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Ruth Connell
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Ruth Connell (born 20 April 1979) is a Scottish actress and producer. She is also a former professional dancer and choreographer. Connell is known for her recurring role as Rowena MacLeod in the CW series Supernatural (2014–2019).[2][3] She was nominated as "Best Leading Actress" in the 2013 Broadway World Los Angeles Awards for her portrayal of Mrs Darling and Captain Hook at the Blank Theatre, Los Angeles in their award-winning production of Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers.[4][5]
Key Information
Early life
[edit]This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (May 2019) |
Born in Falkirk and raised outside Bonnybridge, she is the only child of football manager and coach David Connell and teacher Fiona Murray. Connell was sent to dancing lessons at an early age to keep her cousin company; she showed promise and was accepted onto the Scottish Ballets Vocational Dance Education Scheme. She performed many child roles with Scottish Ballet including the lead role of Clara in their Nutcracker. She won the titles of Scottish Junior Ballet Champion and Scottish Senior Ballet champion at Stage Festivals in Scotland as a teenager.
Career
[edit]After working as a professional dancer with companies The Curve Foundation, Jazz Art UK, and with Leah Stein at Dancebase Edinburgh, Connell attended the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama in London where she gained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Acting. She was picked as the "Critics Choice" by the adjudicator from The Stage newspaper for her graduation showcase. After leaving drama college, she performed the lead role of Grusha in Bertolt Brecht's The Caucasian Chalk Circle, which toured for The Palace Theatre, Watford in 2004.[6]
Connell toured the UK in 2005 with the Oxford Stage Company's revival of Men Should Weep in the role of Isa.[7] In 2006 she played the lead female roles of Gretchen and Helen of Troy in Faust at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh. The production was CATS-nominated Critics Awards for theatre in Scotland.[8] In 2007 Connell played ballroom dancer Lily at the Citizens Theater's sell out production of Alex Norton's No Mean City and in 2008, Connell played the dual roles of Mrs. Beaver/Mrs. Mcready to glowing reviews The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at The Royal Lyceum Edinburgh.[9]
Connell was cast as a series regular in the BBC sitcom pilot Above Their Stations in 2009, which also starred Denis Lawson, Ashley Madekwe, Andrew Brooke and Simon Dudley shown on BBC Three. Connell is also credited with producing A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hansel and Gretel at the Avenue Theatre Company based in Greenwich during this time period as well as the short film Sapphire Strange and web series John and Jane.
Since moving to the United States in 2011, Connell has had lead roles in the award-winning independent film Folklore as well as in the feature films The Cursed Man, based on the cult novel by Keith Rommel, and Hara Kiri, a punk infused love story of two street skaters, directed by Aitch Alberto. She has replaced Kelly Macdonald as the voice of Merida in several productions, such as the video game Disney Infinity 3.0, Disney Dreamlight Valley[10] and the Sofia the First episode "The Secret Library". From 2014 to 2020 Connell played Rowena, a powerful witch and also the mother of the King of Hell, Crowley (Mark A. Sheppard), on the TV series Supernatural starting in season 10 up until its fifteenth and final season and has been one of the longest running female characters on the show.
Personal life
[edit]Connell is in a relationship with her Supernatural co-star, Rob Benedict. They have a daughter, who was born in January 2024.[11]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | A Perfect Ending | Mourner | |
| Folklore | MaryLane Heth | ||
| Sh*t British People Say in the USA | Ruth | YouTube | |
| 2013 | Meth Head | Louise | |
| 2016 | Hara Kiri | Candy | |
| The Cursed Man | Bonnie | ||
| 2018 | For the Love of George | Stacy | |
| 2021 | The Loud House Movie | Chip Shoppe Owner / Car Driver / Additional voices |
Voice role |
| 2023 | Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose | Mrs. Irving |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Meades Eats | Medical Staff | Episode: "Fast Food" |
| 2010 | Above Their Station | Olga | Television film |
| 2014–2019 | Supernatural | Rowena MacLeod | Recurring role |
| 2015 | Sofia the First | Merida (voice) | Episode: "The Secret Library" |
| 2017 | Open House | Linda | Episode: "Like A Clam" |
| 2021 | Doom Patrol | Night Nurse | Episode: "Dead Patrol" |
| 2023 | The Winchesters | Rowena MacLeod | Episode: "The Tears of a Clown" |
| 2024 | Dead Boy Detectives | Night Nurse | Main cast |
Video games
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes | Merida | Voice |
| 2015 | Disney Infinity 3.0 | Merida | Voice |
| 2018 | Lego The Incredibles | Merida | Voice |
| 2023 | Truth | Gameshow Contestant | Full-motion video |
| Starfield | Polly Mac Coinnich | Voice | |
| 2024 | Disney Dreamlight Valley | Merida | Voice |
References
[edit]- ^ "Geeks & Nerds for Harris Live Organizing Call". YouTube. Lynda Carter Official. 24 September 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
- ^ "Supernatural Season 10 Adding New Mysterious Witch to the Mix, New Details". Hollywood Hills. Archived from the original on 11 December 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ "Supernatural Season 10 spoilers: Scot Ruth Connell to play Rowena & more!". Prime Time. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ "Thespian Thoughts Theatre Review – Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers". Actors Entertainment. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ "BroadwayWorld LA Awards Last Chance To Vote – Brochtrup, Barker Tied!". Broadway World. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ "The Caucasian Chalk Circle – The Bull Arts Centre, High Barnet, London". Culture Wars. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ "Tours: National Hero, Earnest & Men Should Weep". What's On Stage. Archived from the original on 9 December 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ "Faust parts 1&2". The Skinny. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Lyceum, Review". Edinburgh Guide. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ Avalanche Software. Disney Infinity 3.0. Scene: Closing credits, 5:39 in, Featuring the Voice Talents of.
