Sensation Once Again
Between appearing in the Coen brothers’ western True Grit and the hugely successful Harry Potter films, it’s safe to say that the past year has been a good one for Domhnall Gleeson. Currently starring in Irish sex-based dramedy Sensation, he talks to Roe McDermott about Ireland’s relationship with sex, his directorial aspirations and why you should never google yourself.
Roe McDermott, 07 Nov 2011
"When I got the part of Bill Weasley in Harry Potter, I was so excited to be in the film that I googled it and just saw this barrage of comments saying, ‘He’s not good-looking enough to play Bill Weasley!’ And I said, ‘You know what? I’m not going to do this again.’ I kind of agreed with them though!”
I marvel at his jovial tone – were hundreds of people to disparage my looks online, I doubt I’d be laughing uproariously while broadcasting the fact. Most likely I’d be huddled somewhere in the foetal position, simultaneously sobbing and eating trifle with my hands.
“Ah, it’s alright, people feel like they have ownership over the characters because they’ve paid money for the book, so they can imagine the characters how they want. As long as they pay money for the movie too, it’s fine. But I shouldn’t have gone looking – don’t listen at a door if you know people are talking about you, you’re just asking for trouble! It was my own fault – and a very good lesson learned!”
Gleeson’s current role in the dark comedy Sensation is unlikely to cause him any such problems. He’s already been widely praised for his performance as Donal, an introverted Tipperary farmer who strikes up an unlikely relationship with a prostitute. His combination of subtle tragedy and awkward comedy is an acting masterclass, but it’s his other, more – ahem – personal techniques that may come under scrutiny. Featuring some graphic sex at which Donal doesn’t exactly excel (we’re encouraged to stress that this aspect of the character bears no resemblance to the actor’s own experiences), how did the 28 year-old feel about inviting friends and family to a film whose opening shots see him furiously masturbating in a field?
“Ah, it’s nothing they haven’t seen before!” he jokes. “To be honest I read it and thought it would be really funny. Obviously some scenes – the blowjob one in particular – are a bit more full-on, but I was up for it. Years ago when I wrote for Your Bad Self, the sketches I wrote were about me having sex with a horse and stuff, so I can’t exactly plead innocence in that sense! Sex and sexuality is interesting and complicated – particularly for Irish people, because historically we’ve had a complex, guilt-ridden relationship with it. But it’s also bizarre and messy and funny and I think you have to show the comedy side of it. And playing it on set – dropping your kaks in front of the crew or putting on a tiny thong to keep yourself contained – if you can’t laugh at that, you’re done.”
Page 1/3 <Previous 1 2 3 Next>
©Hot Press 2011. Why be a member? | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy