Domhnall Gleeson is such an excellent actor and unassuming celebrity, I forget that he’s a nepo baby. He’s the son of Brendan Gleeson, a wonderful actor who I always forget is Irish. Domhnall grew up in Ireland with his family and sort of inadvertently began acting without any real plan to do any of this. He guards his privacy to the point where I’m shocked to actually read an interview with him where he chats about his childhood and family. That’s what this is – he spoke to the Irish Times about two new projects, Guy Ritchie’s Fountain of Youth and a smaller role in Echo Valley, starring alongside Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney. He got to use his natural Irish accent in Fountain of Youth when Ritchie had the role rewritten for Gleeson. Some highlights from the Irish Times:
On the pyramids of Giza. “It was totally different seeing them through adult eyes. We were right in the middle of them. There’s something about the scale that doesn‘t make sense in your brain. They are just beyond comprehension. I was so happy I got to go back [for Fountain of Youth].”
He loved working on an action-drama like Fountain of Youth: “There were so many reasons to want to be part of it – the fact that it was Guy Ritchie doing his version of it, and then John [Krasinski] and Natalie [Portman] …They’re both really, really nice people to be around. The tone they set was wonderful. It was a very fun shoot – as it should be with something like this.”
Whether he would sip from the fountain of youth if he found it: “I didn‘t find myself thinking about that so much. My character has his reasons for being obsessed with it in the film, so I was thinking about it more in those terms … It’s such a universal theme, and something people lust after and want.”
When stardom was thrust upon him: “I think any of the difficulties you have with that stuff probably should remain private. I’m lucky. People in Ireland are pretty chill for the most part. If people are coming up to you because they liked something you were in, Jesus, I mean, if you’re complaining about that, then, you know, it’s not ideal.”
He would have been fine being typecast: “I probably would have kept on playing the same kind of character if I’d been allowed to. I was incredibly lucky in the ways that I was enticed out of that, and it paid dividends further on. I get more ambitious not for the scale of the work but for the differences between the work as I get older. And wanting to try new things and wanting to try hard enough that you’ll fail.” There were “people early on who saw something in me more than I thought I was capable of. I was good at playing tortured and in pain … and I was maybe good at funny stuff.”
On being a nepo baby: “It’s an important conversation. There are a lot of people whose parents are in the industry. It’s important that there is room for other people. I’ve been so lucky when it comes to what my father did and having the means to be able to pursue acting even when I wasn‘t making enough money to look after myself. I think it’s fair for people to talk about that, and it’s important that you can acknowledge it. Otherwise you’re lying to yourself. I also think it’s important that more people can get into the industry who don‘t have the means of the majority who are in there at the moment.”
This is extremely significant: “I also think it’s important that more people can get into the industry who don‘t have the means of the majority who are in there at the moment.” Because the nepo baby conversation is about that too – it’s about the people without connections, without a family member in the industry, and what are the opportunities for them? There’s a sense that so many creative/arts industries are increasingly based on a hereditary system rather than talent. As for how Domhnall deals with fame… it’s that rare thing where directors and actors absolutely know him and want to work with him, but he’s not really super-famous or a target of gossip or paparazzi. Maybe it’s because he’s based in Ireland and not London or LA, or maybe he’s just a low-key guy who figured out how to manage his own fame.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cat Morley/Avalon, WENN/Avalon and Cover Images.
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- Domhnall Gleeson at the ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ film premiere, London, UK – 18 Dec 2019,Image: 541215067, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: B2820/Avalon
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- Domhnall Gleeson attends the 28th Annual Critics Choice Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California,Image: 749945321, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Domhnall Gleeson, Credit line: /JPI Studios/Avalon
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- New York premiere of ‘White House Plumbers’ at 92nd Street Featuring: Domhnall Gleeson Where: New York, New York, United States When: 17 Apr 2023 Credit: M10s/TheNews2/Cover Images
So yeah, chalk him up as someone who has one of the better answers about nepotism. Patrick Swarzenegger would do well to read this interview. And I say that as someone meaning no ill will towards Patrick, who has potential and seems like a nice guy. But could learn some additional nuance and understanding of what privilege means and what it can mean for those who don’t have as much.
This was a solid, intelligent, empathetic answer. The fact that he can give a well thought out answer to the nepotism question while hardly anyone else can is fascinating to me.
Others should take note of his response.
(Patrick, Dakota, Zoey, Lily-Rose, etc)
Yes this answer makes actual sense.
