Who Died in How to Get to Heaven from Belfast?
Who Died in How to Get to Heaven from Belfast? The Wake Email Mystery Explained
Netflix’s darkly comic mystery series How to Get to Heaven from Belfast (created by Lisa McGee of Derry Girls) kicks off with one simple, unsettling trigger: an email announcing a death. That “wake email” pulls three lifelong friends back into the orbit of someone they haven’t spoken to in years… and into a chain of eerie events that suggests the past isn’t finished with them.
If you’re here for the quick answer: the person reported dead is Greta, the estranged fourth member of Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara’s childhood friendship group. Official Netflix plot descriptions repeatedly identify Greta as the friend whose death is announced by email and whose wake becomes the launchpad for the mystery.
So… Who Exactly Died?
Greta is the “fourth friend” at the center of the show’s inciting incident. In Netflix’s official synopsis, Saoirse (a TV writer), Robyn (a stressed-out mother of three), and Dara (a carer) receive an email saying that Greta has died—and what happens at her wake sets them on a “dark, dangerous and hilarious” odyssey as they try to piece together what really happened.
Greta is also a named character in casting information; she’s played by Natasha O’Keeffe. That matters because it strongly signals Greta isn’t just an off-screen “mystery corpse.” Even if she’s dead in the present timeline, the story clearly expects Greta to be “present” through flashbacks, secrets, or something stranger.
The Wake Email Mystery: What We Know (Without Guessing)
Here’s what’s confirmed (and what isn’t) as of now:
- Confirmed: The three friends receive an email telling them Greta has died.
- Confirmed: They go to Greta’s wake, and a “series of eerie events” unfolds there (and beyond).
- Not confirmed: The show has not publicly revealed who sent the email, what it says in detail, or what “eerie events” specifically occur.
- Strongly implied by the trailer: The trio believes there’s more to Greta’s death than the email suggests.
Why the Email Feels Suspicious (Even Before Episode 1)
In a normal world, a death notice is straightforward: it informs, it invites, it closes a chapter. This show uses the email like a match to dry tinder: it reignites an old friendship with an “estranged” member, then immediately pushes the characters into a wake where “eerie events” begin.
That’s the key storytelling trick here: the email isn’t just information; it’s a trapdoor. Whether it’s an innocent notification or a deliberate lure, the email forces Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara to confront two things at once: Greta’s “death” and their shared history with Greta.
What a Wake Means Here (And Why It’s the Perfect Mystery Setting)
In Irish tradition, a wake isn’t only a funeral ritual—it’s also a long, emotionally complicated gathering where people talk, eat, drink tea (or something stronger), tell stories, argue, and re-litigate old grievances. It’s a place where secrets slip out because people are raw, exhausted, and surrounded by “the people who knew you then.”
So when Netflix’s synopsis says that eerie things happen at the wake, it’s not only promising jump-scare weirdness. It’s also promising a social pressure-cooker: the kind of room where one wrong remark can unravel a whole timeline of lies.
Cast and Characters: The People Pulled Into Greta’s Orbit
| Character | Actor | Why they matter to the mystery |
|---|---|---|
| Saoirse | Roísín Gallagher | A chaotic TV writer; often the “driver” in mysteries—someone who can’t let the story go. |
| Robyn | Sinéad Keenan | A stressed-out mother of three; has the most to lose if the past resurfaces. |
| Dara | Caoilfhionn Dunne | A dependable carer; usually the grounded one—until she’s not. |
| Greta | Natasha O’Keeffe | The estranged fourth friend; her “death” and wake are the catalyst for everything. |
Reddit’s First Big Question: Is Greta Actually Dead?
Because the show hasn’t premiered yet, there’s no official “answer key” available in public. But the trailer itself plants doubt. One line that’s been widely repeated in coverage of the trailer is that Saoirse believes “Greta needs us” and that she’s “out there somewhere.” That kind of line almost always signals one of three possibilities:
- A cover story: Someone wants the trio to believe Greta is dead (or wants them at the wake) for a reason.
- A misunderstood death: Something about the circumstances is wrong, incomplete, or deliberately obscured.
- A split timeline: Greta may be “dead” in one sense, but still central through flashbacks, recordings, or a past incident.
Discussion on r/television: Find Out How to Get to Heaven from Belfast this February on Netflix
Reddit Theories to Watch (That Fit the Official Clues)
When a mystery begins with an email and escalates at a wake, online theory-crafting tends to orbit a few “classic” frameworks. If you want theories that match what Netflix has already confirmed (without inventing plot points), the safest buckets are:
- “The wake is staged (or manipulated).” Not necessarily fake—just engineered to shake loose information.
- “The email is a breadcrumb.” The sender wants them to do something: attend, investigate, confess, or remember.
- “The friend group has a buried secret.” Netflix’s own marketing language leans into secrecy and consequences.
Reddit post linking the official trailer (and the synopsis) for How to Get to Heaven from Belfast
Instagram First-Look Energy: The “Comedy-Thriller” Promise
Netflix UK & Ireland has posted first-look images for the show on Instagram, which is part of why the tone expectations are so high. The marketing is leaning into the “deadly craic” vibe: a mystery that still wants to be funny, character-driven, and messy in a human way.
What “Explained” Really Means Right Now (February 2026)
The show’s Netflix release date is February 12, 2026. Until it’s actually streaming, any “full explanation” you see online is either: (1) based on trailer/synopsis clues, or (2) pure speculation dressed up as certainty.
The most accurate explanation available pre-release is this: Greta is the friend reported dead, the email is the inciting incident, and the wake is where the mystery “turns on”. Everything after that is the series’ central engine—three women trying to understand what happened to Greta, while also being forced to confront what happened between all of them back then.
Related Watches If You Like This Setup
- Derry Girls — same creator, similar sharp dialogue and friendship chaos (with a very different genre engine).
- Bodkin — another Ireland-set Netflix mystery with darkly comic edges.
- Other “odd-couple amateur detective” mysteries — if what you want is character comedy plus investigative momentum.
FAQ (Spoiler-Free)
Who died in How to Get to Heaven from Belfast?
Greta—the estranged fourth member of the childhood friend group—is the person whose death is announced by email in the official synopsis.
What is the “wake email”?
It’s the email that arrives to Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara informing them of Greta’s death. The series frames that email as the moment that pulls them into the mystery and the eerie wake events.
Is Greta really dead?
Netflix’s synopsis describes Greta as dead, but the trailer/marketing strongly suggests there’s more to the story than the email alone. The series’ core mystery appears to be uncovering what truly happened.
When does the show release on Netflix?
February 12, 2026.
Bottom line: Greta is the one reported dead, the email is the spark, and the wake is the pressure point. If the trailer is telling the truth, the real mystery isn’t just “who killed Greta?”—it’s “what did this friend group do (or hide) that makes Greta’s death feel unfinished?”