Monday 11 February 2013

IFTA's 2013.

I covered the 10th Annual Irish Film and Television Awards on Saturday night. It was my third year covering the ceremony but my excitement levels are still pretty high! I wore a dress and coat from 'Coast' and I felt a million bucks.



On the night I had the opportunity to interview the glamorous Fionnula Flanagan who joked about being an ''unemployed diva" and expressed her love of all things Irish. I interviewed Amy Huberman, Bressie, Madeleine Mulqueen, Seána Kerslake of 'Dollhouse' fame and many more. When I confronted Michelle Keegan about her sex symbol status she laughed it off admitting her date had just called her 'minging' for saying she was sweaty!

Me and Michelle Keegan

You can hear the interviews tonight at 8 O' clock on RTE 'In colour' on 2xm. I was their red carpet correspondent.
www.rte.ie/2xm

I asked Jim Sheridan would he put me in one of his movies, he conceded that I looked like Scarlett Johansson (I wish) and I might be in with a chance. I am still waiting by the phone! I won't hold my breath. We talked about his upcoming projects in Dublin on Sheriff Street and how he used to swim in the canal. I blatantly said that was gross to which he agreed. He says that he wouldn't do it now though!

 I caught up with Robert Sheehan who was full of mischief and laughed about how now he will have to watch Love/hate on the couch like the rest of us plebeians! He donned a pink shirt and sparkly bow tie and joked that his fashion faux pas was clear as he literally clashed with the red carpet. I commented that he didn't change his outfit once last season to which he replied:
"I didn't wash either... Darren was a bit of an outcast so I went for french guy! stink it up!"

 I asked him whether a ‘Misfits’ style resurrection is on the cards for his character Darren in Love/Hate - Ireland’s most talked about Gangland TV Series. If only?

Me interviewing Robert Sheehan

He was very like his character 'Nathan' in Misfits and when I caught up with him at the after party he was telling the ushers they looked like James Bond! He was having a ball in general with his family and friends. He was great fun. Sheehan divulged that he is now venturing into film and working on some exciting new film projects in 2013 but explains that he is not intentionally leaving TV behind for now.

Me and Robert Sheehan at the IFTA's after party

Love/ Hate was the big winner on the night. The Irish crime-drama took home six gongs for Best Drama, Best Director David Caffrey and Writer TV Stuart Carolan. Actors’ Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Charlie Murphy and Susan Loughnane received IFTAs for Best Lead Actor in a TV Drama, Best Lead Actress in TV and Best Support  Actress for a TV Drama respectively. I interviewed the Love/Hate cast about season 4 but they all remained tight-lipped about what could happen next! I was take aback by how mild- mannered and soft spoken Tom Vaughan Lawlor was he plays Kingpin Nidge with a remarkable ferocity and gusto. His acceptance speech was so moving!

Myself and Tom Vaughan Lawlor

Killian Scott who plays 'Tommy' also paints a very convincing portrayal of a likeable heart throb/thug but in person is very reserved and well- spoken. It just conveys how versatile the cast really is.
Susan Loughnane who plays 'Debbie' on the show confessed to me she forgot to thank her boyfriend so she did so during my interview with her! You can catch that tonight on the air.

Susan Loughnane and me

Loughnane told me that she doesn't regret being on Britain's Next Top Model but that it can make it hard to be taken seriously and at face value when being considered for a role. She has proven herself with an IFTA win and she couldn't be happier.

Susan Loughnane
I caught up Charlie Murphy just as she had received her award at the 10th Annual Irish Film and Television Awards. We talked about her appearance in Misfits, season four of Love/Hate and ultimately the sensitivity of playing a rape victim.

The stunning actress donned a beautiful embellished gown from the Oscar collection in Fran and Jane. Charlie’s sister styled her hair, she admits she is lucky to be from a family of hairdressers and that her sister was a calming influence on the day. When I asked Murphy about what it was like to win an IFTA she excitedly admitted she was ‘‘shellshocked’’ and “over the moon”. Her rise to fame has been meteoric but the Gaiety School of Acting Graduate has vast stage and screen credits under her belt.



The IFTA winner described the weight of playing a rape victim in Love/Hate:

 “It was scary. Not for the fact of the logistics of filming something like that - but the importance of the subject matter. It was really important to get that right and that was actually the most frightening thing to achieve because you are dealing with portraying something that happens to people all over the world. You see it in the news everyday.”

I quizzed the actress about what viewers can expect from Season Four of Love/Hate, she divulged that her character is unpredictable and that she loves working with the cast of the hit RTE show. Murphy reveals they all get on very well on set but that the writing is the true star of the show:

“I don’t know what goes on in Stuart Carolan’s brain. A fantastic brain it is! There’s just so many twists and turns you can’t presume anything, especially not as an actor. We’re always ringing each other as we’re reading the scripts saying have you gotten to page such and such! Oh my god! We are speed reading and speed dialing at the same time. When you think you are going in one direction that gets pulled away and I suppose that’s what makes it work.”   


