Emma Canning’s career has just begun, and she’s already been a part of some of the most notable television series in the 2020s. An Irish actress who got her career started on the stage, Canning quickly moved to television soon after she graduated from the renowned Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London (viaGSMD). Canning ended up appearing in two series in 2021, having a small role in the supernatural seriesThe Irregulars, before landing a much larger role in the underseen historical dramaDomina.
Then there was a bit of a lull in her career from 2022-2023, in part brought on by shutdowns from COVID-19 and because of her pivot to the stage, playing Judy Sears inTrouble in Mindand appearing inThe Night of the Iguana. After her break from television, she came storming back in 2024 with four major parts in some notable TV shows, includingMasters of the Air,Say Nothing,Dune: Prophecy. Canning is a part of a reputable troupe ofIrish actresses who have made waves in Hollywood, and she’s memorable in everything she’s been a part of.
6The Irregulars (2021)
Isabelle (1 Episode, 2021)
Emma Canning’s first professional screen role, Isabelle inThe Irregularsappears in episode 3, “Chapter Three: Ipsissimus”. The series is loosely based onArthur Conan Doyle’sSherlock Holmesbooksand follows the “Irregulars”, a group of crime-solving teenagers under the auspices of John Watson (Royce Pierreson). The Irregulars solve increasingly supernatural cases as they search for the missing Sherlock Holmes (Henry Lloyd-Hughes).
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It’s a very small role for Canning, who plays a maid within a wealthy household, appearing briefly to do not much more than politely bow and enter rooms as she tries to make her guests' stays as pleasant as possible. The series ended up being canceled but was critically acclaimed with an 80% onRotten Tomatoeswith a lot of the love going towards the young cast, of which Canning was certainly a part.
5The New Look (2024-Present)
Young Elsa Lombardi (1 Episode, 2024)
The New Lookis an Apple TV+ biographical drama that focuses on fashion designers Christian Dior (Ben Mendelsohn) and Coco Chanel (Juliette Binoche). Their lives are shown beginning with the Nazi occupation of Paris and continuing through the aftermath of the War. Chanel and Dior’s lives don’t intersect, but they run parallel as both deal with the repercussions of their actions during the occupation. Emma Canning appears in one episode as the young version of Elsa Lombardi (Emily Mortimer).
Elsa Lombardi is based on the real British socialite Vera Bate Lombardi.
Once again, Canning proves her exceptional talent in playing a younger version of an established character. Mortimer is a celebrated and renowned British actress with a style most audiences will be well familiar with. It would have been very easy for Canning to do a poor imitation of her, but she manages to make the character her own, while still staying true to Mortimer’s portrayal.
4Domina (2021-2023)
Young Antonia Major (5 Episodes, 2021)
Dominais a British-Italian historical drama set in Ancient Rome around the rise of Julius Caesar (Matthew McNulty). Instead of focusing on the famed Roman emperor, the series instead has its eye on his powerful and scheming wife, Livia Drusilla (Kasia Smutniak), played by Nadia Parks and Meadow Nobrega in flashbacks. Emma Canning plays Antonia Major in flashback sequences, her contemporary character played by Hannah Chinn.
Antonia is the niece of Caesar and eventually the paternal grandmother of emperor Nero.Canning does an impressive job replicating Chinn’s way of speaking and idiosyncrasies, making sure the portrayal of Antonia across the years is consistent. She fits perfectly in the setting and has a gravity to her performance that is critical for a noble. It’s still a relatively small role in Canning’s career, but with so few ancientand medieval TV showsstarring women, appearing inDominais a feather in Canning’s cap.
3Masters Of The Air (2024)
Helen (3 Episodes, 2024)
Emma Canning returned to television after a two-year break withMasters of the Air, where she plays Helen in three episodes of the celebrated Apple TV+ war drama miniseries. Acompanion toBand of BrothersandThe Pacific,Masters of the Airfollows the 100th Bomb Group of the United States Air Force who flew Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers during World War II. Helen is a volunteer nurse for the American Red Cross who forges a connection with Lt. Herbert Nash (Laurie Davidson).
Her strength in the face of the brutality of World War II is impressive and brave.
Helen is the classic All-American woman, helping out the soldiers nearing the front, dispensing coffee, donuts, and a sweet smile. Nash is immediately smitten, but part of his interest stems from his wish to return home, which Helen reminds him of. Canning does an excellent job displaying the slowly crumbling morale of her character, who comes to the Red Cross determined to help, but can’t ignore the horror of the men returning from the front. Her strength in the face of the brutality of World War II is impressive and brave.
2Say Nothing (2024)
Kathleen (2 Episodes, 2024)
Say Nothingis a historical drama limited series for FX on Hulu that’s an adaptation of the 2018 book of the same name by Patrick Radde Keefe. The story details the lives of a group of people, mostly women, growing up in Belfast during the Troubles in Ireland. The murder of Jean McConville, the 1973 Old Bailey bombing, the Price sisters' hunger strike, and real interviews from the Belfast Project are woven together for a harrowing and thoughtful look at a painful period in Irish history.
Emma Canning appears in two episodes as Kathleen, Seamus Wright’s (Frank Blake) wife. She may only appear in two episodes, but she has some critical scenes in the series, including one where she is pressured into confessing everything about her absent husband’s whereabouts and more.It’s a desperate scene and Canning is startling in her performance, mixing rage and terror as angry tears fall out of her eyes. It’s almost as if it’s painful for the words to come out, but there’s a distinct relief on her part when they do.
1Dune: Prophecy (2024-Present)
Young Tula Harkonnen (3 Episodes, 2024)
Emma Canning’s most significant role to date, she plays the younger version of Tula Harkonnen inDune: Prophecy, who is played by Olivia Williams in the main part of the series. Tula Harkonnen is a Reverend Mother in theDunespinoff series and Valya’s (Emily Watson) biological sister and closest ally. The younger version of the character is meek and compassionate in ways the older version only lets slip at certain moments. It’s an incredible performance by Canning, who does more than just mimic Williams.
In a climactic moment, the young Tula is sent on a mission to seduce and murder members of the Atreides family. Her fear is palpable but so is her commitment to the assassination. When things go awry, and she finds that she’s fallen for her target,the pain and regret on Canning’s face is moving. How she pushes those emotions down to complete the job is even more disturbing and a showcase of how wellEmma Canningcan organically switch from one emotion to the other in just a matter of moments.
