Aisling Bea

Aisling Bea, born Aisling Clíodhnadh O’Sullivan on March 16, 1984, in Kildare, Ireland, adopted her professional surname “Bea” as a tribute to her late father, Brian. She trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) after studying French and philosophy at Trinity College Dublin, where she participated in a student sketch comedy group. While initially seeking dramatic acting roles after graduating, Bea found early success in comedic television series such as ‘Cardinal Burns’ and ‘Dead Boss’ in 2012. Her career took a significant turn when she ventured into stand-up comedy, winning the Gilded Balloon So You Think You’re Funny? award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2012, making her the first woman to win in two decades. This achievement led to a Best Newcomer nomination at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards in 2013 for her show ‘C’est La Bea’.

Her increasing profile in comedy led to regular appearances on popular panel shows including ‘QI’ and ‘8 Out of 10 Cats’. In 2014, Bea received the British Comedy Award for Best Female TV Comedian. She continued to develop her writing and performing talents, co-writing and co-hosting the BBC Radio 4 series ‘Micks and Legends’ (2012, 2015). Bea wrote, created, and starred in her critically acclaimed television series ‘This Way Up’ (2019–2021). For her writing on ‘This Way Up’, she received a BAFTA in 2020 for Breakthrough Talent. She has also appeared in various acting roles, including ‘Living with Yourself’ (2019) on Netflix, ‘Home Sweet Home Alone’ (2021), and the ‘Doctor Who’ New Year’s special ‘Eve of the Daleks’ (2022). More recently, in 2024, she was part of ‘LOL: Last One Laughing Ireland’ on Amazon Prime Video and appeared in films like ‘Get Away’, ‘And Mrs’, and ‘Swede Caroline’. Bea also announced the ‘Older Than Jesus’ stand-up tour for 2026.