1. He owes his career to his mum
He won his first part when his mother took him to Dublin to an open audition for the drama film Song for a Raggy Boy. Thanks to Mrs Sheehan, other successes followed, including the part of Nathan on Channel 4's Misfits and a role in Love/Hate.
Actor Chris O'Dowd. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)2. His first TV role was on the same Irish show as Chris O’Dowd
One of his first on-screen appearances was on the RTÉ medical drama series The Clinic, which also kick-started the career of another Irish actor that’s made good in Hollywood – none other than Chris O’Dowd.
3. He’s also moved Stateside
Robert made the move to LA at the end of 2014, which has enabled him to take his career to new levels. He describes Los Angeles as having “a great vibrancy”, “full of wayward creatives”.
Robert Sheehan in new horror movie The Messenger, out September 184. He doesn’t believe in ghosts
In his latest film, paranormal drama The Messenger, Robert plays Jack, a man who can hear the words of dead people, whether he wants to or not. However Robert himself is not convinced in the idea of an afterlife. “I’ve had strange things happen but I’ve never put it down to ghostly intervention. I couldn’t until the shape of a ghost strolls up to me and pinches me on the nipple – ‘hello mate, I’m a ghost!’ But even then I can’t say for sure.”
5. He’s given up caffeine but not alcohol
He now drinks his coffee decaf with almond or soya milk. “I meant to give up [caffeine] for a week, but I carried on because I found I p*ss and sh*t a lot less.” Refreshingly down to earth and unchanged by the move to California, when asked whether he’s given up the drink as well, Robert replies “Certainly not!”
Actress Sofia Boutella is dating Irishman Robert Sheehan (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)6. He’s not single
Robert is attached to Algerian-French actress/model/dancer Sofia Boutella- reportedly a shoe-in for a lead part in Star Trek 3. Based in LA too, Sofia is away from her family who live in Paris. “She yearns to be back with them, and so do I, so it’s nice to yearn together rather than solitarily.”
7. Despite living in London and LA, he still misses Ireland
The Laois actor says: “One of the toughest things about being in LA- you miss your family a lot.
“I try to get back to Ireland every few months if I can though. I’d like to swing in a few more times, but sadly they haven’t invented teleportation yet. The day they do…”
8. You can see him in Kingston this month
If you want to see Sheehan in the flesh he will be starring in The Wars of the Roses with his Messenger co-star Joely Richardson. The adaptation of four of Shakespeare’s history plays begins previews on 16 September and runs from 3 to 31 October at the Rose Theatre in Kingston. Additionally The Messenger is out on the big screen on September 18.
Read Shilpa Ganatra's full interview with Robert Sheehan in this week's Irish Post
