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greymattermaelstrom · 2 years

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Outlander: Claire star dropped a teaser about season seven (Image: Starz)

Outlander season 7: Caitriona Balfe teases dramatic conclusion to Christie storyline

OUTLANDER'S Caitriona Balfe revealed fans could be in for a surprise when season seven returns with the Christie storyline.

After making fans wait almost two years, Outlander made its highly anticipated return to Starz in March with the release of season six. While the action-packed instalment only contained eight episodes, star Caitriona Balfe teased a dramatic conclusion to a major storyline in the upcoming season.

Season six ended on an upsetting cliffhanger which saw the fan favourite couple, Claire Fraser (played by Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) separated.

While the two weren’t going through any relationship issues, they had been forcibly torn from each other’s side by Richard Brown (Chris Larkin).

Claire was thrown into prison after locals believed she was responsible for the death of her apprentice Malva Christie (Jessica Reynolds).

Although she had vehemently proclaimed her innocence, there was incriminating evidence, however, according to the actress, fans could be in for more dramatic scenes.

Outlander: Claire was arrested for Malva's death (Image: Starz)

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Caitriona was quizzed about the upcoming season seven and revealed: “There’s a lot going on next season.”

She added: “What we can say is there will definitely be conclusion to some of this, some of these threads will have been tied up early on.

“And we will then have a lot of new characters join that are going to be very meaningful to the series.”

With the mystery surrounding Malva’s death supposedly concluding “early on,” there is a chance Claire would be able to prove her innocence.

Outlander: Malva was Claire's apprentice (Image: Starz)

Outlander: Claire and Jamie were separated in the finale (Image: Starz)

However, there is also the possibility Jamie could help her escape Wilmington Prison, as he was racing to be by her side.

With the help of Young Ian (John Bell) and the Cherokee, he was rescued and was on his way to get his wife back.

This was also of great importance to Jamie as he knew Claire wouldn’t face a fair trial at Wilmington and could be sentenced.

Especially after Richard said he would do all he could to ensure she took the punishment for Malva’s death.

Claire came across Malva’s dead body during the episode titled ‘The World Turned Upside Down.’

Her body was discovered in Claire’s vegetable patch and she mysteriously had her throat slit.

As Claire was a nurse, her instincts kicked in as she used a scalpel to try and save Malva’s, unborn baby which sadly proved to be unsuccessful.

Things then took a turn for the worse as Claire was found alongside the dead body, a scalpel in one hand and a dead foetus in the other.

This unsurprisingly led to her being accused of murder and while the two worked closely together in Claire's doctor's office, it was believed she had a motive.

Before her death, Malva had accused Jamie of infidelity and claimed he was the father of her unborn baby.

Although Claire was initially devastated at the thought of her husband lying to her, she was relieved when he promised he had never cheated.

Thankfully for fans, they will soon find out the conclusion of Malva’s storyline when the show returns with season seven which fans predict will premiere later this year.

https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1614911/Outlander-season-7-Caitriona-Balfe-Christie-storyline-conclusion

Remember… as Claire was a nurse surgeon, her instincts kicked in as she used a scalpel to try and save Malva’s unborn baby, which sadly proved to be unsuccessful. — Daily Express

Claire didn’t go to Harvard Medical School just to eat her lunch.

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greymattermaelstrom · 2 years

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Brian works in finance, but has always been fascinated by science.

Let’s examine a theory recently discussed on a scientist’s blog.

Hypothesis:

Antis and Balfenation posted the certified copy of (Tait’s) an entry of marriage, also known as the marriage certificate or the mc.

“You mean the same ones that paid for her marriage certificate and posted it on social media?” 12 January 2022, a scientist’s posted response to an Anon message

“The MC… pretty sure the first ones to post were Antis.” 16 January 2022, the same scientist’s posted response to an Anon message

Questions:

Who posted the mc?

Where did they post it?

Experiment:

This researcher identified original postings on Tumblr, disregarding reposts and reblogs of those posts. While this researcher is aware of reposts on both Twitter and Instagram, there is no evidence of original posts on those platforms.

Observations:

Four Tumblr bloggers posted a/their own copy of the mc.

1. 20 April 2021

brian-in-finance, former longtime-SC-shipper-turned-Tait-shipper. Brian redacted every piece of personal information not already widely known by the fandom.

