Amybeth McNulty—a name that once belonged chiefly to fans of Canadian period drama—now resonates across global pop culture. It’s kind of fascinating, really. She began in a small town in Ireland, pursuing ballet and amateur theatre. Fast‑forward to today, and she’s striding confidently through red‑carpet premieres and multi‑million‑viewer Netflix hits. This profile dives into her early life, standout roles in film and TV, career milestones, and the emotional resonance she brings to her craft—warts, quirks, and all.
Raised in Milford near Letterkenny, County Donegal, Amybeth was homeschooled and also studied ballet, which she credits for helping find her voice and grace on stage . A childhood marked more by plays than playgrounds, she trained at An Grianán Theatre’s youth program, blending art and self‑expression early on .
On one hand, it was a sheltered, steep learning curve; on the other, it laid a rare groundwork. At age 10, she was cast in London’s The Sound of Music—a role that would signal her first major leap from local stages to a larger stage of opportunity . That combination of homespun nurturing and big‑city exposure seems to have built both confidence and versatility.
Her early screen appearances came through guest roles in Agatha Raisin, Clean Break, and The Sparticle Mystery between 2014 and 2015, rounding out her resume with genre variety . But the real turning point was winning the lead in Anne with an E (2017–2019). She was chosen from about 1,800 girls, lauded for her ability to navigate “thick and dynamic” dialogue—her audition reportedly involved talking to trees, befriending flowers, and building twig thrones .
Critics praised her performance. The New York Times described it as “wonderfully ebullient and eminently likable,” while The A.V. Club praised her command of fanciful language . Awards followed: she won the 2019 Canadian Screen Award for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and an ACTRA Toronto Award for Outstanding Performance – Female .
Beyond Anne, McNulty has shown range—transitioning from indie thrillers to literary adaptations. In Morgan (2016), she played the younger version of the film’s title character, signaling her earliest foray into film . She then tackled Black Medicine, portraying a troubled Irish teen wrestling with addiction, before being cast as Nora in All My Puny Sorrows, an adaptation of Miriam Toews’s novel .
More recently in 2024, she took the lead in She Came Back (also known in some circles as Maternal), a psychological drama directed by Megan Follows. Here she plays Charlie McLeod, a young woman who experiences a near‑death encounter with her deceased mother—and then can’t shake her presence . That role is a testament to her appetite for emotionally complex characters.
Beyond period dramas and indie flicks, McNulty entered the realm of mainstream fandom with a recurring (then starring) role as Vickie in Stranger Things Season 4 and 5 (2022–2025) . She described the past few years in the Decider interview as “weird,” noting the surreal nature of going from audition to global phenomenon .
On The Irish Times, she recounted her emotional reaction to being cast: “When I got the call I cried. It was wild,” recalling her self‑tape submission in Oxfordshire and fan‑boy moments that turned into reality . She also brought depth to her scenes: a queer character treated naturally, part of the broader teen storyline rather than being the sole focus . That nuance mattered to her personally—she came out as bisexual in 2020 and embraced representation in her roles .
Beyond line‑reading, McNulty’s personal narrative threads deeply with her artistic choices. In a candid Decider interview, she noted playing Vickie was not just a job—it was personal. Growing up as a queer kid in Donegal, she was acutely aware of stereotypes and isolation. Bringing authentic representation to screens that reach millions felt deeply important .
Adding to this, McNulty shared that her Stranger Things audition was the last one her parents witnessed before they passed away. Her mother died in November 2021, and her father in December 2023. Knowing they had a “good feeling” about that audition has been both anchoring and bittersweet .
Her connection to her hometown remains strong, too. Even amid Hollywood buzz, back on Zoom she speaks with warmth about meditation, red‑carpet nerves, and “beautiful absurdity” of fame all tied back to her Donegal roots .
Her social media influence is significant, too: she has millions of Instagram and TikTok followers attributing to her blend of vibrance, authenticity, and relatability .
“Me getting these roles that are quite strong‑willed, knowing women, is because that is who I am at my core.”
— Amybeth McNulty
That quote sort of nails it—her characters feel like real people, with strengths, anxieties, and a queer perspective that matter both on‑screen and in broader cultural conversations.
Amybeth McNulty’s trajectory is one of soulful underpinnings meeting powerful performance. From ballet routines in Donegal to commanding roles in Anne with an E, indie films, and Stranger Things, she exemplifies nuance, emotional intelligence, and earnest representation. Her desire to portray complex, queer‑inclusive stories while staying grounded in personal experience has resonated widely. If anything feels unpredictable—like how someone can go from self‑tape to international fame—it’s her way of making that leap feel heartfelt and purposeful.
She’s best known for starring as Anne Shirley in Anne with an E (2017–2019) and playing Vickie in Stranger Things Seasons 4 and 5 (2022–2025) .
She was born in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland, to an Irish father and a Canadian mother, and was homeschooled as a child .
She won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Lead Actress, Drama Series in 2019 and the ACTRA Toronto Award for Outstanding Performance – Female in 2019; she was also nominated in other years .
Yes, she came out as bisexual in 2020 and has emphasized the importance of queer representation in her roles, particularly in Stranger Things .
She appeared in Morgan (2016), Black Medicine (2021), All My Puny Sorrows (2021), and starred in She Came Back (2024) .
She’s described her past few years as “weird” and surreal, including emotional reactions to auditions and fame. She centers meditation and authenticity, saying fame can be absurd, but staying grounded matters .
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