Do you know your Irish stars? There are a plethora of Irish-born or Irish-descended stars who are working on your favorite motion pictures. Here’s a quick sampling of five to know.
image via imdb.com
Colin Farrell
Where you’ve seen him: If you’re a fan of action and suspense movies, you probably know Farrell. Phone Booth, Minority Report, and The Recruit are among his work. In 2009, he won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical for In Bruges. More recently, he was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role in The Lobster.
His Irish roots: Farrell was born in Castleknock, a suburb of Dublin. It was here, in Dublin, where he got his start, attending classes at the Gaiety School of Acting.
image via imdb.com
Pierce Brosnan
Where you’ve seen him: Just call him Bond. James Bond. During the 1990s and early 2000s, Brosnan made a name for himself as the sixth actor to play the role of James Bond. His movies in this role include: GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough, and Die Another Day.
His Irish roots: Brosnan was born in Drogheda, Ireland, which is on the eastern side of the island, about 45 minutes from Dublin. He moved to England as an adolescent, which coupled with his role as James Bond, speaks to his British flair.
image via imdb.com
Saoirse Ronan
Where you’ve seen her: If you haven’t seen one of her films—which include Atonement, The Lovely Bones, Brooklyn, and Lady Bird—you’ve most likely heard her name during award season. Ronan, who is just 24 years old, has been nominated for three Oscars. Keep an eye out for her future works as the actress continues to climb.
Her Irish roots: Ronan is an American-born citizen. However, both her parents are Irish and moved the family back to Dublin when Ronan was a toddler. She currently has homes in both London and County Wicklow, Ireland, according to IMDB (imdb.com).
image via imdb.com
Liam Neeson
Where you’ve seen him: While he was in a variety of Hollywood films before the early 1990s, he might be best known as Oskar Schindler in Schindler’s List. Other box office hits include: Taken and Taken 2, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and Clash of the Titans.
His Irish roots: Neeson was born in Northern Ireland. At a young age, he worked for Guinness and attended Newcastle’s St. Mary’s Teaching College, seeking to become a teacher. During this time he became a member of the Belfast Lyric Players’ Theater, and—as they say—the rest is history.
image via imdb.com
Anna Kendrick
Where you’ve seen her: Thanks to a pretty amazing voice, you’ve seen her in the Pitch Perfect series and as the voice of Princess Poppy in Trolls. Of course, Twilight fans remember her from that series as well.
Her Irish roots: Kendrick was born in Maine. However, while she’s not an Irish citizen, she has repeatedly noted her Irish (as well as her Scottish) roots when asked about her family’s heritage.