David McKenna Actor: Biography, Age & Career
David McKenna is a young Northern Irish actor from Belfast, best known for playing Piggy in the 2026 television adaptation of Lord of the Flies. He made his professional screen debut in the four-part drama after spending several years performing in musical theatre and school productions.
McKenna also stars as Digory Kirke in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming film Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, alongside Beatrice Campbell. His early television work earned him a nomination at the 2026 Gotham Television Awards, bringing industry recognition before the release of his first major feature film.
David McKenna Biography: Quick Facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | David McKenna |
| Profession | Actor |
| Birthplace | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | Northern Irish / British |
| Age | Reported as 14 in September 2026; exact birth date unverified |
| Known For | Playing Piggy in Lord of the Flies |
| Television Debut | Lord of the Flies (2026) |
| Upcoming Movie | Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew (2027) |
| Narnia Character | Digory Kirke |
| Acting Training | Belfast School of Performing Arts |
| Parents | Jim and Elizabeth McKenna |
| Career Recognition | 2026 Gotham Television Award nominee |
| Net Worth | No dependable public estimate established |
How Old Is David McKenna?
David McKenna was described as 14 years old in a September 2026 profile published by Screen Daily. However, his exact date of birth has not been established through a reliable public record, and earlier entertainment reports published during 2026 gave different ages.
For that reason, the September age report is best treated as a dated description rather than proof of his precise birthday. McKenna began performing at a young age and had already accumulated substantial youth-theatre experience before making his television debut.
David McKenna’s Early Life and Acting Background in Belfast
David McKenna was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where his interest in performance developed during childhood. According to his official biography, he participated in musical theatre and stage productions before moving into professional film and television work.
He began attending performing-arts classes around the age of four and developed experience in acting, singing and stage movement. His early performances included parts in The Sound of Music, Les Misérables, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and several other youth productions.
McKenna trained with the Belfast School of Performing Arts, which later celebrated his casting in two major screen productions. His transition from local theatre to television and film places him among the rising actors to watch in 2027, although his professional screen career is still relatively new.
His theatre background also explains an important part of his early development. Stage performances require actors to communicate through voice, movement and expression across a room, while television often depends on subtler reactions that cameras can capture at close range.
David McKenna in Lord of the Flies as Piggy
David McKenna made his professional screen debut as Piggy in Lord of the Flies, a television adaptation of William Golding’s 1954 novel. Written by Jack Thorne and directed by Marc Munden, the four-part series premiered on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in February 2026.
The story follows a group of schoolboys stranded on an isolated island after a plane crash. Without adult supervision, they attempt to establish rules and organise their survival, but disagreements gradually divide the group and lead to increasingly violent confrontations.
Piggy is one of the boys who tries to maintain order through practical thinking and cooperation. He supports Ralph, played by Winston Sawyers, while Jack, portrayed by Lox Pratt, increasingly challenges the group’s leadership and encourages others to follow his approach.
McKenna’s character plays an important role in the story because his ideas are often sensible, even when other boys dismiss him. The adaptation gives Piggy substantial attention, allowing viewers to understand his fears, reasoning and efforts to preserve cooperation as the group’s relationships deteriorate.
How Did David McKenna Get the Role of Piggy?
McKenna joined Lord of the Flies through an open casting process that began while he was on a family holiday. He submitted a self-taped audition after learning that casting directors were searching for young performers to appear in the adaptation.
Rather than immediately asking children to perform a scripted scene, the early audition process included a question about whom they would choose as companions on a deserted island. McKenna selected the West End cast of Les Misérables, reflecting his existing enthusiasm for musical theatre.
According to TheWrap’s June 2026 interview, further auditions and chemistry tests followed the initial submission. Casting directors Nina Gold and Martin Ware evaluated the young performers before McKenna secured the role of Piggy.
Filming Lord of the Flies in Malaysia
The series was filmed across rainforest and island locations in Malaysia, creating a challenging working environment for its young cast. According to production company Eleven, the principal performers were joined by more than 30 boys, many making their professional acting debuts.
McKenna described the filming conditions during interviews, including journeys by boat, tropical weather and physically demanding locations. Working in those surroundings required the children to perform dramatic scenes while adapting to a production environment very different from their earlier stage experience.
