Brendan Gleeson had been filming in Los Angeles when the coronavirus pandemic began, and said he is glad he made it home to Ireland before the country went into lockdown.
Gleeson appeared in studio with host Ryan Tubridy on Friday night's Late Late Show. His decision to be interviewed in person was in order to shine a light on St Francis Hospice.
"To actually come here was a bit of a decision because you can do it on Skype and it has to be clear that the reason I'm coming in is to fundraise for the hospice," the actor said.
Gleeson had been filming Macbeth in Los Angeles, which will also star Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand, before making the decision to fly home in the wake of the pandemic.
"I was working with Joel Coen which is a dream," Gleeson told Tubridy. "I was really delighted to go over and I was having a good time."
He continued, "It (coronavirus) was growing and I remember thinking at that point, 'I wonder should we get a few face masks to bring home' and there were no face masks anywhere to bring home.
"But I was really glad to get on the plane and just get on because it began to be clear that things were going to start locking down really quickly so it's great to get home."
"I was looking forward to coming home anyway so I always like to be home, to be honest with you," he added.
While on the show, Gleeson was joined by his son Fergus for a rendition of the Dubliners' A Pint of Plain is Your Only Man.