- ^ "Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
External links
[edit]Ruth Connell
View on GrokipediaEarly Life and Education
Birth and Family Background
Ruth Connell was born on April 20, 1979, in Falkirk, Scotland.[4][5] She grew up on her family's farm near Bonnybridge, where she spent much of her childhood in a rural setting.[6][7] She is the only biological child of David Connell, a football manager and coach who also managed the family farm, and Fiona Connell (née Murray), a former teacher.[5][1] Connell has two step-brothers from her parents' later relationships.[8] Her paternal grandmother, Ruby Connell, worked as a land girl during World War II, meeting her grandfather, a farm milk boy, through agricultural labor.[7]Initial Training in Dance and Performance
Connell began dance lessons at the age of four in Scotland, accompanying her cousin Ruby who wished to attend classes; she quickly demonstrated natural aptitude for dance.[6][9] This early exposure led to her acceptance into the Scottish Ballet's Vocational Dance Education Scheme, a program for promising young dancers aged 14 to 24, where she received intensive training.[5][9] During her time with the Scottish Ballet, Connell performed in several productions, including the role of Clara in The Nutcracker.[1][10] She also participated in pantomime performances, honing her stage presence alongside technical dance skills.[10] These experiences provided foundational performance training, emphasizing discipline, choreography, and live audience engagement before her later shift toward acting.[7]Career Beginnings
Professional Dance and Choreography
Connell initiated dance training at age four in Falkirk, Scotland, attending classes at The Stenhouse School of Dance under instructor Irene Langlands and participating in sessions with the Scottish Ballet.[7] Accepted into the Scottish Ballet's Vocational Dance Education Scheme as a child, she performed multiple roles with the company, including the lead of Clara in their production of The Nutcracker.[9][7] During her teenage years, she won the titles of Scottish Junior Ballet Champion and Scottish Senior Ballet Champion.[9] Although she aspired to join Scottish Ballet full-time, Connell failed a required medical examination, which halted that path and represented a major setback.[7] She continued performing locally with groups such as Falkirk Children’s Theatre before advancing to professional engagements with dance organizations including The Curve Foundation and Jazz Art UK, as well as collaborations with choreographer Leah Stein at Dancebase Edinburgh.[7][9] In 2007, she appeared as Lily in the musical No Mean City at Glasgow's Citizens Theatre.[9] Connell also worked as a choreographer, including directing movement for her high school production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.[7] She is documented as a former professional choreographer, though specific credits beyond early endeavors remain limited in public records.[11]Transition to Acting and Theater Work
Following her professional engagements as a dancer with organizations such as Scottish Ballet—where she performed child roles including Clara in The Nutcracker—and winning Scottish Junior and Senior Ballet Champion titles, Connell shifted focus to acting.[9][10] She enrolled at Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama in London, completing a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Acting.[9] This formal training marked her deliberate transition from dance, initially considering musical theater as a pathway into performance acting before committing fully to dramatic roles.[12] During her time at college, Connell began securing theater work, including the role of Grusha in Bertolt Brecht's The Caucasian Chalk Circle, which toured with the Palace Theatre, Watford, in 2004.[9] Upon graduating, she was selected as "Critics Choice" by The Stage newspaper for her showcase performance, facilitating further opportunities in Scottish and UK theater.[9] Her early post-graduation theater credits included Isa in Ena Lamont Stewart's Men Should Weep, touring with the Oxford Stage Company in 2005; dual roles as Gretchen and Helen of Troy in a production of Faust at the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh in 2006, which earned a CATS nomination; Lily McKay in Alexander McCall Smith's adaptation of No Mean City at the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, in 2007; and Mrs. Beaver/Mrs. McCready in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at the Royal Lyceum Theatre in 2008.[9][10] These roles, often in ensemble or supporting capacities, built her stage presence across classical, contemporary, and pantomime productions in regional theaters.[13]Acting Career
Breakthrough Role in Supernatural