Despite his unequivocally knowing C married T, Brian ordered a copy of the mc and posted it because he thought it would put a huge dent in people’s shipping a married woman with her single co-star. Brian was naive.

2. 22 April 2021

hurleyburley, SC shipper at the time of posting: current status unknown, blog dormant. Hurley hid the bridal couple’s residence addresses under a sticky note on which SH wrote nothing.

Hurley ordered and posted her copy because: “I have noticed that no one has said they’ve applied for Cait’s marriage certificate. I would like to know if there is one as I’m intrigued, having seen all of your blogs. Frankly I hope there isn’t one, but let’s see…” 12 March 2021, post

3. 23 April 2021

bat-cat-reader, SC shipper. Bat posted a portion of the mc that shows the bridal couple’s residence addresses and their fathers’ names.

This researcher does not know where Bat received that portion of the mc or why he/she/they posted it. This researcher is currently blocked from Bat’s blog and unable to make an inquiry.

4. 25 May 2021

maywepour, a self-professed SC shipper-of-sorts at the time of posting: current status neutral. May posted the mc in its entirety.

May ordered and posted her own copy. “I’ve sent for a copy. Let’s see if it exists.” 22 April 2021, comment on an SC shipper’s reblog of a former SC shipper’s post

5. Only hurleyburley tagged CB. She also tagged SH. Interesting to this researcher is she did not tag TM. (Wee joke. Science can be so dry.) Most reposts on Twitter and Instagram included tagging CB and SH.

Analysis:

For £11, anyone who has a registered account with the General Register Office (GRO) in London can order a copy of a marriage or civil partnership certificate in England and Wales. If you do not know the certificate’s GRO (index reference) number, you pay an additional £3. The GRO number includes the year, volume number, page number, and district in which the event was registered… and — Fun Fact — is not included on the actual certificate.

Three Tumblr bloggers ordered their own copy of the mc. One blogger had access to a copy, purchased or borrowed. All four bloggers posted a copy on Tumblr.

One blogger is a former SC shipper who now ships Tait.

One blogger was an SC shipper at the time of posting. Her blog has since been dormant and her shipping status is unknown.

One blogger is a current SC shipper.

One blogger is a former SC shipper-of-sorts who is now neutral.

Conclusions:

Four Tumblr bloggers posted a/their own copy of the mc. Each blogger was a shipper at the time: three bloggers shipped SC, one blogger shipped Tait.

The mc was not posted by an Anti or by a member of Balfenation. The mc was posted by shippers.

Remember… the more you find out about the world, the more opportunities there are to laugh at it. — Bill Nye (the Science Guy)

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Caitríona Balfe has already received a Best Supporting Actress BAFTA nomination for role in Belfast

'Whatever happens, she'll still be Caitríona' - Monaghan actress tipped for Oscar nomination

It is a long way from the Drumlins of Co Monaghan to the Hills of Hollywood, but Caitríona Balfe has made that journey and is now tipped to get an Oscar nomination for her role as 'Ma' in Belfast.

Nominations will be announced tomorrow.

The former model and proud Monaghan woman has had a whirlwind few months with the success of the Kenneth Branagh directed film, Belfast, which is based on the Troubles.

Only last week the 42-year-old received a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress in the movie.

"We’re so proud of her and she's worked so hard. She started in Dublin, went to Paris, then London and then on to New York," explained her mother Anne.

"Growing up, she never talked about acting. But she was always taking off people. She used to do a great impression of Margaret Thatcher," said her father Jim.

"She also did a good impression of the MEP, Mairead McGuinness," Anne said.

Caitríona enjoyed school and like many teenagers her age made the annual summer trip to the Gaeltacht where she made lots of new friends.

"She did a lot of singing, drama and dancing there. I found a notebook a few years back, which I shouldn't have got rid of and some young lad said, you’ll make a great actor or model in the future, and I got rid of when I was throwing out old stuff," said Anne.

Jim and Anne Balfe at their home in Tydavnet, Co Monaghan

Caitríona went to secondary school at Beech Hill College in Monaghan. She was involved in cross country running.

Her parents said while she was good at school, she was a "scamp at the same time" and kept them on their toes.

"We are so proud of her and we wish her continued success. I’ve seen the movie Belfast and I hope some day she’ll come visit us here," said Tony McHugh, Assistant Principal of Beech Hill College.

Anne Costello was Caitríona's art teacher. She recalls an enthusiastic and bubbly teenager.

