Paul Mescal has revealed he would “love” to portray Irish rebel leader Micheal Collins, a role he hopes to tackle one day.
Speaking at the Irish premiere of his new film, Hamnet, the actor stated he has “always been so interested in that period of Irish history,” though he conceded Liam Neeson “did a great job with that” previously.
Mescal stars as William Shakespeare in Hamnet, a film exploring the playwright’s marriage to his wife, Agnes, and the profound grief following their young son’s death.
Jessie Buckley plays Agnes, with both Irish actors earning Golden Globe nominations for their performances in the historical drama.
There has been significant Oscar buzz around her since Hamnet started screening at festivals – something she brushed off, saying: “Whatever comes, we’ll meet that in the moment.”
She did however describe the project as one of the most “personal, intimate, significant jobs I’ve done”.
She described the cast and crew as like “family”, saying “we were like peas in a pod” and “it wasn’t just camaraderie, it was a family, we lived like a family, the minute we got that set none of us wanted to leave”.
Coleraine-born Maggie O’Farrell wrote the screenplay with director Chloe Zhao and joked with her collaborator about the Irish-heavy contingent in the cast, asking: “Did you actually do any auditions, or did you just go to Ireland on holiday?”
The rave reviews for the film echo the critical reception the book received on publication, something which has astounded the novelist.
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“Somebody asked me if it was a dream come true, and I said well no, because it didn’t even occur to me, it was possible”.
She added she was too “superstitious” to discuss award speculation, saying she does not want to “jinx anything”.
In 2021 Ms Zhao became the third woman, and first woman of colour, to win an Oscar for Nomadland.
She says she has an interest in “exploring some old, old” Irish stories in future projects, adding she has previously celebrated Celtic holidays like Samhain and Imbolc.
Hamnet will be in Irish and British cinemas on 9 January.
