Ruth Connell

{{Short description|Scottish actress and producer (born 1975)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}

{{Use British English|date=October 2024}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Ruth Connell

| image = Ruth Connell by Gage Skidmore.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Connell at San Diego Comic Con 2016

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|04|20|df=y}}

| birth_place = Falkirk, Scotland

| nationality = Scottish

| citizenship = United States{{Cite web|date=2024-09-24|title=Geeks & Nerds for Harris Live Organizing Call |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is876dF_-Ds |publisher=Lynda Carter Official |website=YouTube |access-date=2024-09-25}}

| other_names =

| occupation = Actress, producer

| alma_mater = Rose Bruford College

| years_active = 1998–present

| partner = Rob Benedict

| children = 1

}}

Ruth Connell (born 20 April 1979) is a Scottish actress and producer. She is also a former professional dancer and choreographer. Connell is known for her recurring role as Rowena MacLeod in the CW series Supernatural (2014–2019).{{cite web|title=Supernatural Season 10 Adding New Mysterious Witch to the Mix, New Details|url=http://hwhills.com/supernatural-season-10-adding-new-mysterious-witch-to-the-mixnew-details/|publisher=Hollywood Hills|access-date=6 October 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141211111533/http://hwhills.com/supernatural-season-10-adding-new-mysterious-witch-to-the-mixnew-details/|archive-date=11 December 2014|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|title=Supernatural Season 10 spoilers: Scot Ruth Connell to play Rowena & more!|url=http://primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk/tomorrow-will-post-done-supernatural-season-10-spoilers-scot-ruth-connell-play-rowena-recurring-role/|publisher=Prime Time|access-date=6 October 2014}} She was nominated as "Best Leading Actress" in the 2013 Broadway World Los Angeles Awards for her portrayal of Mrs Darling and Captain Hook at the Blank Theatre, Los Angeles in their award-winning production of Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers.{{cite web|title=Thespian Thoughts Theatre Review – Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers|url=http://actorsentertainment.com/thespian/thespian-thoughts-theatre-review-peter-pan-the-boy-who-hated-mothers/|publisher=Actors Entertainment|access-date=6 October 2014}}{{cite web|title=BroadwayWorld LA Awards Last Chance To Vote – Brochtrup, Barker Tied!|url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/BroadwayWorld-LA-Awards-LAST-CHANCE-TO-VOTE-Brochtrup-Barker-Tied-20131227-page2|publisher=Broadway World|access-date=6 October 2014}}

Early life

{{BLP unsourced section|date=May 2019}}

Born in Falkirk and raised outside Bonnybridge, she is the only child of football manager and coach David Connell and teacher Fiona Murray. Connell was sent to dancing lessons at an early age to keep her cousin company; she showed promise and was accepted onto the Scottish Ballets Vocational Dance Education Scheme. She performed many child roles with Scottish Ballet including the lead role of Clara in their Nutcracker. She won the titles of Scottish Junior Ballet Champion and Scottish Senior Ballet champion at Stage Festivals in Scotland as a teenager.

Career

After working as a professional dancer with companies The Curve Foundation, Jazz Art UK, and with Leah Stein at Dancebase Edinburgh, Connell attended the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama in London where she gained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Acting. She was picked as the "Critics Choice" by the adjudicator from The Stage newspaper for her graduation showcase. After leaving drama college, she performed the lead role of Grusha in Bertolt Brecht's The Caucasian Chalk Circle, which toured for The Palace Theatre, Watford in 2004.{{cite web|title=The Caucasian Chalk Circle – The Bull Arts Centre, High Barnet, London|url=http://www.culturewars.org.uk/2003-02/caucasian.htm|publisher=Culture Wars|access-date=6 October 2014}}

