The Irish Film & Television Academy is to host an ‘In Conversation’ with London based Irish Actor Allen Leech in Dublin for its Academy Members on Friday January 31st.
The actor will discuss his work and the trajectory of his career over the last decade which has steadily been on the rise as one of Ireland’s leading acting talents and exports. Leech, who has honed his craft across both theatre and the screen over the years, broke through with his performance in the feature comedy Cowboys & Angels in 2004 garnering him an IFTA nomination. This followed with lead roles in the commercially successful Irish feature Man About Dog and the critically lauded TV series Love is the Drug. Strong supporting roles in two Emmy Award winning drama series, Rome and The Tudors meant that Leech’s talent came into the international spotlight and his dark portrayal in the lead role of the award-winning Irish feature ‘Rewind’ garnered critical reviews, with his lead performance cited as “intoxicating and terrifying...his dominating presence imbuing all scenes with a gripping tension”.
In recent years, Leech has been enjoying a leading role as Tom Branson in Downton Abbey, which has made him an internationally recognisable face, with the period drama TV series airing in over 100 countries and in 2013 he accepted the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Drama Ensemble with his fellow cast at the ceremony in Los Angeles.
Leech currently lives and works in London and will next be seen starring opposite Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Star Trek) and Keira Knightley (Jack Ryan, Anna Karenina) in The Imitation Game and also shortly begins filming for the new series of Downton Abbey.
