Dublin actor Ruairi O'Connor has landed the role of Buddy Holly in a new biopic about the musician directed by Driving Miss Daisy director Bruce Beresford.
The movie is titled Clear Water and it charts how Holly and other famous musicians of the late 1950s pioneered rock 'n’ roll while confronting the issue of civil rights in the US.
Tragically, on what is known as "The Day The Music Died," Holly died in a plane crash outside Clear Lake, Iowa on February 3, 1959, along with Ritchie Valens, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson and pilot Roger Peterson.
Gary Busey was Oscar nominated for his portrayal of the singer in 1978’s The Buddy Holly Story, which is often cited as one of the best music biopics ever made, with The New York Times placing it on its Best 1000 Movies Ever list..
O’Connor debuted in the role of Niall in Lenny Abrahamson’s What Richard Did and he starred as the school bully in coming of age film Handsome Devil. He also appeared in RTÉ drama Can't Cope, Won't Cope, My Mother and Other Strangers and Delicious.
His other film credits also include The Postcard Killings, and he starring alongside Elle Fanning in 2018 musical film Teen Spirit.
Clear Lake producers spent six months in their search for someone who resembled Holly and could also handle vocals and music for some of his classic songs such as Everyday, That'll Be The Day and Not Fade Away.
Speaking to Variety, the film’s producer, Rick French, said, "We looked at hundreds and hundreds of audition tapes for the Buddy Holly role and interviewed some tremendously talented actors and musicians but Ruairi’s audition really stood out.
"He’s a terrific young actor who exudes charisma and he’s also a very accomplished musician who our team believes can handle this very challenging role."
O'Connor, a graduate of The Lir Academy at Trinity College, grew up in Howth, County Dublin, before his family moved to the countryside when he was 14 to live on a stud farm.
His next role will be as Arne Cheyenne Johnson in The Conjuring 3, aka The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, which is out in hits cinemas 2021.
The film depicts the real-life case of Johnson; the first murder defendant in American legal history to plead not guilty by reason of demonic possession.
