Megan Cusack has a very famous family including an Oscar-winning uncle who was a star of Disney's The Lion King.
The 26-year-old actress has played Nancy Corrigan in Call the Midwife since 2021 when she arrived at Nonnatus House as a trainee nurse in season 10. Fans of the BBC period drama instantly fell in love with Nancy for her quirky and upbeat ways, and a committed mum after having a daughter when she was a teenager.
Call the Midwife is Megan's first big break in the acting world after she starred in BBC daytime soap Doctors in 2018 and the 2020 movie The Cherry Orchard, however, she won't be short of support in making a glittering career as she has some very famous relatives supporting her.
Megan's grandfather, Cyril Cusack started acting at the age of just seven. He was named one of Ireland's biggest film stars by the Irish Times and starred in a huge range of films such as Nineteen Eighty-Four and Far and Away. Cyril also appeared on a plethora of TV shows and also on stage, regularly performing with the National Theatre Company before passing away at the age of 82 in 1993.
Another of the most famous Cusacks is his daughter (Megan's aunt), Niamh Cusack, 63. She also has made many appearances on stage with the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Companies. Niamh became a household name as Dr. Kate Rowan in Heartbeat in the 90s and has also starred in The Tower, Death in Paradise, Silent Witness, New Tricks, plus many more acting credits.
Her sister Sorcha, 73, is also an actress, appearing various TV shows. She played the titular role in the 1973 Jane Eyre series, Helen Connor in Coronation Street and featured in the first series of Mrs. Brown's Boys. Sorcha also played Kate Wilson in Casualty and Mrs. McCarthy in Father Brown.
Another of Megan's aunts, Catherine Cusack, 53, also appeared on Coronation Street as the 'nanny from hell', Nanny Carmel Finnan, from 1992 to 1993. Her fourth acting aunt is, of course, Sinéad Cusack.
Sinéad is known among drama fans for her roles in a long list of popular TV shows including Poirot, Jekyll and Hyde, Midsomer Murders, Camelot, and Marcella along with some movie roles. She also starred in Call the Midwife back in 2016 playing the role of Dr. Myra Fitzsimmonds for one episode.
She is a huge star, holding five Olivier Awards and two Tony nominations to her name. The actress joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1975 and has performed in a long string of their productions both in the UK and in the US.
In 1978, Sinéad married actor Jeremy Irons, 74, - making him Megan's uncle. He voiced Scar in Disney's The Lion King in 1994. Jeremy has a list of awards to his name, including an Oscar and multiple Golden Globes and Primetime Emmy Awards. The actor has also appeared in House of Gucci, Die Hard, and Justice League.
Megan's father, Pádraig Cusack, also works in the industry as a theatre producer. And her cousins are actors too. Max Irons, 37, appeared in Red Riding Hood, The White Queen, and The Wife. And Calam Lynch appeared as Theo Sharpe in Bridgerton.
Speaking about her famous family, Megan told The Radio Times: "They've been vital at times with auditions.
"They've especially helped me when prepping for auditions and stuff like that. Though my mum always says, 'Be a plumber, an electrician, or a hairdresser, because they're always at work.' But obviously, I didn't listen.
"They've all said from the beginning it's really tough. It's a tough industry and it's a tough business and it's a tough career. So you've got to really want it." And as for the advice they've given, it's "probably just to enjoy it. Try not to get in your head too much when you're going in, because the more you're having fun, the more other people will enjoy what you're doing. And always do your prep. Just always be ready!"
Call the Midwife continues at 8pm on BBC One
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