Hollywood heavyweight Colm Meaney has revealed how his latest acting job means he gets a lot of attention during trips around Ireland and England ahead of the Cheltenham Festival.
The Golden Globe nominated star, famed for his role in the Snapper, revealed that his part in Irish bookmaker Paddy Power’s TV ad, stoking the friendly sporting rivalry between Irish and British trainers during the four-day horse racing meeting, has caused quite the stir.
He said: “I was in [Dublin] town this afternoon and I got stopped by a lot of people. You try and keep your head down and just move fast.
“But people are seeing it and mentioning it. The response to the ad is great. People think it’s really funny and really enjoy it. Not many ads get that type of response.
“People get it. It’s great. The tone is really right. It’s not aggressive.
“It’s done in jest and that’s how people take it. But yeah, quite a few people mention it,” he admits.
The ad, which is currently airing across Irish and UK television, sees Meaney calling out the English for mocking the way his compatriots say “thirty-three”, and for ruining words such as “banter”.
He pleads with viewers to stop claiming the likes of Irish singer Niall Horan as their own, and to do a better job at pouring a decent pint.
Meanwhile, Colm admits that he’s too busy to even think about turning 70 next year, with his daughter getting married in the coming months.
Speaking of turning 70, he said: “I don’t care. I haven’t thought about [it].”
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