Danielle Galligan: Age, Height, Game of Thrones & Shadow and Bone

Few characters land quite like Nina Zenik in Netflix’s Shadow and Bone — and the woman behind her, Danielle Galligan, has a backstory worth knowing. Born on 1 December 1992, the Irish actress and theatre maker trained at Trinity College Dublin before slipping into small roles on Game of Thrones and eventually leading the Grishaverse as a fan-favourite Heartrender. This profile pieces together her credits, her physical casting profile, and the career moves that define her.

Born: 1 December 1992 ·
Nationality: Irish ·
Height: 5 ft 6 ins (168 cm) ·
Known for: Shadow and Bone (Netflix) ·
Instagram followers: 372K

Eleven key facts, one pattern: Galligan’s profile is built on Irish training, international fantasy roles, and a tightly defined casting range.

The data table below compiles all verified biographical specs into a single reference.

Was Danielle Galligan in Game of Thrones?

According to the Irish Examiner (Irish daily newspaper), Galligan appeared in Game of Thrones season 8, episode 4, “The Last of the Starks,” playing a character named Sarra — a woman in House Stark’s retinue. Her IMDb (film database) page lists the credit among her known-for titles, though she is not a series regular. The role marked her television debut, as noted by Festival Scope Pro (industry film database).

Is Danielle Galligan’s Game of Thrones credit on IMDb?

Yes — her IMDb (film database) profile confirms Game of Thrones (2019) as one of her first on-screen credits.

Why do people search Danielle Galligan and Game of Thrones together?

The pairing stems from her minor but verifiable role in one of TV’s biggest fantasy epics, combined with her later lead role in another fantasy series, Shadow and Bone. Fans of the genre naturally connect the dots.

The pattern: Galligan’s early career includes a high-profile franchise cameo that now serves as a search beacon for curious viewers.

Is Danielle Galligan Irish?

According to Wikipedia (community-edited biography), she is an Irish actress and theatre maker. The Irish Examiner (Irish daily newspaper) specifies she grew up in Rathfarnham, South Dublin. Her education took place at Trinity College Dublin, where she studied drama and theatre, with additional training at The Lir Academy, graduating in 2015 per Festival Scope Pro (industry film database).

The implication: Galligan’s profile is firmly anchored in Irish training and UK/Irish agency backing, not Hollywood imports.

Where did Danielle Galligan train?

She studied at Trinity College Dublin (2012-2015) and trained at The Lir Academy, according to the Irish Examiner (Irish daily newspaper).

What does Danielle Galligan’s talent agency say about her?

Lorraine Brennan Management (Irish talent agency) lists her as an Irish actress, confirms her height and appearance stats, and notes her playing age. Her representation also includes Curtis Brown (UK talent agency).

How tall is Danielle Galligan?

According to Lorraine Brennan Management (Irish talent agency), she stands 5 ft 6 ins (168 cm) with blue eyes and brown hair.

What are Danielle Galligan’s appearance stats?

Her talent agency profile also lists a playing age of 21–30, meaning casting directors consider her suitable for roles spanning that age range — a flexible bracket for both young adult and adult parts.

What does Danielle Galligan’s playing age mean?

A playing age of 21–30 means she can credibly portray characters roughly a decade younger or older than her actual birth year (1992), which is 32 as of 2025. That range explains why she was cast as the early-twenties Nina Zenik at age 28.

How old was Danielle Galligan in Shadow and Bone?

Per Wikipedia (community-edited biography), Galligan was born on 1 December 1992. Shadow and Bone premiered in 2021. For most of that year she was 28 years old — she turned 29 in December 2021.

The calculation: born December 1992, aged 28 during the entire 2021 release year of Shadow and Bone — a typical landing age for breakout fantasy roles.

When was Danielle Galligan born?

1 December 1992 (Wikipedia (community-edited biography)).

What was Danielle Galligan’s age at the Shadow and Bone premiere?

She was 28 years old for the vast majority of 2021.

What is Danielle Galligan known for?

Her best-known credit is Nina Zenik in Netflix’s Shadow and Bone (2021–2023), a series based on Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse novels, as reported by Collider (film and TV news site) and Country & Town House (British lifestyle magazine). She also appears in the indie film Lakelands (2022), which earned her Best Lead Actress and Rising Star nominations at the Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTAs) according to Festival Scope Pro (industry film database). Additional credits include RTÉ series Obituary and The Walsh Sisters, per Wikipedia (community-edited biography).

What are Danielle Galligan’s main acting credits?

• Shadow and Bone (2021–2023) – Nina Zenik (Collider (film and TV news site))
• Game of Thrones (2019) – Sarra (Irish Examiner (Irish daily newspaper))
• Lakelands (2022) – lead role, IFTA nominations (Festival Scope Pro (industry film database))
• Kin (2021) – series regular (Festival Scope Pro (industry film database))
• Spilt Milk (2024) – starring role (Festival Scope Pro (industry film database))

Which agency represents Danielle Galligan?

She is represented by Curtis Brown (UK talent agency) in the UK and Lorraine Brennan Management (Irish talent agency) in Ireland, as indicated on her Instagram (social platform) bio.

Timeline signal

The timeline shows a steady arc: Irish theatre training, a minor fantasy cameo, then a breakout leading role in a major streaming series.

What we know and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

• Danielle Galligan is an Irish actress and theatre maker (Wikipedia (community-edited biography)).
• She was born on 1 December 1992 (Wikipedia (community-edited biography)).
• She played Nina Zenik in Netflix’s Shadow and Bone (Collider (film and TV news site)).
• Her height is 5 ft 6 ins, playing age 21–30 (Lorraine Brennan Management (Irish talent agency)).
• She studied at Trinity College Dublin and The Lir Academy (Irish Examiner (Irish daily newspaper)).

What’s unclear

• Whether she appears in The House of Guinness — no official casting confirmation found.
• The exact Game of Thrones episode count beyond season 8 episode 4.
• Whether she has a sister or other siblings — not documented in verified sources.
• The nature of her relationship with co-star Calahan Skogman — not publicly confirmed.

In her own words

“Tactless, reckless, confused.”

— Danielle Galligan’s Instagram bio (Instagram (social platform))

“We can only have individual heroes because of the support of a community around them.”

— Hot Press (Irish music and culture magazine)

For Galligan, the lesson is clear: a strong Irish theatre foundation, a single high-profile fantasy cameo, and a breakout Netflix role can open doors, but the next step — turning a playing age of 21–30 into a long, varied career — will depend on which roles she chooses next. For Irish actors looking to follow a similar path, the formula is straightforward: train locally, take the small fantasy part, and be ready when the streaming call comes.

Related reading: **Ben Barnes: Biography, Height, Relationships, and Career**

Frequently asked questions

For Irish actors looking to follow a similar path, Galligan’s career shows the payoff of local training and patience for a streaming break.