Two Cork actors on Rising Stars Ireland list from prestigious film publication
Dónal Finn and Eanna Hardwicke were included on the Rising Stars Ireland list by Screen International. Pictures: Stephen ST Bradley
Prestigious international film industry publication Screen International has revealed the filmmakers and actors selected for the first-ever talent spotlight - and there's a strong Leeside connection in the initial intake of ten upcoming actors, directors, producers and writers.
Born in Cork and involved with youth theatre from the age of 10, Éanna Hardwicke made his screen debut as Ciarán Hinds’s son in Conor McPherson’s The Eclipse, before studying at The Lir Academy in 2015, subsequently finding roles in Lorcan Finnegan’s feature Vivarium, which shot in Belgium and Ireland, and the acclaimed TV adaptation of Normal People.
In recent times, the Glanmire man has starred RTÉ murder mystery Smother and Netflix’s Fate: The Winx Saga, as well as forthcoming Irish feature The Sparrow, BBC drama The Sixth Commandment, and Paramount+ drama The Doll Factory.
Dromina man Dónal Finn channelled a childhood bug for acting and local drama societies into study at LAMDA with a three-year scholarship, yielding a Sir Alec Guinness Award, including Film4’s How To Build A Girl and Netflix fantasy drama The Witcher, as well as having just finished a run of the live theatre version of Irish film classic Sing Street in New York.
Other Irish stars on the list include actors Thaddea Graham, Ella Lily Hyland, and Patrick Martins, producer Collie McCarthy, and writer/directors Katie McNeice, Mia Mullarkey, Rioghnach Ní Ghrioghair, and Derek Ugochukwu.
Screen International editor Fionnuala Halligan, who worked on the list with Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, said: "It has been my ambition since the day I started work on UK Stars of Tomorrow to break Ireland out, and it’s certainly the year for Irish breakout success.
"It’s a delight to select these passionate Irish storytellers for this first edition of Rising Stars Ireland and get a look at the force which is brewing there through the many thoughtful applications we received. My thanks to Screen Ireland for their great support in putting this all together, and everyone who applied."
