Man on fire: 'Kin' star Sam Keeley on acting, Iceland and Joe Exotic

From playing the impetuous son of a gangland boss in Kin, to starring as the ex-husband of Joe Exotic in an upcoming US drama, Offaly actor Sam Keeley’s star is on the rise. He talks to Marjorie Brennan about family, living in Iceland — and Love/Hate
Man on fire: 'Kin' star Sam Keeley on acting, Iceland and Joe Exotic

Sam Keely as Eric 'Viking' Kinsella in RTÉ's Kin, concluding tomorrow night on RTÉ One.

You could say Sam Keeley’s latest role was written in the stars. In his Twitter bio, the 30-year-old actor gives his location as Reykjavik/London/Los Angeles. While the last two are typical thespian hangouts, the first piques my interest. So what brings a lad from Tullamore, Co Offaly, to the Land of Ice and Fire?

“I’ve always wanted to go there. My mum’s family name [Grimes] is originally from when the Vikings were here in Ireland. I’ve always had very romantic ideas about that. I went to Reykjavik by myself one New Year’s Eve and I hung around and made some friends. I loved it so much I would rent airbnbs and go back there whenever I was off work. Then eventually I decided I would settle there, and it has been great. I go back whenever I’m not working, which is not very often. It is a beautiful country.”

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