22 CinÉireann / January 2018
oe Dunford, the softly spoken Dungarven native, is on the verge of a
breakthrough year. The 30 year stars in no fewer than six films set for release in Ireland in 2018.
Dunford graduated from the Gaiety School of Acting in 2009 and after a few years of landing smaller roles in The Tudors, Game of Thrones, and Raw, struck gold when in the space of a few months he was cast as Aethelwulf in HBO's hit series Vikings and by director Terry McMahon as the lead in Patrick's Day. The latter role saw him nominated for the prestigious Bingham Ray New Talent Award at the Galway Film Fleadh in 2014, before receiving an IFTA for Best Actor in a Lead Role in Film and an EFP Shooting Stars Award in 2015.
He has subsequently appeared in key roles in John Butler's Handsome Devil and Declan Reeks' The Flag showcasing his warmth and a keen sense of humour.
Cin É caught up with Dunford to talk us through his year and the roles that will help shape Irish film's future.
The Lodgers
Brian O'Malley asked me to be part of the film I liked the setting of it. Post WWI Ireland and the character of it all. It was just incredible to look at. my scenes were all outside but I got to work down in Wexford close to home. It was a great atmosphere. Me and my good pal Tony Murphy went down and lived in Hook Head peninsula. in a holiday home. We had a great time.
I was working with Conor Slattery and John Burns who were the assistant directors on Patrick's Day. We had Richard Kendrick as the
cinematographer on it. I just liked working close to home. if anything it made me want to make more movies down there in rural areas outside of Dublin We had a nice day down there when some of the local school kids came out to see us shooting down there. the teachers came out with them. It was down in a village called Clongeen.
Tailored Films looked after us really well. We had a great family atmosphere for this dark Gothic film. Charlotte Vega who plays the lead is really something special. She's just wonderful. It's not a big role but I wanted to work with Brian and I wanted to do something on my break from Vikings.
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Dunford and Sons in The Lodgers
Words: Niall Murphy