Maggie O'Neill

Margaret "Maggie" O'Neill (born 15 November 1962) is an English actress. She is known for her television roles in Peak Practice (2000–2002), Shameless (2004–2007) and EastEnders (2008) then Two Doors Down (2019 & 2023) as Sandra. In 1986 she appeared in the music video for Simply Red's single "Holding Back The Years". In 1988, she appeared in the film Gorillas in the Mist. The youngest of six Catholic brothers and sisters born to head-teacher parents, O'Neill grew up in the Midlands, where she was educated at a convent school, and, after being inspired by a sixth-form drama teacher, "fell" into acting.After training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, she starred in the video for Simply Red's "Holding Back the Years" in 1986, before making her professional stage debut in Moving Pictures, by Stephen Lowe, at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, in 1985. After making her professional screen debut in the British production Mona Lisa opposite Bob Hoskins in 1986, she made her Hollywood debut in the Sigourney Weaver film Gorillas in the Mist in 1988. She played alongside Keith Barron and Annette Crosbie in the 1989 TV series Take Me Home.

O'Neill played Alex Redman in ITV's medical drama Peak Practice, and appeared as Sheila Jackson in Channel 4's comedy drama Shameless. O'Neill also played Max and Jack Branning's sister Suzy in the BBC1 soap opera EastEnders for five months in 2008, until the Boxing Day episode.