Dónall Ó Héalai (Irish: [ˈd̪ˠoːnˠəl̪ˠ oː ˈheːlˠiː]) (born 5 March 1987) is an Irish actor and voice actor. He was named a 2020 Screen International Star of Tomorrow[2] and twice nominated for best leading actor in film at the Irish Film and Television awards in 2020 and 2022.[3][4] He was also the recipient of the Wilde Card award at the Oscar Wilde awards in Los Angeles in 2022 [5][6] as well as one to watch in 2021 by The Irish Examiner.[7]
Dónall Ó Héalai | |
|---|---|
 Ó Héalai at the 2020 Dublin International Film Festival | |
| Born | 28 November 1987 Inverin, County Galway, Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Agent | Curtis Brown[1] |
Early life and education
editÓ Héalai was born in the Gaeltacht village of Inverin, County Galway and grew up in Inverin and Spiddal. He began acting at the age of 14 at a local youth club.[8] He completed his secondary education as a boarding student at St Jarlath's College in Tuam.[9][10]
He graduated from Maynooth University. He was awarded the Dr. H.H Stewart Literary Prize during his studies.[11] He went on to train at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York and Bow Street Academy in Dublin.[12][13]
Career
editIn 2006, Ó Héalai made his onscreen debut as a teenager in the recurring role of Jeaic in season 1 of the TG4 coming-of-age family series Aifric.
Ó Héalai played Otis in the 2019 American psychological thriller Impossible Monsters.[14][15] That same year, he starred as Colmán Sharkey in the Irish-language period drama film Arracht, which won Best Irish film at 2020 Dublin International Film Festival (DIFF) and the Audience Award at the 2020 Glasgow Film Festival.[16] In addition to receiving critical acclaim, Ó Héalai won the Aer Lingus Discovery Award at the DIFF as well as receiving a Best Actor nomination at the IFTAs.
Ó Héalaí stars as John Cunliffe in the Irish-language film Foscadh, an adaptation of the social novel The Thing About December by Donal Ryan.[17] Foscadh is the Irish submission for Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards.
Other ventures
editA native speaker of Irish, Ó Héalaí founded the cultural initiative Celtic Consciousness and, in 2018, gave a TEDxBerkeley talk on the Irish Language and Beauty.[18]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Skint | Billy | Short film |
| 2014 | Sínte | Seán | Short film |
| 2015 | My Name is Emily | Young Policeman | |
| Pursuit | Oisín | ||
| Traders | Kicker | ||
| 2016 | Catch 22 | Mikey | |
| 2017 | Loud Places | Garrett | [1] |
| 2019 | Impossible Monsters | Otis | |
| Arracht | Colmán Sharkey | ||
| 2021 | Foscadh | John Cunliffe |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Aifric | Jeaic | 5 episodes[8][9] |
| 2010–2011 | Seacht | Quinn | 3 episodes |
| 2013 | The Siege 1922 | Various | Television film |
| 2011–2014 | Corp & Anam | John Glynn / Garda Óg | 3 episodes |
| 2022 | North Sea Connections | Shane McDonagh | Television drama |
| 2024 | Crá | Garda Conall Ó Súilleabháin | Upcoming[19] |
Video games
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Red Dead Redemption 2 | O'Driscolls | [20] |
Music videos
edit| Song | Year | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| "All the Others" | 2014 | The Coronas |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Irish Screen America | Rising Star Award | Sínte | Won | [21][22] |
| 2020 | Dublin International Film Festival | Aer Lingus Discovery Award | Arracht | Won | [23] |
| Irish Film & Television Awards | Actor in a Leading Role – Film | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ a b Curtis Brown. "Dónall Ó Héalai".
- ^ Charles Grant (28 September 2020). "Stars of Tomorrow 2020: Dónall Ó Héalai (actor)".
- ^ "Dónall Ó Héalai on his new role: 'A few people have remarked on the haircut'".
- ^ "Dónall Ó Héalai on his new role: 'A few people have remarked on the haircut'". The Irish Times.
- ^ "Irish Actor Donall O Healai to be Honored at the Oscar Wilde Awards (Exclusive)". 16 November 2021.
- ^ "Irish Actor Donall O Healai to be Honored at the Oscar Wilde Awards (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. 16 November 2021.
- ^ Esther McCarthy (3 January 2021). "Bright Lights: Ones to watch in 2021". Irish Examiner.
- ^ a b Kernan Andrews (9 July 2015). "Connemara actor Dónall Ó Héalaí @ Galway Film Fleadh". Galway Advertiser.
- ^ a b "Young Cois Fharraige man looks for lucky break in New York's acting circle". Galway Advertiser. 2 June 2011.
- ^ "Where football is more than a religion". The Irish Times. 2 October 2004. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
- ^ "NUI Awards 2009" (PDF). National University of Ireland.
- ^ "Our Programme Graduates: 2014". Bow Street.
- ^ Andrews, Kernan (9 July 2015). "Connemara actor Dónall Ó Héalaí @ Galway Film Fleadh". Galway Advertiser. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
- ^ "IMPOSSIBLE MONSTERS Starring Santino Fontana to Screen at HBO New York Latino Film Festival". Broadwayworld. 30 July 2019.
- ^ "Impossible Monsters". Cinequest.
- ^ Niall Murphy (9 March 2020). "Irish drama Arracht wins awards in Dublin and Glasgow". www.Scannain.ie.
- ^ Nathan Griffin (6 November 2019). "Filming begins on Foscadh, Seán Breathnach's debut Irish Language feature film". IFTN.
- ^ Dónall Ó Héalaí (13 March 2018). The Irish Language and Beauty (Video). Youtube TedXBerkeley. TEDxBerkeley.
- ^ "BBC releases first-look pictures for new crime drama Crá, starring Dónall Ó Héalai and Alex Murphy". bbc.co.uk/mediacentre. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ^ Pavel Barter (4 November 2018). "Irish voice actors dumbstruck by videogame hit". The Times.
- ^ "Dónall Ó Héalai". Voicebank.ie.
- ^ "IRISH SCREEN AMERICA'S Inaugural Film Fest Sells Out Opening Ceremonies". Broadwayworld. 6 October 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- ^ "Aerlingus Discovery Award". DIFF.ie.
External links
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