As an established voice over artist Donna voices roles for animation, radio plays and commercials. She narrates audiobooks – Strange Flowers; The Coincidence; Reclaiming. She also narrates documentaries The Story of Water (Virgin Media) and Ireland’s Refugee Hotel (BBC/RTE). Donna is currently voicing a main role in an international pre-sold children’s animation TV series, scheduled for release in 2023. She is represented by Voice Bank.
STRANGE FLOWERS
'Read it in two sittings, loved it. Especially enjoyed the reader who was quite superb.'
Audio Book Narrator
In 1973, twenty-year-old Moll Gladney takes a morning bus from her rural home and disappears. Bewildered and distraught, Paddy and Kit must confront an unbearable prospect: that they will never see their daughter again. Five years later, Moll returns.
'Full of unexpected twists and turns and you’re never sure where it is headed - but it all becomes clear in the end. Magnificently narrated.'
Yewande Biala is a scientist and was a contestant on the 2019 series of Love Island.
Some of the inmates make Joy's life a misery. There are a lot of coincidences in this gripping psychological thriller, blackmail, more murders, drug abuse.
Documentary Narrator
The Story of Water
Virgin Media
The Story Of Water’ is a documentary that focuses on the critical value of our most precious natural resource and explores the ongoing threats to its future - both globally and in Ireland.
Ireland's Refugee Hotel
BBC/TV3 Documentary
This documentary follows the stories of Muslim Syrian refugees as they arrive in a small town in Ireland, discovering the role that faith has played in their journey.
Radio Play & Readings
WINE FROM GREENLAND
A radio play by Alejandro Niklison
Role: Waitress
RTE Drama on One
THE ART OF FOOT BINDING
A radio play adapted from a book of short stories by Danielle McLaughlin
Role: Narrater
RTE Drama on One
THE LOVE OF SMALL APPLIANCES
By Maura McHugh
Role: Jahzara
VEILED
Written and devised by
Louise Lewis and Gorretti Slavin
Role: Ghada
RTE Drama on One
JEAN RHYS COLLECTED SHORT STORIES
Collected by Linda Grant
In this special hour long episode Sinéad Gleeson speaks to British writer Linda Grant about the life and work of Jean Rhys (1890 – 1979). She is the Dominican born author of many stories and novels set in England, Paris and the Caribbean. They are stories of women who struggle with poverty, alienation, alcoholism and their reliance on (often uncaring) men. Writer Colm O'Shea looks at Rhys' most famous novel Wide Sargasso Sea – a 'prequel' to Jane Eyre – and discusses the world of bedsits and hotels her characters inhabit. We also hear readings of Rhys' work by the actress Donna Anita Nikolaisen.
Interviews
Waking the Feminists #WTF International Women’s Day - Let's include everyone in the story
Speech from mixed-race Irish actor, Donna Anita Nikolaisen, read by Leah Minto at Liberty Hall, Dublin as part of International Women's Day and the Waking the Feminists movement. 2nd April 2016
“When I first decided to become a professional actor my sister Jacqui warned me that it would be hard to find roles in Ireland owing to my ethnicity. “It’s a visual medium” she said, “You don’t look Irish Donna!” I didn’t believe her. After all, I was born in Holles St and brought up in Cork. Sure, how much more Irish does a girl need to be? However, in time, I grew to learn that she was, for the most part, right. Most of the roles in theatre that I have been lucky enough to play have been race related. And although it gave me great pride to play these characters, who both needed and deserved a voice, it also deeply frustrated me that I was somehow excluded from many roles in classic, period and contemporary plays. Actors need roles not just to make a living but more importantly to develop their craft...
Diversity in Casting for Stage and Screen
Casting agent Maureen Hughes, actress Donna Anita Nikolaisen and director of Abbey Theatre Graham McLaren discuss the issue of diversity in casting for stage and screen.
