The Real Life Partners Of The Nevers

Publish date: 2024-05-02

Ann Skelly described Laura Donnelly and her partner best in an interview with the Evening Standard saying, "There are all these icons of theatre, Laura being the Olivier award-winner that she is... that's the most blasphemous thing about me, I have no knowledge of any plays. I didn't know who Jez Butterworth [playwright, and her co-star Donnelly's partner] was." 

Tony-award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and film director Jez Butterworth has penned numerous plays, per The Guardian, including one about a tragic true-life secret in Donnelly's family. "The Ferryman," which scored him a slew of awards, centers around Donnelly's uncle who disappeared in 1981 and whose body was found in a bog three years later. 

According to PopSugar, Donnelly and Butterworth met at the premiere of one of his plays, "The River," in 2012. They also have two young daughters together, Radha and Ailbhe. In 2019, they stepped away from the spotlight to focus on their family. At the time, Donnelly told Broadway, "We have two small children." After winning a Tony for "The Ferryman," the writer paid homage to the mother of his children (via Express), saying, "What I want to take the chance to do tonight... is to thank Laura Donnelly, who played Caitlin in 'The Ferryman.' She played the part [in the U.K.] for over 300 performances and I think for 250 of those, she was pregnant with our child." Isn't that the sweetest?

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7XCpKCsr5mbwW%2BvzqZmbWlpaIR2e9OhnGaqlZa5brjIn5xmqJGnwa%2Bx0axkqJ5dqbWmec2erZ6qo2Q%3D