Her name, Roma originates from both her grandmother's names, Rose and Mary.
One child; a daughter, Reilly Marie (b.1996)
Chosen by "People" magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World. [1997]
Mother, Maureen, died when Roma was 10.
Has two sisters, Jacinta McLaughlin and Ann Flood.
The Irish lass was once turned down for a TV commercial for Irish Spring Soap because she didn't sound Irish enough.
When she married director David Anspaugh in 1996, her "Touched by an Angel" (1994) co-star Della Reese performed the Utah wedding ceremony.
She was one of the two women originally considered for the role of "Xena: Warrior Princess" (1995), along with Vanessa Angel. She was offered the role that made Lucy Lawless famous but turned it down as she was offered the role of Monica on "Touched by an Angel" (1994) at the same time. She chose an Angel over a warrior.
Eloped and married her first husband, Leland Orser, in a Roman Catholic ceremony in Rome, Italy.
Cannot type and admits that she pecks at the keys when typing emails and using her computer.
Favorite film: Brief Encounter (1945).
Learned to play the piano as a child, but can no longer play.
Studied Irish dancing as a child.
Has two brothers, Lawrence who is two years older than her and a much older brother John, who is a Roman Catholic priest.
Living with "Survivor" creator, Mark Burnett (2004)
Roma Downey Detailed Biography
Roma Downey (born in Derry, Northern Ireland on 6 May 1960) is an Irish-born actress and producer, best known for her role as "Monica", the main character of the TV series Touched by an Angel (1994 - 2003). Her most famous prior role was as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in the 1991 USA TV movie A Woman Named Jackie.
Twice divorced, she has a daughter, Reilly Marie Anspaugh (b. 1996). She is now dating Mark Burnett, the creator of The Apprentice and Survivor reality series, who, ironically, was a British soldier in Northern Ireland in the 1980s.
Roma has one biological brother, Lawrence, and 4 other siblings from her father's first marriage: Ann, Jacinta, Patrick, Jr., and the eldest, John, who became a Roman Catholic priest.
Despite what many first assume, "Roma" is not a derivation from "Rosemary", rather "Roma" is her given name, an admixture of the names of her two grandmothers, Rose and Mary.
