Ireland has recently taken to the main stage as an island filled with some of the most talented people.
From writers to musicians to actors, our stars have become international icons.
Paul Mescal and Nicola Coughlan, are of course, leading the next generation of Irish actors, but we have stars like Alison Oliver, Éanna Hardwicke, Patrick Gibson, Anthony Boyle, Lola Petticrew and Máiréad Tyers.
And Cork actor Dónal Finn is adding his name to that list.
The star has gone viral with his performance on the West End’s production of Hadestown, he has gone back in time with Rogue Heroes and most recently he has returned to our screens in the third season of The Wheel of Time.
VIP Magazine sat down with the star to discuss the fantasy series, musical theatre and being a proud Irishman…
Hi Dónal! Congratulations on the third season of The Wheel of Time. What can audiences expect from this series?
I think what I’m most excited for viewers to see in the third season of The Wheel of Time is the shift in tonality while also staying in the same world. If you’ve read the books or if you follow the TV show there’s a big amount of source material to draw from. If you read the books that takes time, it could take years. In a way, you’re growing up with these characters. And I think the TV show is also going in that way and the TV show knows that as well. So there’s a maturity to the performances and the dilemmas the characters find themselves in and the managing of their relationships, as well as what society expects from them. All of that feels like it’s amped up to where they are in their lives. As well as that, the show is just so impressive visually and as an exercise in imagination. There is magic and sorcery and mythical creatures. The world really feels fully fledged to allow viewers to just throw themselves into.
This show has so much lore, so much back story. I take notes when watching! Do you ever get nervous at the scale of the show and bringing it to life?
I think the scale of these projects can incite nerves. But normally, you’re just trying to harness that feeling of nerves into a channel of focus. Those nerves are only trying to encourage you to rise to the occasion and do the necessary work to feel prepared and comfortable to do your best work. You can of course be nervous but I feel very well supported. It is an imaginative, fantasy world. So there is a lot of context that we all draw from. There are books experts who help us find our way through the logic and rules of the society. You have someone who is so well informed and helps you understand what context you need.
You play Mat Cauthon in the show, a role you took over in season two. How has the reaction been to joining the show?
I feel really lucky. I generally feel a lot of encouragement from the existing and very big fanbase. Me coming into the show in the second season as an existing character, that changeover has gone well. I, myself, know of being a fan of works that have been adapted from a book into being on-screen, we build mental images of how it’s going to be. Once someone has fan-cast characters in their head, it’s hard to separate from an image that you might have. I have felt really encouraged by the fanbase for taking over the role. When I was speaking about it first for season two, I was thinking a lot about Richard Harris and Michael Gambon who both played Dumbledore, you look back and wouldn’t have it any other way.
We have to talk about Hadestown! Have you seen the viral clips of your voice making the rounds?
I don’t have TikTok, but people have said it to me that I’ve popped up on their page singing or whatever. But there’s a lot of stuff on TikTok! Someone else opens their phones somewhere else and they’re not getting my voice. Look it, it’s a funny thing! But I am really proud of doing a show like that which I found really, really rewarding and really challenging. I always thought stagecraft, in particular, the muscularity of musical stagecraft was impressive. And now having done it on a level of Hadestown on the West End, I’m so enamoured by musical theatre performers. And also what they give up to be prepared for this job. A lot of people don’t speak until a certain time of the day so they can rest their voices. Being able to do what they do in the evenings, means that they have to live quite monk-like and disciplined throughout their morning and afternoon. I learned a lot about conserving your energy because you have to do so much. There’s such a demand on your energy at the end of the day, so it’s important to manage it. What I would say about the whole singing thing and the cast recording, I’m so proud that I was able to do it in my own voice. I’m thankful to our great director and Anaïs Mitchell, who wrote the music, who were both so open to not putting on any pretences. People really saw you as the actor, rather than a layered performance. Musical theatre is a big part of Ireland and I felt really proud. Lots of people came from Ireland to see the show. And to be able to be seen in that context was incredible. I’m very grateful to have been part of that.
Before we let you go, we’re in the midst of an Irish resurgence, not just in the world of acting but everywhere. Are you proud to be part of that?
I think there is a lot of great Irish work being seen now. Like you said, it’s not just in the realm of acting. I’m thinking about music, it’s been a big year for Kneecap, for Fontaines DC, for CMAT, for The Mary Wallopers, Lisa O’Neill. That’s just to name a few. Ireland has always had such a rich history of creating art within our home. Now that art is being shared on such a large scale. With the BAFTAs, Saoirse Ronan and Kneecap being recognised. Small Things Like These was such an incredible film and got such an amazing release. I think there’s a lot of Irish talent from whatever avenue you’re looking at. And I’m very excited to just be an observer of that work.
The Wheel of Time is currently streaming on Prime Video