Ten minutes with… Brian Gleeson
Entertainment

Ten minutes with… Brian Gleeson

What are you up to right now?

Shooting a BBC adaptation of the Ian Banks novel Stonemouth in Glasgow.

Who are your heroes?

My family.

What’s been the best decade of your life so far and why?

This decade has been pretty good. But maybe ask me again when I’m 30!

What record/song sends a shiver down your spine?

Games by The Strokes. A mix of classic Strokes and 80’s synth. ‘Tis beautiful.

What is your favourite place in Ireland?

Malahide, the seaside town where I grew up.

What makes you angry?

How tough life is for an actress. Once they hit thirty they might as well retire. It’s disgraceful how they’re treated.

What book influenced you most?

Hard question. I always thought Graham Greene described what it was like to be human better than anyone else. So anything by him.

What was the worst moment of your life?

Watching Ireland lose to Spain in the second round of the 2002 World Cup. The big teams weren’t performing. We could have gone all the way!

Which local star in any field should the world outside Ireland know about?

I wouldn’t call him a local star, but Stuart Carolan is one of our finest writers. We’re lucky to have him. The rest of the world should be that lucky too.

If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be?

The upholstery in my car.

What is the best lesson life has taught you?

Be serious but not solemn. I’m stealing that quote from someone else, by the way. So be serious but not solemn, and steal. Always steal.

What is your favourite film and why?

I saw a French film called À Perdre la Raison last year, and it killed me. It’s just so incredibly sad. Great acting by everyone in it.

brian-gleeson-standby-n Brian Gleeson in Standby which premieres at the London Irish Film Festival, Sunday November 23, at the Tricycle Theatre, Kilburn

What do you believe in?

Snow in April.

What trait do others criticise you for?

Raising my voice at the end of my sentences?

Where do you live and what are the best and worst things about that place?

I live in Dublin. Best thing are the people. Worst thing are the buses.

On what occasion is it OK to lie?

When asked for your name by the lady who works in Starbucks.

What do you consider the greatest work of art?

The hair of Louis Van Gaal.

What is your ultimate guilty pleasure?

Empire Magazine – eight quid, and almost worth it.

Who is the love of your life?

Netflix