Exclusive: Domhnall Gleeson on playing the villain, a dream Cohen brothers collaboration, and his new Apple TV+ movie Echo Valley

Domhnall Gleeson has one of the most impressive Hollywood CVs amongst the golden glitterati - from blockbusters like Star Wars and Harry Potter to funny favourites like Frank of Ireland, Jack & Alice, and everyone’s favourite rom-com, About Time, there’s not much he hasn’t covered.

As friendly as he usually comes across, his newest role in Apple TV+ movie Echo Valley sees him turn into an American drug-dealing, prone-to-violence, all-out baddie. Co-starring alongside Juliane Moore, Sydney Sweeney, and Fiona Shaw, the film follows Moore as a horse farmer in Pennsylvania whose addict daughter (Sweeney) has landed herself in a troubling state.

Luckily even nicer than he appears on screen, Domhnall headed down to The Clarence in Whitehall to join us for a good old fashioned Pub Corner chat. Here's what he told us.

1. He likes playing baddies

In Echo Valley, Gleeson takes on the role of Jackie - a well, less than nice guy.

"He’s kind of, well, he’s not a nice person in the way that he deals with other people in the film," Gleeson agreed. "When he’s around you don’t really know what’s going to happen next or how he’s going to react and that’s quite fun to play - to take on someone who brings an element of danger. Playing a character whose effect on things is almost combustible - things could really go off in a second around them and it was fun to play with that energy."

Goodies or baddies — which does he prefer to play?

"It’s always great to play people who bring love and connection, but you don’t just want to do one or the other, mixing it up is the best part," Gleeson confirmed.

2. He’s a lover of an Irish goodbye - and salted butter

The Irish have given us some really wonderful exports - The Pogues, James Joyce, Guinness, Paul Mescal - the list goes on.

Whilst Gleeson's first thought about the best Irish export (other than the Irish goodbye) was that "our dairy produce seems to do pretty well" — giving a special shout out to the GOAT (or cow, in this case) - Kerrygold — it was Irish writers that are his favourite.

"We’ve got some good stuff across the board. I mean there are some amazing Irish actors, but also Irish writers, across the board - novelists, screenwriters, playwrights are brilliant. So I would probably say Irish writers."

3. He has a big list of dream collaborators

Proving that he is one of the nicest guys in showbiz, Gleeson doesn't have a typical "dream role" — he's not fantasising about taking down a baddie as Bond, adventuring like Lara Croft, or getting life advice from Iron Man. For Gleeson it's all about the people.

"Paul Thomas Anderson has always been top of the list," Gleeson revealed.

"I love Todd Sollens, I’d like to work with - well, The Cohens are working separately now but I’d love both of those. Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun is such an incredible film. Barry Jenkins has made a couple of films that absolutely devastated me but in a way where the films are so compelling to watch... Yeah, Charlotte Wells and Barry Jenkins most recent films have been stunning."

4. He can play the fiddle

It's hard to imagine a world without Gleeson acting, but if he wasn't an actor what does he think he'd be doing?

"I would have loved to have been a good musician," Gleeson confessed. Although, quickly adding "I don’t think I could have been but I would have loved it... I can play the fiddle - but I’m not amazing at it. I’ve had the pleasure to know some amazing fiddle players and they are just something else."

5. Going behind the camera isn’t off the cards

If he wasn't an actor, or a musician, or a teacher, Gleeson admitted he's always been fascinated by assistant directors.

"In the world of film, I’ve always admired (I’d be terrible at it) - but I’ve always admired a good first assistant director - a good first AD makes everything run, and is creative in a way that not many people understand or notice. The good ones I’ve worked with have made a huge difference to how the film came out," Gleeson revealed. Whilst we did offer him a small-stakes role on our production team, we haven't got a confirmed 'yes' - yet...

6. He’s always a popcorn in the cinema kind of guy

"I always get popcorn at the cinema. I’ll tell you what’s wrong, sweet popcorn. The first time I came to England, I was 19, they asked me if I wanted sweet or salted popcorn at the cinema. In my head I just thought, “What the f*ck are you talking about?’. They offered me a mix and it was f*ucking horrible," Gleeson reminisced.

"You know what is good though? Putting Malteasers in salted popcorn."

Dohmnall Gleeson, a gastronomic connoisseur as well as an actor. For him, it's the same sweet/salty combination as having heavily salted peanuts (Manhattan are his favourites) and a Coke or a Guinness (which he also loves).

7. He’s a re-watcher just as much as a new show hunter

"I do find myself going back to the same things over and over - to my detriment sometimes," Gleeson confessed.

"I’ve seen all of the Alan Partridge stuff many, many, many times; he makes me laugh in a way not many people do. With films I’ve seen the most amount of times it would have to be the Coen Brothers - and they have a lot of films."

Echo Valley is now streaming on Apple TV+

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