7 Amazing Young Irish Actors To Watch Out For In 2023

We think it’s time to look to the future of Irish cinema. Look there have been some amazing actors Ruth Naga, Cillian Murphy, Saoirse Ronan, Richard Harris, Fiona Shaw, Brendan Gleeson, Colin Farrell, and Daniel Day-Lewis to name a few. But honestly, the future looks just as bright. Here’s a list of some of the out-of-this-world talent Ireland has to offer. We feel these seven Irish Actors are destined for the heights of their predecessors and beyond.

7. Fionn O’ Shea

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Fionn had an active lockdown as he burst onto our screens with Normal People and Dating Amber, two very different characters showing Fionn versatility, but as most actors this overnight success in 2020 started In 2007, (or probably even before that)

He made his film debut in the Irish short film New Boy, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. And at the age of only 24 this guy’s future is bright.

6. Niamh Algar

We first saw Niamh in ‘Calm With Horses’ where her performance in the dark gritty Irish film was both exciting and emotional. Niamh grabbed the role with two hands and drove the film with a tenderness and tough-skinned aura as Ursula. She was named among the 2019 BAFTAs Breakthrough Brit and if I was a betting man I’d bet it won’t be her last.

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5. Nicola Coughlan

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Coughlan began portraying Clare Devlin, one of the main characters, in Derry Girls in 2018. The sitcom was instantly beloved in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Hannah Dalton was also her character in Harlots the same year. The period drama television series is set in 18th-century London. 2018 marked her West End debut in production of the Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. The Evening Standard named her as ‘One of the Rising Stars of 2018’

Not only that but Nichola knows herself and her beliefs, she wrote a piece for the Guardian calling out unfair scrutiny of women’s bodies in theatre showing what kind of a star she wants to be showing positivity and success, we are proud Nicola!!!

4. Paul Mescal

Mescal had just graduated from drama school when she was offered roles in two plays, ‘Angela’s Ashes’ and ‘The Great Gatsby’. In Dublin, he portrayed the titular character in the play Jay Gatsby at the Gate theatre. A star was born in Ireland’s acting industry and the industry pricked up its ears and rubbed its hands.

After a string of successful theatre performances he won his break through role that introduced him to the world in the drama series Normal people, an adaptation of the 2018 novel by Sligo writer Sally Rooney. He garnered acclaim as well as a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series. (try to say that 5 times fast),

Mescal’s first feature film will be ‘Lost Daughter’, directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal in her directorial debut. So, it’s safe to say Mr Mescal is knocking on the door, and lockdown gave us time to find out he’s a decent singer too.

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3. Chris Walley

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Not helping the rumour that all Irish people know each other next up is Paul Mascles best mate Chris Walley. Before going to RADA he had auditioned and won a role in an independent Irish film said to be based and filmed locally in Cork. A film written and directed by Peter Foott, The Young Offenders, became the fastest Irish film to break the €1 million mark at the Irish box office in 2016.

Walley was nominated for numerous awards, including the IFTA for Best Supporting Actor, for his role as Jock. Following the popularity of the film, on 9 May 2017, it was confirmed, that RTE greenlit a TV series based on the film with the same name. Walley was given the IFTA for Best Male Performance – Television for his role in the television series.

In 2018 Walley was cast alongside Aidan Turner in a revival of Martin McDonough’s play ‘The Lieutenant of Inishmore’, which opened at the Noel Coward Theatre in June of that same year. For his performance, Walley received exceptional reviews, with Time Out London writing, “in a uniformly strong cast, special praise should go to Walley. A virtual unknown, Walley was nominated for the Evening Standard Emerging Talent Award and was selected as a BAFTA Breakthrough Brit. It’s safe to say this cork bai is raring for the big time!

2. Barry Keoghan

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Keoghan was banned from school plays for playing around as a child. He began acting in 2011. A casting notice in a local shop window led him to answer an advertisement for Between the Canals. In this film, which was released in 2011, he portrayed Aido in a small role.

He then studied acting at a local Dublin school called The Factory. The same year, at the age of 18, he appeared in Fair City a well known Irish soap. On Love/Hate, Keoghan played Wayne, the ‘infamous cat killer’. The role earned Keoghan recognition in Ireland. Appearances in The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Dunkirk and the HBO hit series Chernobyl have skyrocketed the Dublin native to stardom in recent years.

Keoghan is set to portray Stanley Merkel in Matt Reeves upcoming film ‘The Batman’ release in March 2022. This dark broody actor has an unbelievable presents on camera and is quite clearly a star already!

1. Jessie Buckley

Young Irish Actors

This Kerry woman’s credits are already too long for me too flitter through, but like Chris Wally she hit fame before she even set foot in the RADA halls by coming second in a completion to play the next Nancy on the west end.

After graduating the theatre and the west started calling and before long she was starring alongside Tom Hardy in Taboo. For us the character of Rose-Lynn in ‘Wild Rose’ proves that this girl has the Academy in her sights. How Buckley reaches down into the roots of her character and pulls it up and lets her audience in is incredible.

She has also starred in indie projects as Chernobyl and Judy which both gained critical acclaim. This girl is a star, and we believe she will be Ireland’s biggest and baddest actor in the years to come.

Well there you are folk’s Irish cinema looks as bright as ever,

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