Colin Farrell, Bruges and the Harry Potter mystery

Banshees of Inisherin had a Bafta bonanza scooping four of the awards.

And seeing all the red carpet love for its stars takes me back to what seems like a lifetime ago.

Fifteen years to be exact, at a press junket for Martin McDonagh’s first feature film In Bruges starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson.

There’s always a worry at press events that the stars tasked to promote the films might be difficult.

Let’s face it, they’re rolled into interview after interview, asked the same questions - anyone would be bored. But mostly they’re on their best behaviour.

My first inkling that this wasn’t going to be a standard interview was when I was in the ante room at the Shelbourne Hotel, waiting to go in and chat to the two actors.

As I read over my notes, I was aware of someone sitting down beside me. Thinking it was another reporter, I looked up to say hello only to find myself looking at the most expressive eyebrows in Ireland. 

“Howrya?” 

And that was my introduction to Colin Farrell. We chatted about mutual friends (who else, Pamela Ballantine) and I can’t remember what else because it was COLIN FLIPPING FARRELL.

I do remember that he was sound. Like, really lovely and friendly. A total legend, and I thought ‘Well even if the other guy is hard work, at least Colin Farrell will be an ally’.

I needn’t have worried, Brendan Gleeson was equally amazing. 

In fact, the only one who could be classed as hard work was me.

Ahead of the start of the interview, there was a cigarette lit, and the smoke blown up the chimney of the fireplace in the opulent room. This was post-smoking ban, and I was shocked at their nonchalance - pleading with them to stop in case we all got shouted at. 

Even writing this all these years later I feel like a complete loser. What was going to happen? Who was going to say anything to these two? They chortled at their naughtiness and my distress, and we got on with the chat.

They were as entertaining off-screen as they had been on it, and left me with a bit of a mystery which I still think about from time-to-time.

When I suggested there was a bit of a Harry Potter theme in the movie with Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort), Clement Poesy (Fleur Delacour), Brendan (Mad Eye Moody) hinted that Colin Farrell had indeed been in a Harry Potter Movie and that we just needed to look a bit closer.

The only clue they gave me was that he was on a broomstick so I’m presuming it was a quidditch scene.

Literally every time I watch a Harry Potter I pause every couple of seconds through the match scenes to see if I can spot him. Frustratingly, I never have.

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