"She was always very confident and so talented. She had such potential, so I’m not surprised she’s done so well. We’re delighted to see it," said Ms Costello.

Caitríona (Centre back row) at Beech Hill College, Monaghan.

"We’re really proud of her. It’s great for our students to see and this will really motivate them," said Mary Gill, another former teacher of Caitríona’s.

Caitríona has had massive success with the hit series Outlander - where she plays Claire Fraser - a historical TV drama which is huge in the US and in Australia.

"Since she started acting, she’s worked hard. She does a lot of preparation. The first year she was doing Outlander, she was living in Scotland, she didn’t know anyone except for the cast and crew. Work, eat and prepare for the next day, that was it for the first 12 months. So, she has put in the hard work, and it pays off," explained her mother.

The success of the film Belfast, which is set during the Troubles, has got everyone talking. Directed by Kenneth Branagh, it also stars Jamie Dornan, Judie Dench, Ciarán Hinds and 12-year-old Jude Hill.

"She doesn’t get carried away. She has her baby and her husband, Tony and they’re number one," her dad said.

'Belfast' director, Kenneth Branagh

The film, which is in Irish cinemas now, is seen through the eyes of a child and tells the story of a difficult time in Irish history. There’s much hype about it with lots of talk about Oscar nominations.

"We were talking to her last week and she’s so busy. She had ten different journalists from several different countries all doing interviews with her one day. She was worn out from it," said her dad.

"Although she's sitting at a pool now and it’s 23 degrees, so it's not too bad," he laughs.

"When she was home in November, we talked about it. If it comes well and good, and if it doesn’t, what about it," said Jim.

"Even the possibility of it, it's a big thing," said Anne.

"Whatever happens, she'll still be Caitríona, and we'll be glad to see her the next time she gets home," she added.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2022/0207/1278216-caitriona-balfe/

Sinéad Hussey, North East Correspondent, talks to the parents and former teachers of Caitríona Balfe.

Audio 🎧 in link ⬇️

https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/22059528/

Remember… she doesn’t get carried away. She has her baby and her husband, Tony and they’re number one. — Jim Balfe

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Star quality … Jude Hill accepts the award for best young actor at the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles, in March 2022. Photograph: Alberto E Rodríguez/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association

Belfast’s Jude Hill: ‘All the celebrities at the Oscars, they were shaking with nerves!’

Jude Hill beat 300 other hopefuls to play Buddy, the boy in Kenneth Branagh’s film. The film is a glittering success – and so is the young actor whose career it launched

Amid all the scandals and controversies dogging Hollywood and the Oscars, a seemingly endless din of accusation and recrimination, talking to Jude Hill feels like a restorative balm. Instead of solemn critique, he reminds you the film industry can be about joy, fun, adventure and talented people doing something they love. He makes an encounter with Anthony Hopkins sound like a hug from a soft, giant teddy bear. This actor is a credible emissary of such outlandish tales because he has just spent a year working the Hollywood machine and emerged untouched by cynicism. It may help that he is 11 years old.

“This has been such a fun ride. I have met a bunch of really, really nice people along the way and I really hope I get to do more acting in the future. I can’t wait for it,” he says. Jude probably won’t have to wait long, given the plaudits for his star turn in Belfast, Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical homage to his home city.

Jude is speaking via Zoom from his home in a village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Framed by an artfully hung white sheet, he is composed and articulate and appears ever so slightly older than Buddy, the character he inhabited, but the twinkly exuberance is the same.

“I think it’s starting to sort of calm down around now,” says Jude. “It feels good to just go to school with my friends and play with them in the playgrounds. I always was and will be Jude Hill. But yeah, going back to normality has been a relief.” There is a gleam in the eye, however, lest it be thought Jude Hill is done with fame. “I don’t think I’ll ever go back to normal after this.”

Hey Jude … Director Kenneth Branagh and Jude Hill on the set of Belfast. Photograph: Rob Youngson/AP

By this he means a whirlwind that started in 2020 when he beat 300 hopefuls to play Buddy, the son of working-class parents played by Jamie Dornan and Caitríona Balfe, who agonise over whether to leave Northern Ireland at the dawn of the Troubles; Ciarán Hinds and Judi Dench play Buddy’s grandparents. The riots form a backdrop to a lyrical coming-of-age story that won Branagh an Oscar for best original screenplay. Jude won gongs, too, including the Hollywood Critics Association’s award for best newcomer.

