The latest collection of upcoming productions featuring Irish actors is a diverse mix of animation, live action, feature projects and drama series, set to shoot at home and internationally.
Principal production has begun on the last few days on ‘Beguiled’ from ‘Lost in Translation’ writer/director Sofia Coppola, which stars Irish talent Colin Farrell (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them). Farrell stars alongside Elle Fanning (The Neon Demon), Kirsten Dunst (The Virgin Suicides) and Nicole Kidman (The Hours).
Production also began in Toronto this week on Rebecca Addelman’s feature directorial debut ‘Paper Year’, starring Irish talent and ‘Bridge of Spies’ actress Eve Hewson. ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream’ actor Avan Jogia co-stars as Hewson’s on screen husband in the drama, as the pair try to navigate their first year of marriage.
‘Ex Machina’ star Domhnall Gleeson is set to take the role of Mr. McGregor in ‘Peter Rabbit’, which will be created using a combination of live action and CGI. The adaptation comes from writer/director Will Gluck (Agatha) who co-wrote the script with Rob Leiber based on the original work of Beatrix Potter.
Gleeson will portray the live-action farmer alongside Rose Byrne as Bea, with voice-over roles lined up for Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: Episode VIII), Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street) and James Corden (Trolls).
Brendan Gleeson (The Guard) has also recently been cast in an upcoming children’s production, in the form of the ‘Paddington’ sequel. He takes on the role of Knuckles McGinty, a legendary strongman who befriends the titular character. Paul King (Bunny and the Bull) will reprise his role as director, with Ben Whishaw (Perfume) also set to return to his role as Paddington. New talent on the project also includes Hugh Grant (About a Boy).
Young Donegal talent Amybeth McNulty (Clean Break) has been cast in the leading role in the upcoming ‘Anne of Green Gables’ series with CBC. The fourteen-year old actress beat thousands of others to achieve the role of Anne Shirley. The series will premiere on CBC Television in the spring of 2017, and will simultaneously stream on Netflix.
Liam Neeson and Neil Jordan are set to collaborate in Western Ireland in Summer of 2017 on upcoming feature ‘The Trainer’, which sees Neeson star as a horse trainer John Moore who has lost everything due to a personal tragedy. When Moore encounters teenage refugee Nadya the pair come unexpectedly to share a bond.
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