Kelly O'Sullivan

Kelly O'Sullivan, born between 1983 and 1984, is an accomplished American actress, screenwriter, and producer known for her poignant storytelling. She wrote and starred in the acclaimed film *Saint Frances* (2019), which garnered both the Audience Award and the Special Jury Award at the 2019 SXSW Film Festival.

Hailing from Little Rock, Arkansas, O'Sullivan grew up in a household with an accountant mother and a father in the health insurance sector. Raised in the Irish Catholic tradition, she attended Immaculate Conception School through eighth grade. Her passion for acting blossomed early, as she took the stage in local children's theatre productions from the age of five, supported by her film-enthusiast parents.

O'Sullivan pursued her theatre studies at Northwestern University and is a proud alumna of the esteemed Steppenwolf Theatre Company's School in Chicago. Inspired by the work of Greta Gerwig, particularly *Lady Bird*, she began writing *Saint Frances* in January 2018, drawing from her personal experiences as a nanny and her own abortion journey in her early thirties. O'Sullivan envisioned her partner, Alex Thompson, directing the film, and she created the roles for the lesbian parents, played by Lily Mojekwu and Charin Alvarez, specifically to showcase diverse narratives.