20 CinÉireann / January 2018
Black '47
From there I went over to Luxembourg to shoot Black '47. And I was glad that I was wrapped up nice and warm. I had layers upon layers on me and a nice set of mutton chops on my face. So I was kept warm! [laughs] I was doing all of the kind of things that I like doing.
PJ Dillon and Pierce Ryan established a great world with their short The Ranger and with the script on this. Lance Daly, the director, then took that and wanted to make sure that all of us had her own back story so that all of us could inhabit our own characters. And that no matter what side of the fence that are characters lay on that there was some motivation for their actions. The heart of the story is the need for survival. And you understand how and why each of us is fighting for that.
I got to work with a great ensemble cast. I got to see Barry Keoghan learn how to ride a horse over there. He went from 1 to 11. He was like Zorro by the end of it. we've go on all of these horse riding lessons and terrorising shops in all these lovely villages in Luxembourg. Shops wouldn't even be open over there yet and Barry, James Frecheville and myself would be going around like three cowboys. that's a nice memory. then we had a lot of fight choreography and gun training. it was intense. it was 4 weeks over there and then four weeks back here in Ireland.
I think Lance has created something that is reminded me of the old school historical action dramas that we would have grown up watching like Michael Collins or Braveheart or The Wind that Shakes the Barley.
How it's shot is incredible. Declan Quinn shot it and it just looks lived in and real. Lance was on top of everything from character to costume to hair to props. It was an amazing achievement. I think that it will look incredible on the big screen. It's mucky and dirty and grimy and real.
James Frecheville, who plays the lead, a character who is on a mission...a badass... he got to do some great stuff on this film. he's on a mission and I think
that the audience will go along with him.
They will be behind him and his plight.
I think it's a film that hasn't been seen before in Ireland and it was something that I was very excited to be a part of. Everybody involved is giving it their all. I got to work with some great actors. Hugo Weaving is a real gentleman. I worked with a lot of actors that I admired and that was a great experience. And then it's important to tell an important story that set in Ireland.
Moe relaxing on set of Black '47
Moe as Sgt. Lemmy Fitz on set of Black '47