I’m completely captivated by Mia McKenna-Bruce! Though she’s only five feet tall, she has this incredible presence that just lights up any space. It makes perfect sense that she landed the role of Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent in the new Netflix adaptation of Agatha Christie’s The Seven Dials Mystery – they describe her as a really lively, modern woman, a total ‘bright young thing,’ and Mia just embodies that spirit!
McKenna-Bruce describes her character as incredibly energetic and determined. She doesn’t accept defeat easily, but she approaches challenges with a friendly and charming demeanor.
It’s surprising this story hasn’t been adapted more often. Perhaps we’re just now seeing a greater focus on stories with female protagonists. Audiences really connect with the character Bundle – she’s incredibly charming and optimistic.
I’m so excited about this new thriller! Kelly McKenna-Bruce is leading a fantastic cast, and it’s been written by Chris Chibnall, who did such a great job with Broadchurch and Doctor Who. It’s set way back in 1925, and the story kicks off with a murder at a really glamorous party. The main character, Bundle, isn’t happy with how the police are handling the death of her friend Gerry, so she decides to investigate things herself, and it quickly pulls her into a really secretive and dangerous world of spies!
As a huge Agatha Christie fan, I was really curious about this new adaptation, and honestly, it delivers something different while still feeling very Christie. They kept all the elements we love – like that iconic scene where all the suspects are gathered and Battle expertly unravels the mystery to reveal the killer. It’s definitely got that signature darkness that keeps you on the edge of your seat, but it’s been brilliantly updated. The setting – the glamorous, fast-paced 1920s – is visually stunning, and watching it, I genuinely wanted to step right into that world, even with all the danger and, well, death!
She wouldn’t be the only famous face on set if she joined the cast. Helena Bonham Carter plays Bundle’s mother, Lady Caterham, and Martin Freeman is Superintendent Battle. McKenna-Bruce says working with both of them was wonderful. “Helena nicknamed us ‘the psychic sisters’ because we connected so well, and Martin was incredibly funny,” she explains. “He always does a Chewbacca impression whenever he forgets his lines, and it cracked me up every single time!”
Not that sharing a screen with big names is unusual for McKenna-Bruce. She is only 28, but she’s been acting since she was seven years old, and is currently playing Ringo Starr’s first wife Maureen in the first of four Beatles biopics directed by Sam Mendes and co-starring Saoirse Ronan, Barry Keoghan and Paul Mescal.
She first fell in love with acting at age six after being deeply moved by the movie Titanic. She remembers crying so much after watching it that her mother arranged a phone call with the director to explain it wasn’t real. It turned out the voice on the phone wasn’t James Cameron, but her grandfather pretending to be him. Once he explained that the people in the movie were actors, she knew she wanted to do the same.
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Having a large family meant putting her performing aspirations aside temporarily. However, within two years, McKenna-Bruce was on stage in London’s West End, appearing in Billy Elliot, and quickly began landing television roles. She played Penny Branning, Jack Branning’s daughter, on EastEnders, and also appeared in popular shows like The Bill, Doctors, Tracy Beaker Returns, and The Dumping Ground – the latter for eight years.
She describes the shows as quick and exciting, explaining they helped her quickly change between characters. This experience taught her to leave the emotions of a role behind immediately after filming. Being able to switch focus so rapidly has been a valuable skill for her.
I was such a big fan of McKenna-Bruce when she was younger! It’s crazy to hear that things really shifted for her around her 20th birthday. Even with all her experience as a kid actor, she actually decided to step away from acting because she wasn’t sure how to navigate roles as an adult. She’s said that it felt like it went from being a fun hobby to something stressful, with a lot of pressure. So, she did something amazing – she and her best friend just took off to Australia and had the time of their lives! It’s cool that she prioritized her happiness.
After a brief time away, she rediscovered her passion for acting and quickly found success. She appeared in ‘Persuasion’ with Dakota Johnson and Richard E. Grant, and starred in the coming-of-age film ‘How to Have Sex,’ which earned her the EE Rising Star Award at the 2024 Baftas.
I’m so thrilled to finally see Gemma McKenna-Bruce getting the recognition she deserves! While you might know her from things like ‘Seven Dials’ or the Beatles project, she’s about to really shine. She’s leading a new ITV drama, ‘The Lady,’ playing Jane Andrews, the Duchess of York’s lady-in-waiting involved in a tragic case. It’s been a long road for her – two decades of work! – but she says the timing is perfect. She recently married and had her little boy, Leo, and she feels like a mother and a more experienced person now, allowing her to truly bring characters like Bundle to life in a way she couldn’t before. It’s funny, she even gets carded when buying medicine for Leo! She’s incredibly talented and I can’t wait to see what she does next.
Even though this story is exciting and glamorous on the surface, it’s filled with real emotion and sadness. I don’t think I could have told it the same way when I was younger. I’ve gained a lot of confidence, become a mother, and experienced childbirth, and I’m thankful I’m able to share this story now with everything I’ve been through.
The next four Beatles-related films aren’t scheduled for release until 2028, so McKenna-Bruce needs to remain discreet about them for quite a while. She does hint, however, that her career could be taking off soon.
She describes the experience as a dream come true, saying the dedication from everyone involved promises something truly special. She’s incredibly impressed with Sam Mendes and feels lucky to be part of what she believes will be a phenomenal success. However, she doesn’t focus on potential career gains when starting a project; she simply enjoys the creative process and looks forward to seeing the finished product. She explains that she’s adaptable and embraces whatever comes her way, finding joy in her work.
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2026-01-05 21:15