You’ve probably seen her face popping up on your Netflix dashboard lately and wondered, "Where do I know her from?" Honestly, Leah Byrne is one of those actresses who feels like she just appeared out of thin air to dominate our screens, but she’s actually been grinding in the industry for years. Most people are currently obsessing over her role in the gritty crime drama Dept. Q, but her filmography goes back further than the 2025 hype train.
Scottish talent is having a massive moment right now. From Richard Gadd to Kelly Macdonald, the North is producing heavy hitters, and Leah Byrne is firmly in that camp. She isn’t just a "Netflix face." She's a classically trained powerhouse who spent a long time on the stage before the cameras started rolling.
The Dept. Q Breakthrough
If you’re looking for Leah Byrne movies and tv shows, the big one—the one that basically changed her life—is Dept. Q. Released in May 2025, this show isn't your typical "police officer drinks coffee and looks at a corkboard" procedural. Based on the Danish novels by Jussi Adler-Olsen, the series features Leah as Rose, a cadet who is basically the heart and soul of the basement-dwelling unit.
She plays opposite Matthew Goode, who portrays the grumpy DCI Carl Mørck. Their dynamic is gold. Rose is tenacious, a bit of a "waif and stray" in the best way possible, and she refuses to let Mørck’s sarcasm slow her down. It’s the kind of performance that makes you realize she’s not just a supporting player; she’s an anchor.
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That Call the Midwife Transformation
Here is a weird fact: people are losing their minds on social media because they didn’t realize Leah was in Call the Midwife. Back in 2019, she played Maggie Nickle, an expectant mother. If you go back and watch that episode now, you’ll barely recognize her. In Dept. Q, she’s got this wild ginger perm and a hardened "Edinburgh cop" vibe. In the BBC period drama? She’s a brunette, soft-spoken, and looks like a completely different person.
That’s the hallmark of a great actor, right? Disappearing into a role so well that nobody knows it’s you until they check IMDb three years later.
A Quick Rundown of Her Key Screen Credits
- Dept. Q (2025): As Rose Dickson. This is her breakout lead role.
- Nightsleeper (2024): A brief but memorable appearance as "Woman at the piano."
- The Last Bus (2021): She played Helen in this Netflix sci-fi series.
- Deadwater Fell (2020): She appeared as an IVF nurse in this David Tennant-led mystery.
- Call the Midwife (2019): Her role as Maggie Nickle was one of her first major TV breaks.
From Glasgow to the Global Stage
Leah didn't just stumble into a Netflix trailer. She grew up in Yoker, Glasgow. She started out at the Scottish Youth Theatre when she was just 11. Most kids that age are worried about TikTok or homework, but she was already catching the acting bug. She eventually graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2019.
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Interestingly, her brother Nathan Byrne is also an actor. They aren't from some fancy "nepo baby" dynasty, though. Her dad was a postman and her mum worked in a call centre. It’s a classic "work hard and get noticed" story that makes her success feel a lot more earned.
Why She’s More Than a TV Actress
Before the world started searching for Leah Byrne movies and tv shows, she was a staple of the Scottish theatre scene. She was part of the Dundee Rep Ensemble, which is a big deal in the UK acting world. It's the same scheme that helped launch Ncuti Gatwa (the current Doctor Who).
She did plays like Tay Bridge and Oor Wullie, and even played one of the Sharkey twins in a weirdly titled play called Wolfie (some sort of fairytale) at the Tron Theatre in 2023. This stage background is probably why she holds her own so well next to veterans like Kelly Macdonald and Stephen Dillane. You can’t fake that kind of presence.
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What’s Next for Leah?
Since Dept. Q was renewed for a second season in late 2025, we’re going to be seeing a lot more of Rose. But rumors are already swirling about her being eyed for some major indie film projects. She has this "indie darling" energy that reminds people of a young Florence Pugh or Saoirse Ronan—someone who can do the big blockbuster stuff but prefers a script with some actual meat on its bones.
If you want to keep up with her career, start by watching her earlier guest spots. Seeing the range from the IVF nurse in Deadwater Fell to the rookie detective in Dept. Q gives you a real appreciation for how much she’s grown in just five or six years.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Watch Dept. Q on Netflix if you haven't already; it's the definitive Leah Byrne performance.
- Revisit Season 8 of Call the Midwife to see her early range as Maggie Nickle.
- Follow Scottish theatre listings, as Leah often returns to the stage between filming seasons, and seeing her live is a completely different experience than seeing her on a TV screen.