Frances Mayli McCann
{{Short description|Scottish actress}}
{{Infobox person
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1989|9|14|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Bishopbriggs, Scotland
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Actress
| years_active = 2009–present
| spouse = Christopher Chung
}}
Frances Mayli McCann (born 14 September 1989) is a Scottish actress. Known for her work in theatre, she is the recipient of Laurence Olivier and WhatsOnStage Award nominations. Her roles include Bonnie Parker in Bonnie & Clyde and Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby.
Early life
McCann was born and raised in Bishopbriggs, a suburb of Glasgow, to a Hong Kong mother and a Scottish-Irish father.{{Cite podcast|url=https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/creative-voices-uk/launching-soon-on-cvs-1-year-qGFTMK5jV0h/|title=Launching soon on CV's 1 year anniversary!|website=Creative Voices UK|date=13 June 2021|accessdate=22 February 2023}} McCann attended Turnbull High School.{{Cite web|url=https://news.cision.com/denvir-marketing/r/bishopbriggs-local-chosen-to-star-in-spectacular-highland-heartbeat-production,c504443|title=Bishopbriggs local chosen to star in spectacular Highland Heartbeat production|website=Denvir|first=Eilidh|last=Macleod|date=22 July 2010|accessdate=21 February 2023}} She was a dancer and gymnast from the age of four. After discovering acting and singing, she auditioned for and joined the Glasgow Academy Musical Theatre Arts (now GPRO), graduating in 2009.{{Cite web|url=https://www.londontheatre1.com/interviews/an-interview-with-frances-mayli-mccann/|title=Interview with Frances Mayli McCann|website=London Theatre|first=Neil|last=Cheesman|date=28 April 2011|accessdate=21 December 2022}}
Career
McCann reportedly first appeared on television in the 2000s CBBC series Against All Odds as Melissa and the BBC Scotland soap opera River City as Mia. She was also a finalist on CITV's Britannia High. In 2009, she was cast in a tour of the music show Highland Heartbeat.{{Cite web|url=https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/12798306.young-scots-are-off-to-entertain-old-west/|title=Young Scots are off to entertain old west|journal=Glasgow Times|date=24 June 2009|accessdate=21 February 2023}} She guest starred in a 2010 episode of the BBC Three series Lip Service.
In 2011, McCann made her West End debut as a diva in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert at the Palace Theatre. She returned to Priscilla, Queen of the Desert for its 2013 tour around the UK, this time as Cynthia.
McCann originated the role of Kylah in Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, a stage adaptation of Alan Warner's novel The Sopranos in the play's 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival premiere.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenationalstudent.com/Arts_and_Theatre/2017-06-06/we_spoke_to_actress_frances_mayli_mccann_about_the_riotous_show_our_ladies_of_perpetual_succour.html|title=We spoke to actress Frances Mayli McCann about the riotous show Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour|website=The National Student|first=Amy|last=Worthington|date=6 June 2017|accessdate=21 February 2023}} She took the character on tour later that year, to the National Theatre in 2016, and to the West End at the Duke of York's Theatre in 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/apr/30/our-ladies-of-perpetual-succour-get-ready-west-end-lee-hall-london|title=Foul-mouthed Scottish schoolgirls get ready to hit the West End|journal=The Guardian|first=Rachel|last=Cooke|date=30 April 2017|accessdate=21 February 2023}} McCann and the rest of the cast were jointly nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
