Originally published in Movies Plus Magazine

Q:  What first attracted you to 16 Years of Alcohol?

Richard sent me the script, and there was a mix up. My old agent got sent it  and I didn’t get it. So he thought I didn’t like it, and then he thought “Oh, fuck it, I’ll try again” and he sent it to my new agent. I just loved it. I loved it because I thought it was a real personal journey, it was quite a spiritual film in a way. I had certain reservations about certain things, but then I met Richard. He was very specific about what he wanted to do with it, and his vision was so clear that I went; “Right. OK, lets do it then…” so that was kind of it! It was all very low key and very small budget, and it was lovely. It was lovely making it actually because he really knew what he was doing. And that’s great because then you know where you’re at and you know what film you’re in and that’s the most important thing… A lot of people make films and they don’t now what they’re making! You’re going “Well if you don’t know what you’re making, how am I gonna know?!”

Q:  How hard is it to watch yourself on screen?

It’s kind of alright, when it’s something that you like, and you’re happy with your character. I saw it at Edinburgh and it was really scary because I hadn’t seen it before and I was sitting with a really huge audience watching it. I was actually quite moved at the end, usually when you’re in something you’re quite objective. So I was really pleased with it! Last night I went with two friends to see it again, just because I had only seen it once. It was really nice to see it again… In my twenties i was desperate at watching myself, I used to just go “Oh my god!!!!” and now its just part of the thing. I’m pretty cool about it!

Q:  16 Years of Alcohol is based on a novella. Did you read it before you did the film?
Purposefully, I didn’t want to read it, I just wanted to be in the film. I was worried that i might make presumptions about it that weren’t particular to the film. Like Richard (Jobson, director and writer of 16 Years of Alcohol) said, none of the words from the novella are used in the movie. I should read it now though! That would be interesting!

Q:  What was Richard Jobson like to work with?

He is so lovely!!! I felt like I was part of something, I know that sounds crazy sometimes its difficult making a film, everyone’s got their own thing. He would really take on board things that you thought, he was very collaborative in that way. He was very aware of actors, and what they need. For someone who has not directed before, that’s pretty admirable. It was lovely, it was a very, very communicative film. There was a real sense of risk in a way, in terms of what was being done and everybody was really behind that 100 per cent. Everybody really went for it. I think that’s because he was so clear in his vision. It seemed like it was the only thing to do!

Q:  Your character in the film, Mary, is very patient and understanding. Can you relate to her on any level?

It would really depend on the man!!!! <laughs> Whether the “Mary-ness” will come out or not! I think some people you have patience with, and some people you don’t! I loved her because of her sense of grace and that she was so patient. Maybe that’s her journey, maybe Mary has to learn that actually you can’t save people. Maybe that’s part of her baggage, that she has had to learn in the process of courting Frankie. In some ways I am incredibly patient actually, but it depends on what it is. There are elements of that in me, there’s a lot of elements of her in me. I think, externally, not. I would never dress in a cashmere twinset! She is much more graceful, much more sophisticated than I am. She is much more a lady, I think. But internally there are a lot of things we have that are similar. I think she’s got an enormous faith, which I do. It’s not based on any religion, it’s not an enormous faith in that way. It’s a spiritual faith… A religious faith, but not of any particular denomination. I have that, so we have that in common.

Q:  Do you take a long time to decide whether you want to do a film?
Generally it’s instantaneous. Sometimes I change my mind, for a million different reasons. Beautiful Creatures I originally turned down and then my agent persuaded me to do it. I actually am really glad I did it, because Rachel is one of my closest friends. so for that reason, yes.

Q:  Do you find it hard to find scripts that suit your tastes?

I find it hard to find scripts!!!! <laughs> In many ways I feel really lucky because I feel like I am a jobbing actor, but then sometimes I get these lovely opportunities. I am going off to Atlantic City to do some work with David Schwimmer on an American film, playing this American barmaid. Sometimes little gems like that come up, you’re supporting somebody that you would never normally support here and that’s kind of amazing. To just jump into these different worlds. I wouldn’t say I’m by any means privileged. I have an independent film career, I don’t have a “Movie Star” career. I feel like I am sort of lucky, because I get to do film, but I don’t have the pressure of loads of execs sitting around a monitor going “what does she look like? Has she got enough make-up on?”, so i can get on with my job. In that way it’s great, but the downside is that you have to try and balance where you earn the money. I just feel like an actor, and I happen to do films sometimes. It’s good. I feel very lucky in what I have, but I don’t have huge choices in terms of turning down scripts. I am very particular, if I don’t like a script, I won’t do it. I will sacrifice being poor, and I have done that before, and I have pulled out of things before where they have changed the script that I have actually agreed to do. I am kind of adamant about that, to the point where you go; <wails> “What am I gonna do for money??!?!”. I would prefer to sit and watch something I’m proud of, and I try and have that ethic.

