Domhnall Gleeson
Domhnall Gleeson
Domhnall Gleesonis an Irish actor. He is best known for his portrayal of General Hux in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Bill Weasley in the Harry Potter film franchise, Caleb in Ex Machina and Tim Lake in About Time. He has acted on both stage and screen, earning a Tony Award nomination in 2006 for his role in the Broadway production The Lieutenant of Inishmore. He has performed in several shows at Dublin's Gate Theatre, including adaptations of American Buffalo...
NationalityIrish
ProfessionMovie Actor
Date of Birth12 May 1983
CityDublin, Ireland
CountryIreland
I've definitely enjoyed myself more on the projects where I've played a good person, rather than on the projects where I've played somebody who is morally compromised.
People always want to ask me about my dad. Which I get because he's a phenomenal actor, and that's for the world, that's out there. But my mother is every bit as impressive and as important for the world as my dad is. It's just that she's not an actor.
I tend to play 'tortured' a lot, whether it's physically or emotionally.
'Black Mirror,' I read that, and I had another offer for a movie at the same time that was a bigger movie, an actual film as opposed to TV, but I said, 'No, it has to be Black Mirror.' And it hadn't been sold to Netflix, hadn't gone abroad at that point - but it's just good work - that's all there is to it.
The idea of having dreams that don't come true is really terrifying.
I worked with the Coen brothers, which had been a dream of mine.
I was in 'Harry Potter,' and nobody on the street recognizes me from that. Nobody on the street has ever stopped me from 'Harry Potter!'
I did like 'Star Wars' when I was a kid. I saw the prequels first; I didn't see the full original films first all the way through.
My mum and my dad have really good taste in movies. My gran would tape them off the TV and write notes about them, rating them.
My dad said, 'If no one was giving me acting work, I'd have to be prepared to create it myself.'
I do feel a wave come over me when I hear those two words, 'Star' and 'Wars,' said together. I feel tense, shut up, and stare into the middle distance.
I got to work with Cillian Murphy and my dad, Jim Broadbent and Jodie Whittaker on 'Perrier's Bounty.' It was a small part, but it was really special.
I've been interested in the writing/directing thing and really fell into acting by complete accident.
Everyone talks about how we're on our phones all the time, but the fact remains that when I'm away on a film set for two months, I can Skype my family. I remember the phone calls my parents had to make when my dad was away for a while when I was younger - that once-a-week expensive phone call! The time pressure on talking to your father!