Roma Downey Best Actress

Roma Downey was born and raised in County Derry, Northern Ireland. After graduating from Brighton Art College in England, Roma was encouraged by theater director, Roy Grant to enroll in the London Drama School. Roma came to America when touring with the Abbey Theater production of The Playboy of the Western World, for which she received a Helen Hayes Best Actress Award nomination in 1991. Her next Broadway performance was in the Rex Harrison production of The Circle.

In 1991 Roma landed the starring role in A Woman Named Jackie and turned in a remarkable performance as the late Jackie Kennedy in that Emmy Award-winning television mini-series. Roma is best known for her Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated starring role on the CBS hit drama Touched By An Angel, a project that she began in 1994 and is now in its 9th season. Roma was also nominated for the 2001 CFT Excellence Award for role as Monica in the show.

"America has been so good to me and God has really blessed me." Roma Downey

Her film credits include The Last Word, Hercules and the Amazon Women, A Child is Missing, and Borrowed Hearts. Roma also played Annie Sullivan in Monday After the Miracle. More recently Roma has starred in the made-for-television movies Sons of Mistletoe, Second Honeymoon and Test of Love. Roma spent the summer of 2002 in the south of France filming a feature film for Warner Bros. called Hairy Tale. which co-stars Matthew Modine.

Roma Downey will be joining the PAX television series, “It’s a Miracle” in the Fall.

Ms. Downey has also written a children's book called Love Is A Family published by Regan Books.

Roma and her daughter, Reilly Marie born in 1996, live in Malibu, California. Roma ran with the Olympic torch in Murray, Utah in February 2002 and serves on the Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet. She also supports Northern Ireland’s Project Children and Save the Children. Roma served as the Grand Marshal for the 2000 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Washington, D.C.

Ms. Downey is proud to be associated with the fantastic work of Operation Smile, a volunteer medical team who provide free reconstructive surgery and related health care to indigent children around the world. Roma has just returned from a mission trip with them to Vung Tao, Vietnam. She played with the kids and helped out wherever she was needed. Roma was actually in the operating room and watched a cleft lip repaired and a child's smile restored. Roma was quoted as saying, “It was beautiful and so moving and then giving the baby back to his mommy was a truly magical moment.” Roma believes that the Operation Smile team are an extra ordinary bunch of caring people, all giving their time and talents voluntarily. Roma has just completed a short film which she hopes will help to support the important work of this group.

“Thank you for all your prayers for me and the mission to Viet Nam.” (Roma Downey)