Culture

Irish actor Alisha Weir (14) named in Forbes Under 30 Entertainment list

List also includes Dublin singer Jazzy and Belfast makers of An Irish Goodbye

Alisha Weir. Photograph: Damien Eagers/PA

Ellen O’Donoghue's face
Ellen O’Donoghue
Wed Apr 10 2024 - 11:02

Irish 14-year old-actor Alisha Weir is among those featured on the 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe Entertainment list of rising talents.

The Dubliner, who starred as Matilda Wormwood in 2022′s Matilda: The Musical, is the second youngest person to be listed in Forbes Under 30 Europe Entertainment history, after Millie Bobby Brown in 2018.

Weir’s profile reads that “the young star was just 13 when she scooped the Dublin Film Critics’ Circle award for Breakthrough Artist (Irish) for her performance.

“Weir got her start at nine years old treading boards across Dublin’s historic theatres in musicals such as Annie, The Wizard of Oz and Oliver.

READ MORE

Her new film Abigail opens this month from horror specialists Blumhouse. It was co-written by Irish screenwriter Stephen Shields and filmed in Ireland.

Joining Weir on the list is Dublin singer Yasmine Byrne, also known as Jazzy, who was honoured for “one of the biggest breakthrough singles of 2023″, Giving Me.

Jazzy

“Upon its release, she became the first female artist in more than 15 years to have a No 1 song in Ireland and the first Irish woman to reach No 1 on Spotify with more than 130 million streams,” her Forbes profile reads.

The musician won the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Artist of the year and Breakthrough Artist of the Year.

Belfast-based filmmaking duo Ross White and Tom Berkeley were also featured. The pair were behind the Oscar, Bafta and Ifta-winning short film, An Irish Goodbye.

  • Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
  • Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
  • Our In The News podcast is now published daily – Find the latest episode here
ForbesFor You