Laura Donnelly grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland before moving to Glasgow to study acting at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. After graduating in 2004 she worked in theatre in Ireland and Scotland (including the Irish premiere of David Mamet's A Boston marriage with B*spoke theatre company) before moving to London to pursue work in TV and film. She has appeared in many British and Irish TV series including Rough Diamond, Casualty, the Bill and cult TV shows Sugar Rush and Hex.

She is currently filming the pilot for a new BBC sitcom Be More Ethnic. Right Hand Drive is Laura's first full length feature film, although she is soon to start filming the new adaptation of Trainspotting writer Irvine Welsh's novel, Ecstasy, in which she will play Scottish party-lover Hazel.