Gina Costigan
{{Short description|Irish actress}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Use Irish English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| image =
|caption=Gina Costigan in "Crackskull Row" c. 2017
| imagesize =
| name = Gina Costigan
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1985|3|21}}
| birth_place = Dublin, Ireland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Actress
| education = Queens University Belfast (BA)
| yearsactive = Early 2000s – present
| partner =
}}
Gina Costigan is an Irish actress, best known for her work on stage. She appeared in the original Broadway companies of Jez Butterworth's The Ferryman and Martin McDonagh's Hangmen.{{Cite web |date=3 September 2012 |title=Another act in family drama |url=https://www.independent.ie/life/another-act-in-family-drama/26894118.html |website=Independent.ie}}
Early life and education
Costigan was born in Dublin, Ireland to former Gaiety Theatre executive director, John Costigan and actress Maria McDermottroe.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Andrea |date=13 January 2014 |title=Bondings: Beyond the curtain call at the Gaiety |url=https://www.independent.ie/life/bondings-beyond-the-curtain-call-at-the-gaiety/29905741.html |website=Independent.ie}}{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Joe |date=25 December 2005 |title=Happy? Oh, yes he is! |url=https://www.independent.ie/style/celebrity/happy-oh-yes-he-is/26216213.html |access-date=9 January 2025 |website=Independent.ie}}{{Cite web |title=The Blackwater Lightship |url=https://ifi.ie/film/the-blackwater-lightship/ |website=IFI.ie}}{{Cite web |date=14 December 2003 |title=John Costigan The CV |url=https://www.independent.ie/business/john-costigan-the-cv/26237893.html |website=Independent.ie}}{{Cite web |last=McDermott |first=Peter |date=January 11, 2018 |title=Women's time to shine in 'Party Face' |url=https://www.irishecho.com/2018/1/womens-time-to-shine-in-party-face |website=IrishEcho.com}}
She holds a BA (Hons) from Queens University Belfast, and an AA from the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts.
Career
Costigan made her professional stage debut as a street child in the 1994 revival of James Plunkett's The Risen People at The Gaiety Theatre. Staged as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival, the production was co-directed by brothers Peter and Jim Sheridan, marking their professional reunion.{{Cite web |date=November 17, 2021 |title=20 Questions with Gina Costigan |url=https://fairypoweredproductions.com/20-questions-with-gina-costigan |publisher=Fairy Powered Productions}} At the time, The Risen People was the most expensive event in the festival's 35-year history.{{Cite news |last=Morphet |first=Richard |date=October 10, 1994 |title=Theatre: Aida Joins the Dublin Demo |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-aida-joins-the-dublin-demo-1441781.html |work=Independent.co.uk}}
She made her screen debut as crime figure John Traynor's girlfriend in 2003's Veronica Guerin, appearing opposite Cate Blanchett.{{Cite web |last=O'Donoghue |first=Anne |date=21 March 2018 |title=Actress Maria McDermottroe on pursuing her passion |url=https://www.farmersjournal.ie/entertainment/living-life-/pursuing-passions-354415 |url-access=subscription |access-date=9 January 2025 |website=FarmersJournal.ie}} She would go on to have supporting roles in numerous Irish films, including The Front Line (2006), Becoming Jane (2007), Swansong: Story of Occi Byrne (2009), A Terrible Beauty (2013), Halal Daddy (2017), My Sailor, My Love (2022), and TWIG (2024).{{Cite web |date=13 May 2008 |title=Gina Costigan |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/gina-costigan/credits/3030056357/ |website=TVGuide.com}}{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Joe |title=Markievicz park |url=https://www.hotpress.com/culture/markievicz-park-4554045 |website=Hotpress.com}}