The Oscars have in recent years been tainted by rows over the film industry’s treatment of women, ethnic minorities and whistleblowers, but its newly minted star adored pretty much everything about Tinseltown except the heat. “The people in Los Angeles are really, really nice – they are overly nice, actually, and super funny. You could sit down and be friends with them immediately.” Nobody remarked on his accent despite some US film critics grumbling that Belfast should have had subtitles, a suggestion Jude skewers eloquently. “I don’t think there’s a need for subtitles, to be honest, just paying attention will probably work.”

Accompanied by his parents, Jude found himself on the red carpet somewhat sweaty and completely enthralled. The cast of Belfast surreptitiously shared Twizzlers, American sweets, to sustain them through the evening. “I think it was my first one. It was very nice.”

Jude was astonished to see that veteran A-listers seemed as edgy as he was. “All the big stars looked a bit nervous. I was literally shaking because of the adrenaline and nervousness. I was just like, oh my God, I can’t believe I’m here. I kept pinching myself just to make sure that I’m not dreaming. I think if anyone goes to the Oscars they will be quite nervous because I would say it’s one of the biggest events in the world. All those celebrities ... they were like me – they were shaking, they were jumping around.”

During the ad breaks he wandered around the Dolby theatre exchanging greetings with celebrities. “It was just a perfect night. That’s the only three words to describe it: a perfect night. All of those famous people there laughing, having fun. It was just so cool to be part of it.”

Which brings us to Will Smith. Asked about the actor’s assault on the presenter, Chris Rock, there is a pause. “Well, I love Will Smith myself because I met him at a few of the other award ceremonies and he was probably one of the nicest people I could ever meet,” says Jude. “He complimented my suit and said: ‘That’s fire.’ And I’ll always remember that compliment.” There is another pause. “The incident that night, it was … yaaakh.” The face scrunches, the voice trails off. Briefly, Jude is lost for words. It’s a melancholic moment, a hairline crack in innocence.

Anthony Hopkins was walking past and he gave me a hug. Wow, that was such a highlight. What an aura he gives off

“Some of the audience thought it was staged. It was 10 seconds of awkward silence because none of us were sure if it was a joke or not. Everybody was on their phones texting one another to see if it was true. Nobody really knew that night until we all went home.” Jude visibly agonises over how someone apparently good could do something bad. “Personally, I love Will Smith. He’s one of the most fun and exciting and nice people that I ever met.” He is unsure what to make of Smith’s 10-year ban from the Oscars. “I’m just an 11-year-old kid, I don’t really pay attention to social media that much but I did hear that. I’m not so sure what I feel about that. It’s very mixed at the moment, I have to say.”

The smile returns when Jude recalls meeting Anthony Hopkins at the Governor’s Ball after the Oscars. “He was walking past and he gave me a hug. He said: ‘I loved your film, oh my God, what a masterpiece.’” I was frozen in shock, I was saying to myself: ‘Jude, this is Anthony Hopkins, say something, just say something to him.’” Jude collected himself to thank Hopkins and praise his work. “Wow, that was such a highlight. What an aura he gives off. Talking to him I just felt so safe and relaxed.”

Safe and relaxed with the actor who chilled a generation with his depiction of Hannibal Lecter, and for ever transformed how we think of chianti and fava beans? But then The Silence of the Lambs came out in 1991, two decades before Jude was born. He knows Hopkins as Odin, the father of Thor in the Marvel franchise. “In Thor: Ragnarok he was very emotional. It made me cry a lot while watching that film. That man is an actor.”

Film family … the cast of Belfast (from left) Lewis McAskie (Will), Caitríona Balfe (Ma), Judi Dench (Granny), Jamie Dornan (Pa) and Jude Hill (Buddy). Photograph: Rob Youngson/Focus Features, LLC

Four months shy of 12, Jude can sound like an old pro. He is no longer fazed when he is buttonholed by strangers. “I’m asked: ‘Are you that boy from Belfast?’ The idea of someone approaching me on the street or airport saying: ‘Oh, I know you’, it’s kind of crazy but I like it. It’s pretty cool.”

Jude’s poise is remarkable. After landing the role of Buddy, he researched Northern Ireland’s history. “Before Belfast I didn’t know what the Troubles were. I don’t think a kid my age would know what the Troubles were unless their parents or grandparents were affected.” Books, films and documentaries filled in the blanks. “That really helped to get into the heads of people from that time. I think Northern Ireland is a lot more peaceful now than it was back then and I’m grateful for that.”

