Catherine Jane McCormack (born 3 April 1972) is an English actress. Her film appearances include Braveheart (1995), The Land Girls (1998), Dangerous Beauty (1998), Dancing at Lughnasa (1998), Spy Game (2001), and 28 Weeks Later (2007). Her theatre work includes National Theatre productions of All My Sons (2000) and Honour (2003).
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Early life
McCormack was born in Epsom, Surrey, England. One of her grandfathers was Irish. Her mother died of lupus when McCormack was six years old and her steelworker father subsequently raised her and her brother Stephen. She was brought up as Roman Catholic and attended the Convent of Our Lady of Providence. She went on to study at the Oxford School of Drama.
Career
Film
McCormack's screen debut was as the lead in the film Loaded (1994), directed by Anna Campion. McCormack subsequently stated that she had a "miserable time with the director.... It was my first film job, I needed to be mollycoddled, I needed to be helped through it, and I wasn't. Mostly, it was a horrible experience." Her first important role was as Murron MacClannough in the multiple Academy Award-winning film Braveheart (1995).
