It is a fact that Ireland is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It is known for its magical landscapes, food, drink, and hospitality. Irish love art; hence, you will come across several noted individuals in the field of art and literature.
We will never fall short of words to say good things about Ireland!
Several individuals from the theatre space have made it big in international cinema, and today, Hollywood’s finest actors are from Ireland. These actors have made their country proud and continue to do so with their acting, movies, charitable trusts, and more.
Let us find out in detail about the famous Irish actors in this post.
1. Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson is one of the best Northern Irish actors who has starred in many Hollywood movies. His most famous roles are Oskar Schindler in Schindler’s List, Michael Collins in Michael Collins, and Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars. He is 70 years old and born on the 7th of June 1952. He is the son of Katherine Neeson and Bernard Neeson, a Catholic from Ardoyne, County Antrim.
Liam is the third child of four for their parents. He has three sisters: Elizabeth, Bernadette, and Rosaleen. He attended St Patrick’s College and recalled his love for acting and drama.
As he was raised Catholic, he was very cautious while growing up in a Protestant-dominated town. He states that he felt like a second-class citizen but was never made to feel different. He says that he is Irish but far from nationalistic, politics and history of Ireland, especially the northern part. However, a massacre in Derry in 1972 encouraged him to learn about the local history after becoming aware of the protests carried out by his fellow students, termed Bloody Sunday.
Neeson began taking boxing lessons at All Saints youth club from the age of nine. He won several regional titles but discontinued the same when he reached 17. As his love for acting grew, he began participating in school productions during his teenage. Ian Paisley, Democratic Unionist Party founder, influenced Liam Neeson to pick acting as a career.
Liam Neeson lived in a relationship with Helen Mirren, an actress, in the early 1980s. He met Helen while he was working on Excalibur sets. He often states that she played an instrumental role in getting the right agent.
Liam went on to meet Natasha Richardson, an actress, when he was performing on Broadway in 1993 for the play Anna Christie. He married Natasha in 1994 and has two children, Michael and Daniel. The couple won £50,000 as legal damages against Daily Mirror for they wrongly published that Liam Neeson’s marriage was suffering. The couple donated the money received from the claim to the victims of the Omagh bombing in 1998.
The couple purchased an estate in Millbrook, New York, in 2004. On the 18th of March 2009, Natasha passed away due to a severe head injury that occurred in a skiing accident in Montreal. Following her death, Liam donated her organs.
Liam holds citizenship in the United States, Britain, and Ireland. However, he was naturalized as an American citizen in 2009. After acquiring American citizenship, he faced critics for turning his back on his Irish roots. However, he denies the fact and states that he is true to his Irish roots.
In 2009, Queens University, Belfast, awarded Liam Neeson an honorary doctorate nearly four decades after completing his undergraduate in physics and computer science. Peter Gregson, Vice-Chancellor Professor, presented him with the award in New York. In 2011, UNICEF appointed Liam Neeson as a goodwill ambassador. He is also a patron for CineMagic, a Belfast- based charity film festival that helps the younger generation to get involved in the film industry.
Acting Career
Liam Neeson’s acting career began in 1976 with a small part in the film “Love is the Devil.” His first significant role was as Michael Collins in the RTÉ Television series “Riders to the Sea” (1979). He made his film debut in Frank Perry’s Academy Award-winning “The Informer” (1980), playing an Irish Republican Army member, before appearing in a series of films that garnered him critical praise and various acting awards.
Neeson made his Broadway debut in “Anna Christie” (1980). He starred in “The Boys of St. Vincent” (1982). He played Quasimodo’s best friend, Frollo, in the Oscar-winning film adaptation of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1996). Neeson appeared opposite Julia Roberts in the romantic drama “Gone, Baby, Gone” (2007).
In 2008 he appeared as the main antagonist in the film “Taken.” In 2011, he starred in a biographical movie about General George S. Patton. He has since played roles ranging from a hostage negotiator in “Non-Stop” to a wounded veteran taking revenge on the Taliban and their sympathizers during wartime in Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker.” In addition, Neeson’s reputation for choosing challenging roles led him to be cast as Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn in the prequel trilogy of “Star Wars” (1999–2005).
