Rose Byrne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rose Byrne
Byrne in 2025
Born	Mary Rose Byrne (1979-07-24) 24 July 1979 (age 46) Balmain, New South Wales, Australia
Education	University of Sydney
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1994–present
Partner(s)	Brendan Cowell (2003–2010) Bobby Cannavale (2012–present)
Children	2
Relatives	Rose McIver (sister-in-law)

Mary Rose Byrne (born July 24, 1979) is an Australian actress famous for her roles in many different kinds of movies. She has appeared in big blockbusters like the X-Men movies and Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.

She is also known for her funny roles in comedies like Bridesmaids and Neighbors. Byrne has also starred in the popular horror series Insidious and family films like Peter Rabbit. She has won many awards for her acting, including a Silver Bear and a Volpi Cup.

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Mary Rose Byrne was born in Balmain, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. She is the youngest of four children and has Irish and Scottish roots. Her family was very close and supported her as she became famous.

Byrne started acting when she was just eight years old. Her sister encouraged her to join the Australian Theatre for Young People. She attended Balmain Public School and Hunters Hill High School. Later, she studied at the University of Sydney. In 1999, she also studied acting at the Atlantic Theater Company in New York City.

Career Journey

Starting Out in Australia

Byrne's first movie role was in Dallas Doll in 1994 when she was 15. Throughout the 1990s, she acted in Australian TV shows and movies. She starred with actor Heath Ledger in the film Two Hands.

Her first leading role was in the 2000 film The Goddess of 1967. For this role, she won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival. This was a huge honor and helped her career grow.

Hollywood Breakthrough

In 2002, Byrne appeared in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. She played Dormé, the handmaiden to Senator Padmé Amidala, played by Natalie Portman. This small role was her first step into Hollywood.

She then acted in movies like I Capture the Castle (2003) and the epic film Troy (2004). In Troy, she played Briseis alongside Brad Pitt. She also appeared in the thriller Wicker Park (2004).

From 2007 to 2012, Byrne starred in the TV series Damages with Glenn Close. She played a young lawyer named Ellen Parsons. Her performance was a huge success and earned her nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.

Byrne in 2010

Success in Comedy and Horror

After Damages, Byrne wanted to try comedy. She got her chance in the 2010 movie Get Him to the Greek. The director was surprised by how funny she was in her audition.

2011 was a big year for Byrne. She starred in the horror movie Insidious, which became a popular franchise. She also played a major role in the hit comedy Bridesmaids. The movie was a massive success all over the world.

That same year, she played CIA agent Moira MacTaggert in X-Men: First Class. She returned to this role in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016).

Recent Roles and Continued Success

Byrne at the premiere of I Give It A Year in 2013

Byrne has continued to star in many successful movies. She reunited with the Insidious cast for Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) and appeared in later films in the series. She also starred in the comedy Neighbors with Seth Rogen and Zac Efron, and its sequel Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016).

She played Grace Farrell in the 2014 movie musical Annie. In 2015, she starred with Melissa McCarthy in the action-comedy Spy.

In 2018, she played Bea and voiced the duck Jemima Puddle-Duck in the family movie Peter Rabbit. She returned for the sequel, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, in 2021. She has also starred in TV shows like Mrs. America, where she played feminist icon Gloria Steinem, and the comedy series Physical and Platonic.

In 2025, she won the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance for her role in the film If I Had Legs I'd Kick You.

Personal Life

Byrne has been in a relationship with American actor Bobby Cannavale since 2012. The couple has two sons.

She supports UNICEF Australia and has been a judge for the Tropfest film festival. She is also an ambassador for the Young Actors Studio at Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), where she helps young actors get their start.

Selected Filmography

Here are some of Rose Byrne's most well-known movies and TV shows.

Film

Television

Images for kids

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  Rose Byrne at the Tow premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Festival

See also

In Spanish: Rose Byrne para niños