This much I know: Eva Birthistle, Actor

My advice to anyone who wants to act is to persevere.

If you have decided that’s the road you want to go down, then don’t be put off course by how difficult it can be.

Keep the acting simple and real. I always think of Brendan Gleeson as an example of someone who does that: he makes it look effortless and so real and honest and simple.

If I could be someone else for a day, I’d love to be a blues singer — I can’t sing at all.

I decided to be an actor when I was 17. I’d just done my GCSEs in Derry and was at a loose end so I decided to try Performing Arts, thinking I’d work behind the scenes. They had a really good drama teacher called Gordon Fulton. I’m sure he gave me loads of great advice but because I’ve just had a baby I don’t remember any of it! I know he told me I could do it, which is what you need to hear in the beginning when you are starting out.

I felt passionate about acting. I hadn’t felt that strongly about anything else before. Acting challenged and scared me and once I believed I could actually do it, I moved to Dublin to attend the Gaiety School.

I was a day dreamer and a giddy child. I still have a day-dreamy side and still love having fun.

I’m laid back, probably a bit too laid back and tend to say ‘ah sure what will be will be’ and ‘everything will work out in the end’ which is slightly contradictory as I am also quite driven.

I think you have to be driven to be an actor, otherwise I’d have given up years ago as it’s that drive that makes you succeed. Both my parents have always worked very hard so I probably got the work ethic from them.

One of my main faults is impatience, with myself rather than with other people.

I started writing recently because I would like to direct. I started out with a short which I wrote and directed and shot in my flat. I loved the experience. And now I’m on the second draft of a feature.

I don’t think it’s necessary to have been an actor to be a good director — I’ve worked with directors with no acting background who have a brilliant dialogue with actors — but I do believe my acting experience will stand to me as a director as you understand the actor’s role so well when you have been there yourself.

I’ve a sweet tooth and love food. To eat what I want I’m pretty good at exercising — I enjoy pilates most.

I’ve been living in London for 15 years. I’m not sure that handling the insecurity of the business comes naturally to any actor, you just learn to live with it and accept it as part of the territory. A few years ago I had a break in the UK and thought ‘that’s me sorted’ — but before long I was back waitressing. You can never rest on your laurels.

I still get nervous before auditions. Sometimes I leave the room thinking I must have forgotten how to act. But once I’m on set, when I’m doing the work, I’m fine.

So far life has taught me to be kind to people. It may sound cheesy but it’s pretty simple because what you give out is what comes back to you.

I think it is possible to be kind to people even in my industry. I see some people who have a great career but put their career before their life — who may have chosen to be a bit more cut-throat about it — but if that choice means losing out people or a nice life along the way, I’d rather be less cut-throat.

So far, having a baby has been my biggest challenge. My world has been turned upside down in a wonderful way. He is eight weeks old and his name is Jesse.

I’m told this time is precious and it goes really quickly so I have purposely not made any work plans for the next few months and I’ll see what comes my way after that.

Eva Birthistle stars in the new RTÉ Drama Amber which airs over four consecutive nights on RTÉ One, beginning 19 Jan, 9.30pm.