Costigan has twice appeared as Mailí in Aisling Ghéar Theatre Company's National Tour of An Triail by Máiréad Ní Ghráda, first in 2009, then again in 2013. The play is written and performed entirely in the Irish language.{{Cite web |last=Ní Chonaola |first=Treasa |date=9 April 2022 |title=Eyes-open optimism pays when you are doing exams |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/eyes-open-optimism-pays-when-you-are-doing-exams-1.1084506 |website=IrishTimes.com}}{{Cite web |title=An Triail {{!}} On Trial Production History |url=https://www.irishtheatreinstitute.ie/resources/people-of-irish-theatre/mairead-ni-ghrada-3/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=IrishTheatreInstitute.ie}}{{Cite web |date=9 October 2023 |title='One of the greatest plays of the 20th century - Brian Friel's 'Faith Healer' - for Millennium Forum stage this week |url=https://www.derryjournal.com/news/people/one-of-the-greatest-plays-of-the-20th-century-brian-friels-faith-healer-takes-to-derrys-millennium-forum-stage-this-week-4365646 |website=Derry Journal}}
In 2011 Costigan starred as Sandra in The New Theatre, Dublin's production of Isobel Mahon's Billy the Boat Loves Angelina. The play tells the story of three siblings, Susan, Sandra, and Tim, who have become caught up in the in Dun Laoghaire drug scene.{{Cite web |date=January 16, 2012 |title=Billy the Boat Loves Angelina – The Rules |url=https://thenewtheatre.com/event/2011/12/26/billy-the-boat-loves-angelina-the-rules/ |website=TheNewTheatre.com}} In a review for The Irish Times, Peter Crawley noted Costigan's "assured performance", while "portraying (a) menacing figure with admirable bite."{{Cite news |last=Crawley |first=Peter |date=February 16, 2002 |title=Billy the Boat Loves Angelina |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/rock-pop/billy-the-boat-loves-angelina-1.449835 |newspaper=The Irish Times}}
In 2016 Costigan made her Off-Broadway debut in Honor Molloy's Crackskull Row at the Irish Repertory Theatre.{{Cite web |last=Webster |first=Andy |date=16 September 2016 |title=Review: 'Crackskull Row,' an Irish Gothic With Masher, Basher and Rasher |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/17/theater/review-crackskull-row-an-irish-gothic-with-masher-basher-and-rasher.html |website=The New York Times}}{{Cite web |title=Crackskull Row |url=https://irishrep.org/show/2016-2017-season/crackskull-row/ |website=IrishRep.org}} The following year, she appeared in The Suitcase Under the Bed, a combined bill of four plays by Teresa Deevy at the Mint Theater Company. Both productions were named "Critic's Picks" by The New York Times.{{Cite web |last=Webster |first=Andy |date=25 August 2017 |title=Review: Ireland in Four Dimensions, by a Pioneering Playwright |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/25/theater/the-suitcase-under-the-bed-review.html |website=The New York Times}}
In 2018 starred opposite Hayley Mills in Isobel Mahon's Party Face at New York City Center. For their respective performances, Costigan and Mills were both nominated for Best Actress at the 2018 1st Irish Awards.{{Cite news |last=Soloski |first=Alexis |date=25 January 2018 |title=Women Beyond the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown |work=New York Times |via=Gale General OneFile |id={{Gale|A524722009}}}} Later that year Costigan joined the original Broadway company of Jez Butterworth's The Ferryman, understudying the roles Caitlin and Mary Carney.{{Cite web |date=4 September 2018 |title=Complete Casting of The Ferryman Is Announced |url=https://broadwaydirect.com/complete-casting-ferryman-announced/ |website=BroadwayDirect.com}} The production would go on to win the 2019 Tony Award for Best Play;{{Cite news |date=10 June 2019 |title=Tony Awards 2019 Northern Irish drama The Ferryman wins best play |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/stage/tony-awards-2019-northern-irish-drama-the-ferryman-wins-best-play-1.3920591 |url-access=subscription |work=IrishTimes.com}} that year, she also appeared alongside her mother in Michael Scott's adaptation of The Valley of the Squinting Windows at the Mullingar Arts Centre{{Cite web |date=12 November 2019 |title=Michael D to attend 'Valley' premiere |url=https://www.westmeathexaminer.ie/2019/11/12/michael-d-to-attend-valley-premiere/ |website=WestmeathExaminer.ie}} and in the critically acclaimed revival of Joe Crilly's On McQuillan's Hill at the Finborough Theatre in London.