There is a scene in Belfast when Buddy, in essence a young Branagh, is in a cinema mesmerised by the flickering screen. The actor who plays him eyes an acting career in the same way, despite the obstacles. “I know this is a very, very hard path to go down. You don’t get a part every second,” says Jude. He shrugs, smiles. The future is a blank, creamy page. “I’ll keep on doing my auditions and my call backs, and hopefully I’ll get one of them.”

Belfast is released on DVD and Blu-ray on 25 April

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/apr/15/belfasts-jude-hill-all-the-celebrities-at-the-oscars-they-were-shaking-with-nerves

Remember… (in Los Angeles) nobody remarked on his accent despite some US film critics grumbling that Belfast should have had subtitles, a suggestion Jude skewers eloquently. “I don’t think there’s a need for subtitles, to be honest, just paying attention will probably work.” — The Guardian

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greymattermaelstrom · 2 years

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"Because I loved you—more than the life that I had."

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greymattermaelstrom · 2 years

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When you pause Outlander, and suddenly Jamie has Bugs Bunny teeth.😅

‘Happy Easter Claire.’

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greymattermaelstrom · 2 years

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Let’s Talk About Sex (on screen)

As promised. It’s going to be technical, it’s going to be blunt, and it’s going behind a cut because it’s so long.

If you want to hear about the wonderful world of simulated sex, on-screen nudity, “cheats,” contracts, and why I like intimacy coordinators, stay tuned! If you want to keep the mystery alive, scroll on by no hard feelings!

Keep reading

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A post shared by Tracy’s Outlander Obsession💞 (@outlanderobsessed)

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Remember… she’ll get by with a little help from her friends.

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Video 📹 from bella_outlander_fan on Instagram

Remember… (about her dental anesthesiologist) as I was lulling off, she started to sing the theme tune. (I thought I) was going to wake up in her basement with Jamie posters everywhere. — Caitríona Balfe

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Jamie Dornan: ‘I lost my father this year. It’s a combination of things that have made me want to do good things in my 40s’

Coming from Northern Ireland imbued Belfast star Jamie Dornan with humility, resilience and humour. Now, after the loss of his father and on the cusp of a new decade, he says that he’s tackling his self-doubt and trying new challenges outside acting.

The internet thinks Jamie Dornan should play Captain Britain. Jamie Dornan thinks the internet is losing the run of itself. “I’ll tell you what happened there,” he says, over Zoom from his home in Oxfordshire. (Lovely fireplace, high ceilings.) “I’ve been doing press non-stop since September, pretty much. Someone said to me, ‘Do you have any interest in getting into a Marvel movie?’ I’m so clueless about that world. I don’t know if Marvel and MCU [Marvel Cinematic Universe] are even the same thing.”

I tell him I have a stepdaughter who advises on ‘the canon’. “Oh God. Listen, I don’t have a clue,” he says. “Basically, I said, ‘Well, you know, I met Kevin Feige, who runs Marvel.’ But it’s not that I’ve met him recently , and we weren’t talking about a specific thing. I’ve met him because I’m an actor,” he says, laughing.

“Then I did The Fall and nobody thinks you’re funny after that. You’re not the go-to guy if you’ve played Paul Spector, so it took me a while to get back to that. And what a great way to do it with Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, who are geniuses.”

Then there’s Wild Mountain Thyme , which was less intentionally funny. Irish audiences gave it a right pasting. Having watched the movie through (it’s currently streaming on Amazon Prime), I didn’t find it as dire as the skewerings would suggest. Besides, by all accounts from north Mayo, both Emily Blunt and Dornan couldn’t have been more charming or obliging.

“We felt massively welcomed there,” Dornan says. “It was mad. When we arrived, driving into Crossmolina and Ballina, they had big posters up, saying, ‘Welcome Hollywood’. We thought it was hilarious. It was a great experience. It employed a lot of people in that part of the world. The bars and restaurants were very busy while we were there. Not everyone’s gonna love everything you do, but we had a blast.”

Meanwhile, Christopher Walken in the wilds of the West. How did that go? “Chris kept himself to himself for the most part. He wouldn’t have been out on the pints with us in the evenings, but he loved it. It was an honour to have someone like that play your father.”

