted in the play A Picasso in Los Angeles. In 1998, she played Annie Sullivan in the TV movie Monday After the Miracle. She has hosted Saturday Night Live and was named one of People's most beautiful people.

Downey is a spokesperson for Operation Smile. In 2009, she starred in the movie Come Dance at My Wedding. In 2011, she appeared in Keeping Up with the Randalls on the Hallmark Channel. She is also the executive producer of Little Angels, an animated video series.

In 2013, CBS announced a new miniseries with Downey and Burnett called The Dovekeepers. It was based on a best-selling book and aired in 2015. In 2014, MGM bought a large part of their companies, One Three Media and Lightworkers Media. These companies joined to form United Artists Media Group. Burnett became the CEO, and Downey became the president of LightWorkers Media.

In 2015, MGM fully took over United Artists Media Group. Downey continues to be the President of LightWorkers Media, which is now MGM's Faith & Family division. She also executive produced a new version of Ben-Hur, which came out in 2016.

In 2016, Downey and her husband started a religious TV network called Light TV. It aired on Fox stations. Roma Downey has written several books, including Unexpected Blessings and Box of Butterflies, which became a New York Times best seller. She also worked for 10 years to develop The Baxters, a TV series based on books by Karen Kingsbury, which was released in 2024.

Personal Life and Philanthropy

Roma Downey is married to TV producer Mark Burnett. She has two step-sons, James and Cameron, and a daughter, Reilly Marie Downey Anspaugh. Reilly is from her previous marriage to director David Anspaugh. Roma was also married to actor Leland Orser before. Reilly is named after Roma's grandmother, Maureen O'Reilly Downey.

Mark Burnett proposed to Roma Downey in Mexico in 2006. They got married on April 28, 2007, at their home in Malibu. Her Touched by an Angel co-star, Della Reese, led the wedding ceremony.

Downey is a "Smile Ambassador" for Operation Smile. This group helps children worldwide who are born with cleft lip and palate. She has traveled with them on missions to Vietnam, Honduras, and Jordan.

In 2015, Downey received the Sally Award from the Salvation Army. This award recognized her work in entertainment and her help for those in need. Roma Downey was raised as a Roman Catholic.

In 2009, Downey and Burnett gave a speech and received honorary degrees from Pepperdine University. In 2014, they received an award from the Anti-Defamation League. They are very involved with charities like Operation Smile and Compassion International. In 2015, they helped start the Cradle Fund (TCF). This fund helps Middle Eastern minorities who were forced to leave their homes. By 2019, they had helped over 10,000 Christian refugees find new homes.

In 2016, Downey and Burnett spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C. They also have honorary degrees from the University of Ulster and Nyack College. In 2010, Downey earned a master's degree in Spiritual Psychology. In 2021, she was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

Filmography

Television Roles

Film Roles

Producer Credits

Discography

In 1999, Roma Downey released a CD called Healing Angel.

Stage Performances

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Roma Downey para niños