Aisling Franciosi has said she is "really chuffed" to be nominated for Best Actress in a Lead Role for The Nightingale at this year's Irish Film and TV Awards.
Nominated alongside Jessie Buckley (Wild Rose), Bronagh Gallagher (A Bump Along the Way), Sarah Greene (Rosie), Seána Kerslake (The Hole in the Ground) and Saoirse Ronan (Little Women), Franciosi is in great company in the Best Actress category.
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Speaking to RTÉ's Karen Creed about her nomination 27-year-old Franciosi said: "This film has travelled a long road. We shot it in 2017, premiered in 2018, was released in 2019, so I really wasn't expecting this and I am really chuffed.
"To be in the same category as such actresses like Jessie, Bronagh, Saoirse, Sarah, Seána. I really admire the work that they do. I'm always really proud of the work that is coming our of the Irish industry, so to be given the recognition from home is really lovely."
Announcing the nominees earlier this week, the Irish Film and Television Academy said it is "finalising plans for a bespoke virtual 2020 Awards Ceremony scheduled for September with full details to be announced shortly".
While Franciosi, who was born in Dublin, said it would have been "really lovely to reconnect with some of the actors I know from home" and "have a party" had their been a glitzty awards ceremony, it doesn't take away how excited she is to be acknowledge by her home country.
"I am really proud of that. It's a lovely feeling," she said.
Before the coronavirus outbreak, Franciosi, was working on a Netflix film with Sandra Bullock and Viola Davis which she hopes will go back into production.
