Jilly Cooper’s best-selling novel Rivals has been adapted into an eight-part series by Disney+, and it’s safe to say the internet is obsessed. From unpacking (ahem) the nude scenes to digging into the cast and characters, viewers have also been wondering exactly who Bella Maclean, who plays Taggie O’Hara, is. Here’s what you need to know.
So, who is Taggie O’Hara in Rivals?
Rivals is set in the fictional county of Rutshire, and follows the rivalry between Lord Tony Baddingham – a TV commissioner – and Rupert Campbell-Black, an Olympic show-jumper who threatens to bring down his empire.
In episode one, Tony recruits TV presenter and interviewer Declan O’Hara (played by Aidan Turner) from the BBC to join his channel, Corinium, and host his own show. As a result, he uproots his London life and moves to the countryside with wife Maud and their three children – Patrick, Taggie and Caitlin.
Taggie struggles to find her place in the family and is initially reserved about the Rutshire lifestyle – not least because of the questionable moral codes of those around her. Instead, she focusses on her cooking and dream of setting up a catering company.
How old is Bella Maclean?
Taggie is aged 18 in Jilly Cooper’s original novel, while she’s 20 in the TV show. In real life, actress Bella Maclean is 23 and was born on the 14th November 2000.
Where is Bella Maclean from?
Bella was born in New York and lived there until she was 10 due to her parents’ jobs, before moving to East Sussex. She grew up with two sisters, who are twins, and went to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London from age 18. She now lives in West London.
What else has Bella Maclean been in?
Bella’s first role came in a short film called La La Means I Love You in 2018, while she was also in a short called Dragged Up. Then, in 2023, she starred in an episode of Silent Witness, before landing her most recognisable role – as Jem in Sex Education season four – that same year. Jem worked at the farm that Adam Groff was interning at, teaching him to ride a horse and eventually becoming his girlfriend.
She also starred in London Tide at the National Theatre between April – June this year.
What is Bella Maclean’s Instagram?
You can find her on social media @bellamaclean, where she currently has 25k followers. As well as sharing small insights into her life on the grid, Bella also promotes her work and any publicity opps.
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