Always loved this movie but never understood why they didn't use Irish actors for the lead role. Just wondering.
shareSo am I. It doesn´t make sense, cause in the 90ies, already a good bunch of charismatic Irish actors was available.
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to make the movie known and popular to the american audience
shareI don't know about that honestly. There was definitely an interest in things Irish in the 90s in the states and some Irish films did very well over here on their own (The Commitments was a "surprise" hit in the U.S. and stars like Day Lewis -- I know he is "part" English -- became very popular). The Yank "star" of Circle of Friends Chris O'Donnell was a relatively minor star who had the luck to be in some successful films in the early 90s (minor is even stretching it -- he did not have box office draw on his own, and he faded out very quickly). He tanked in the mid-90s. Minnie Driver was unknown over here when she starred in Circle of Friends (in fact most Yanks assumed she was Irish), and she very quickly transitioned to "Matt Damon's ex-girlfriend" after that as well despite some well-received supporting roles. My personal favorite in the cast, Colin Firth, was virtually unknown to Yanks in 1995 as well. Mr. Firth has had quite a gloriously long career as far as that goes (I mean he has enjoyed some very deserved fame later in his career in terms of his fame in the U. S.)
"Did you ever see a cat's eyes in the dark, and wonder what they were?" -- Mr. Rogers
The Yank "star" of Circle of Friends Chris O'Donnell was a relatively minor star who had the luck to be in some successful films in the early 90s (minor is even stretching it -- he did not have box office draw on his own, and he faded out very quickly). He tanked in the mid-90s.
If it was made today it would still be hard to cast Irish actresses, they would probably go for British actresses like they did with Minnie Driver and Saffron Burrows. Only Geraldine O'Rawe was the only Irish one out of the three females. We're not as blessed at churning out Actress in Ireland like we are with Actors. During that time no one really was there to cast in those roles that the rest of world would have known.
Over the years we have had some fine actresses and in the case of Saoirse Ronan, one of the best. Some great talent like Ruth Negga, Sarah Bolger, Kerry Condon, Caitriona Balfe, Sarah Greene, Elaine Cassidy (she's one I thought should have gone on to bigger things), Seana Kerslake (she's one to watch out for), Charlie Murphy and Jessie Buckley (another one who's set for big things).
You had some Irish actors in Circle of Friends, Colin Firth character was supposed to be English. Today you could cast a Irish actor for Chris o' Donnell's role as well as Alan Cummings. But I can understand why they cast outside Ireland for the main parts at the time.
Colin Firth's character was part of the old Anglo-Irish Protestant ascendancy, not English of England. They had been in Ireland for generations.
shareI don't know.
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