Charlene McKenna is a busy woman.
She has a new film and a new TV show coming out this year.
VIP Magazine caught up with her so she could fill us in on all the goings on in her busy life…
Charlene, between a new movie and TV show coming out this year (which we’ll get to later), you’ve been busy! when you get some downtime, how do you unwind?
I like to meditate, walk the dogs and I live on a farm so it’s very alternate to the world we’re in right now. I like to cook too and just do all the ordinary things.
What are you watching on tv?
It really all depends on what mood I’m in, it could be anything from Selling Sunset to a foreign language movie from the 70s. Sometimes I want something dark, other times I’d prefer something light. I’m currently deep-diving Seinfeld and I loved Bad Sisters.
What are you reading?
For the first time in a really long time, I’m back reading fiction and this one is an old book called What I Loved by Siri Hustvedt. I don’t tend to read as much of that genre anymore because I tend to read a lot of scripts. I love the world of psychology so I read a lot of psych books too.
Are you listening to anything in particular at the moment?
I love Glennon Doyle’s podcast We Can Do Hard Things. When it comes to music though, it can go anywhere from Western to Beyonce!
What are you most looking forward to this year?
I’m really, really excited to see A Greyhound of a Girl (also featuring Brendan Gleeson and Sharon Horgan) because it’s been so long since we worked on it and then with Covid, we were worried if it’d even get finished! It’s such a beautiful story and I’m so excited for audiences to experience it. I also can’t wait for people to see Clean Sweep too when it comes out on telly later this year because I’m dying to see what they think of my character!
What’s been your proudest moment so far?
God, I don’t know! There’s been so many little micro-moments. Yesterday I was walking up Dame Street and had a flashback to just after the first read through of Pure Mule, so I’m going way back – nearly 20 years. When I came out of that initial reading and started strolling down Dame Street, I felt really tall – and at 5’2 that doesn’t happen very often! It was a really serene feeling and sticks out, weirdly enough. I’ve had so many great moments though, such as being able to bring my parents to the IFTAs and winning! Little things like that, where you can take a moment to look at where you are now compared to where you started.
Who do you look up to the most? Who’s had the biggest impact on your life?
Oh, obviously my parents and my family first and foremost. They’re my base, my foundation. They’re the people who you go home to and they’ll put you back together if you’re lucky to have good ones, which I am. So many people inspire me, for example, Maya Angelou. I’ve read all of her work and take her with me, keeping her in my head during auditions. In this industry, I think Sharon Horgan is brilliant too.
Where’s your favourite place in the world?
New York, because my husband is from there.
