We are delighted to announce that we will be honouring acclaimed actor Brendan Gleeson at our gala event this year for his lifetime contribution to theatre.

Each year, at our gala event, we present an award for outstanding achievement in theatre. Previous honourees have included Fiona Shaw, Stephen Rea, Cillian Murphy, Fergus and Rosaleen Linehan, Sinead Cusack, Brian Friel, Gary Hynes and Tom Murphy.

This year, we are delighted to honour acclaimed actor and musician Brendan Gleeson.

To mark this, Brendan will join playwright Paul Mercier, in conversation, online on Sunday 3 October at 6pm. This will be free to view on our YouTube channel.

“This came out of the bluenand is all the more welcome for it. Theatre has had a fundamental role to playnin my life. I’m honoured.” Brendan Gleeson

“Theatre fans had a rarenopportunity to witness Brendan Gleeson’s magnetic presence as a stage actor whennhe performed with his sons Domhnall and Brian in Enda Walsh’s ‘The WalworthnFarce’ in 2015. On stage Brendan moves with ease from tenderness to intense emotionnand always a with a keen comic edge. I am delighted that Brendan’s old friendnand collaborator from The Passion Machine days, Paul Mercier will interview himnfor our annual Gala event.” Dublin Theatre Festival Artistic Director and CEO, Willie White

We will be sharing the link to join closer to the time but you can save the date now – Sunday 03 October at 6pm!

Brendan Gleeson is currently filming on Martin McDonagh’s new feature film THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN. Recent projects include the second series of Nick Hornby’s STATE OF THE UNION directed by Stephen Frears, the role of Donald Trump in the CBS miniseries THE COMEY RULE; a role for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes. He will soon be seen in the role of King Duncan in Joel Coen’s film adaptation of MACBETH, which is due for release this year. He recently lent his voice to the role of ‘The Huntsman’ in RIVERDANCE: THE ANIMATED ADVENTURE. He played the lead role in three seasons of the acclaimed, MR MERCEDES based on the Bill Hodges novel trilogy by Stephen King.

Other recent projects include FRANKIE opposite Marisa Tomei and directed by Ira Sachs, THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS directed by the Coen Brothers, PADDINGTON 2 directed by Paul King, HAMPSTEAD opposite Diane Keaton and directed by Joel Hopkins, LIVE BY NIGHT directed by Ben Affleck, Justin Kurzel’s ASSASSIN’S CREED with Michael Fassbender, Vincent Perez’s ALONE IN BERLIN opposite Emma Thompson, Adam Smith’s TRESPASS AGAINST US, Sarah Gavron’s SUFFRAGETTE with Meryl Streep and Carey Mulligan, and IN THE HEART OF THE SEA directed by Ron Howard.

Other projects in recent years include CALVARY directed by John Michael McDonagh, Doug Liman’s EDGE OF TOMORROW with Tom Cruise, and Cartoon Saloon’s SONG OF THE SEA, directed by Tomm Moore. He is also well-known for his role as Professor Alastor Moody in the HARRY POTTER films, and for his portrayal of Sergeant Gerry Boyle in John Michael McDonagh’s THE GUARD.

Brendan was nominated for Golden Globe and BAFTA awards for his role as Ken in Martin McDonagh’s IN BRUGES and won an Emmy for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in HBO’s INTO THE STORM, directed by Thaddeus O’Sullivan. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe and BAFTA for this performance. He is an accomplished musician, playing the fiddle and mandolin.

Paul Mercier is a playwright and filmmaker. He was a founding member and the artistic director of The Passion Machine Theatre Company. He has written and directed plays for Passion Machine, the Abbey Theatre and a number of other Irish companies. He also writes and directs for film and TV, currently working on a new feature with An Pointe Productions.