Charlene McKenna announces birth of first child with Adam Rothenberg
Charlene McKenna has welcomed her first child with husband Adam Rothenberg. Picture: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Irish actress Charlene McKenna has welcomed her first child with husband Adam Rothenberg.
The and star kept her pregnancy a secret, only announcing the birth of her daughter, Martha Josephine, three months afterwards.
She made the announcement on RTÉ Radio 1’s Arena on Friday, where she was speaking to presenter Kay Sheehy about her new animated film, the Roddy Doyle adaption of
When asked about being “fairly busy” with “a new production, a beautiful production” of her own, McKenna said: “I think it's an incredibly special and poignant and beautiful production, if I do say so myself.
“I had a little baby, so I've been kind of out of the loop for a long time now. I've just been in nesting mode and enjoying my little girl. She's very special."
McKenna is currently “tagging along” with her husband, who starred alongside her in in Toronto as he films a new series for BBC. She said Martha, despite being only three months old, is already giving her “chat”.
At the heart of McKenna says, is the circle of life – which she says is very powerful as a result of giving birth and losing someone close to her.
“Martha was born in April and two weeks later I very, very suddenly lost my father, so I am both feet welded in the circle of life right now - the birth of my child and the loss of my father," she said.
"It's actually insane that this film is coming out right now because he was the biggest Roddy Doyle fan and he could not wait to see this film and it's heartbreaking that he won't now.
"It's just crazy that I did a film about grief and it's coming out right in the depths of grief and having a child. It's a very, very, I guess, existential time."
is out in cinemas now and stars Sharon Horgan, Brendan Gleeson, Rosaleen Linehan, Mia O'Connor and Paul Tylak, alongside McKenna.
