A question of taste - Aaron Monaghan

Aaron Monaghan, from Cavan, is currently playing Estragon in Waiting for Godot for Druid until July 23 in the Mick Lally Theatre, Galway, before embarking on an ‘Unusual Rural Tour’.  Druid.ie.

Monaghan has just finished filming on Assassin’s Creed with Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotilliard, The Foreigner with Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan, and Maze with Tom Vaughan-Lawlor.

Best recent book:

I’ve just finished Win or Learn by coach John Kavanagh, and Porno, the sequel to Trainspotting, by Irvine Welsh. Loved both. I’m a huge fan of Conor McGregor and what he, John Kavanagh, and SBG have done for Irish MMA, and I adore the voices Irvine Welsh creates in his novels.

Best recent film:

The Nice Guys made me laugh out loud. Ryan Gosling does a superb job of playing stupid really well. Even when he’s not playing stupid he still looks a little stupid.

Pick one of… best recent show/exhibition/gig you’ve seen… and what you enjoyed about it?

I saw the Da Vinci drawings exhibition in the National Gallery. I’ve always loved his drawings more so than the paintings. I brought my Mam and she was blown away. It’s one of the brilliant things about Ireland and Dublin in particular: We have incredible access to such a vast array of the most stunning and ancient artwork from all over the world. I hope we never take it for granted.

What formats do you access music?

I usually download music from iTunes but not very often. I’m not very up to date with contemporary music. I tend to listen to the same stuff I’ve had on CDs for years.

Best piece of music you’ve been listening to lately (new or old):

I’ve been listening to Eminem a lot when I exercise, particularly The Marshall Mathers LP 2, which is awesome. Other stuff playing on the shuffle includes ‘Big in Japan’ by Ane Brun, ‘Day Too Soon’ by Sia, Queen, Laura Marling, and Elbow.

First ever film or gig that really moved you:

I don’t know which came first, but it was either Watership Down, Pinocchio, or The Neverending Story. So there you have rabbits caught in a snare and dying and bouncing off as ghosts, young orphaned boys turning into donkeys on an island, and the white horse dies in the swamp after becoming too sad! We were basically tortured as children.

The best gig or show you’ve ever seen (if you had to pick one!):

OK, May 18, 1997, Croke Park. Garth Brooks’ final show in Ireland that year. My first ever concert. I can’t describe how huge a fan I was, or how spellbindingly awesome the whole experience was. I might as well have been up on stage with him. I shook his hand. Not cool or hip or trendy, I know, but nothing has topped it since.

Tell us about your TV viewing:

I’m not all that into TV as I really dislike reality TV and I find series and boxsets are too much of a commitment. So I watch older stuff on repeat or in the background. Stuff like Arrested Development, The Office, or Family Guy. They never get old.

Name three of your acting heroes:

I saw Mark Rylance be mesmerising in a few shows, he’s stunning to watch. Marie Mullen is Irish acting royalty, a breathtakingly talented woman, and the most beautifully gracious woman on and off stage. Don Wycherley has been a hero of mine since I started: One of the hardest working, most generous and most inventive actors I’ve ever worked with.

Most expensive item of clothing you’ve ever bought — what was it and how much?

Hugo Boss suit. I love it. Got it half price so I reckon I’m due a new one soon.

Tech habits: what you use, and what you use it for?

I’m an Apple freak. As well as the iPhone I use the iPad for travelling so I can read, write, email, and watch stuff when I’m touring and it saves carrying around the laptop. My absolute favourite gadget is the shuffle for the gym or for running. It’s tiny and so light! I’d be lost without it.

Unsung hero — individual, organisation, or group you think don’t get the profile/praise they deserve:

Brother Kevin and his staff at the Capuchin Day Centre in Bow St. They do incredible work for homeless people, providing thousands of meals weekly.

You are king for a day — what’s your first decree?

Everyone gets a roof over their head, no one has to sleep in the street.