Explore the fascinating life of actress Victoria Smurfit, whose billion-pound family heritage in Ireland contrasts with her grounded upbringing and her glamorous role in the Disney+ series Rivals.
In the captivating world of the Disney+ hit series Rivals, Victoria Smurfit embodies the exceptionally glamorous Maud O'Hara, a woman whose life appears to be a masterclass in luxury and eccentricity.
From her sprawling mansion in the Cotswolds to her stunning husband and the sheer audacity of arriving at a New Year's eve celebration atop a camel, Smurfit's character represents the pinnacle of high-society indulgence. Interestingly, the boundary between her fictional role and her actual heritage is thinner than one might imagine. The Irish actress hails from a lineage that is widely regarded as one of the most affluent and influential families on the Emerald Isle.
The immense family fortune was established by her father, Dermot, and her uncle, Michael, who were the driving forces behind the packaging giant Smurfit WestRock. In contemporary terms, this business empire is estimated to be worth approximately 16 billion pounds, a figure that places the family in an elite tier of global wealth. Despite the staggering numbers associated with her family name, Smurfit describes her upbringing as surprisingly normal and deeply grounded.
While her childhood home was a magnificent 14 million pound six-bedroom castle overlooking the scenic Dublin Bay—a residence that once played host to royalty including Kings Edward VII and George V—the day-to-day reality was far less opulent. She recalls a life devoid of chauffeur-driven limousines or pampered luxury. Instead, the family traversed their daily routines in a weather-beaten, vintage yellow Volkswagen.
Smurfit reflects on the discipline instilled in her during these formative years, noting that money was not simply handed over; if she desired funds for a specific purchase, she was expected to earn them by performing chores such as washing the car. This balance between extreme wealth and a modest domestic lifestyle provided her with a perspective that contrasts sharply with the decadent characters she portrays on screen.
Smurfit has long been a respected figure in the television industry, having earned critical acclaim and widespread recognition for her performances in beloved dramas such as Ballykissangel and Cold Feet. However, her role in Rivals feels like a poetic, full-circle moment in her career. She fondly remembers her mother, Caroline, bursting with infectious laughter while reading Jilly Cooper's original novel, the source material for the series.
Although her mother did not live to see her take on the role of the wife of Aidan Turner's character, Declan, the actress carries that memory with her on set. Smurfit jokingly imagines that her mother would have barged onto the filming location with exuberant curiosity, specifically inquiring about when Aidan Turner's next scene involving a shirtless appearance was scheduled to be filmed.
Beyond the script, Smurfit has had unique encounters with high society in real life, including a meeting with Queen Camilla. The Queen, a close confidante of the late Jilly Cooper, visited the set of the production after the novelist passed away last year. During their interaction, Smurfit observed a side of the Queen that resonated with the spirit of the show, noting that it was easy to see why she and Cooper were such close friends.
She sensed a fun-loving, spirited personality beneath the royal exterior, suggesting a kinship of wit and energy. This intersection of real-world royalty and fictional aristocratic drama adds another layer of fascination to the production of the series. In her personal life, the mother of three has navigated her own transitions. Following her divorce from her first husband, the advertising executive Douglas Baxter, she found new companionship and married banker Steve Jacobs in 2023.
The couple now resides in south-west London, living by the banks of the Thames. As Rivals prepares to launch its second series, Smurfit admits that the show's depiction of an extravagant lifestyle—filled with horse riding, helicopters, and wildly insane dinner parties—leaves viewers, and perhaps even herself, wondering why such a whimsical existence is not the norm for everyone.
The series continues to attract audiences to Disney+, starting with a bold three-episode premiere followed by further installments later in the year, promising more of the scandals and splendor that define the Jilly Cooper universe
Victoria Smurfit Rivals Disney+ Smurfit Westrock Jilly Cooper Irish Celebrities
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