Emily Flain (born 2003) is a Northern Irish actress. She is from Lisburn, Northern Ireland. She has appeared in various films and played a leading role in the 2017 historical war film Zoo. Her acting career begun in 2016 and has also played a leading role in the comedy thriller series How to Get to Heaven from Belfast (2026) and horror film The Morrigan (2026).

Emily Flain
Born2003 (age 2223)
Lisburn, Northern Ireland
EducationLaurel Hill Community College
OccupationActress
Years active2016–present
TelevisionHow to Get to Heaven from Belfast

Life and career

edit

Emily Flain was born in 2003. She is from Lisburn in Northern Ireland.[1] In 2013, while she was at Ballymacash Primary School, she was one of four pupils shortlisted for naming the new housing development in Lisburn.[2]

Flain started her acting career in 2016, while she was studying at the Laurel Hill Community College, when she appeared in the second episode of TG4's Na Dulradóirí, a TV series about Northern Ireland's wildlife where she and her students learned about foxes.[3] She got the role after securing an audition with Extras NI. Flain said of the experience, "I had a fantastic time filming the show and I loved the hands on experience with all the animals" and found the fox "so cute [that] I could have taken him home".[3]

In September the same year, principal photography on the historical war film Zoo started,[4] where Flain starred as Jane.[1][5] She said that she was "very lucky" to be acting in the film[3] and was "part of a 'once in a lifetime experience'" and found the elephant Nellie to be the "real star" and "wonderful to film with".[1] Flain added, "We only had her for about 20 minutes at a time because obviously it is important not to stress her out. It was scary at first but I got over it and really enjoyed it".[1] The film premiered in Belfast on 19 June 2018.[1]

After her appearance in Zoo, Flain later appeared in the TV series Marcella (2021)[6] and Silverpoint (2022-2023).[7] She was one of seventeen young entertainers of Northern Ireland that appeared on Belfast Telegraph's list in 2025.[8] The following year, she appeared in Netflix's comedy thriller series How to Get to Heaven from Belfast (2026) as the young version of Saoirse Shaw (Roisin Gallagher).[9][10] She later appeared in the horror film The Morrigan as Lily, the daughter of Fiona (Saffron Burrows).[11][12][13] The horror film was released for digital platforms on 29 June 2026.[13][14]

Filmography

edit
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2016 Na Dulradóirí N/a 1 episode [3]
2017 Zoo Jane N/a [1]
2021 Marcella Jessie Healy N/a [6]
2022–23 Silverpoint Emma N/a [7]
2026 How to Get to Heaven from Belfast Young Saoirse 5 episodes [10]
2026 The Morrigan Lily N/a [11]

References

edit
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Belfast Blitz elephant story hits the big screen". June 18, 2018 via www.bbc.co.uk.
  2. "Ballymacash pupil names new housing development". Northern Ireland World. August 12, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Lisburn girl is among stars of new TV show". Northern Ireland World. September 30, 2016.
  4. McGonagle, Suzanne (21 September 2016). "Filming of 'Elephant angel' film Zoo starts on Belfast streets". The Irish News. Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  5. Debruge, Peter (9 June 2018). "Film Review: 'Zoo'". Variety.
  6. 1 2 Pamela is joined by TV and film actor Emily Flain and singer songwriter Anthony Toner. ITV News. 25 April 2025. Event occurs at 1:18. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Emily Flain". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  8. Coleman, Maureen (5 January 2025). "Meet the young guns of NI showbusiness tipped to catch fire this year". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 27 June 2026. She appears on photo 13/17
  9. "Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee spills on new Netflix show". evoke.ie. February 4, 2026.
  10. 1 2 Fienberg, Daniel (12 February 2026). "'How to Get to Heaven from Belfast' Review: Lisa McGee's 'Derry Girls' Follow-Up Is a Chaotic, Wildly Entertaining Netflix Mystery". Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 13 February 2026. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
  11. 1 2 Wilton, Mike (30 January 2026). "'The Morrigan' Review—A Promising Celtic Myth Dissolves into Generic Possession Horror". All Hallows Geek. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
  12. "The Morrigan ending explained: Does the exorcism work on Lily?". PrimeTimer. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
  13. 1 2 Clarke, Cath (23 June 2026). "The Morrigan review – spirit of pagan demon queen unleashed in Irish burial chamber horror". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  14. Bennett, Emily (10 June 2026). "'The Morrigan' Awakens Celtic Folklore Terror on Digital Screens | Love Horror film reviews and news". Retrieved 27 June 2026.
edit