This weekend the 90th Academy Awards ceremony will take place. The ceremony honours storytellers from all fields including directors, actors, cinematographers and set designers.
Within this bunch of creative minds are many Irish storytellers. Those who have come from our little island and made it big.
Here at All Good Tales, we celebrate stories and those who tell them. To mark the Oscars ceremony this weekend we’ve put together a list of Irish storyteller’s who have made it big abroad.
Nora Twomey
Directed by the Cork-native, The Breadwinner is nominated for best-animated feature at this year’s awards.
The film follows a young girl, Parvana, growing up in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. The animation follows her struggle to help provide for her family.
The Breadwinner isn’t Nora’s first taste of success. In 1998 she co-founded the animation company Cartoon Saloon with Paul Young and Tomm Moore. The company has gone on to produce numerous award-winning features including The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea and From Darkness.
Consolata Boyle
Consolata is an Irish costume designer hailing from Dublin. Victoria and Abdul sees Consolata nominated for Best Costume Design for her work on the film.
This is the third Oscar nomination for Consolata. She has previously been nominated for her work The Queen and Florence Foster Jenkins.
Consolata was trained in costume and set design in the Abbey Theatre. She has also made costumes for movies including Philomena, The Iron Lady and Testament of Youth.
Saoirse Ronan
Although born in The Bronx in New York Saoirse is firmly Irish and holds dual citizenship for both the USA and Ireland. This year she receives her third Oscar nomination, this time, for her role as leading actress in Lady Bird.
Saoirse moved to Ireland when she was three years old and briefly living in Carlow before moving to Howth.
Saoirse first received her first Oscar nomination at the age of 12 for her role as supporting actress in Atonement. In 2016, Saoirse was nominated for best actress for her role in Brooklyn.
Martin McDonagh
Martin McDonagh was born to Irish parents in London and holds dual citizenship. He is a playwright, screenwriter, and director. Many of Martin’s plays take inspiration from his childhood, having grown up in the west of Ireland.
Written and directed by Martin, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, is nominated for best original screenplay and best picture.
This is not Martin’s first visit to the Oscars ceremony. In 2005, Martin’s film Six Shooter won best live action short film. Dark comedy In Bruges also saw him nominated for best original screenplay in 2006.
Daniel Day-Lewis
Born in London to an Irish father, Daniel Day-Lewis holds dual citizenship and calls Annamoe in Wicklow home.
Daniel announced his retirement from acting last year. His final film, The Phantom Thread, sees him receive his 6th Oscar nomination for best actor.
In 2012, Time named Daniel Day-Lewis as the “World’s Greatest Actor”. He has previously won three of his past nominations for his work in My Left Foot, There will be Blood and Lincoln.
