For several years, Netflix has welcomed the new year with a propulsive thriller courtesy of bestselling author Harlan Coben. After last year's offering, Fool Me Once, became one of Netflix's most-watched shows of 2024, the streaming giant is back with Missing You, a gripping crime series about a detective whose world is shifted when she finds her ex-fiancé on a dating app. Based on Coben's 2014 novel of the same name, the mystery thriller follows DI Kat Donovan (Rosalind Eleazar) as she investigates both the re-appearance of her ex and the truth behind her father's mysterious death 11 years ago.
The new series features a talented cast of familiar faces, including Eleazar, Jessica Plummer, Richard Armitage, and Ashley Walters. In the days since Missing You's premiere, viewers have been particularly raving about rising actress Mary Malone for her heartbreaking performance as Aqua, one of Kat's best friends with a devastating secret. Read on to learn more about the breakout star.
Mary Malone is a trans actress who hails from Suffolk, England.
Mary Malone is a television and theater actress in her mid-20s, who has mostly appeared in plays and musicals in the U.K. Per her Spotlight profile, she graduated from the University of Essex in 2020 and began acting in short films that year, making her TV debut in an episode of STARZ's The Girlfriend Experience. Some of her standout theater productions include a 2022 West End production of As You Like It, the award-winning play The Prince, and the cult-favorite musical Fangirls.
Before Missing You, Malone appeared in Doctor Who's 2023 Christmas special as Trudy, a friend and bandmate of Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson). Missing You is Malone's first major TV role.
Mary Malone at the Missing You premiere.
Her artistic background includes singing, dancing, piano, and painting.
In addition to acting, Malone mentions several performing arts among her skills, from singing and dancing (per her musical theater background) to piano and puppetry. She has also shared her affinity for fine art on Instagram, including some images of her previous work.
She describes her character Aqua as an integral part of the mystery of 'Missing You.'
Speaking to PinkNews, Malone described her Missing You character Aqua as a "Gemini witchy queen" who has always been there for her best friend Kat, and vice versa. She added that Aqua is an integral part of the season's mystery.
"She is intertwined in the complex spider web that is Missing You," Malone said of Aqua. "She’s woven in. She’s not this trans side character. She’s an essential part of the narrative. I got to do some stunts, which is really exciting, really fun, something I’ve not done before, and I really enjoyed it."
Stacey (Jessica Plummer) and Aqua (Mary Malone) in Missing You.
Malone also told PinkNews that she was able to flesh out her character for the show and add a "rich complexity," after Aqua received less nuanced treatment in the source novel.
"I think I’ve added myself to it, and been able to really ground her in a real-life trans human," she said.
"[Aqua's] not all good, and she’s not all bad, and I think she’s a real human with a lot going on, which is really a joy to play...The narrative really does not surround her gender identity, so I think that’s great representation, and accurate representation that we actually are just living our lives."
Her dream role is a bit surprising.
In an interview with Country & Town House, Malone opened up about the roles she's wishing for most in the future. She revealed that she'd most love to work with her idol, filmmaker/author Miranda July, and that her ultimate dream role is surprisingly aquatic.
"I know it’s mad but I always dreamed of playing a mermaid," she told the outlet. "I love films like Splash, Lady in the Water, The Lure. I’ve been drawn to mermaids and the ocean since I was little. So I’m waiting to be AV-checked for a badass queer mermaid film…anytime now."
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