{{Cite web |date=19 February 2020 |title=Co Armagh playwright Joe Crilly lives on as On McQuillan's Hill wows critics in London |url=https://www.irishnews.com/arts/2020/02/19/news/co-armagh-playwright-joe-crilly-lives-on-as-on-mcquillan-s-hill-wows-critics-in-london-1845922/ |url-access=subscription |website=The Irish News}} She appeared in The Irish Echo's "40 under 40," Class of 2019.{{Cite web |date=August 19, 2021 |title=Costigan, Ruddy for radio version |url=https://www.irishecho.com/2021/8/costigan-ruddy-for-radio-version |website=IrishEcho.com}}
In 2020, Costigan appeared as Molly Bloom in The Ulysses Project, a work of digital theatre, shot entirely during the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |title=The Ulysses Project (2022) movie posters |url=https://www.movieposterdb.com/the-ulysses-project-i13204424 |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=MoviePosterDB.com |language=en}} A low-tech re-telling of Ulysses by James Joyce, The Ulysses Project featured an ensemble of over 75 actors who filmed themselves on phone or webcam, while being directed via WhatsApp.{{Cite web |title=The Ulysses Project |url=https://www.tenthousandhours.ie/ulysses-project |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=10K HRS FILMS |language=en-US}} The cast included Olwen Fouéré, Shane MacGowan, Paula Meehan, and Barry Ward. The Ulysses Project was later screened by the Irish Film Institute, as part of Bloomsday Centennial in 2022;{{Cite AV media |url=https://ifi.ie/film/the-ulysses-project/ |title=The Ulysses Project |last=Sexton |first=Laoisa |last2=Murphy |first2=Trevor |year=2022 |place=Ireland |format=Digital |authorlink=Laoisa Sexton}} that year, she appeared in the original Broadway company of Martin McDonagh's Hangmen, understudying the roles of Alice and Shirley. The production was nominated for the 2022 Tony Award for Best Play.{{Cite news |last=Gans |first=Andrew |date=June 12, 2022 |title=2022 Tony Award Winners: A Strange Loop, The Lehman Trilogy, Company, Take Me Out Win Top Honors |url=https://playbill.com/article/2022-tony-award-winners |access-date=June 13, 2022 |work=Playbill}}
In 2023, she appeared as Grace in London Classic Theatre's UK tour of Brian Friel's Faith Healer.{{Cite web |title=London Classic Theatre Announce Faith Healer Cast |url=https://theatreweekly.com/london-classic-theatre-announce-faith-healer-cast/ |access-date=August 8, 2023 |website=TheatreWeekly.com|date=8 August 2023 }} Select tour venues included New Vic Theatre, Theatr Clwyd, Malvern Theatres, The Lighthouse, Theatre Royal, Cambridge Arts Theatre, Hawk's Well Theatre, Millennium Forum, Middlesbrough Theatre, Lichfield Garrick Theatre, Devonshire Park Theatre, and Connaught Theatre.{{Cite web |title=Faith Healer – Tour Archive |url=https://www.uktw.co.uk/archive/Tour/Play/Faith-Healer/T069637287 |access-date=February 16, 2025 |website=UK Theatre Web}} In addition to her work on stage, Costigan has had recurring roles on Vikings, Fair City, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Filmography
=Film=
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes ! class=unsortable|Ref. |
|---|
| 2007
|Diane Sutton |3 episodes |
| 2017
|Officer Judy |2 episodes |
| 2019-2020
|Runa |3 episodes |
| 2020
|Mrs. O'Meara |Episode: "Five" |
| 2021
|Doctor |Episode: "Critics" |
| 2022
|Karen |Episode: "White Fashion" |
| 2022
|Jenny Doyle |Episode: "A Corpse in My Soup" |
| 2023
|Kin |Betty Duggan |Episode: "2.8" |
| 2024
|Lily |Episode: "Evil Little Maniacs" |
| 2024-2025
|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit |Virginia Becker |2 episodes |
=Stage=
References
{{reflist}}
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Costigan, Gina}}
Category:Date of birth missing (living people)
Category:Irish stage actresses