Ruth Connell first gained significant recognition for her portrayal of Rowena MacLeod, the ancient witch and mother of the demon Crowley, in the CW television series Supernatural. The character debuted in a brief appearance at the conclusion of season 10, episode 3, "Soul Survivor," which aired on October 14, 2014.[14] Rowena was established as a cunning and powerful figure from the 17th century, wielding immense magical abilities that positioned her as a key antagonist and occasional ally in the show's mythology.[4] Prior to Supernatural, Connell's acting resume featured limited television guest spots and theater work, supplemented by her earlier career as a professional dancer and choreographer. The role of Rowena represented a pivotal shift, transitioning her from regional performances to a recurring position on a long-running network series. Connell auditioned for the part after being submitted by her agent, describing the process as unexpectedly swift and attributing her casting to the character's demand for a specific blend of elegance, menace, and Scottish heritage, which aligned with her own background.[6][15] Over the course of six seasons, from 2014 to 2020, Connell appeared in more than 30 episodes, evolving Rowena from a manipulative schemer—initially allied with the Knights of Hell—to a complex character who developed reluctant bonds with protagonists Sam and Dean Winchester, ultimately sacrificing herself in the series finale. This arc cemented Rowena as a fan-favorite, often cited for Connell's commanding presence and the character's quotable wit, contributing to the actress's rise in genre television.[4] The role's longevity and popularity led to Connell reprising Rowena in the 2022 prequel spin-off The Winchesters, further extending her association with the franchise.[4]Subsequent Television Roles
Following her breakthrough as Rowena MacLeod in Supernatural, Connell provided the voice for Merida in the Sofia the First episode "The Secret Library: The Tale of the Squire," which aired on Disney Junior on July 24, 2015.[16] In 2017, she guest-starred as Linda in the short-form series Open House, a dramatic web production exploring interpersonal tensions. Connell portrayed the Night Nurse, a demonic entity affiliated with Death who manages misplaced souls, in the Doom Patrol season 3 episode "Dead Patrol," which premiered on HBO Max on September 23, 2021.[17] This single-episode appearance marked her entry into the DC Universe on television.[18] She reprised the role of Rowena MacLeod in a guest capacity on The Winchesters, the Supernatural prequel series, appearing in the episode "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye," aired on March 28, 2023. In 2024, Connell returned as the Night Nurse in the Netflix series Dead Boy Detectives, appearing across all 8 episodes of the first season, released on April 25, 2024; the character serves as a bureaucratic overseer in the afterlife's lost-and-found department, directly continuing her Doom Patrol portrayal without recasting.[19][18] The series was canceled after one season in March 2025.[20]Film Appearances
Connell's feature film roles have primarily consisted of supporting parts and leads in independent productions, often in genres such as horror and comedy.[4] In the 2012 independent film Folklore, she portrayed MaryLane Heth, a vampire character central to a narrative about a government agency monitoring mythic beings.[21][22] She played Bonnie, a key figure in a hospital setting, in the 2020 horror film The Cursed Man, adapted from a novel involving supernatural elements.[23][24] In 2016's Hara Kiri, an action-thriller, Connell appeared as Candy, contributing to the film's ensemble cast amid themes of revenge and underground fighting.[25] Her role as Stacy in the 2018 romantic drama For the Love of George highlighted her versatility in smaller ensemble pieces exploring personal relationships.[25] More recently, in the 2023 biographical comedy Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose, she depicted Mrs. Irving, supporting the story of parapsychologist Nandor Fodor investigating alleged supernatural phenomena.[4]| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Folklore | MaryLane Heth |
| 2016 | Hara Kiri | Candy |
| 2018 | For the Love of George | Stacy |
| 2020 | The Cursed Man | Bonnie |
| 2023 | Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose | Mrs. Irving |
Voice Work and Video Games
Connell has lent her voice to animated television series and films, as well as several video games. She is recognized for providing the voice of Princess Merida from Pixar's Brave across multiple Disney projects, serving as an official voice match for the character's original actress, Kelly Macdonald.[26][4] In animated media, Connell voiced Merida in the Sofia the First episode "The Secret Library: The Tale of the Noble Knight" (2015).[27] She also contributed voices including Chip Shoppe Owner, Car Driver, and additional characters in The Loud House Movie (2021).[4] Connell's video game roles prominently feature Merida in Disney Infinity titles, beginning with Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes (2014), followed by Disney Infinity: Toy Box 2.0 (2015) and Disney Infinity 3.0: Star Wars (2015).[28] She reprised the role in LEGO The Incredibles (2018).[29] Outside Disney properties, she voiced Polly MacCoinnich in Starfield (2023).[28]Producing and Other Ventures
Production Credits
Connell's production credits are limited but span theater and television. Early in her career, while based in London, she produced stage productions including A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hansel and Gretel for the Avenue Theatre Company in Greenwich.[9] In television, Connell is credited as a producer on the series Roadfood (2021–present), a documentary-style program examining regional American food traditions and the communities that sustain them.[4]| Title | Year(s) | Role | Medium |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | Early 2000s | Producer | Theater |
| Hansel and Gretel | Early 2000s | Producer | Theater |
| Roadfood | 2021–present | Producer | Television |