Q:  What is the highlight of your career so far?

Working with John Sales in Mexico, with five amazing American actresses. That’s one, and doing Nora is the other. just doing it, being an Irish actress playing a leading Irish character, playing an Irish woman. It was just a gift and I knew at the time it was a one-off so there was this extraordinary feeling to knowing that. Also that nobody here knew very much about Nora Barnacle and being able to show people who she was… She was an extraordinary character, so formidable, so ahead of her time. Again a very patient person, incredibly patient. So the brilliant thing about Nora was that she was a woman in the convention of the corset, but she had this energy that was beyond convention. That’s what I loved about playing her. That she had her own sexual identity in a country that is only now coming to terms with the idea of woman having a sexual identity. For me, it was just a dream role and a really amazing experience and brilliant working with Ewan. It’s great being able to talk to journalists and talk as an Irish actress saying “I’m playing this Irish woman”. It was great and it isn’t something that happens a lot so it is an amazing thing when it does happen.

Q:  Is there any other character from history that you would like to play?
I’d like to play Granuaile, the Irish pirate. Just because she’s a pirate and it would be kind of out to sea and I would love to do that. Who else…? I would love to play Maria Callas. That would be it. Granuaile or Maria Callas.

Q:  What role do you most get recognised for?
For Waking Ned a lot, Cracker a lot, which was ages ago. I think that’s it… Or people always think I’m someone else, that’s the other thing. “Are you Minnie Driver?” No, no I’m not. “Are you Julia Ormond?” Obviously I get muddled up with everyone. The question I always ask is “Are you sure you’ve got the right actress?” because that’s one of the things I am always recognised for being, someone else. A lot of people recognise me and say “god I don’t know where it’s from”. The hilarious thing is that you’re so used to getting “Are you so and so?” and you go “no”, so that when someone goes “are you…?” and you go <interrupting> “…No”, and they go “…Susan Lynch?” and you go “…yeah!”. Airports actually… I don’t know what it is about airport staff, they must watch a lot of TV…

Q:  You have worked in both theatre and film. Which do you prefer?
I prefer film, I think. My favourite theatre that I did was with Theatre de Complicité. I did a tour with them last year, and I love working with them. I would work with them again like <snaps fingers> that! But I do love film. I really love it, I love doing it. when theatre is good is SO good. I mean, Theatre de Complicité is like watching dreams, they are the most amazing theatre company in the world, I think. i just feel honoured that I got to work with them, but I think maybe because I am beginning to enjoy film more… Maybe if you ask me in two years you ask me that and I’ll go “Nah… Theatre!” but at the moment it’s film, definitely.

Q:  Your brother John is also an actor. How did it happen that you both ended up in the same field?
We did plays when we were kids and it just sort of happened. We had an amazing drama teacher in Newry called Sean Hollywood, and he trained us up. Then when you were seventeen you went to drama school. There were a lot of actors who came from Newry because of this guy, Sean. God rest his soul, he’s dead now. It was something the family all did in the house, we all messed around. We used to make up songs about toys that came to life, you know the kind of thing that everybody does. Then we just kept doing it I suppose, we just followed through. John went to drama school and I think once my brother went to drama school, I thought “is it actually possible to keep doing this?”. Then it sort of was. When I went to drama school I didn’t think “oh, that’s it. I’m gonna work as an actress”. There were millions of people who want to act, and still are. That feeling never goes, it’s not like you feel that you’ve made it, it’s always “oh this is good for a time”, but who knows what’ll happen?

Q:  You almost always work on small projects, particularly British and Irish films. Is this a conscious choice?
Just what comes along. Once a journalist said to me “Do you want to go to Hollywood?” and I said that’s like asking a writer do you want to win the Booker Prize. Just because the budget is bigger and the film is bigger and the movie stardom is bigger does not necessarily mean that that’s what everybody wants. However, if I got the opportunity to earn a lot of money doing an action film for example, I would take it and know that ultimately that [film] is gonna help me to be able to do more good independent stuff. It’s a kind of balance of things, but I am very happy with what I do. I don’t see it as this big thing that i want to get towards. Sometimes it would be nice to earn more money, its the dilemma of everybody. The dilemma of trying to get the balance between commerce and art. I do it because I really love stories. I really am interested in lots of different kinds of film, so if it means that a bigger budget is a different kind of film, then of course I want to be there and I want to do it, but.. Who knows?

Q: For now, we can see reasonably far into the future… What’s next?
I did a film, Enduring Love, with Sam Morton and Daniel Craig. I’m doing a BBC 2 drama called Bodies, which is about ego in the medical profession. All about consultants and surgeons and backbiting and stuff. I’m doing a film in Atlantic City with David Schwimmer and…  That’s it!