Maggie O'Neill was born on November 15, 1962 in Buckinghamshire is an English actress.

The youngest of six Catholic brothers and sisters, born to head teacher parents, she grew up in the Midlands,where she was educated at a convent school, and after being inspired by a sixth-form drama teacher, "fell" into acting.

After training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, O'Neill starred in the video for Simply Red's Holding Back the Years, before making her professional stage debut in Moving Pictures at the Leeds Playhouse in 1985. After making her screen debut in the British production Mona Lisa opposite Bob Hoskins in 1986, Maggie made her Hollywood screen debut in the Sigourney Weaver film "Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey" in 1988. Actress played Dr. Alex Redman in ITV1's medical drama "Peak Practice", but is best known to British audiences for playing Sheila Jackson in Channel 4's comedy drama "Shameless". Maggie is currently playing Suzy Branning in the BBC1 soap opera, "EastEnders".

Maggie and her cameraman boyfriend Mike live in South London. O'Neill enjoys pilates, yoga and holidays in Italy, but having failed her driving test twice presently cannot drive.