Net Worth
As one of the famous irish actors, Liam Neeson’s net worth is over US $145 million. He appeared in more than 90 films; a few are in the pipeline. After his role in the “Star Wars” series, Liam made a massive comeback with his TAKEN trilogy. Reportedly, Liam charged US $5 million for the first part, US $15 million for the second, and US $20 million for the final part. He made US $40 million for the TAKEN franchise alone!
Real Estate
Neeson purchased a Central Part West apartment in 1994 for US $1.4 million. However, he sold it in 2010 for US $1.35 million. He is also the proud owner of a 37-acre estate outside New York. The estate was constructed in 1890, and Liam made the purchase of the estate in 1994 before getting married to Natasha. The estate includes a swimming pool and a tennis court.
2. Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan is one of the most popular Irish actors, film producers, and environmentalist.
Pierce James Brosnan was born on the 16th of May 1953 in Navan, County Meath, Ireland. He is an Irish actor, film producer, and environmentalist.
Brosnan first appeared as a model in a television advertisement for Nimble bread in Ireland. Then, because of his appearance in the advert, he took acting classes and went to London soon after. After that, he began appearing as an extra in television productions. His first significant role was playing James Bond in Golden Eye (1995).
Acting Career
Brosnan began working as an acting assistant soon after he graduated from the Drama Center in 1975 at the York Theatre Royal. His debut was Wait Until Dark. After six months, Tennessee Williams, a noted playwright, selected Pierce for the role of McCabe in The Red Devil Battery Sign. His performance in the movie caused quite a stir in those days in London. The telegram, which Brosnan still has, states, “Thank God for you, my dear boy.”
He continued as other Irish actors to play guest roles in several films such as The Long Good Friday in 1980, The Mirror Crack’d, released in the same year, and numerous television shows, including the Play for Today, Murphy’s Stroke, and The Professionals.
He landed in the United States and picked up the leading role for the television series, Manions of America. After the miniseries came to an end, he picked up BBC’s Nancy Astor, which is a nine-part series. His role as Robert Gould Shaw II earned him the Golden Globe Award in 1985 for the best supporting actor.
The rom-com detective series Remington Steele made Pierce a popular choice. So, he moved to Southern California, and the NBC show gave him a fresh lease on life. The series started in 1982, and the same year, The Washington Post said Brosnan would be the perfect choice for the James Bond role.
After the series ended in 1987, Pierce appeared in multiple movies, including the Deceivers, The Fourth Protocol, and Noble House. He even performed a cameo in the much-acclaimed film Mrs. Doubtfire. He was also part of several television movies, such as Victim of Love, Death Train, and Night Watch.
The James Bond role was landed in 1994, making him the fifth actor to play the character. The role did not come to him easily, but he had to go through plenty of turmoil. Broccoli stated that if he could act, Pierce would be the guy to replace Roger Moore. However, because of his agreement with NBC for the Remington Steele, he could not sign the bond role, and the movie producers had to look elsewhere.
Brosnan signed a three-movie deal with an option to return for the fourth Bond movie. His first one was “GoldenEye,” which came out in 1995 and grossed US $350 million worldwide. It became the most successful movie after Moonraker, after adjusting for inflation. He returned with Tomorrow Never Dies in 1997, and The World is Not Enough in 1999. Both films were a record hit.
Pierce appeared as Bond for the fourth time in Die Another Day, which received mixed reviews. However, he mentioned in interviews and during promotions of the movie that he would like to continue his role as James Bond. Therefore, he requested Eon Productions that he be allowed to work on other projects while working between the Bond movies. As the production house granted the request, Brosnan appeared in several films, including those he produced.
Net Worth
Pierce Brosnan’s net worth is over US $200 million. His first bond movie earned him US $4 million. It would be US $7 million today, after adjusting the inflation. Later, Brosnan made US $8.2 million for Tomorrow Never Dies and US $16.5 million for Die Another Day. The four Bond movies he starred in helped him earn US $48 million alone!
