Trieste Kelly Dunn is an American actress celebrated for her nuanced performances in both independent film and high-stakes television drama. Born in Provo, Utah, and trained in theater at the North Carolina School of the Arts, Dunn cut her teeth acting in student films by future indie darlings like Aaron Katz and Brett Haley. She graduated in 2004, already steeped in the kind of low-budget, high-quality storytelling that would define much of her early career.
Dunn made early waves on television as Molly McConnell in Canterbury’s Law, opposite Julianna Margulies, before catching broader attention with her performance in United 93 (2006). But it was her roles in the indie hits Cold Weatherand The New Year (both 2010) that earned her serious cred as a rising star. Filmmaker Magazine named her one of the “25 New Faces of Independent Film” in 2010, and the Los Angeles Times called her a breakout star of that year’s indie scene.
Television audiences likely know Dunn best for her role as Deputy Siobhan Kelly in the Cinemax action series Banshee, and as U.S. Marshal Allison Knight on NBC’s Blindspot. Her TV résumé also includes memorable guest appearances on Fringe, Bored to Death, and Believe, as well as a recurring role in Almost There. Never shying away from eclectic roles, she also appeared as an android in the 2017 music video for Com Truise’s “Propagation.”
Dunn continues to straddle both indie film and prestige television with ease, her film credits including Applesauce, Infinity Baby, Blame, The Misogynists, and Girl on the Third Floor. With her quiet intensity and sharp instincts, Trieste Kelly Dunn remains a favorite among directors and fans who crave depth, authenticity, and just a little mystery.
