Kenneth Branagh’s latest film is more personal than a colonoscopy. The co-pay is about the same. “Belfast” is basically about the director’s childhood.
Jamie Dornan’s playing Kenneth’s father during the turbulent times in 1960s Northern Ireland … but ultimately, it’s all just about family.
The year: 1969. The place: Northern Ireland.
Lara McDonnell (as Moira): “Hey, Buddy! Your mom’s calling you.”
Jude Hill (as Buddy): “Yes!”
And a happy boy named Buddy. But in the new drama “Belfast,” things change when “The Troubles” start, a conflict between Catholics and Protestants.
Colin Morgan (as Billy Clanton): “You wouldn’t want to be the odd man out in this street.”
And 11-year-old Jude Hill gets an A+ on this assignment.
Alex Miranda: “People are talking about an Oscar for you.”
Jude Hill: “I’m just happy with all the hype and buzz that the film’s getting, and I think Ken really deserves it all.”
He’s talking about director Kenneth Branagh, who wrote the semi-autobiographical story about his childhood.
Diplomatic answer, but…
Alex Miranda: “Wow, that was very sweet. But if you did get the Oscar, where do you think you would put it?”
Jude Hill: “Not sure, to be honest.”
Dodging my questions — like a pro!
But he’s got good company! Jamie Dornan — you know, “Fifty Shades of Grey” Jamie — plays his father, who really is from Belfast.
Jamie Dornan: “These are a normal family. There’s nothing out of the ordinary about them or who they are. They’re a hardworking, working class.”
Caitriona Balfe plays Buddy’s mom.
Caitriona Balfe: “Because it’s told through the eyes of a 9-year-old, you focus in on this family and how an ordinary family is affected by it.”
And Ciarán Hinds says, in a way, the script is a love letter to Belfast.
Ciarán Hinds: “It just wreaked of truth, and place, and character, and location. And I guess it’s because I’m from that neck of the woods as well.”
Almost everyone in the cast is from there.
Caitriona Balfe: “I think your humor.”
Jamie Dornan: “Humor, yeah, ’cause you guys are great at getting sarcasm.”
Ciarán Hinds: “His ears.”
Jude Hill: “Yeah, my ears.”
Caitriona Balfe: “I apologize a lot. That’s a very Irish thing. ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.'”
Ciarán Hinds: “Usually, my vacant gaze has been mentioned as another Irish trait.”
And, finally, I had to ask Jude what it was like working with Jamie.
Jude Hill: “Jamie is a really nice man, but I do slag off to him a wee bit.”
Alex Miranda: “‘Slag off’ means like, what, throwing shade?”
Ciarán Hinds: “Yeah, it’s like verbally abusing somebody means you love them.”
“Belfast” is now playing in theaters.
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