In 2019, McCann had a recurring role as Niki in the fifth series of Shetland on BBC One. She also had a small role in Evita at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. She began playing Éponine on a tour of Les Misérables, but it was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|url=http://www.pocketsizetheatre.com/2020/05/the-corona-diaries-frances-mayli-mccann.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810155415/http://www.pocketsizetheatre.com/2020/05/the-corona-diaries-frances-mayli-mccann.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=August 10, 2020|title=The Corona Diaries: Frances Mayli McCann|website=Pocket Size Theatre|date=11 May 2020|accessdate=21 February 2023}} In 2021, McCann appeared in the world premiere of Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World at MAST Mayflower Studios in Southampton, as well as productions at the Royal Court{{Cite web|url=https://royalcourttheatre.com/cast/frances-mayli-mccann/|title=Frances Mayli McCann|website=Royal Court Theatre|accessdate=21 February 2023}} and Almeida Theatre, and played Heather McNamara in the West End revival of Heathers: The Musical at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.{{Cite web|url=https://www.westendtheatre.com/114983/star-watch/frances-mayli-mccann/|title=Frances Mayli McCann in Bonnie & Clyde The Musical|website=West End Theatre|date=13 April 2022|accessdate=21 February 2023}}
In February 2022, it was announced McCann would star as the titular Bonnie Parker in the original West End cast of Bonnie & Clyde opposite Jordan Luke Gage as Clyde Barrow. The show's original run took place in spring 2022 at the Arts Theatre.{{Cite web|url=https://www.playbill.com/article/frances-mayli-mccann-and-jordan-luke-gage-will-be-bonnie-and-clyde-in-london-bow-of-musical|title=Frances Mayli McCann and Jordan Luke Gage Will be Bonnie and Clyde in London Bow of Musical|journal=Playbill|first=Andrew|last=Gans|date=20 February 2022|accessdate=25 February 2022}} For her performance, McCann was nominated for a WhatsOnStage Award. Bonnie & Clyde would return to the West End in March 2023 at the Garrick Theatre with McCann and Gage reprising their roles.{{Cite web|url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/jordan-luke-gage-frances-mayli-bonnie-clyde_57758.html|title=Jordan Luke Gage and Frances Mayli McCann to return for West End Bonnie and Clyde|website=WhatsOnStage|first=Alex|last=Wood|date=7 November 2022|accessdate=7 November 2022}} Also in 2023, McCann appeared in the second series of the CBBC tween science fiction series Silverpoint, played Misa in the London Palladium concert staging of Death Note: The Musical, and returned to River City in the role of Chloe Qi-Lewis.
In February 2025, it was announced she'd star as Daisy Buchanan opposite Jamie Muscato in the European premiere of The Great Gatsby at the London Coliseum.{{Cite web|url=https://playbill.com/article/frances-mayli-mccann-and-jamie-muscato-will-lead-londons-the-great-gatsby|title=Frances Mayli McCann and Jamie Muscato Will Lead London's The Great Gatsby|work=Playbill|first=Andrew|last=Gans|date=6 February 2025|accessdate=6 February 2025}}
Personal life
McCann is married to Australian actor Christopher Chung. They had a traditional Chinese ceremony in Melbourne in 2020{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/B7LNzcbn7Aw/?hl=en|title=My big fat Chinese wedding🎎|author=Frances Mayli McCann|via=Instagram|date=11 January 2020|accessdate=21 February 2023}} followed by a western wedding at Bothy Glasgow in 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CUK4ho1oGym/?hl=en|title=Mr and Mrs Chung|author=Frances Mayli McCann|via=Instagram|date=23 September 2021|accessdate=21 February 2023}}
Filmography
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 200?
| Against All Odds | Melissa | |
| 200?
| Mia | |
| 2010
| Shona | 1 episode |
| 2019
| Shetland | Niki | 5 episodes (series 5) |
| 2020
| A Tale to Tell | Sleeping Beauty | Short film |
| 2023
| Charlotte | Recurring role (series 2) |
| 2023–present
| River City | |
| 2024
| Bonnie & Clyde: The Musical - Recorded Live on Stage | Filmed version of concert production at Theatre Royal Drury Lane |
| 2024
| Sylvia Melbury | Episode: "How to Murder a Tune" |
Stage
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| Year
! Award ! Category ! Work ! Result ! Ref. |
|---|
| 2017
| Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour | {{nom}} |
| 2023
| Best Performer in a Musical | Bonnie & Clyde | {{nom}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/frances-mayli-mccann/ Frances Mayli McCann] at Conway van Gelder Grant
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Category:21st-century Scottish actresses
Category:People from Bishopbriggs
Category:Scottish musical theatre actresses
Category:Scottish people of Hong Kong descent