Irish actress Kerry Condon stands out as refreshingly unpretentious in an era when fellow countrymen like Paul Mescal, Saoirse Ronan and Cillian Murphy have become influencers for global luxury brands such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Versace. Her aspiration is simple, she wants to be recognised for her characters. She previously expressed bewilderment at the notion of actors chasing fame at the expense of focusing on their craft, and questioned why anyone would desire to be featured on magazine covers. Shannon praised Kate Winslet for her convincing portrayals and perfect accent, however, was perplexed as to why Winslet would want to grace the cover of In Style.
Shunning publicity and concentrating on producing quality performances has always been Shannon’s preference. She maintains that she isn’t concerned with the personal lives of her fellow actors and expects the same privacy in return. Speculations about her love life, if any, remain one of Tinseltown’s closely guarded secrets. She brought her brother as her plus one to last year’s Oscars, where she was nominated for best actress in a supporting role for her work in The Banshees of Inisherin. The Bafta she won for the same role was dedicated to her horses. She confides that she genuinely enjoys solitude.
Living on her farm near Seattle, Washington where she cares for nine rescued horses, provides Condon with ample solitude. This includes a horse she adopted after the filming of the HBO series Luck alongside actors Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte. The equestrian lifestyle isn’t new to her, with her father being a horse breeder and her cousin Richard being a jockey back in her hometown of Co Tipperary.
This life away from the hustle and bustle of her work base in Los Angeles has become a vital part of her fiercely guarded privacy. Recognising her in the streets isn’t common. She points out how her current blonde hair differentiates her from her on-screen characters. There are times people may glance at her, unsure of where they’ve seen her. That’s ideal for her, because she wants to be seen as an actor first and foremost, stating that’s what the profession is all about.
Condon has been working on a Star Wars series named Skeleton Crew for Disney+, co-starring Jude Law, as well as starring in a Formula 1 drama with Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem. As of this weekend, she’s also in the spotlight for her role in the action-flick ‘In the Land of Saints & Sinners’, set in the 1970s, filmed in Dublin and Co Donegal. The film begins with a tragic IRA car-bombing in Belfast, resulting in the deaths of three children. The culprits, led by the imposing character Doireann played by Condon, retreat to the cliffs of Glencolumbkille. Doireann’s plan causes tension with a war-scarred veteran and occasional assassin portrayed by the ever-charismatic Liam Neeson.
Condon noted her enjoyment in finding ways to be a menacing figure to her fellow actors. “Poor Conor [MacNeill] and Seamus [O’Hara]. I gave them a difficult time. Then I had to act against Liam, who is very tall and imposing, which presented some challenges. I had to strategize how to be intimidating to him, as he’s perhaps double my size.”
‘In the Land of Saints & Sinners’, directed by Robert Lorenz and known for collaborating with Clint Eastwood, is his third feature film. The script, crafted by Irish writers Mark Michael McNally and Terry Loane, draws inspiration from the classic Western genre. Certain elements reflect the bond shared by Eastwood and Morgan Freeman’s characters in ‘Unforgiven’, particularly the connection between Liam Neeson’s Finbar and Ciarán Hinds’s local garda. The character of crime boss played by Colm Meaney could seamlessly integrate into a western storyline about building an empire. Drama builds up to an intensive tavern fight scene before the movie concludes.
Condon’s persona in the film holds similarities with the relentless rogue of Miranda Richardson from The Crying Game and the savviness of Rose McGowan’s role as an IRA officer in Fifty Dead Men Walking. Despite the character Doreann advocating for the liberation of Ireland, Condon decided not to perceive the movie from a political viewpoint, choosing to distance herself from it. The 41-year-old actress asserts that the central theme of the film for her is not political struggle but a personal mission. She believes her character is primarily driven by her pursuit to apprehend Liam Neeson’s character, suspecting him to be responsible for her brother’s disappearance. This personal aspect was what informed her lens of the film, more of an intense suspenseful drama, rather than a narrative about the Troubles.
Creating this movie was a memorable period for Condon, having shot it successively with The Banshees of Inisherin. The actor, recognised with a single Oscar nomination amongst nine received for Martin McDonagh’s movie, treasured her maiden visit to Donegal. She was deeply moved by its beauty and the warmth of its inhabitants. This experience ensued three months after her time on Achill and the Aran Islands, while filming Banshees that hadn’t been released then. Both experiences equally enchanted her with their distinct allure.
