Meet Ruby Jean Lennon, the Leaving Cert student starring in ‘Samanta Nobody’

Ruby Jean Lennon is an Irish actor best known for her compelling debut lead performance as the titular character in the feature film Samanta Nobody. In this role, she portrays Samanta, a resourceful sixteen-year-old navigating life on the streets and finding hope through her talent for music. The film was written and directed by Ciarán Creagh and filmed in Sligo, Ireland, with Lennon starring alongside actors Brendan Conroy and Maggie Hannon.

Lennon began studying drama from a young age and has appeared in stage productions and short films before being cast in her breakthrough feature role in Samanta Nobody. She was selected for the part through open auditions, and her natural ability and emotional depth in the role have drawn attention from critics and audiences alike for one of the most remarkable debut performances in recent Irish cinema.

Originally from Swords, Dublin, Lennon is an emerging talent in the Irish film scene whose work in Samanta Nobody marks a significant first feature screen credit and signals a promising acting career ahead. She shares with us her life in culture.

What led you towards pursuing the path to becoming an actress?

I’ve always loved performing since I was young where I attended speech and drama classes, but as I’ve grown up I think it’s really special to be a part of something that provokes different emotions in audiences and inspires them.

Tell us about Samanta Nobody, and your character of Samanta. What attracted you to the project?

Samanta Nobody follows a homeless sixteen year old girl and her life on the streets. We watch as she uses her own music and busking as a way to cope and how it provides her with a sense of hope. With Ireland going through a homeless crisis I think reading the script about a girl who was the same age as me at the time, sixteen, created a sense of concern and sympathy for not only the character of Samanta but the realisation that people of all ages are in the same situation as her. Raising awareness through art is something that I think is really important in today’s world and that can hopefully make some sort of a difference to provide help to those who need it.

What goes into bringing a character to life from the page to the screen?

I think it’s all down to your interpretation of the character as well as the message the script is trying to communicate with audiences. Combining these two things can make it easier to perform and show your own understanding of not only the story but your own character.

The film will screen as part of DIFF — how do you see this film and its themes surrounding homelessness will resonate with audiences?

Homelessness is seen everywhere across the country and is a problem that has been increasing. I hope this film can inspire people to make more efforts to help those on the streets and to show more kindness towards them, whether it is buying them a cup of coffee or a sandwich. I hope that it can raise more awareness and push for more to be done to help the crisis in Ireland.

You’re one of DIFF’s female Discovery nominees for 2026 — how does that feel?

I’m really excited! It feels very encouraging, especially so early in my career. I learned a lot throughout the experience and to have that acknowledged is really special.

Who is someone you look up to in the world of Irish film?

I think Saoirse Ronan is the obvious choice. She is so effortless in every part she plays and makes things look so much easier than it looks.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about working as an actress?

At the end of the day it can be quite difficult to come back to yourself and adjust to the numbness you feel for a while after. It can be quite difficult to comprehend and get used to.
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone hoping to have a career in acting? If you love it more than anything else and can’t imagine yourself doing anything else then go for it, but be prepared for the lows as well as the highs that come with it.

Ruby Jean Lennon’s life in culture

The last thing I saw and loved was… Marty Supreme. I was surprised I came out loving it because I didn’t find many of the characters very likable, but I think that’s the exact reason I did love it. I used to think that characters were the main reason for a film or show being great. However, this showed me that a lot more can go into a film to make it enjoyable and inspire you in a different way that others do.

The book I keep coming back to is… Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan at the moment. It’s a part of my Leaving Certificate course and I just finished my mocks, so I’ve reread it a few times recently to help prepare for exams.

I find inspiration in… Watching films and plays. I always leave the cinema or theatre with this excitement and admiration for what I’ve just witnessed. Seeing what people’s minds are capable of creating is incredibly inspiring to me.

My favourite film is… La La Land. I love everything to do with that film, the acting, music, use of colour and the ending is perfect to me. I could rewatch that over and over again if I had time.

My career highlight is… Ciaran Creagh giving me this opportunity and trusting me with all the responsibility needed for the character of Samanta and leading the film. Samanta Nobody being my debut was quite intimidating but with his trust and belief in me it really became a wonderful experience that I won’t ever forget.

The song I listen to to get in the zone is… I have a few different songs that get me in the zone depending on how I’m feeling in that moment, but for Samanta Nobody, listening to ‘Fade Into You’ by Mazzy Star was a song that really helped me connect to the character. It was also the song that I auditioned for the role with.

The last piece of art I recommended is… Twin Peaks by David Lynch and Mark Frost. My brother introduced me to it and I fell in love with it straight away. I loved the dreamlike surrealness aspects as well as the mystery. You kind of just have to go along with it until you get used to what goes on.

I never leave the house without… A tote bag. There’s never much inside of it except for my phone and keys but I can’t go anywhere without a bag. It feels weird if I don’t have one with me.

The piece of art I still think about is… Lars and The Real Girl directed by Craig Gillespie. I love that film so much, I think it’s so beautiful. It presents to us how kindness can really help people in small and big ways. It moves me every time I watch it and I think it helps you see life in a different way that allows you to become more sympathetic.

My dream role would be… Sally Bowles from Cabaret. I think that character is so complex and I think she would be really interesting to play. The show is also still relevant in today’s world and asks people a lot of questions about our history as well as what we can or would do for our future.

The best advice I’ve ever gotten… My parents always give me great advice, but the one thing they tell me that sticks out is that, if you really love something, it’s worth working towards it.

The art that means the most to me is… Scrooged directed by Richard Donner. I love that film so much. We watch it every Christmas as a family and we just think it’s a perfect Christmas film. It just brings a sense of love and comfort to us and reminds me of the magic of Christmas and being with your family every year. It’s one thing I look forward to every Christmas.

My favourite moment in Samanta Nobody is… Probably the opening scene. I think it presents that vulnerable side of Samanta that you don’t see often throughout the film. I also feel that the scenes where we filmed in her home were where I felt the most confident in her character as it was where she could hide away from her problems for a little while and dream of a different life.

The most challenging thing about being an actress is… Forgetting about everything to do with you and fully committing to the piece of work in front of you. Life can be overwhelming so trying to separate that from your work can be quite difficult.

After a shoot, I… Try to go to sleep as soon as possible when I go home. But before I have a shower and wash the day off. I think focusing on what you could have done differently isn’t very healthy, instead I try to focus on what’s next as well as trying new things to help me improve.

If I wasn’t an actress, I would be… Doing something backstage. I’ve always been fascinated with all things to do with theatre, whether its the lighting, sound or set design. However, I’ve always been interested in the role of a Stage Manager. Their role is so important to every performance and I can imagine how fulfilled they must feel after everything going according to plan after a show.

The magic of film and art to me is… Being able to provoke all these different emotions in audiences. I think one thing you can take away from a person liking or not liking a performance or piece of art, is that they still have an opinion on it, meaning they care for it in one way or another and I think that is really special.

Ruby Jean Lennon has been shortlisted as one of this year’s Discovery nominees at the Dublin International Film Festival. For more, see DIFF.ie.