Alison O'Donnell is a Scottish star of television, film and stage who's been in the industry for nearly 20 years.
She's best known for playing the role of Detective Inspector Alison 'Tosh' McIntosh in the popular crime drama Shetland season 9 alongside Ashley Jensen as DI Ruth Calder.
Alison is one of the show's original cast members and has taken her character all the way from rookie cop to Detective Inspector. This season, viewers will get to know more about Tosh after a big event occurs in her private life.
But what else is there to know about Alison? Let us fill you in on a few fun facts.
Alison O'Donnell hails from Motherwell
Alison O'Donnell was born in the early 1980s in the North Lanarkshire town of Motherwell, which is south east of Glasgow.
The youngest of three sisters, Alison wasn't bitten by the acting bug until she was in her teens.
After leaving school she went to study international law at university, but dropped out after three months when she realised her heart lay with performing.
Discussing that lightbulb moment with Glasgow Times Alison revealed:
"One day I standing outside the library listening to fellow students going on about how they'd always wanted to be lawyers, then one of them turned to me and asked, 'So Alison, have you always wanted to be a lawyer?'"
"And I said, no, I want to be an actor. It was that sudden."
She started out on the stage
Alison spent the early days of her career mainly working in theatre.
She starred in productions of Boys, The Hard Man, The Other Bridge Project, Eigengrau and Lorca's Yerma.
Her first television role was in police sitcom Feel the Force in 2006. She has also featured in an episode of the BBC medical drama Holby City.
She also starred in Radio 4 play, Synonymous, alongside Amelia Bullmore and Jamie Winstone.
Shetland was her big break
Alison's life changed in 2012 when she found out she had an audition for the character of Tosh in new BBC drama, Shetland.
Two weeks later she was called to say she'd got the part, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The series is based on the books by author Anne Cleeves, but Tosh actually doesn't feature in them.
Alison adores her character and admits while they're not exactly the same, she can see a few similarities.
"She's way more organised than me," Alison told The Scotsman. But Tosh is really tenacious, ambitious, and very career-focused. At first, I didn't have a lot of TV experience and she was a rookie, so I feel we've gone on a journey of confidence together."
Alison is about to embark on filming for the show's tenth series, but admits she never wants it to feel as if 'I've outstayed my welcome'.
Alison met her other half through work
Alison's partner is Scottish playwright Daniel Craig Jackson, who's also known as D.C Jackson.
They met 14 years ago when Alison was cast in the lead role of Jackson's play My Romantic History, which was shown at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh.
The play also won the Fringe First Award at the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Alison and Daniel later became a couple and are now parents to a young daughter and son. She credits Daniel for giving her the support to pursue her acting dreams.
In a chat with The Scotsman, Alison said: "I wouldn't have managed being back on it (Shetland) if it wasn't for my other half.
"He is looking after the kids all day then cramming his work into whatever gaps are left. He is having to fit his whole career around mine and I'm unbelievably grateful to him. He's the best."
Alison is open about the juggle of motherhood
Alison is a proud mum of two. Her daughter was born in 2017, and in October 2020, the actress welcomed a baby boy.
Her son was born in the middle of the Covid pandemic and Alison has spoken openly about how tricky those times were to navigate.
"I hadn't planned a pandemic into it when I got pregnant for the second time," she told Sunday Post.
"We were stuck indoors with a newborn and toddler. No one was sleeping and we were all on our knees."
She was inspired by former co-star Douglas Henshall
Shetland fans adored the partnership between Alison's character Tosh and her boss and mentor Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez, played by the brilliant Douglas Henshall.
Speaking on BBC4 programme, Alison O'Donnell Remembers... Shetland, the actress gushed about her former co-star, saying: "Douglas and I, we just had such a great relationship, and I'm so grateful to him. I really feel like I studied at the feet of a master.
"You know, I turned up, I knew nothing, and he was obviously really experienced. He completely took me under his wing. He's so smart and always sees the picture. I learned so much from watching him and got a clearer understanding of what was required from me."
She goes for nights out with her Shetland crew
During the filming for Shetland season nine, Alison and her family relocated to a little chalet house in Whiteness, near the set.
"It was lovely to be somewhere a bit quieter and more remote," she she told BBC4. "We were surrounded by sheep which were a source of endless fascination and amusement for my kids - and also for me."
She also revealed that the cast and crew love to hang out together in the evenings after filming.
"There are about 100 of us, so we tend to organise nights out, trips to the beach or the cliffs. We don't have a huge amount of downtime but do try to pack as much in as possible."
Alison O'Donnell's fact file
Frequently asked questions about the star...
How old is Alison O'Donnell?
Alison O'Donnell's exact age is unknown, she was born in the early 1980s.
Is Alison O'Donnell married?
No. Alison is in a long-term relationship with playwright D.C Jackson.
Does Alison O'Donnell have any children?
Yes. Alison has a daughter, born in 2017, and a son, who was born in 2020.
Where was Alison O'Donnell born?
Alison O'Donnell was born in Motherwell, Scotland.
How tall is Alison O'Donnell?
Alison O'Donnell's height is unknown.
Twitter/X: @AtotheOD
We work hard to ensure that all information is correct. Facts that change over time, such as age, will be correct, to the best of our knowledge, at the time of the last article update.