In March, Dornan lost his own father to Covid-19. Professor Jim Dornan, a renowned Belfast obstetrician and gynaecologist, had been diagnosed with a form of leukaemia. Dornan’s mother, Lorna, died from pancreatic cancer when he was 16.

Dornan has spoken of his disappointment that his father isn’t around to witness the response to Belfast , Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical movie and Dornan’s latest project. It centres around Buddy, (newcomer Jude Hill) growing up in Belfast amid the beginning of The Troubles. Caitriona Balfe and Dornan play Buddy’s mother and father, with Ciarán Hinds and Judi Dench as the grandparents.

It’s a quintessentially Northern Irish coming-of-age story. Coming from the region — Dornan hails from Holywood, Co Down and grew up in Belfast — does he feel the responsibility of a story so close to home?

“Big time. Also because it’s Ken’s story, or semi-autobiographical. Much of it happened, and happened to Ken. When [he] was nine years old, in 1969, at the beginning of the conflict, they made a very difficult decision to leave Ireland and that weighed very heavily on them. It chronicles the period of time when the family are making that decision.”

Dornan’s been no stranger to playing Northern Irish roles, but this one is different. “I’ve got to play people from Belfast, but never in a movie called Belfast , something that’s so poignant and represents the conflict this way — and the normal, everyday, hard-working people who didn’t ask for the conflict and who were so affected by it. Also, it’s because we’ve seen Northern Ireland through a very politicised lens, through a sectarian lens, but we’ve never seen it through the eyes of a nine-year-old boy.”

Humanising the Troubles is important. In 2023, the Belfast Agreement turns 25. A whole generation has grown up outside the shadow of sectarianism and violence. Renewed nationalism in Ireland and Britain and the touchpaper of Brexit present new challenges. Politically, the Troubles can be an unfashionable subject.

In Ireland, there’s a chance we might not remember. Abroad, there’s a risk they’ll never forget.

“People think it’s like the Gaza Strip,” Dornan explains of telling people he comes from Northern Ireland. “Whether people don’t want to admit it, that’s what they think. I’m telling you, I’ve seen it for 20 years. Sometimes, people would be gasping that you’re from there. It’s shocking to me. Then you remember the news every night, you remember all they were being fed in different parts of the world were very violent images. And not just for two or three weeks, or three or four months,or even five or six years, but for 30 years.

“They’re seeing these images and going, ‘Jesus, that place looks rough’. So, it’s not total ignorance to what’s going on, it’s just the perception. Anything that can help to show there’s really good people in Northern Ireland — in the whole island — the better to change the idea that it’s a dark place. Of course it’s a dark place, and the history is real, but it’s filled with brilliant, funny, resilient people.”

Resilience. A few weeks previously, while I was working on a profile of Co Tyrone-born Nextdoor CEO, Sarah Friar, resilience and humility came up again and again.

“Those sort of attributes are forced on you,” Dornan agrees. “You might have a slightly in-built tendency towards attributes like that. But they’re usually born out of something. They’re born out of the fact you’ve had to find resilience because you’ve had it pretty rough, when you’ve been backed into corners and you’ve had people’s foot on your throat for a long time. That need to be able to battle your way through and get through the hard times, and, often, that way has been humour.

“That’s not unique to Northern Ireland, that’s all of Ireland. We find humility and humour in the darkest places. And again, travelling all over the world for 20 years, that gets you into trouble when people don’t understand. I’ll be with my mates, a lot of Irish lads, and we’ll be with American agents, and they won’t be able to believe what we’re laughing at, but I think [Irish people] tend to respond the same way.”

Humility and ambition can be uneasy bedfellows, however. As Irish people, our beloved humility can mean others push to the front of the class ahead of us. Dornan has said recently that he feels more comfortable being ambitious now. Did he lack self-confidence?

“Christ, totally,” he says, nodding. “I’m still riddled with that. I think, recently, I’ve allowed myself to be OK with admitting that I want to do more. Also I have actively been doing more stuff outside of acting. I’ve set up a production company, and it’s looking like a really fun slate of projects. One of them, I’ve written with my friend. Two other things we’re writing together and another thing I’m writing myself. So it’s another facet I’ve always wanted to explore.

“I guess it’s admitting I want to kick on and make something of it all. We’re all like that at home. We don’t want to be too pleased with our own successes. And, Jesus, I’m definitely still like that. I think that goes with the territory. But [there is] something about approaching 40. I lost my father this year. It’s a combination of things that have made me want to do good things in my 40s.”