He also worked with acting coach Tommy Lawrence to develop Piggy’s background and personality. The preparation helped him understand the character’s behaviour, while director Marc Munden encouraged a more restrained acting style suited to television rather than traditional stage performance.
David McKenna in Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew
David McKenna’s next major screen appearance is as Digory Kirke in Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, written and directed by Greta Gerwig. The fantasy film adapts C. S. Lewis’s 1955 novel, which tells the story of events surrounding the creation of Narnia.
McKenna stars opposite Beatrice Campbell, who portrays Polly Plummer. Their characters discover a mysterious route between different worlds and become involved in a magical adventure that introduces important elements of the wider Narnia story.
The supporting cast includes Daniel Craig, Emma Mackey, Carey Mulligan, Ciarán Hinds and Meryl Streep. For McKenna, the project represents a significant change in scale from his television debut, bringing him into a feature-film production with an established international cast.
Digory Kirke is also connected to an important character from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. In Lewis’s fictional chronology, the adventurous young Digory eventually becomes the older Professor Kirke, who later welcomes the Pevensie children into his home.
When Will David McKenna’s Narnia Movie Be Released?
According to Netflix’s October 2026 announcement, Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on February 12, 2027. IMAX preview screenings are planned to begin on February 10.
The film is then scheduled to arrive on Netflix on April 2, 2027. These dates describe the announced release plans as of October 2026 and distinguish McKenna’s upcoming film appearance from his already released work in Lord of the Flies.
David McKenna Actor Credits: Movies and TV Shows
David McKenna’s professional screen career is still in its early stages, with two principal scripted acting projects confirmed in the sources reviewed. His television debut introduced him through a literary drama, while his next role moves into large-scale fantasy filmmaking.
| Year | Movie or TV Show | Character | Type / Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Lord of the Flies | Piggy / Nicky | Released TV miniseries |
| 2027 | Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew | Digory Kirke | Upcoming feature film |
These are his principal verified scripted screen roles, rather than a complete list of every stage performance or documentary appearance. His earlier musical-theatre credits belong to his performance background and should not be counted as released feature films.
David McKenna’s Awards and Career Recognition
David McKenna received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Limited or Anthology Series at the 2026 Gotham Television Awards. The nomination recognised his performance as Piggy in Lord of the Flies and was announced by the Gotham Film & Media Institute in April 2026.
The recognition came early in his professional screen career, following his first major television role. McKenna did not win the category; David Harbour received the award for his performance in DTF St. Louis, according to the official Gotham Television Awards results.
McKenna and writer Jack Thorne were also honoured with an IndieWire Wavelength Award associated with their work on Lord of the Flies. These distinctions reflect the attention the series received within the television industry, without establishing how McKenna’s later films will be received.
His personal earnings remain a separate question from professional recognition. No sufficiently documented salary, contract valuation or financial disclosure was established in the reviewed sources, so assigning him a precise net-worth figure would be speculative.
David McKenna’s Family and Publicly Discussed Health Journey
David McKenna’s parents, Jim and Elizabeth McKenna, have publicly discussed their son’s childhood experience with kidney disease. David received a kidney transplant from his father when he was young, followed by another transplant donated by his mother after complications with the earlier kidney.
His family shared parts of that experience through interviews and organisations involved in kidney-disease awareness. Kidney Care UK has also documented David’s childhood medical journey and the support he received from his family.
The publicly shared accounts provide context about his early life alongside his interest in theatre. They do not establish his current medical condition, and there is no basis for assuming that his health history determines which acting roles he can undertake.
What Is Next for David McKenna’s Acting Career?
As of October 2026, David McKenna’s next major confirmed project is Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, which is scheduled to introduce his portrayal of Digory Kirke to cinema audiences in 2027. It follows his screen debut as Piggy and gives him another central role in an adaptation of a well-known literary work.
McKenna has also expressed interest in continuing theatre work and exploring further acting opportunities. Beyond Narnia, however, a confirmed schedule of additional feature films or television roles has not been established in the reliable sources reviewed, leaving his next professional choices open.