He’s also 42, aka a grown-up.
Nepo’s also have to be aware of their range. I should not immediately think “oh that’s someone’s son” . If all your friends are Directors do you really need to shoehorn yourself in? Take what you can do, LEAVE THE REST.
I haven’t heard any kids say they want to be an actor in years. Cause it’s off limits to everyday people. General people moved on to social media and now nepo’s are paying to get top podcast slots. YouTube and twitch have now been shifted to network channels. It’s a shame.
I think so often neop babies are defensive about the label because they perceive that we are saying that they are not good at acting, which isn’t (necessarily) the case. We just mean that they were born with a foot in the door and getting in the door is the hardest thing as an actor. I’m so glad to see someone speak plainly and not defensively about that.
Appreciate him mentioning the famous parent’s financial support while pursuing his acting career when he “wasn’t making enough money to take care of himself.” This privilege alone should be acknowledged by the nepos.
I noted that as well. So many don’t seem to understand that part. They can fail but will still have a roof over their heads & an evening meal.
I think part of what’s missing in the nepo conversation is that it seems pretty clear that people feel like they need to cast celebrity kids. Turning them down doesn’t seem to be an option. There are just too many of these kids on screen where I can’t help but think that there had to be someone better for this role. They aren’t bad, but they just aren’t at the level their parents were. Hard to name names because I honestly just am not seeing a lot of the stuff they’re in.
I think the larger issue is the reluctance of the entertainment industry to take chances. Casting celebrity kids is like making reboots and sequels – they come in with their own marketing.
I watched the Fountain of Youth movie last night on Apple TV. It’s a mindless silly treasure hunt action type movie in the style of National Treasure but not as good. Domhnall was fine in it, I wasn’t blown away by his acting but he also didn’t have much to do in it either. I appreciate he recognizes his nepo baby privileges. So many refuse to acknowledge that privilege, it’s a tricky thing.
I figured out while watching this movie though that I think Natalie Portman is not a great actor. I know she got an Oscar for Black Swan and I saw it a long time ago but she is so bland and boring in all the roles that she plays.
I have always found her bland, too. I thought I was the only one.
That’s exactly what I thought about it – mindless silly treasure hunt of a movie. A sort of poor man’s National Treasure, which is saying something bc National Treasure is not the pinnacle of moviemaking lmao (no shade to those movies, we watch one or the other at least once a month in our house.)
I used to really like Natalie Portman but as I’ve gotten older I agree with you. She’s sort of……flat. I dont know. she didn’t really pair well with John Krasinski on screen (in terms of acting and personality I know they weren’t a couple in the movie.)
I like his balanced approach. I think Jack Quaid handled it well too. I know people like Emma and Patrick. Gets their feathers ruffled since they always come at it from a pure talent perspective. Nobody said you aren’t talented. We are saying you had an edge others did not have and you won’t acknowledge it. And Emma acts like it was a deterrent Julia Roberts is her aunt. While Julia got jobs for her as a child actor. Giving her a leg up in the industry. To carry on as an adult actor.
Jack acknowledged he could get a meeting from for an agent. Purely based on who his parents are. That’s a privilege John and Jane Doe can’t do. Regardless if they have an MFA from Yale. And it’s not like John and Jane can’t get auditions and be successful. It’s just a different path for them. That’s why I have a softer spot for Jennifer Lopez or Madonna. I don’t think they are super talented. But they live and breathe ambition and drive that is superhuman. They didn’t get to the top based on any familial connections.
The nepo kid can spend all day auditioning in one of the most HCOL locations like NYC and Los Angeles. The rents are astronomical. Because dad or mom owns an apartment on 5th avenue. Or summer home in Malibu. They can live in comfort in safety.
While John and Jane Doe have 3 side jobs and eating ramen. Because they are scraping together the rent monthly. Living with 5 roommates.
It’s just a different life for them. Just for the love of God acknowledge it.
And it’s not just the entertainment industry. I see it across all industries. I work in the financial industry. You have no idea how many plum internships are just handed to the son and daughter or X. Because they are the child of a valuable client. Or their parent is high up in leadership. While John and Jane Doe get passed over. Since that last slot was given to a child of privilege. It infuriates me all the time. When I see it. And like the entertainment industry some grow up to be true leaders. While others just coast using their parents as security blankets. But the ones who are true leaders. Acknowledge their privilege and how being a child of an alumni is part of their career path.