Abrams praise for Star Wars actor Gleeson

Star Wars director JJ Abrams praised actor Domhnall Gleeson as “a joy” to work with in the upcoming Star Wars — The Force Awakens, which hits cinemas this December.

Speaking at the US-Ireland Alliance’s 10th annual Oscar Wilde Awards, Abrams said: “He is such a brilliant actor. I cannot tell you how lucky we are to have him. He is so good and so smart. He’s an utter joy to work with.”

The Hollywood gathering saw Colin Davidson, Carrie Fisher, and Stephen Colbert honoured. Abrams hosted the event, held at his Bad Robot production company in Santa Monica.

His opening remarks celebrated US-Ireland Alliance founder and president Trina Vargo, who encouraged him to film in Ireland.

“Trina and my wife Katie go way back to the time when they both worked for Senator Ted Kennedy,” said Abrams. “Trina kept telling Katie that we had to visit Ireland. Then she said she was making me an ‘honorary’ Irishman so we really had to visit Ireland. Which we did, and we loved.

“Then, when we started to hold the event here, Trina said: ‘It’s still not enough JJ; now I want you to film in Ireland, and not just any film, goddamnit, it needs to be Star Wars.’ ”

Irish actress Sarah Bolger, who  stars in ‘The Lazarus Effect’.

The film’s producer Kathleen Kennedy, co-writer Lawrence Kasdan, and actor Mark Hamill were in attendance to see Carrie Fisher, aka Princess Leia, receive her Oscar Wilde Award.

Fisher said: “My family immigrated from Ireland to Texas — you would have to be drunk to think that’s moving up in the world.”

“My great, great, fabulous grandfather Burt McReynolds from the county Donegal was wrongfully accused of being a horse thief; a case of mistaken identity. But rather than put his family through the rigours of a trial to clear the family name, he immigrated to America, dropped the Mc in the ocean, became Burt Reynolds, and the rest is history.”