Real Estate
Pierce married Keely Shaye Smith in 2001 after grieving for a decade after his first wife passed away. The couple has several properties around the world. Pierce bought a home in Malibu on his own in 1996 that was foreclosing for $600,000. Later, he sold it for US $2.6 million in 2012.
The couple later purchased a one-acre beachfront house in Malibu. However, the price is undisclosed. Later, they bought the next-door half-an-acre property and pieced it together to make it one acre of property. Then, they tore down the existing structure and built a 13,000-square-foot Tahitian mansion. They rent their property during the summers for US $250,000 a month!
3. Colin Farrell
Unlike other Irish actors, Colin James Farrell is the one who has starred in Hollywood films, such as Minority Report and SWAT, and in British and American television series.
He was born to parents Rita and Eamon Farrell on the 31st of May, 1976. He was raised in Castleknock, Dublin, Ireland, with his brother Eamon Jr. and two sisters, Claudine and Catherine. Eamon Farrell was a professional footballer and played for Shamrock Rovers FC, apart from running a health food shop.
The Irish actor appeared in numerous films, including Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report in 2002 and as supervillain Bullseye in the Daredevil movie that came out in 2003. He also acted in independent movies such as Intermission, A Home at The End of The World, and the biopic of Alexander. The musical and comedy film, In Bruges, earned him the Golden Globe Award for best actor in 2008. He also starred in the black comedy Horrible Bosses, which received the critical appraisal.
Early Career
Colin Farrell played numerous roles in films and television shows. He started his career in television with Ballykissangel in 1998. The next one to appear was in 1999, Falling for A Dancer. His first movie debut was The War Zone, which was the directorial debut of Tim Roth. It is a drama about child abuse, starring Ray Winstone and Tilda Swinton. Farrell also appeared alongside Kevin Spacey in Ordinary Decent Criminal, a movie that is loosely based on Martin Cahill.
He was cast as private Roland boss, the lead role of Tigerland, directed by American Joel Schumacher. Reports stated that he earned the role based on his charm. Emanuel Levy said that Farrell shined as a provocative yet decent lad who bought a sane reaction to this situation. The movie earned US $139,500.
Phone Booth, The Recruit, and SWAT for the first movies to be successful at the box office and received positively by the critics. Phone Booth collected $46.6 million, The Recruit $52.8 million, and SWAT $116.9 million at the box office. He also acted in various supporting roles, including Justice Department Agent opposite Tom Cruise, a criminal in Minority Report, and a villain in Daredevil.
Along with Cillian Murphy, Colin Farrell starred in the dark comedy, Intermission in 2003. The independent film was the highest-grossing Irish movie at the Irish box office for three consecutive years and remained a cult classic. Farrell saw more success in 2006 when he starred opposite Jamie Foxx in the crime drama movie Miami Vice. The movie grossed $164 million worldwide. In addition, the movie’s DVD, released in the same year, sold over 1,000,000 copies within the first week of its release.
In 2008, Farrell starred in Martin McDonagh’s full feature, In Bruges. The Guardian reported that Farrell was absolutely superb, lethally sexy, moody, funny, and vulnerable like a little boy. Time magazine described the movie as the “prettiest bloodbath of 2008,” and Colin Farrell received Golden Globe Award for the same.
Personal Life
Farrell had relationships with several women, including Amelia Warner, Britney Spears, Nicole Narain, and Elizabeth Taylor. The list also includes Angelina Jolie, Demi Moore, and Maeve Quinlan. In addition, he has a son with American model Kim Bordenave, named James Padraig. In 2007, Colin reported that James has Angelman syndrome, a genetic disorder developed due to developmental delay, excitable demeanor, and lack of speech.
Colin Farrell checked himself into a rehabilitation Center for using painkillers and recreational drugs. After leaving rehab, he made a comment on the topic on the Late Show with David Letterman. He stated that the drugs and the painkillers created energy and an out-of-the-world experience that benefited him. After that, however, it reached a point where everything was falling.
