In Hollywood and television history, Ireland has enjoyed an excellent reputation for supplying some of the best actors.
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May 15, 2020
In Hollywood and television history, Ireland has enjoyed an excellent reputation for supplying some of the best actors. There have also been many online games that have also been inspired by Ireland such as Irish-themed slot games that you can play on websites such as Gaming Club. If you are a movie or TV series fan, then there are many Irish actors that you can watch right now on streaming services, on demand, or on DVD. They have indispensable acting skills that make them some of the best actors and actresses who were born or grew up in Ireland.
Cillian Murphy
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Cillian Murphy. Photo: Getty Images
Screen and stage actor Cillian Murphy comes from Douglas, County Cork. He began his acting career in the 1990s production of Disco Pigs. Since then, Murphy has been taking many different roles in excellent films. One of his first most notable film roles was in 28 Days Later (2002). His appearance in Inception, released in 2010, alongside other great actors earned him a notable position among Hollywood heavyweights. Right now, he is currently gaining a lot of popularity and fame from the popular TV series Peaky Blinders (2013-). The TV show has done so well that there is even a Peaky Blinders video game due this summer. In 2017 and 2018, he also won an Irish Film & Television Award for Best Actor in a Lead Role in a Drama for his role as Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders. He has also been nominated for several awards due to his outstanding performances in The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006) and Breakfast on Pluto (2005).
Michael Fassbender
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Michael Fassbender. Photo: Getty Images
Although he was born in Germany, Michael Fassbender was raised by his German father and Irish mother in Killarney, County Kerry. Through the years, Fassbender has become one of the best Irish actors, taking excellent roles in many screenplays. For instance, Fassbender’s performance in films like Hunger (2008) earned him great recognition in Hollywood. In the past five years, he has even accumulated two Academy Award nominations for his role in 12 Years a Slave (2013) and Steve Jobs (2015). If you’re looking for a great film series to watch right now then you can watch him as young Erik Lensherr with an X-Men movie marathon or you can enjoy a Quentin Tarantino marathon and watch him star in Inglourious Basterds (2009).
Aidan Turner
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Aidan Turner. Photo: Getty Images
Aidan Turner is an Irish actor born in Clondalkin, Dublin. Upon graduating from Dublin’s Gaiety School of Acting in 2004, he appeared in many stage productions. Some of these productions include Romeo and Juliet, The Plough & The Star, and a Cry from Heaven. In 2008, he made a transition to television and movies. He starred in the film Alarm, and also took a co-starring role in a famous Irish TV drama known as The Clinic. Later on in his career he was very popular in both film and TV in Being Human, The Hobbit, and Poldark. His role as Ross Poldark earned him two nominations for the Irish Film & Television Awards for Best Actor in a Lead Role in Drama.
Domhnall Gleeson
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Domhnall Gleeson. Photo: Getty Images
Domhnall Gleeson was born on May 12, 1983, in Dublin, Ireland. He is an Irish actor best known for his role in the Harry Potter film franchise (2010-2011). His father Brendan Gleeson is also a well-known Irish actor who also starred in Harry Potter too. Recently, Brendan Gleeson celebrated his birthday on March 29th, and how best to celebrate than by watching seven of the best Brendan Gleeson movies! In 2015, Domhnall appeared in four films, all of which received nominations at the 88th Academy Awards: Brooklyn, The Revenant, Ex Machina, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Gleeson also later appeared in three films in 2016, and all of them were nominated for Best Picture Oscar: Brooklyn, True Grit, and The Revenant. If you;re looking for a quirky rom-com to watch at the moment, then Domhnall stars opposite Rachel McAdams in About Time and is available to watch on Netflix right now.
Saoirse Ronan
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Saoirse Ronan. Photo: Getty Images
Although she was born in New York City, Saoirse Ronan’s parents were both from Dublin and they all moved back there when she was three years old. The Ronan family eventually settled down in the seaside village of Howth. She started acting at a very early age and in 2008, when Ronan was only 13, she was nominated for her first Academy Award following her performance in Atonement. Over her career, Saoirse’s performances continue to be outstanding as she was nominated for three more Academy Awards before she turned 26. She received nominations for her roles in Brooklyn, Lady Bird, and Little Women. There are many great Irish films to watch over the holidays, or anytime of the year, to keep you entertained and Brooklyn is one of them!
Fiona Shaw
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Fiona Shaw in Season 2 of Killing Eve. Photo: BBC
Fiona Shaw was born in Farranree County Cork and over her career she has starred in many film, TV, and theatre productions. She has worked with the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company and even received two Olivier awards. Alongside many other great Irish actors, such as Brendan and Domhnall Gleeson, Fiona also starred in the Harry Potter film franchise. More recently, she has starred in popular TV series such as Fleabag and Killing Eve. Fiona also recently won a British Academy Television Award in 2019 for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Killing Eve. Right now, season three has just started so this could be the perfect show to binge watch right now.
Katie McGrath
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Katie McGrath. Photo: Georges Seguin/Creative Commons GNU Free Documentation
Best known for her television role as Morgana in the BBC series Merlin, Katie McGrath is an Irish actress who was born in Ashford, County Wicklow. Katie actually never intended to make a career in the acting profession as she studied History at Trinity College and developed an interest in fashion journalism after graduating. After becoming a wardrobe assistant on The Tudors, she was advised to try acting and the rest is history! Since her well-known role in Merlin, she has starred in other popular series such as Dracula and Supergirl and has also starred in films such as Jurassic World and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.
Evanna Lynch
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Evanna Lynch and her dance partner Keo on DWTS. Photo: ABC
Evanna Lynch is another young Irish actress born in Termonfeckin, County Louth in Ireland. She is best known for her role as Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter film series. She first starred in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and then went to star in the last three Harry Potter films after that. Her career in acting all started with the casting call for Luna Lovegood in London where she auditioned against 15,000 girls for the role. She later won Best Supporting Actress at the Scream Awards in 2009 for her role as Luna in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Later on in her career she was also nominated for her role in My Name Is Emily at the 2016 Irish Film & Drama Awards.