Brendan Gleeson brings warmth and depth to the role of Alisdair Macdonald in the 2025 biographical drama H IS FOR HAWK, a film that marks another significant chapter in the Irish actor’s recent career resurgence. Based on Helen Macdonald’s acclaimed 2014 memoir, the film stars Claire Foy as Helen and explores the profound bond between daughter and father through the lens of grief and memory. When Helen loses her beloved father suddenly, she turns to an unlikely source of solace: training a goshawk named Mabel. Through this unusual act of mourning, the film weaves together present-day scenes of Helen’s struggle with loss and tender flashbacks of Alisdair sharing his passion for nature and birding with his daughter, moments that Gleeson imbues with genuine tenderness.
What makes Gleeson’s performance particularly resonant is the personal connection he brought to the material. During the film’s promotional tour, he opened up about how the role allowed him to portray something he felt had become increasingly rare in contemporary cinema: a father who is emotionally present, loving, and nurturing. Gleeson didn’t hold back in expressing his frustration with the current landscape of on-screen fatherhood, admitting he had grown tired of seeing fathers consistently depicted as toxic or emotionally stunted. His comments struck a chord with many viewers who recognized the same pattern, and he advocated passionately for more celebratory representations of fatherhood in film. For Gleeson, playing Alisdair wasn’t just another role but an opportunity to honor the kind of father he believes deserves to be seen more often on screen.
This performance comes at a time when Gleeson has been carefully selecting projects that showcase his range beyond the intense, often darker characters that defined much of his earlier work. H IS FOR HAWK allows him to demonstrate the subtlety and emotional intelligence that have always been hallmarks of his craft, proving once again why he remains one of the most respected actors of his generation. The film itself has resonated with audiences precisely because of performances like Gleeson’s, which ground the story’s more fantastical elements in genuine human emotion. His Alisdair becomes not just a memory but a presence that lingers throughout the film, shaping Helen’s journey and reminding viewers of the lasting impact of paternal love.
Netflix`s BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER has an amazing new trailer!
Colin Farrell plays an Irish fugitive hiding in Macau`s neon underworld as "Lord Doyle," gambling desperately to outrun his past.
The film opens in theaters Oct. 15 and starts streaming Oct. 29 on Netflix.
Watch now via link in bio.
Saoirse Ronan is heading back to the `60s! 🎸
The four-time Oscar nominee is reportedly set to play Linda McCartney in Sam Mendes` wildly ambitious THE BEATLES project—four separate films, each following a different Beatle.
She`ll star opposite Paul Mescal (her FOE co-star) as Paul McCartney, with Barry Keoghan as Ringo, Joseph Quinn as George, and Harris Dickinson as John.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Cillian Murphy just confirmed THE IMMORTAL MAN drops in 2026 and Tommy Shelby is coming back with a vengeance. 🔥
Fresh off STEVE hitting Netflix, Murphy spilled the tea on The Graham Norton Show that the Peaky Blinders film has wrapped.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
Graham Norton isn`t going anywhere!
The BBC has locked in three more series of THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW - with 2.9 million viewers tuning in and clips going viral weekly, Norton continues to prove why he`s the gold standard for celebrity interviews.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Cillian Murphy isn`t chasing blockbusters—he`s back in the classroom.
The Irish actor`s latest role in Netflix`s STEVE sees him playing a struggling teacher at a last-chance reform school, proving once again that he`s more interested in transformation than validation.
Watch Cillian`s TODAY interview via link in bio.
🖤⚡️ JESSIE BUCKLEY IS COMING BACK TO LIFE! ⚡️🖤
Ireland`s Irish powerhouse transforms into a Gaga-esque flapper brought back to life as the companion of Christian Bale`s creature in Maggie Gyllenhaal`s electrifying new take on THE BRIDE!
New trailer at irishfilmtv.com.
🌟 From THE WITCHER to DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS to EVERYTHING NOW.
Dublin`s @niamhhmccormack_ has been quietly building one of the most impressive portfolios in Irish acting.
Don`t miss her in HOUSE OF GUINNESS, now streaming on @netflix.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🌊 When Oscar-nominated Stephen Rea (THE CRYING GAME, MICHAEL COLLINS, V FOR VENDETTA) lends his legendary voice to a haunting tale of shipwreck and survival, you know something magical is about to happen.
📍 @irishculturalcentre, Hammersmith
🗓️ November 8-9 ONLY
🎭 Don`t miss this exclusive London run!
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🎬 Cillian Murphy is absolutely unstoppable right now!
Three incredible performances in a row: Oscar winner OPPENHEIMER ✨ SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE 💫 and now STEVE - a powerhouse drama about a school headteacher fighting his own demons while saving troubled kids.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
THE WEIR is haunting London`s Harold Pinter Theatre until 6 Dec, and it`s pure magic. Brendan Gleeson makes his West End debut alongside an incredible cast in Conor McPherson`s modern masterpiece - with the playwright himself directing for the first time!
"It`s already a classic in the canon of world theatre," says Seán McGinley, and honestly? We believe him. Sometimes the most powerful stories happen over a pint, in the space between words, where kindness becomes community.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🏆 IRISH TALENT TAKES TORONTO!
Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal just won BIG at TIFF with HAMNET - snagging the People`s Choice Award that`s basically an Oscar crystal ball ✨
More at irishfilmtv.com.
From strolling London`s Highbury Fields to stepping into Paul McCartney`s shoes 🎸✨
Paul Mescal is living proof that staying grounded while reaching for the stars isn`t just possible—it`s the secret sauce. Fresh off HAMNET and deep in rehearsals for Sam Mendes` Beatles biopics, this Irish charmer is redefining what it means to be a modern movie star.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🔥 When Margot Robbie had a "suspicion" her chemistry with Colin Farrell would work in A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY... she was absolutely right! ✨
These two icons dive into Kogonada`s A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY where strangers Sarah and David rent mysterious cars that transport them through doorways to their childhood memories. Talk about a wild ride! 🚗💫
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Paul Mescal and Josh O`Connor playing LIE vs LIE is the chaotic energy we didn`t know we needed 😂
These THE HISTORY OF SOUND co-stars swap outrageous stories, questionable audition tales, and awkward fan encounters—and honestly, we can`t tell what`s real anymore 🤷♀️
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
Netflix has assembled a powerhouse Irish cast for their upcoming adaptation of Marian Keyes` bestselling novel GROWN UPS.
Sarah Greene (BAD SISTERS) leads alongside Barry Ward, Aisling Bea (THIS WAY UP), Robert Sheehan (UMBRELLA ACADEMY), Adrian Dunbar (LINE OF DUTY) and more incredible talent ✨
This 8-part series follows the chaotic Casey family as they navigate grief, love, and the messy reality of being "grown up".
More at irishfilmtv.com.
