Victoria Smurfit has won over fans with her role as Maud O'Hara in the new Disney Plus show Rivals, but the Dublin-born actress is also part of one of Ireland's wealthiest families.
13:27, 28 Oct 2024
Victoria Smurfit, the actress who recently dazzled us as Maud O'Hara in the new Disney Plus show Rivals, has a life off-screen that's just as intriguing as her on-screen roles.
While she brilliantly portrayed a frustrated actress-turned-housewife opposite Aiden Turner's Declan O'Hara, fans are keen to know more about her real-life story.
Although Victoria is already a big name due to her extensive film and television career, she also hails from one of Ireland's richest families. Intriguingly, the star also tied the knot for the second time at the end of 2023.
Read on to discover more about this talented Dublin-born actress and her illustrious family following her success on the Disney Plus show, reports the Irish Star.
Who is Victoria Smurfit’s famous family?
Famous actress Victoria Smurfit, born in October 1974, is a member of one of Ireland's richest families.
The About A Boy star was once told she would never be able to work as an actress in Ireland unless she changed her last name.
Her family’s wealth dates back to when her grandfather Jefferson Smurfit founded the Smurfit business in 1934.
The business made cardboard boxes in Rathfarnham in Dublin - and the company is now worth billions.
Her father Dermot and uncle Michael became involved in the business, with her cousin Anthony Smurfit eventually becoming CEO of Smurfit Kappa, Europe's leading corrugated packaging company and one of the leading paper-based packaging companies in the world.
Despite her family’s name, Victoria was able to find success, going on to land her break out role as Orla O'Connell in Ballykissangel in 1998.
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Who is Victoria Smurfit’s husband?
Victoria Smurfit tied the knot with her long-term boyfriend Steve Jacobs at the end of 2023 after first being spotted together in October 2021.
Steve is an international banker who has a Master's Degree in International Affairs from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
He has held senior roles in various markets across the world and has been a senior advisor at Latin America's largest investment bank, BTG Pactual Group. He also co-founded the London-based fintech firm Scarlet Capital in August 2022.
Does Victoria Smurfit have any children?
Before she found new love with Steve Jacobs, Victoria Smurfit was married to ex-husband Douglas Baxter from 2000 to 2015.
The pair welcomed three children together - daughters Evie and Ridley and son Flynn - and had been raising their family in Santa Monica, California up until their split.
The actress has previously spoken candidly about her tough divorce, explaining she “couldn’t eat” and “lost a tonne of weight”.
She said it took her almost a year to feel normal again, and in the summer of 2019, she and the children moved to London.
Nowadays, Victoria seems happy with her new husband Steve and recently received rave reviews for her performance in Rivals.
Watch all eight episodes of Rivals now, exclusively on Disney Plus.