An Irish Goodbye star James Martin has said that after winning a BAFTA, he wants to do the double and - "fingers crossed" - bring home the Oscar to Belfast too.
Coming up - the actor James Martin whose film has won a BAFTA. He's on his way to the #Oscars #AnIrishGoodbye pic.twitter.com/rw4yzZeydb
— Martha Kearney (@Marthakearney) March 1, 2023
The Northern Irish black comedy, which follows two estranged brothers who come together after their mother's death to fulfil her bucket list, picked up the British Short Film award at the British Academy Film Awards - the BAFTAs - last month.
An Irish Goodbye has also been nominated in the Best Short Film category at the 95th Academy Awards, which will take place on James' 31st birthday, Sunday 12 March.
James is still buzzing about that BAFTAs night - and all set for the big Hollywood one to come.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I walked down the steps (at the BAFTAs) and the next minute this hand appeared and (stood) up and that was Brendan Fraser.
"And I'm thinking to myself, 'Pinch me right now' and then... I was a bit late because of that.
"And I walked down to the stage (and) Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell (stood) up and clapped and it was actually really good.
"It was really nice to go up and go, 'Yes! We did it!'"
Tom Berkeley and Ross White, who joined James on stage at the awards ceremony in London, wrote and directed the short, which was filmed on location in Derry, Templepatrick in Co Antrim and Saintfield, Co Down.
The 30-year-old actor was also asked about his campaign work on behalf of people with disabilities following his addresses to the European Parliament and Stormont.
He said: "I always say to people, 'Never judge a book by its cover' because anybody can act, it doesn't matter if you have Down's syndrome."
Set on a rural farm, An Irish Goodbye sees Turlough, played by Game of Thrones and The Northman star Séamus O'Hara, make new care arrangements for his brother Lorcan, played by James.
Turlough plans to send Lorcan to live with his aunt on the other side of Ireland, which he will only do when they complete the 100 items on the list of things their mother, played by Game of Thrones actress Michelle Fairley, wanted to do before she died.
James previously starred in the BBC film Ups and Downs and works in hospitality at the Italian restaurant Scalini in Belfast and Starbucks.
Those involved in the local film An Irish Goodbye have been celebrating their Bafta win at the weekend, winning the Best Short Film award. And joining @taramillstv in the Newsline studio earlier was none other than one of its stars James Martin: pic.twitter.com/h8hdyMwgmG
— BBC Newsline (@bbcnewsline) February 21, 2023
Source: Press Association
