Culture That Made Me: Chris Walley on acting, theatre and Cillian Murphy
Chris Walley names Son of Rambow and Cillian Murphy among his cultural touchstones
Chris Walley, 29, grew up in Glanmire, Co Cork. He studied acting at RADA in London. In 2016, he starred in his first movie, , and in its follow-on television series. He won a Laurence Olivier Award for his stage performance in a revival of Martin McDonaghâs in Londonâs West End in 2019. He is acting in at Dublinâs Abbey Theatre until 20 July. See: www.abbeytheatre.ie.
Growing up, was appointment viewing. All week, I waited for it, until it came along every Sunday evening. It was such a well-made show: amazing writing and direction, brilliant acting. It was all-encompassing. It had everything going for it. Tom Vaughan-Lawler can't put a foot wrong. He's an incredible actor. He was riveting as Nidge. You didn't know what he was going to next. You couldn't help but be at the edge of your seat looking at him. He brought such energy to the role.
I watched over lockdown. Itâs an obligation to watch it, a rite of passage. Watching that was like an education. I watched it and loved it. It felt like a necessary part of my life â that I couldnât exist here on Earth without watching . James Gandolfini was utterly amazing in it.
is about two kids who make a short film. Itâs Will Poulterâs first film. He must have been about 10 in it. It's about a Mormon that moves into a town and the local bully takes him in at school and says, âYou're gonna be in my movie. It's going to be called .â I go back to it constantly. I was maybe 13 when I saw it at the Omniplex cinema in Mahon Point (Cork). It was the first independent movie I saw that made me realise that's what cinema is. It changed the trajectory of how I watch things and what you can do with a performance. I loved the originality and the impression a voice can have on something. It was unlike anything I'd seen before. To this day it gives me goosebumps thinking back to that time and watching that film.
is an excellent movie, especially when you think of the influence it had on, say, , which was produced by Martin Scorsese, and seeing it as part of a series of movies Martin Scorsese did with Robert De Niro which also includes . In , De Niro plays a comedian whoâs not funny, who has an obsession with this talk show host. It's very similar to , but itâs darker in a more nuanced way, not as black and white psychologically. Itâs quite funny as well.
I saw the play recently in London at the National Theatre. Itâs written by Jack Thorne and directed by Sam Mendes. John Gielgud directed Richard Burton in . Itâs a staging of the rehearsal room. Johnny Flynn as Richard Burton was just tearing the stage apart. He was unbelievable. Heâs an incredible actor. The whole production was brilliant.
with Denise Gough was one of the first plays I saw when I moved to London. She was amazing in it. It was awe-inspiring. Some of the seats were on the stage. I went with my friend, the actor Kevin Creedon. We bought not-great seats, but during the interval we could see there were a few empty seats on the stage. So for the second half, we sat on those free seats on the stage. It felt magic to be that close â when Iâd just moved over to London to drama school to fulfil my dream â watching a performance like that. My jaw was on the floor watching her on stage. I was so moved by her. It was profound.
One of my favourite plays is by Lyle Kessler. I remember being a young fella reading it, and it being so profound, and moving me so much. As an actor, it has such considered, beautiful parts. I did a duologue with my friend Kevin Creedon of that play. Then we put the play on for Cork Penny Dinners when we finished school. We raised two grand for charity. It has lived with me since. My business isn't over with that play. It'll be done again.
Youâll always know if I was having a few pints because you could look at the search history on my phone when I get home, and youâd find I was looking at clips of . I could watch that man and study him until the cows come home. There's something about his ability that is mesmerising. It's his range, his ability to disappear into characters and become utterly unrecognisable.
Cate Blanchett is another incredible actor. I don't think she takes a wrong move. The thing that I've always been so fascinated by is her ability also to disappear into parts, to be like a chameleon. She has an amazing range. The substance she has. I remember watching last year. The movie was nearly marinating in my head. I spent weeks thinking about it.
It's amazing to look at Cillian Murphy, him being a Cork man, going, âHeâs not far away from where I'm from!â He has such range, and within the range, he has a tenderness of touch, such delicacy and beauty. There are no broad strokes. Everything is a fine detail. was a hugely formative film when I was growing up, watching him in that, thinking, iOh, that's what you can do with a performance'.
Last year, I read Patrick Radden Keefeâs . It's an amazing book. Itâs so educational and eye-opening. People should read it to see how brilliant it is.
I loved the podcast . I was doing and Charlie Murphy told me, âYou gotta listen to this podcast .â It's an American true crime series, but it goes to an unexpected place. You think it's going to be one thing, and it becomes something totally different. I remember being enthralled by it.
is a documentary about Marlon Brando. He made these voice recordings on a Dictaphone, recording much of the latter part of his life, his thoughts. Itâs an amazing insight into his mind and how he worked, tracking the trajectory of his career.
