US President Joe Biden has said he will brag to his daughter about having his picture taken with James Martin, one of the stars of the Oscar-winning short film An Irish Goodbye.
Mr Biden saluted James in the audience as he spoke at Ulster University in Belfast.
Belfast native James, who worked as a barista in the city, stood and bowed in acknowledgment of the applause, which was led by the president.
Mr Biden said: "Today, Northern Ireland is a churn of creativity, art, poetry, theatre.
"Some of our favourite television shows and movies are filmed here, as you know."
Written and directed by Tom Berkeley and Ross White, An Irish Goodbye won the Best Live-Action Short Film Oscar at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles in March.
James, who has Down's syndrome, won plaudits for his performance opposite co-star Séamus O'Hara.
Mr Biden said: "I got to meet James, I got my picture taken. I'm going to go home and brag to my daughter."
An Irish Goodbye is available to watch on the RTÉ Player.
Source: Press Association
