Stolen Girl star Denise Gough's life off screen from 'traumatic' childhood to drugs battle

Denise Gough is captivating audiences in Disney+ and Hulu's gripping thriller The Stolen Girl and viewers are keen to delve into the life of the actress behind the drama.

In The Stolen Girl, Denise Gough plays Elisa Blix, whose daughter looks forward to her first sleepover at new pal Josie's house, despite Elisa's initial apprehension.

After meeting Josie's mother Rebecca (portrayed by Holliday Grainger), Elisa feels reassured.

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However, panic sets in when she arrives to collect her daughter the next day, only to discover that Josie's family, including her own child, has mysteriously disappeared.

With The Stolen Girl now available for binge-watching on Hulu, fans are itching to learn more about the talented Gough.

Large family

Growing up in a bustling household in County Clare, Ireland, Denise Gough was one of ten children living with their mum.

Despite the chaos, the home was always spotless and well-organised.

Speaking to Annie Macmanus on the Changes podcast, Gough reflected: "I mean my mother was amazing when I think of it because, my sister and I were talking about it the other day, like the house was immaculate.

"It really was. But I think we had a system so we all had jobs to do. So I also learned really early that you work."

Now 45, Gough continues to express admiration for her mother, recounting how she crafted all the curtains, made her own clothes, and even sewed garments for second-hand toys.

Her mum trained as a marriage counsellor but conceded: "I think we were provided for in the best way, but emotionally, it's impossible to provide", acknowledging she was often dismissed with "stop looking for attention".

Abuse

During her teens, Gough found herself on a troubled path, confessing her "obsession with smoking and boys".

At just 14, she became involved with a 21-year-old man who would escort her home from school, showering her with compliments and admitting she was "too young for him".

She revealed: "I was groomed. I didn't know that that's what happened, because I always thought I had asked him to take my virginity.

"I didn't realise until I got a lot of help, what happens in order to make a child ask that, and that's called grooming. So that happened when I was 14.

"So the first time that it happened, I remember afterwards I thought, oh no, I don't like that. I don't like what happened there. I don't like it.

"I want to go back. And of course, you can't go back."

Drugs

Gough's life took another turn when she began dating a new boyfriend and experimented with ecstasy at a teen disco.

She explained to Macmanaus: "I realise now that addiction, it's a craving for love. Craving, softness, gentleness, kindness. That's what I was looking for."

She also mentioned how her early career suffered due to her "ravaged by addiction" until she found sobriety at the age of 27.

‍Homelessness

Gough bid farewell to County Clare at the tender age of 15, alongside her boyfriend, with dreams of carving out an acting career in London.

However, the journey was far from smooth sailing; she found herself without a home in Camberwell, resorting to begging for money and breaking down in tears outside theatres.

Reflecting on those tough times, she confessed: "Yes, my family will say and they should say, like, she could have come home at any time. I couldn't. It was impossible. I was broken. I was so full of shame.

"There's no way I could go back, you know. I went from being a kid who wanted to go to Trinity College to study acting, to living in a tent in a field at the back of my boyfriend's house because I didn't want to go home. How the hell did that happen?"

In between bar jobs, Gough attended Saturday acting classes where one of her teachers, who also worked at Alra (Academy of Live and Recorded Arts), saw potential in her and suggested she audition.

Despite spending her cash on drugs, Gough reached out to her parents to fund her auditions, and they came through for her, setting her on the path to stardom.

Acting Career

Now shining on Disney+ in The Stolen Girl, Gough has made a significant mark in theatre, earning critical acclaim and multiple awards.

Her outstanding performances have landed her the prestigious Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress for her role in 2016's People, Places and Things, and she scooped up the Supporting Actress award for Angels in America two years later.

Gough also bagged a Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Actress for People, Places and Things and was in the running for a Tony Award for her role in Angels in America.

As for her screen roles, Gough has appeared in a range of projects including Andor, Robin Hood, Who Is Erin Carter?, Too Close and Under The Banner Of Heaven.

Reflecting on the significance of acting in her life during an appearance on The Tommy Tiernan Show, she shared: "There was a lot that happened [in my childhood] and acting, the theatre specifically, I knew I could do this thing and so, in the dark, when it seemed to the outside 'she's a mess'.

"I would always think, 'I'm really good at this thing, if i could do this thing', it kept me alive in a way, it gave me something to go towards."

On the Changes podcast, she elaborated: "It's [acting] saved my life. It continues to save my life. It's my education, it's my everything. It's my everything."

What's Next

Gough is not only making waves with the recent release of The Stolen Girl, but also gearing up to grace the screen in the much-anticipated drama The Chain, penned by Tobias Wolff, the mind behind the memoir This Boy's Life which sparked a film adaptation starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

While no other cast members besides Gough have been disclosed as of now, The Chain promises a gripping storyline: "A man's daughter is viciously attacked by a dog, setting off a chain of events that ends in unspeakable tragedy."

Details on The Chain are still under wraps as the production is currently in its early phases, with no fixed plans for when audiences can expect its arrival.

The Stolen Girl is available to watch on Disney+ in the UK and Hulu in the US.