Oscar nominations: Irish success inspiring actors and filmmakers

Cork's Cillian Murphy is tipped to win an Oscar for his titular role in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer

As the Oscar nominations were announced on Tuesday, Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy was in his hometown of Ballintemple, County Cork, drinking a cup of tea with his family.

Not very Hollywood, some might say, after finding out he could bring the coveted golden statuette home.

But it's possible the Irish are becoming used to their accolades.

Wherever you turn this award's season, the island's success at the box office cannot be ignored.

Murphy, Saltburn's Barry Keoghan and All Of Us Strangers star Andrew Scott made up half of the Best Actor nominations at the 2024 Golden Globes.

Who could also forget 'Ireland's own' Ayo Edebiri becoming synonymous with the island as she sweeps each ceremony.

And the success of the film industry doesn't stop at the border.

A biopic of Kneecap, the west Belfast Irish-language rap trio, was recently picked up by Sony, and a live-action version of How To Train Your Dragon is making its home in Belfast's Titanic Studios.

Last year, Northern Ireland short film An Irish Goodbye was one of the toasts of the Oscars and two years ago Kenneth Branagh's Belfast received seven nominations.

Meet the actors inspired by local film success

It's an exciting time for actors Robyn McNerlin and Eve O'Sullivan, who say the filmmaking bug has been caught by their peers.

"They work around the clock making their own short films that they can then submit to festivals," Robyn from Ballykelly, County Londonderry told BBC News NI.

"Then because film has got such a boost, they need actors so being a drama student we're the first to be like: 'Hello'."

Robyn McNerlin is a second year English and drama student at Queen's University Belfast

As Belfast cements its reputation as a film hub, Robyn explained, young actors may find themselves attracted to stay.

"There's that motivation as well, if other people from half-an-hour down the road from me can get nominated for an Oscar I could as well," she added.

"Everybody's really inspired by it and it's great to see."

Eve, originally from Bettystown in County Meath, agrees, adding that emigrating for work is not the only route into the industry.

"It's all very exciting to know that this is happening at home, and it's not abroad, it's right here," she said.

Eve says she wants to continue acting after she leaves university

Mentioning Normal People's Paul Mescal who studied at Dublin's prestigious Lir Academy, and Keoghan, whose first role came after answering an advert in a shop window, Eve said there no longer felt like one recipe for success.

"I think when you see people from similar backgrounds to you, and with that kind of success it does make you think well, why can't that be me?," she added.

"I think because people know now that there isn't just one route into the industry, they're coming up with a lot more creative ideas."

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Áine Moriarty, who heads up the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA), said many Irish actors were finding themselves at the top of Hollywood's casting lists as "storytelling is in our DNA".

"It feels like there are so many possibilities now for Irish talent alongside opportunities to collaborate and grow our industry - it's an exciting time," she added.

Áine Moriarty runs the IFTA, a not-for-profit organisation with a membership of 1,300 industry professionals

"The industry has become larger, more diverse and more brimming with talent than anyone could have anticipated, and it will only grow stronger in the coming years."

Ms Moriarty said undoubtedly more success is to come as actors, filmmakers and production companies from across the island of Ireland made "a huge mark on the world stage".

How Poor Things is an Irish film

It isn't just acting where the Irish seem to be dominating.

Yorgos Lanthimos' Poor Things scored 11 Oscar nods - including one for its Irish cinematographer Robbie Ryan.

Element Pictures - which has offices in Dublin, Belfast and London - also helped to produce the fantastical flick.

Belfast-based Larry Cowan, who owns local film production company Lamb Films, said when he began taking interest in filmmaking in the late 1980s, there was no viable route into the industry.

But over the past 40 years, Northern Ireland has established itself as a filmmaking hotspot.

"For a relatively young industry with the size in numbers and geographically, I would say there's been massive achievements," he said.

One of them was a Northern Ireland film winning big at last year's Academy Awards.

"That was the one time I stayed up for the Oscars," he admitted.

"Seeing An Irish Goodbye winning, that was thrilling - I'll root for everybody here and I like to see it."

As well as making films himself, Larry also teaches other budding filmmakers the craft at Belfast's Crescent Arts Centre

Northern Ireland's success in both TV and film has helped to "change the perceptions of how people look at this place", he said.

"I know this would be a bit of a cliché but it's almost like a harbour.

"The docks were empty, they were looking for something to fill the void of the ship industry and film came and took over that."

'You can only reach a certain point'

But there's still ways to go before Northern Ireland can become a place where young filmmakers, like Matthew MacDonald from Greysteel, County Londonderry, can have a full-time career.

"This is really my home, but I think when you're here you can only reach a certain level," the second-year film student explained.

"I think it gets to a certain point where you're kind of pushed to move, whether that's willing or not I'm not too sure - but there's definitely bigger opportunities elsewhere."

Titanic Studios near Belfast's famous shipyard has become home to some major film and TV productions

The film student said despite new productions rolling in, there aren't many opportunities for young people to get hands-on experience and can be a tough industry to break in to.

"It's always good to see people from where you're from at that top level, [but] I don't know if I would say that it inspires me to the point as I would believe that I can be there one day."