To mark the 20th anniversary of the IFTA awards, we are showcasing Irish talent who are blazing a trail across our industry, working in front of and behind the camera.
Hosted in association with IFTA, this Q&A Series connects with Irish talent who represent a range of disciplines across our industry.
We find out what they look out for in the projects they take on, what their approach is to filmmaking and collaboration; what inspires them; and what recent work in the industry they most admire.
Zara Devlin is nominated for Best Actress in a Lead Role for Ciaran Creagh’s Ann. She is an actress from County Tyrone, and studied at the Lir Academy in Dublin. She has extensive theatre credits including On Raftery’s Hill (Abbey Theatre), Richard III (Druid), The Glass Menagerie (Gate Theatre), Hecuba (Rough Magic), and Translations (Abbey Theatre). Recent screen credits include The Other Lamb, A Bump Along The Way, and TV series Modern Love.
IFTN: IFTA celebrates 20 years this year. How does this significant milestone reflect the growth and strengthening of the Irish film industry over the past two decades?
ZARA: “When I think back to when I was a little girl in Ireland and wanting to get into acting I just didn’t think I had a chance because I wasn’t in America or England but now I feel like Ireland and it’s talent are being seen by the world and to feel like I don’t have to move countries to be an actor is something little Zara from Kildress would never thought she would feel.”
IFTN: What do you look out for in a script?
ZARA: “I look out for good writing, writing is key for an actor, it’s the words your character says and it needs to be believable and natural. Also when I enjoy reading the script and don’t want to put it down, or that I can picture it in my head, that’s a good sign.”
IFTN: How do you prepare for auditions, and what advice would you give to younger actors?
ZARA: “When I get the script or if it’s based on a novel, I like to read them in full to really get a sense of who the character I’m auditioning for is. My advice to younger actors is to know that what you have already is unique so follow your own natural instincts, no one will play the character the same way as you.”
IFTN: How did you approach playing your character in this film, and how much rehearsal was involved?
ZARA: “I listened to music, I read articles, I wanted to remember what it was like to be 15. We didn’t really rehearse much, I find when shooting a film like this, where the camera is handheld and following the actor, we didn’t really need to block that much. I feel in general some of the best moments in filming are in the rehearsals and I always wished it was filmed.”
IFTN: What Irish Actor/s have you been most impressed by recently?
ZARA: “I’m a big fan of Jessie Buckley, I just could watch her all day. I loved the entire cast in An Cailin Ciúin, I think I’ve seen it 4 times now.”
IFTN: What Director or Actor would you most like to work with and why?
ZARA: “I’d love to work with Greta Gerwig, I love her style of directing, and I also just think she’s a really interesting person.”
IFTN: We often are our own worst critics. What is your approach to constructive criticism and inward reflection?
ZARA: “It took years of being hard on myself to learn that I was wasting far too much time and energy doing that. It also doesn’t help anything or make anything better so I may as well think positively about myself. It's helped me in all aspects of my life.”
The 20th anniversary of the IFTA Awards Ceremony will take place on Sunday, May 7th.
