'I chanced my arm' says author who got Julia Roberts to narrate TV adaptation

The Hollywood star claimed to be a fan of Rónán Hession's book

He's a civil servant turned novelist who "chanced his arm" with one of Hollywood's biggest stars.

But as the saying goes - if you don't ask, you don't get and it worked out pretty well for Rónán Hession when Julia Roberts came on board as the narrator of Leonard and Hungry Paul, the BBC NI adaptation of his bestselling novel.

The Hollywood star described it as a "magical book" and said she was "delighted to be a tiny part of this novel becoming a television series".

For the Dublin-based novelist, who still works full-time in the civil service, it was just another strange twist in the journey of the book, released six years ago.

Rónán Hession said he never really had an ambition to be a writer

The adaptation, which stars Derry Girls' Jamie-Lee O'Donnell and Alex Lawther, of Andor and Alien: Earth, hits screens on Friday night with narration provided by a certain Oscar winner.

The events that led to the actress' involvement began a few years ago when, out of the blue, the author received an email that seemed "very American".

"It was like: 'I'm Julia Roberts' PA. If you don't believe me, look me up," he told Good Morning Ulster.

"So we did, of course, and she wanted to send me a letter, or a note about the book."

Hession said communications then "fizzled out" as he started to ask himself "did that really happen"?

It wasn't until his publisher, Kevin Duffy mentioned the email to the producers of the series that they decided to chance their arm and contact the Academy Award winner asking her if she would be interested in doing the narration.

Hession said the Pretty Women star replied within a couple of hours saying "she'd love to do it".

The series stars Jamie-Lee O'Donnell, Alex Lawther and Laurie Kynaston

Having Hollywood royalty work on a TV adaptation of your novel is some going for an author who "never really had an ambition to be a writer".

While working full time in the civil service, he said the idea of writing probably came about after his kids were born.

"I began to notice quiet people," he said.

"The world seemed like a very intense place and it was going in the wrong direction. I'd been reflecting on that and I'd started thinking about all the gentle people and how much kindness is expressed in private.

"We know what confident people think because they never stop telling us and they speak with such certainty.

"It's the people who are maybe standing back and the people who are still reflecting on life. I just wanted to write about that and celebrate it".

The show follows two board-gaming friends in their thirties

The series follows two board-gaming friends in their thirties - Leonard, a ghost writer of children's encyclopaedias, and Hungry Paul, a part-time postal worker who still lives at home.

Described as a story of friendship, first love and kindness, which celebrates everyday people, Hession said seeing it brought to life left him completely "entranced".

The actors "were their own version of the characters and I think they've done a fantastic job".

"I think the tricky thing is the book has a lot of interiority and narration and they've managed to convey it."

He had plenty of praise for the actors - O'Donnell's "charisma" and chemistry between herself and Lawther; plus Laurie Kynaston's portrayal of Hungry Paul, which he said was "probably the biggest surprise for me watching it".

"His Hungry Paul is very different to the book, but I love it."

Of course, the Academy Award winning narrator also got his stamp of approval.

"Julia Roberts, of course, what can you say? You're used to seeing her on screen and it's interesting, she's got such a good voice."

The series is set to air on BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer on Friday 17 October and BBC Two on Monday 20 October.