Married to musician and actress Amelia Warner since 2013, with three children, Dornan sounds ready to start a new chapter. “My career and adult life have been very marked by clear decades. Dropped out of uni to move to London at 20. Modelled for 10 years. I did pretty well out of it, but didn’t love doing it. Then my acting career kicked off just before my 30th birthday. My 30s have been building on that, and doing all this good work. I turn 40 in May. And I want that to be something bigger and different. What’s the point if you’re not trying to evolve and expand?”

The Belfast movie is already garlanded. It was the most-screened showing at the Telluride Film Festival, took the People’s Choice at Toronto International Film Festival and was up for almost a full house of prizes at the British Independent Film Awards last week. It has ‘Oscar buzz’. But the most important screening has been at Belfast Film Festival.

“We had that date, the fourth of November, in our heads the whole time. It was so important to us, to have it resonate with and be accepted by the people of that part of the world and for them to embrace it. To find the humour in it, the poignancy in it. It had been all around the world but it really mattered to us what people from Belfast thought about it.

“It was one of the most special nights of my life. I will never, ever forget the feeling of that night. We got this long-standing ovation after the Q&A and there was this palpable appreciation in the room. And then, yes, trays of Guinness were served, which added to it.

“I had some very special people in my life with me that night. My sisters were by my side, my auntie, and some of my best friends. It was just very special.”

Dornan already has a full complement of projects being released next year. Belfast gets its UK and Ireland release on January 21.

Then, there’s the HBO/BBC production The Tourist . He’s hoping to get his own movie made, and has some “insanely exciting people involved”.

In the meantime, it’s Christmas. He’ll be in the west of Ireland, with his extended family. “I love it, but it’s the first Christmas without my dad. So it’s going to be a tough one, I’d imagine.”

Guinness Nitrosurge is available from supermarkets and off-licences at €24.99, see nitrosurge.guin ness.com

“Would there ever be a more divisive role for me to play than Captain Britain?” Photo: Andres Poveda for Guinness

Remember… Humanising the Troubles is important. In 2023, the Belfast Agreement turns 25. A whole generation has grown up outside the shadow of sectarianism and violence. — Independent.ie

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greymattermaelstrom · 2 years

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Caitríona Balfe is already beloved on the small screen with her work on Outlander. However, her big screen output has slowly but surely been getting noticed. In particular, Ford v Ferrari was a bit of a coming out party for her. That being said, Belfast is a horse of a different color. Not only is the film absolutely brilliant, like being hugged for about 90 minutes, but Balfe is wonderful in it. The movie soars based on its central cast, with Balfe’s Ma character chief among them. With the flick in the heat of the Oscar race, Balfe was able to take some time out to hop on Zoom and chat with me about the project, Kenneth Branagh‘s vision, and just how lovely it all was. This took a while to set up, as she’s quite busy, but we made it happen. Now, you get to enjoy it!

Below, you can hear my conversation with Balfe. We stick on Belfast for the entirety of the conversation, which runs nearly 25 minutes, so there’s some meat on the bones here. Plus, the film is just that good, so it’s a pleasure to talk to anyone about it. Having it be Balfe, about her work in this movie (which is rightly getting major Oscar buzz), is almost just a bonus. Shocking no one, this is a delightful discussion, with her charm being in full effect. Branagh counted his lucky stars to have her every day on set, I’d imagine. For those who have not seen Belfast yet, it’s in theaters and is a total must see. I loved it at the Toronto International Film Festival a few months ago and just recently revisited it, with similarly wondrous results.

This is some of what I had to say about Belfast in my rave review out of TIFF:

This cast will make you fall in love with them, almost instantly. Newcomer Jude Hill is a revelation, instantly becoming someone to watch, while Caitriona Balfe gets a big screen vehicle to make you fall in love with her talents. Judi Dench is her reliably great self, while Ciarán Hinds has never been better. Then, there’s Jamie Dornan, who will make you completely re-evaluate him as an actor. He has a magnetism here that’s impossible not to be won over by. The rest of the Belfast cast is solid, but the core family is really where it’s at.

Here now is my interview with Belfast star Caitríona Balfe. Enjoy:

🎧 Audio in Awards Radar link, top of post ⬆️

Remember… not only is the film absolutely brilliant, like being hugged for about 90 minutes, but Balfe is wonderful in it. — Awards Radar

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