After commanding audiences as Gotham’s most menacing villain in THE PENGUIN, Colin Farrell found himself yearning for something fundamentally different. The HBO series had required three hours of daily prosthetics and makeup to transform him into one of Batman’s most notorious foes, immersing him in what he describes as a world consumed by “trauma and its various articulations and calcifications.” When the opportunity arose to step into A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY alongside Margot Robbie, Farrell embraced what he calls “stepping from the darkness into the light.”
This pivot represents more than just a genre shift for Farrell—it signals a deliberate choice to explore healing rather than harm, connection rather than corruption. While THE PENGUIN showcased his ability to disappear into darkness, A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY allows him to illuminate the tender complexities of human connection. The film, directed by Kogonada, follows two strangers whose brief encounter at a wedding evolves into something extraordinary when David’s GPS system begins asking existential questions and magical doorways open pathways through time and space.
For Robbie, who hadn’t appeared on camera since wrapping BARBIE in 2022, the project offered a return to acting after her $1.4 billion blockbuster earned eight Oscar nominations. Her longest break between roles in years could have felt daunting, but instead she found immediate comfort in both the story and Kogonada’s direction. The filmmaker, known for critically acclaimed works like COLUMBUS and AFTER YANG, was deliberately seeking “something a little bit larger and lighter” after years of more contemplative projects.
What emerges is a romance that transcends typical meet-cute conventions, using surreal elements to explore how relationships unfold when two people can literally walk through each other’s histories. Sarah and David don’t just fall in love—they experience the joy and grief of discovering someone’s past as their shared journey plays out across time and space. The film’s magical realism serves the emotional truth of how profound connections can feel like stepping outside normal reality.
With supporting performances from Lily Rabe, Kevin Kline, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY arrives September 19 as part of the ongoing resurgence of big-screen romantic comedies. For Farrell, it represents not just a career pivot but a philosophical one—moving from stories about trauma’s grip to tales about trauma’s release. After months of embodying Gotham’s darkness, he’s found his way back to the light, proving that sometimes the most transformative performances come not from disappearing into character, but from revealing the humanity that connects us all.
🏆 RIVALS just scooped the International Emmy for Best Drama Series!
The Disney+ hit starring Irish talents Aidan Turner and Victoria Smurfit brought home the gold for this deliciously scandalous 1980s romp through the world of wealthy media types.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
From THE COMMITMENTS to THE TUDORS to KIN, @mariadoylekennedy has built a career that defies categories.
In a brand new interview with The Irish Examiner, Maria opens up about the artists and art that shaped her creative journey—from her Dublin roots to international screens and stages.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
🎭 From Shakespeare to a Beatle: Paul Mescal is doing the impossible!
Oscar-nominated Irish actor Paul Mescal is taking on TWO iconic roles that prove he`s one of the most fearless actors working today.
Watch Paul`s latest interview at irishfilmtv.com.
Kerry Condon`s brief but powerful performance in TRAIN DREAMS is pitch perfect.
She inhabits her character with quiet competence, moving through a male-dominated world with both caution and grace.
Watch now on @netflix!
🎬 HAMNET stars to receive Vanguard Award at the Palm Springs International Film Awards!
A stunning meditation on love`s fragility and art`s power to transform suffering into transcendence. This is Irish talent at its absolute finest on the world stage.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Netflix just quietly dropped a crime thriller you`ve been sleeping on, and Brendan Gleeson`s performance alone makes it mandatory viewing.
MR MERCEDES, Stephen King`s dark detective series that somehow flew under the radar, is finally streaming – and it`s everything fans of slow-burn psychological thrillers have been craving.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Andrew Scott is about to steal another movie and we`re absolutely here for it! 🔍
The trailer for WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY has dropped, and our beloved Irish actor is joining Daniel Craig`s Benoit Blanc for what looks like the most deliciously twisted instalment yet.
Scott plays bestselling author Lee Ross, one of several suspects in a seemingly impossible murder that rocks a small town`s religious community.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
From GLADIATOR II`s arena to the quiet forests of Maine collecting folk songs on wax cylinders—Paul Mescal`s latest role in THE HISTORY OF SOUND might be his most vulnerable yet.
Now on @amazonprime, the film follows Lionel, a shy musician from a Kentucky farm in the 1910s, who meets David White (Josh O`Connor) at the New England Conservatory.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
For more than two decades, Domhnall Gleeson has carved out one of the most diverse and compelling careers in contemporary cinema.
Watch Domhnall break down his career in his latest @esquire interview!
Link in bio ❤️
Adapted from Louise Kennedy`s bestselling novel, TRESPASSES stars Gillian Anderson as executive producer and cast member.
Kennedy praises the "ear-perfect, sexy script" and "gorgeously melancholic aesthetic vision" that brings her Women`s Prize-shortlisted novel to life.
Premieres Sunday 9pm on Channel 4, more at irishfilmtv.com.
THE IRIS AFFAIR is a high-stakes chase thriller that turns Italy into a deadly playground where genius meets danger.
Created by LUTHER mastermind Neil Cross, this Sky Original delivers cinematic tension where trust is fatal and every move could be your last. Two minds. One secret. No escape.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
** NEW TRAILER ALERT **
Roadside Attractions has unveiled the first trailer for H IS FOR HAWK, and it`s breathtaking. Brendan Gleeson appears as the father whose absence shapes everything, bringing his signature depth to a role that haunts the entire film.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
🎬 HAMNET has officially overtaken Paul Thomas Anderson`s ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER as the Oscar frontrunner!
Chloé Zhao`s Shakespeare-inspired drama now leads with a 96.8% chance of nomination, fueled by its Telluride buzz and Toronto People`s Choice win.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
The DERRY GIRLS creator is back with HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN FROM BELFAST — and it`s the show Lisa McGee says she`s always wanted to make. 🍀
Three childhood friends. One mysterious death. A wake that goes sideways. Eight episodes of chaos, secrets, and arguments about eyelash extensions.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Pierce Brosnan trades his 007 tuxedo for raw, devastating drama in CURTAIN CALL—arriving on digital November 10.
Starring opposite Jessica Lange, Brosnan continues his brilliant pivot from action hero to serious character actor, exploring the heartbreaking reality of dementia in the theatre world.
Watch trailer on irishfilmtv.com.