Net Worth
As per celebrity resources, his net worth is no less than any other Irish actors. Colin Farrell has a net worth of $80 million. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California. The house features 5 bedrooms and bathrooms with a built-in fitness place and pool spa. He loves cars and has a good collection of them. However, he often drives in Ford Bronco, which is said to be the first SUV introduced by the company. It is a 2-door mini-truck with all-rounder family sedan capability.
4. Michael Fassbender
Michael Fassbender is an Irish actor born on the 2nd of April 1977. He receives the Screen Actors Guild award, Critics Choice Movie Award, two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and four British Academy Film Awards.
He was born in Heidelberg to German father Joseph Fassbender and Irish mother, Adele. His older sister, Catherine, a neuropsychologist, works at MIND Institute, Sacramento, California. When Michael was two years old, their parents moved to the countryside of Ireland to operate the West End House, a restaurant where his father worked as a chef. Michael’s parents chose the country for their children’s upbringing because they wanted to escape the industrial backdrop of their previous German residence.
He attended Fossa National School near Killarney and St. Brendan’s College in Killarney. After he was cast in a play when he was 17, Michael learned that his passion was to be an actor. When he was 19, He went to Drama Center London when he was just 19. However, he dropped out of education and toured with Oxford Stage Company to participate in the play Three Sisters. Before settling as an actor, he worked as a postman, manual laborer, bartender, Dell employee, and market researcher for Royal Mail.
Acting Career
Michael Fassbender’s first screen role was Burton Pat Christenson in the award-winning miniseries Band of Brothers. After that, he played the main character in the music video Blind Pilots performed by the British band The Cooper Temple Clause and the character of Azazeal in the series of Hex aired on Sky One channel.
Michael played Michael Collins, his great-great-granduncle, in Allegiance, directed by Mary Kenny for the 2006 Edinburg Festival Fringe. The play tells the story of the meeting between Winston Churchill and Michael Collins. Fassbender also directed, acted, and produced Reservoir Dogs, the acclaimed masterpiece by Quentin Tarantino for stage play.
The mainstream success for Michael Fassbender came in the year 2006 when he played a young Spartan warrior in the movie 300, a fantasy film directed by Zack Snyder. The next breakthrough came in 2008, when he played Bobby sands, a provisional Irish Republican Army prisoner, for Steve McQueen’s movie, Hunger. He won the British Independent Film award for his performance in Hunger. After this, he appeared in Inglorious Bastards, directed by Quentin Tarantino, and Fish Tank, directed by Andrea Arnold. Both the movies were well received at the box office, and Michael’s performance was critically acclaimed.
He appeared in Jonah Hex, Centurion, Blood Creek, and Jane Eyre. He also played Magneto in the blockbuster X-Men: First Class, a prequel to X-Men. The massive global success of the movie made Michael Fassbender a famous movie star.
Michael Fassbender has two movies currently in postproduction, where he will work alongside David Hasselhoff and Arnold Schwarzenegger. He will also be seen in Next Goal Wins, directed by Taika Waititi, which is based on a documentary for Fox Searchlight Pictures. In March 2022, news came out that Michael was executive-producing a drama for Netflix, written by Daniel Kaluuya and Joe Murtagh, titled The Kitchen.
Auto Racing
Apart from being one of the celebrated Irish actors, Michael Fassbender often stated that he always dreamt of going to auto racing before starting to act. He’s a fan of Scuderia Ferrari and Formula One and was a member of the Corso Pilota training course in 2016. He began his auto racing in May 2017 by participating in Ferrari Challenge’s Coppa Shell class, where he stood 15th at Mugello Circuit. He finished 6th at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and 5th in the standings of the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, where he participated in the full Ferrari Challenge North America schedule.
He also participates in Proton Competition, where he races with his Porsche 911 RSR. He moved to Porsche in 2019 after experiencing the Porsche racing experience for the YouTube series Road to Le Mans.
Net Worth and Property
As per the celebrity news, Michael Fassbender has a total net worth of $40 million. He purchased a luxurious apartment in Portugal for £1.7 million in 2017. The apartment has a garden terrace, swimming pool, and magical views of the Tagus river.
