28 March 2024 The Irish Film & Television Network
     
Interview with ‘The Canal’ actress Kelly Byrne
11 May 2015 : Seán Brosnan
Kelly Byrne in 'The Canal'
With ‘The Canal’ currently in Irish cinemas after a lot of buzz in the US, IFTN talks to actress Kelly Byrne about her well-reviewed role on writer/director Ivan Kavanagh’s acclaimed Irish horror film.

Here, Kelly talks about working with Ivan Kavanagh, getting into the head of her character Sophie and the benefits of being a Bow Street stalwart.

IFTN: Your role as Sophie has drawn critical notice from noted reviewers such as US critic Kurt Loder - what can you tell us about Sophie and how did you land the role?

Kelly Byrne: ‘I play the nanny who takes care of David and Alice's son Billy. Sophie ends up moving into their home to look after Billy full time after the death of David's wife Alice. Quickly, she becomes a mother figure to Billy and someone who looks out for David's best interests. I think she is very young and quite naive so she didn't really understand the responsibilities she was about to take on. Ultimately, she begins to fear for her own life and the life of Billy and in the end she has a very tough decision to make.’

‘I got the role as I had done Terry McMahons Acting for Screen Workshop - Terry really liked my work and so he actually recommended me to Ivan. We then met up for a casual chat. Later Ivan asked me to self-tape and eventually I got the part. So I was delighted.’

What was it in Ivan Kavanagh's script that provided the initial pull for you to take this part?

‘The writing was brilliant, every character was so well developed. I loved that Steve Oram's character had acid reflux. To have that much detail in the script is fantastic and my character wore a tiny kids night dress that was obviously from her childhood or something, so that gave me loads to think about for my characters back story. I just loved Sophie's character. She was brave, caring and so down to earth. It was also a huge challenge that I knew was going to be so rewarding. Personally I just think it was a role that anybody would kill for and I really wanted to challenge myself emotionally and physically, it was the perfect role. Also I had seen Ivan Kavanagh's ‘Tin Can Man’ and ‘The Fading Light’ which I loved. ‘Tin Can Man’ was just so creepy and unique, so I knew already that Ivan could make a fantastic horror film. I really wanted to work with Antonia Campbell Hughes as well. I have followed her career since watching her in Rebecca Daly's ‘The Other Side Of Sleep’. She gives such natural and consistently powerful performances - you can't help but be drawn to her on screen.’

What were writer/director Ivan Kavanagh and lead actor Rupert Evans like to work with?

‘Ivan Kavanagh was great - he just trusted me I think and let me do my own thing. He would always make sure I had time to be alone so I could prep and get into character, loads of my scenes are really intense so I had to just find a quiet space somewhere to get into the right headspace. He is just so genuine, and he has the ability to adjust his directing skills according to how each actor works. And Rupert Evans was amazing - he was always so professional and so well prepared. He committed 110% and you can see it on screen. I think his performance is exceptional. He is a lovely guy and he gave me so much advice as well. To be honest I was very scared when I got cast first because I thought “Jeeze, everyone else has so much experience and I don't really”, but Ivan and Rupert made me feel so relaxed and at ease, so I was very lucky.’

I don't know if you are a fan of horror films or not but did you use anything as a reference point here when getting into the world of ‘The Canal’?

‘Um yeah I wasn't a huge horror fan to be honest, they scare the s**t out of me! I went to see ‘The Grudge’ in the cinema and ended up throwing my Ben and Jerry's ice cream up in the air when the screen goes black at the very beginning of the film! I was petrified. Ivan didn't give me a list of films to watch. He just wanted me to be as natural as possible and do what I felt was right in that moment. I always try to bring myself into a character because I just don't think it will be truthful otherwise. The only research I undertook was understanding my characters subtext, objectives, wants and needs at all times.’

‘The Canal’ has obviously played around the world to a lot of buzz and notice, that has to be exciting for a young actress to see something you played a big part in do so well?

‘Yeah of course, for it to have its’ world premiere in Tribeca was just crazy, everyone loved it over there and I was very humbled when Kurt Loder - who used to write for Rolling Stones Magazine - said I was “exceptional” - that was bizarre! I didn't expect to be mentioned in any reviews to be honest. Horror fans are just crazily in love and committed to the horror genre. I had people asking for my autograph and to take a picture with them at London FrightFest. That was very surreal; I kept thinking really "you want a picture with me"? and I didn't know what to do. And people from all over the world are messaging me on Facebook showing their support for my career. One person was like "I love you". It was very funny reading that - I told my boyfriend he had some stiff competition now!’

As a member of a crop of young actresses currently on the up and up in Ireland, what is your view of the Irish film industry?

‘I think what is so great and the reason I believe why Ireland is producing so many fantastic films at the moment is because, if they can't get funding, they are making the films anyway with little or virtually no money. That to me is dedication. I think then that nearly everyone's hard work will pay off and produce a brilliant film. My favourite independent film I think has to be ‘Stalker’. The performances of John Connors, Peter Coonan, Barry Keoghan and Mary Murray were so incredible and powerful. It left me crying one minute and laughing the next. I was a nervous wreck in the cinema.’

You are obviously the envy of many actors in Ireland getting to work with Ivan Kavanagh but are there any Irish filmmakers in particular that you would love to work with in the future?

‘I wouldn't really say that now - all my acting friends are doing extremely well and all work so hard. In Bow Street we all help each other with auditions and advice all the time. We are like a little family. And well, I am very lucky because I've been a member of Bow Street for about five years now - I did the full time programme last year also. In Bow Street, you get to work with all the top directors in Ireland when they come in for workshops. So from those workshops, I know that I would love to work Cathy Brady, Shimmy Marcus, Lance Daly and Rebecca Daly on a professional set because I like the way they work. In Cathy Brady's classes we would literally just dance like no one is watching and completely let go and allow ourselves to be free and in the moment. That's what you can expect from Bow Street (check out our interview with Bow Street’s Maureen Hughes here). You don't get that anywhere else. Hence why I love the place! Then obviously I am a huge fan of Jim Sheridan, Kirsten Sheridan, Lenny Abrahamson, Gerard Barrett, John Carney and Terry McMahon. Okay it's a long list but we have a huge amount of talented directors in Ireland making some fantastic films at the moment that it makes it very difficult to choose.’

An upcoming project of yours is Darren Thornton’s highly anticipated drama ‘A Date For Mad Mary’ – what can you tell us about that?

‘A Date for Mad Mary’ was a very special project to be a part of. It is basically an all-female led cast which is fantastic. We need more films like that. It is about Mary (who is played by my ridiculously talented friend Seana Kerslake) who has recently gotten out of jail for doing something she deeply regrets. She needs to find a date for her best friend’s wedding and after a series of awful dates with men she has no interest in, she ends up falling in love with someone who she did not expect to. So it's about her trying to come to terms with that I think. And I recently played the co-lead in a short film called ‘Phoenix Park’ opposite Fionn Walton. I previously worked with Fionn on ‘Out Of Here’ so I jumped at the chance to work with him again on this. It is about depression and self-harming so it was a very interesting story to research.’

‘The Canal’ is in cinemas now – check out our interview with director Ivan Kavanagh here and the sound guys at EGG post production talking about their IFTA-nominated work on the show here.





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