Me and Charlie Murphy


I spoke to IFTA winner Domhnall Gleeson who has carved a notable mark in film to date and shows that he inherited his fathers talent.  Gleeson scooped an IFTA for Supporting Actor in Film for ‘Anna Karenina’. The multi-facated actor also writes and directs. I spoke to him on the red carpet where he told me about how his Dad, iconic actor Brendan Gleeson instilled him with a work ethic to survive in the world of acting. Domhnall has starred in ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ as Bill Weasley, he also featured in Shadow Dancer, True Grit and futuristic action flick ‘Dredd’.
He called his Dad his 'best friend' and how he felt lucky to have a Dad like him. So cute.

Domhnall Gleeson

'What Richard Did' picked up five awards throughout the night including the award for Best Film. Jack Reynor picked up the award for Actor Lead Film whilst Lenny Abrahamson and Malcolm Campbell picked up IFTAs for Best Director and Script with their fifth IFTA going to Nathan Nugent for Editing Film. Reynor's rise to fame has been meteoric as he is now confirmed to be in the new Transformers film. To be a part of such a global franchise will skyrocket the talented actor to Hollywood status. Reynor had the beautiful Irish model Madeleine Mulqueen on his arm who is currently training in fitness. Reynor let me borrow his IFTA, unfortunately he wanted it back...

Me and Jack Reynor


Best Entertainment TV Programme was snapped up by 'Moone Boy' starring Chris O’ Dowd and young actor David Rawle.  O’ Dowd and Rawle were inseparable at the IFTA’s. They are open about the camaraderie on ‘Moone Boy’ set in rural Ireland. It is no surprise that ‘Moone Boy’ is taking Ireland and the UK by storm. It is a family show with a broad appeal that a lot of people can relate to. spoke to Chris O’ Dowd  plays Martin Moone’s imaginary friend ‘Sean’ on the show.

Chris O' Dowd speaking to radio journalists

Leitrim schoolboy David Rawle talked to me about his friendship with Chris O’ Dowd that his friends find his newfound fame cool and name him 'Moone boy'. Amy Huberman and Bressie are appearing on the next season of 'Moone Boy' and young Rawle whispers that he gave Bressie some acting lessons...

Chris O' Dowd and David Rawle filming for Xpose


Andrew Scott has received critical acclaim for his role as Moriarty in ‘Sherlock’. He scooped 'Best Supporting Actor' at the IFTA's. He told me how he loved playing a complex arch-villain and how he embodied the character of Jim Moriarty with great enjoyment. Scott received the 2005 Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre for the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs production of A Girl in a Car with a Man, and an IFTA for the film Dead Bodies. Scott's prominent television roles have included Paul McCartney in the BBC television drama Lennon Naked.

Andrew Scott and Susan Loughnane
I spoke to the head of the Irish, Film and TV Academy Aine Moriarty about the milestone that is the 10th Annual Irish, Film and TV Awards. She admitted that the wealth of Irish talent is unbelievable and that she was looking forward to the night.


'Argo' won Best International film while Daniel Day Lewis won Best International Actor for 'Lincoln'.
Best International actress went to Marion Cotillard of 'Rust and Bone'
The Award for Rising Star went to the multi- talented Gerard Barrett who was the writer, director, editor and producer of  'Pilgrim Hill'. The multi-talented IFTA winner won the award for the debut feature film. Upon meeting him he excitedly expressed his surprise at the win.

I had a fantastic time covering the Awards. When I stepped off the red carpet I hit the after party and then the after - after party. I danced until dawn with all the attendees and we all had such a great time.


 I chatted with Saoirse Ronan about her white brogues and crimped ponytail! She looked so pretty.
I interviewed her two years ago and she was full of chat about filming in Germany, It's hard to believe she is so young considering her vast starring roles in Hollywood movies to date.

I had serious banter with Peter Coonan who plays Fran in Love/Hate. I just kept saying 'coolaboola.' So did he. Apparently it is his catchphrase in real life too or maybe he was stuck in character!

Myself and Peter Coonan

It was amazing to mix with so many people from the industry.
It is clear how humble they are and that when everyone gets together big celebrations are in order.
I didn't want the night to end, I had been at the event for a staggering 15 hours when I decided it was time to hang up my dancing shoes! I arrived home at 6 am and felt like a serious rebel.

Thank you to Kennedy PR who are always brilliant and very facilitating to press at the IFTA's.
Make sure check out In Colour on RTE 2xm tonight! We have all the funny snippets from the interview you will laugh your socks off at! You can check out the In Colour facebook on: www.facebook.com/incolour2xm and you can follow what I am getting up to on: www.facebook.com/lipstickgossip or follow me on twitter if you want to hear all the latest news and views: www.twitter.com/lauramullett

To listen back to the show on the RTE player click here: 


Until next year...

xo Laura






2 comments:

  1. Ahhhhh wow it looked amazing! Fair play to you!!
    pity colin farrel didn show hmmmmm x

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    1. It was a brilliant night I got some great in-depth interviews! Yeah such a pity about Colin Farrell - That would have been awesome! xx

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