Stars of Oscar nominated short An Irish Goodbye plan to paint Hollywood green

The celebrations have already started after the short film earned an Academy Award nomination, the only short from the UK and Ireland.

It’s also made history with Belfast’s James Martin as the first lead actor with Down’s syndrome in a nominated film.

He broke out the Buck’s Fizz with parents Ivan and Suzanne on holiday in Spain last week after the news was announced and he’s already planning his LA trip with co-star Seamus O’Hara.

They’ll be on the red carpet with filmmakers Ross White and Tom Berkeley who are already planning their after party.

“We’re in good company with all the Irish ones. It’s going to be some night,” says Ross.

James and Seamus play estranged brothers brought together by their mother’s unexpected death, who agree to fulfil her bucket list before selling the family farm. Paddy Jenkins is the parish priest in the 30-minute movie, which has also earned a Bafta nomination.

The Belfast actor, who turns 31 on the day of the Oscars on March 12 says the nomination is already a win.

“I feel like I’ve won already,” he says.

“It was nice to be asked to go over to the Baftas and then LA came along.

“Just to be nominated is fantastic. If it wins everyone is going to go crazy, and I mean everyone, and it will be nice to bring it back to Northern Ireland.

“If it doesn’t, I’ll enjoy the experience.”

James, who’s starred in Ups and Downs with Susan Lynch and Marcella with Anna Friel, has his next TV project completed and hopes the nomination will open more doors.

The Mencap ambassador also works in Starbucks and Scalini in Belfast and hopes he can encourage other people with disabilities into acting.

“It doesn’t matter what kind of disability you have as long as everyone does what they want and enjoys what they want.

“I think you should do something to include everyone.

“I’d love to do more acting and I think this will help.”

James will be at the LA ceremony with co-star Seamus as guests of Ross and Tom, who wrote and directed An Irish Goodbye.

The pair, both 27, met at uni and started writing in late 2019. Their first short film, Roy won Harry Potter’s David Bradley a best actor gong at the British Short Film Awards.

The filmmakers will get their first taste of Hollywood glamour next month at the nominee’s lunch, which will include Irish talent Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan and Paul Mescal.

“It will be Steven Spielberg and Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis and me from East Belfast at the nominees’ lunch while we all have our prawn cocktail. It’s just bonkers,” says Ross.

“Then we’ll be back for the Baftas and back over to LA about two weeks before the ceremony.

“James and Seamus will be our guests on the red carpet, and I think James would be going whether he had a ticket or not.

“We’ll get Paddy Jenkins and our friends and families over for a big auld party afterwards. It’s going to be the best do.”

The pair will be expected to start campaigning for their film, but Ross says they won’t go overboard.

“We’ll do a wee bit of campaigning, but we’ll mix that in with enjoying the moment. If you do too much you miss the moment and we’re just going to soak it up.

“Everyone will watch the final five films again and pick their favourite, and I’m just going to take a big deep breath.

“We’ve all worked really hard and I’m looking forward to being with the guys there and taking the pressure off.”

After shooting on a shoestring around Northern Ireland he says the film’s reception has been overwhelming.

“Truly not even in a modest way did we think it would do so well. It’s been a constant source of surprise and gone above and beyond what we expected.

“When we were shooting in Templepatrick I didn’t think we’d end up at the Dolby Theatre in LA on the red carpet and getting the news about the Baftas was a source of complete joy.”

He says James has been a driving force in the film’s success, and an inspiration.

“Anyone who meets James falls in love with him. He’s the most charismatic and funny person.

“He’s really keen to get the message across the just because you are different or have different abilities it shouldn’t stop you doing what you love,” says Ross.