Kelly O'Sullivan

Kelly O'Sullivan

Place of Birth
Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
Known For
Directing

Details

Place of Birth
Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
Known For
Directing

Biography

Kelly O'Sullivan (born 1983/1984) is an American actress, screenwriter, and producer. She wrote and starred in Saint Frances (2019), which won the Audience Award and the Special Jury Award at the 2019 SXSW Film Festival.

O'Sullivan was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, to an accountant mother and a father who worked in health insurance. She was raised Irish Catholic and attended Immaculate Conception School until eighth grade.

O'Sullivan always wanted to be an actor and supported by her cinephile parents, she performed in local children's theatre plays from age five. She studied theatre at Northwestern University and is also an alumna of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company's School at Steppenwolf in Chicago.

Inspired by Greta Gerwig, who directed Lady Bird, O'Sullivan wrote Saint Frances based on the experiences she had while working as a nanny to support her struggling acting career in her 20s and an abortion she had in her early thirties. She started work on the script in January 2018, already intending the film to be directed by partner Alex Thompson. She wrote the parts for the lesbian parents in the film for actors Lily Mojekwu and Charin Alvarez.

Kelly O'Sullivan's LGBTQ+ Titles

Henry Gamble's Birthday Party
Henry Gamble's Birthday Party
Candice Noble

Acting (13)

The Steel Harp
2023
Hangdog as Wendy
2023
The Graduates
2022
Cha Cha Real Smooth as Bella
2022
Rounding as Dr. Kayla Matthews
2020
Saint Frances as Bridget
2018
Not Welcome as Penelope
2016
Jessica as Pam
2015
2014
Sirens as Valentina 'Voodoo' Dunacci (22 episodes)
2012
The Mob Doctor as Annabelle Hanson (1 episode)
2012
Battleground as Sarah (4 episodes)
2011
In Memoriam as Kelly

Directing (3)

Mouse • Director
• Director
2024
Ghostlight • Director
• Director
2022
My Summer Vacation • Director
• Director

Production (1)

2020
Saint Frances • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer

Writing (5)

Mouse • Writer
• Writer
The Steel Harp • Writer
• Writer
2024
Ghostlight • Writer
• Writer
2022
My Summer Vacation • Screenplay
• Screenplay
2020
Saint Frances • Writer
• Writer