Dating back to her first paid rendevouz with cinema at 10, Condon reviewed The Lion King for a local radio station and had a highly positive reaction to it. She was writing to directors seeking opportunities in her adolescent years, an effort which yielded fruit. At 16, she appeared in two episodes of the BBC drama from the late ’90s, Ballykissangel, shot in Co Wicklow. Her first breakthrough in feature films came in 1999, with Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes, helmed by Alan Parker. Further, she played roles that won the admiration of Cillian Murphy and Adrin Dunbar in the 2001 movie, How Harry Became a Tree. Success streak continued with acclaimed appearances in Intermission and Ned Kelly (starring the late Heath Ledger) released in 2003.
Describing herself as a once shy child, Condon had envisaged a life in acting from an early age. It wasn’t so much the lure of the industry that attracted her, but an innate calling. Despite lacking a specific roadmap, her mindset was always internationally geared.
Condon’s acting prowess, evident in the HBO series Rome as Octavia, and Better Call Saul as Jonathan Banks’s bereaved daughter-in-law, is characterised by its meticulousness and the nuance of her movements. Interestingly, she honed her skills independently, standing out among peers as she did not attend drama school.
In reflection, Condon admits the communal aspect of drama school may not have suited her solitary character or her competitive nature. There was also a financial barrier – drama school was a luxury she couldn’t afford. Despite her relative youth compared to other members of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in 2006, when she portrayed Ophelia in Hamlet, she relished the opportunity. She reveled in the thrill of getting paid for her passion despite the hard work involved.
Her time with the RSC established two pivotal connections: one with McDonagh and another with actor David Wilmot. McDonagh offered her the role of Mairead in the debut of his play The Lieutenant of Inishmore with the RSC in 2001. This collaboration would eventually extend to the play The Cripple of Inishmaan and the film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. She also had the chance to play a part in The Banshees of Inisherin.
Looking back, Condon admires her luck saying, “I was truly fortunate to have had Martin McDonagh and David Wilmot by my side, two of my longest and dearest friends. Through our journey together, as a young teenager amidst older companions, they guided me, educating me with their wealth of experience. From Martin, I developed a deeper understanding about cinema. David supplemented my musical knowledge and blossoming talent as an actress. I was gifted an exceptional role by Martin, and then to have the play migrate to New York during that phase of my life was surreal. It garnered quite a lot of attention, attracting spectacular actors from all walks of life. The sacrifice of shaving my hair taught me much about dedication to a project.”
When Colin Farrell, during his Golden Globe win for best actor, admired Condon as an overnight sensation after a 20-year career. It’s a peculiar perspective on the woman currently topping the chart as Ireland’s most profitable actress. Liam Neeson holds the record, with appearances in movies taking a collective €11.35 billion at the box office from recent figures. Hot on his heels are Harry Potter fame Michael Gambon (€8.37 billion) and Domhnall Gleeson (€8.19 billion). Condon nearly catches up, grossing €8.09 billion majorly contributed by her voiceover for Friday, Tony Stark’s AI assistant, in the Avengers series.
Interestingly, Condon, who would rather shy away from Hollywood’s limelight, remains a voiceover star in her blockbuster films. “I embraced these opportunities, never anticipating the sequels and diverse roles that I would be working on,” she recalls. “I assumed each to be a standalone project. However, they continued offering me different roles in other films, just as they did with Better Call Saul. Originally supposed to be a one-episode appearance, I was elated with the episode as it resembled a play. The recurring appearance in every subsequent season was an unexpected but delightful surprise.”
Many artists meticulously plan their Oscar campaigns with the efficiency of a war strategy. Condon learnt of her nomination from a television, in the presence of a group that included Farrell, a friend since her days on Ballykissangel. What followed the announcement is faint in memory. “My life took a sharp turn,” she articulates. “It all transpired rapidly. The change was subtle and I didn’t fully grasp it until more recently. I was engaged in work and shooting a different project. I was busy marketing Banshees and handling various tasks, merely trying to keep pace. It was only after, when I found some respite, that the reality dawned on me.”
The series, In the Land of Saints & Sinners, is accessible on Netflix.