Connell toured the UK in 2005 with the Oxford Stage Company's revival of Men Should Weep in the role of Isa.{{cite web|title=Tours: National Hero, Earnest & Men Should Weep|url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/west-end-theatre/news/08-2005/tours-national-hero-earnest-and-men-should-weep_23501.html|publisher=What's On Stage|access-date=6 October 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209134720/http://www.whatsonstage.com/west-end-theatre/news/08-2005/tours-national-hero-earnest-and-men-should-weep_23501.html|archive-date=9 December 2014|df=dmy-all}} In 2006 she played the lead female roles of Gretchen and Helen of Troy in Faust at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh. The production was CATS-nominated Critics Awards for theatre in Scotland.{{cite web|title=Faust parts 1&2|url=http://www.theskinny.co.uk/theatre/features/42269-faust_parts_12|publisher=The Skinny|access-date=6 October 2014}} In 2007 Connell played ballroom dancer Lily at the Citizens Theater's sell out production of Alex Norton's No Mean City and in 2008, Connell played the dual roles of Mrs. Beaver/Mrs. Mcready to glowing reviews The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at The Royal Lyceum Edinburgh.{{cite web|title=The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Lyceum, Review|url=http://www.edinburghguide.com/reviews/theatre/thelionthewitchandthewardrobelyceumreview-2748|publisher=Edinburgh Guide|access-date=6 October 2014}}

Connell was cast as a series regular in the ITV sitcom pilot Above Their Stations in 2009, which also starred Denis Lawson, Ashley Madekwe, Andrew Brooke and Simon Dudley shown on BBC Three. Connell is also credited with producing A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hansel and Gretel at the Avenue Theatre Company based in Greenwich during this time period as well as the short film Sapphire Strange and web series John and Jane.

Since moving to the United States in 2011, Connell has had lead roles in the award-winning independent film Folklore as well as in the feature films The Cursed Man, based on the cult novel by Keith Rommel, and Hara Kiri, a punk infused love story of two street skaters, directed by Aitch Alberto. She has replaced Kelly Macdonald as the voice of Merida in several productions, such as the video game Disney Infinity 3.0, Disney Dreamlight Valley{{Cite video game |title=Disney Infinity 3.0 |year=2015 |scene=Closing credits, 5:39 in, Featuring the Voice Talents of |developer=Avalanche Software}} and the Sofia the First episode "The Secret Library". From 2014 to 2020 Connell played Rowena, a powerful witch and also the mother of the King of Hell, Crowley (Mark A. Sheppard), on the TV series Supernatural starting in season 10 up until its fifteenth and final season and has been one of the longest running female characters on the show.

Personal life

Connell is in a relationship with her Supernatural co-star, Rob Benedict. They have a daughter, who was born in January 2024.{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C3JkhLlrhqg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=Instagram}}

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable"
align="center"

! Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

rowspan="3"|2012A Perfect EndingMourner
FolkloreMaryLane Heth
Sh*t British People Say in the USARuthYouTube
2013Meth HeadLouise
rowspan="2"|2016Hara KiriCandy
The Cursed ManBonnie
2018For the Love of GeorgeStacy
2021The Loud House MovieChip Shoppe Owner / Car Driver /
Additional voices
Voice role
2023Nandor Fodor and the Talking MongooseMrs. Irving

=Television=

class="wikitable"
align="center"

! Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

2003Meades EatsMedical StaffEpisode: "Fast Food"
2010Above Their StationOlgaTelevision film
2014–2019SupernaturalRowena MacLeodRecurring role
2015Sofia the FirstMerida (voice)Episode: "The Secret Library"
2017Open HouseLindaEpisode: "Like A Clam"
2021Doom PatrolNight NurseEpisode: "Dead Patrol"
2023The WinchestersRowena MacLeodEpisode: "The Tears of a Clown"
2024Dead Boy DetectivesNight NurseMain cast

=Video games=

class="wikitable"
align="center"

! Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

2014Disney Infinity: Marvel Super HeroesMeridaVoice
2015Disney Infinity 3.0MeridaVoice
2018Lego The IncrediblesMeridaVoice
rowspan="2"|2023TruthGameshow ContestantFull-motion video
StarfieldPolly Mac CoinnichVoice
2024

|Disney Dreamlight Valley

|Merida

|Voice

References

{{reflist}}