"Bold… profane… naughty…" – was it a stretch for actress Jamie-Lee O'Donnell to play such a character on hit TV series Derry Girls asked Ryan Tubridy?
"I would say, yes, some people would say no," says Jamie-Lee of her role as Michelle, although she concedes she wouldn't have had that supreme swagger at 16, which brings up the issue of age – what age is she really? "Not 16," she jokes, telling Ryan Tubridy to "just slide back" there now when it comes to any big reveal – a definite touch of the 'Michelles' about her.
"We're all kind of breaking through together… It's an important time for television," said Jennifer Barry, of The Young Offenders fame who joined Jamie-Lee in studio to talk about their new play, Girls and Dolls, written by Lisa McGee. Rather than being competitive with each other, it's more like the Mutual Admiration Society for the girls and the casts of their respective shows. "Women are funny, apparently," said Jamie-Lee, and it's about time the TV watching public knew it.
According to Jamie-Lee, "you sound a wee bit mental" when you explain to people that you're going to pursue the rejection-filled, impossible dream of becoming an actress but Jennifer agrees, "for anyone who has a genuine love and passion for acting, you can't not do it… It literally is like breathing." For Jennifer, this career was a lifetime in the making. She took action at the ripe old age of 11 and contacted comedian Tim Minchin who wrote the music and lyrics to the musical Matilda to inform him he need look no further for a leading lady.
"I said, I absolutely love Matilda, I know all the words, I know the entire musical off by heart, please bring it to Ireland and then you can text me and I'll play Matilda… It's still a dream, I'm still going to play Matilda, just waiting for my call now."
Ryan popped Jennifer's bubble by unhelpfully informing her she had outgrown the role by a considerable number of years, digging another age-related hole for himself. Don't you know Ryan you should never ask a lady her age?
You can catch Girls and Dolls in The Gaiety Theatre from September 11th to 15th.
Click here to listen to Jamie-Lee and Jennifer's chat in full.