Where are they now? The stars of Love/Hate 10 years on
Peter Coonan (Fran), Robbie Sheehan (Darren), Tom Vaughan Lawlor (Nidge) and Killian Scott (Tommy) all starred in Love/Hate
- This article is part of our Best of 2024 collection. It was originally published in August. Find more stories like this here.
It's 10 years since Love/Hate’s dramatic finale reached fever pitch, concluding one of the most popular TV series ever launched in Ireland.
Every Sunday night, the nation was gripped by the double-crossing, blood-shedding, wheeler-dealing escapades of Nigel Delaney and his friends and foes in Dublin’s criminal underworld.
Stuart Carolan’s gritty crime drama drew strong reviews and certainly captured the public imagination — at the height of its success, hundreds of members of the public would gather to watch scenes from the show being filmed on the streets.
, which ran for five shocking and sensational seasons, also had a massive impact on Ireland’s acting talent, spawning a whole generation of stars that have gone on to other big successes. The factor still looms large, with one of its leading stars featuring in a major new Netflix series later this month.
The Dublin-born actor will take a leading role in — a new show described as an irreverent dramedy inspired by Greek mythology - which is set to debut on Netflix on August 29.
From creator, Charlie Covell, is centred around a dysfunctional family of gods and sees Scott play a rock star with a big heart and an ego to match named Orpheus. He’s in good company — his co-stars include acting legend Jeff Goldblum. Scott’s real name, in fact, is Cillian Murphy, but that name was already very much taken in the thespian world by a certain Cork Oscar-winner. The series marks the latest role for Scott, who first shot to fame as the fizzy orange-loving criminal Tommy, whose brutal beating is recalled as one of ’s most-unsettling scenes.
Here, we look at other stars who made their names in the series.
Siobhán’s character journey from young gangster family member to key garda informant was brilliantly constructed by writer Stuart Carolan and Murphy. After the shocking and violent events her character experienced in season three, Siobhán became a major and central force in the show’s finale. She has starred in several impressive TV shows in the years since, including the BBC’s with Sarah Lancashire and opposite Cillian Murphy in . Currently starring in the well-received US TV series , watch out for her in , the forthcoming story of the world’s first test-tube baby, Louise Brown.
Keoghan had already starred in a few independent films when he made his debut on with a controversial scene. As the babyfaced criminal Wayne, his shooting of a cat shocked viewers. In the years since, Keoghan has gone on to enjoy a hugely successful Hollywood career, working alongside some of the world’s biggest filmmakers. He played a manipulative young man in Yorgos Lanthimos’s chilling shone in Christopher Nolan’s , and enacted a graveyard and dance scene we won’t forget in a hurry in last year’s . Among his forthcoming projects are a return to Ireland to star in , a thriller set among a shepherding family.
As Darren, the young criminal with streaks of loyalty and kindness, Robert Sheehan’s character was one of the most popular in the series. Sheehan was also starring in the UK hit around that same time, giving him two stepping stones to screen stardom. He has worked steadily in the years since — and since 2019 has another hit on his hands after debuting as Klaus Hargreeves in the award-winning series .
He gave us a star-making performance as the weirdly charismatic, riveting and ruthless Nidge, the gangland leader who would do anything to maintain power. It was a remarkable role and the Dubliner made the most of it, building a varied and successful career. The actor has since used his chameleonic qualities to impressive effect on the big and small screen, starring in Irish dramas ( ), entertaining real-life stories ( ) and Hollywood juggernauts ( and ). Based in the UK with his actress wife Claire Cox and their family, the Irishman can currently be seen on Netflix’s , about the Homeless World Cup soccer tournament.
The Limerick-Ethiopian actress brought a powerful emotional resonance to the series as part of the lovestruck couple Rosie and Darren, with an onscreen chemistry that made viewers really invested in their fate.
Already a star thanks to movies including , the success of further consolidated Negga’s career and just years after the series ended in 2014, she received an Oscar nomination for her role in . She played Mildred Loving in the powerful true story of a couple who fought a legal battle after being arrested for their interracial marriage. Negga went on to star in another iconic series — US show — and is currently starring opposite Jake Gyllenhaal in the legal series . She’s also set to star opposite Michael Fassbender and Domhnall Gleeson in director James Marsh’s adaptation of Kevin Barry’s novel, .
From his coining of the phrase ‘coola boola’ — which for a time felt like the most-used remark in Ireland — to his famous: “I’ve a bone to pick with you Nidgy!” Coonan’s Fran delivered some of the show’s best lines with aplomb. He’s enjoyed a busy and diverse career on the stage and screen ever since. Highlights have included starring roles in and . He has two movies on the way — the Dublin-based drama , and his co-star Eva Birthistle’s directorial debut, .
Gillen’s John Boy had the knack for generating fear and a sense of menace into anyone who crossed his path. But his great failing was a fondness for the cocaine he was peddling which proved to be his undoing — and he met an early and violent end in the season two finale. Gillen has enjoyed a busy career in the years since, mixing up roles in Irish film and TV with international projects, such as Queen’s manager John Reid in and Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish in . He also returned to the Dublin crime genre as Frank Kinsella in . Currently starring in , he had several projects on the way, including an adaptation of John Le Carre’s .
After gripping audiences with the surprise and reveals of , writer and creator Carolan has enjoyed a fruitful career. He followed with the TV series and has worked as show runner on international series such as , on US cable channel TNT. He also worked as writer and story producer on Guy Ritchie’s recent TV series . Carolan has several projects — including a movie adaptation of Paul Murray’s best-selling novel, — in development.
